Holidays Around the World

| December 1, 2018

I took Sam to school for the annual holiday shop and Holidays Around the World. She likes the whole event, but her main reason for going is the holiday shop so she can pick out little presents for everyone. This year she went with her own money, not mine, and I promised her I would not follow her so she could have everything be a surprise. She did pick out things for me, Mark, and Grandmom and of course, things for herself…

When we first got to school, we had to make a few stops for some cute photo ops!

We did shop, but we also did the Holidays Around the World. This one was one of her favorites – Aruba!


I didn’t think she’d want to go see Santa, but she did. They had a nice long chat about how she is doing in school and his expectations for behavior. Thanks, Santa for the assist!

New York, New York!

| November 30, 2018

Yesterday I pulled Sam out of school (which is a shocking thing in and of itself because I never want to let her miss school). Why did she not go to school? Because we went to New York City! My mom and I have been talking for years about taking Sam to NY to see the Rockettes Christmas show at Radio City Music Hall. She always loved the DVD ever since she was little and we wanted her to see it in person. We thought if we didn’t go soon, we would never go, because that is usually how things are. She is definitely old enough to handle the trip and so I looked for a bus trip because, let’s be real, I am not driving to New York City! We settled on Starr Tours and off we went! The bus picked us up right near our house at the ungodly hour of 7:45. It was going to be a long day but we hoped it was worth it. The bus was comfortable and we settled in for the ride.

The first order of business when we got there was lunch. Our show tickets were for right after lunch time so we needed to eat before then or we’d be starving!

Next stop was to find the Rockefeller Plaza tree. I had no intention of going all over NY, so thankfully, it was nearby. I know nothing about NY or how to get around and if it wasn’t close, we weren’t seeing it. I am glad it was right next door just about because Sam loved it!

A bit of window shopping is always in order if you are in NY at Christmastime…

Finally, it was time to go! The line to get in stretched forever! I really half thought we wouldn’t get through the security and get to our seats before the show started, but we made it! Everyone at this show got Santa hats to wear, which made it extra fun.

The show was awesome! Some parts were just like we have seen on the video, and other parts new. Sam did like sort of being familiar with the parts coming up.

One of our favorite parts is when all the tin soldiers fall over. It was so great in person!

The whole show was really worth the trip. It was so much fun and so much bigger and more elaborate in person. Sam asked us right away if we could do it again next year so I guess she enjoyed it! After the show we had a few hours before getting picked up to go home and Sam spied something that I knew was in NY, but had no idea where it was.

Yup. The American Girl store, or the “AG Store” as Sam likes to call it. I told her we’d buy her something small, but NO DOLLS. She was pretty good and actually didn’t ask for much. We did stop and take her picture in front of the Samantha section, of course!

We pretty much had to drag her out of the store, but she had fun. It was fun taking her and I didn’t even have to take out a second mortgage before we left!

We were all so incredibly exhausted and still had about an hour before the bus left but had no energy left to roam so we just sat outside and people watched. This office building had a really cool display outside and for me and my mom, and comfortable wall to sit on! Sam had to ham it up for the camera, as usual.

Sam got bored from waiting so she asked if she could take some pictures. I really like some of the ones she took!

We didn’t get back to Springfield until around 9:00 p.m. and she was toast. The poor kiddo conked out on the way home, but she had a blast so it was worth it, 100%!

Our Cats Are Rockin’ Their Christmas Gear

| November 25, 2018

Everyone in our house is a bit Christmas crazy, even the cats! Sam must have dressed them up a million times. You can imagine how thrilled they were.

Zach is happier just chilling with the Santa hats. They make very snuggly blankets.

He loves to hang over the step and this was just too cute.

Sam’s bed is always covered in stuffed animals and each Christmas she drags out all the Christmas ones. Since Zach is always cuddled up sleeping with her stuffies, he had to try these out too. Sam really loves that about him. I think the fact that he loves stuffed animals as much as she does makes them a special pair. Every stuffed animal has to get shown to him for his “approval”. If he hugs it, it’s ok, and if not, well, poor stuffie gets chucked off the bed. If you are not Zachy approved, you go!

It’s Tree Time!

| November 24, 2018

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! It’s tree time! Everyone in our house was excited to finally put the tree up, especially the cats. Well, mostly Penny.

Sam dressed her up in a Christmas outfit and Penny jumped right into the tree. Does she think she’s an ornament?

Usually, the star is the last thing to go on the tree after we decorate it, but Sam made us a custom star (out of aluminum foil) and insisted we put it up first thing. I have no idea why she made it, but ok. Why not?

It seemed to take longer than usual to decorate this year mostly because instead of hanging ornaments, Sam was messing around, mostly with poor Zach and Penny.

Sam loves all of our Shutterfly ornaments and the one with her Poppy went right near the front of the tree.

Sam’s homemade candy canes get put on every year. We have some she made out of red and white pipe cleaners and this year she made some out of red and white paper straws. I am always shocked that Zach doesn’t climb the tree to get the pipe cleaners – he loves them!

Penny was being even less helpful than Sam, which Sam thought was hysterical, of course. At the rate we were going, it was going to be New Years before the tree got done.

Our fireplace hasn’t been converted to gas yet, and since the TV is there, we don’t want to burn a wood fire, so we improvised! Sam of course, had to be  a goofball. All night. Which is why it took 10 hours to decorate the tree….

Mark and Zach had enough of the decorating and just chilled by our fake fire. 🙂

It didn’t take long for Zach to get back to his favorite napping spot though, under the tree.

The tree did get done eventually so Santa can come!

Welcome, Christmas!

| December 26, 2017

Christmas is finally here! We had such an amazing day. It was the most relaxing and fun Christmas I can remember having in a long time. We didn’t have a lot of running around to do, so we got some time to chill out at home and really enjoy opening our gifts, and then had a great homemade pasta dinner at Krista and Adam’s house.

Here is our tree on Christmas morning – Santa left Sam all those gifts wrapped in blue! She is one lucky kid!

Penny wanted to make sure there was something for her under the tree (there was!)

Zach was just trying to escape – this cold weather keeping them off the porch has been hard for the kitties.

The stockings were stuffed to the tippy tops! Sam was worried that her new stocking was so big Santa wouldn’t fill it, but he did!

Zach seems to be saying, “Get on with it, already! It’s present time!”

It kills Sam every year that Mark won’t let her go downstairs until he goes down and lights up the tree and gets his camera ready. This year, she sort of went halfway down the steps though and peeked! Here she is, finally getting to really descend the stairs (with a very half-asleep Mommy behind her!) It was so early! We made Sam stay in bed until 6:30, but she had me awake at 5:00 a.m. I slept in her bed because she thought that might help her stay asleep, but as soon as she woke up and looked under the little tree in her room and saw that Santa had left a gift, she screamed at me, “Santa’s been!” and that was it. No more sleep!

Sam always makes a beeline for her stocking before opening any gifts, which I think is really cute. She was so happy to get a Pikmi Pop.

Sam’s new stocking this year is extra big and Santa still managed to fill it to the tippy top!

Baby Ann’s stocking came next. She got the cutest little princess crown from Santa…

…a new hat and scarf…

…and some itsy bitsy fidget spinners! Sam loves her fidget spinners and couldn’t believe that Baby Ann got her own.

Sam can’t ever forget her bestie, Boo Boo, who got some new clothes in her stocking.

Sam quickly found the Bitty Baby she wanted and couldn’t wait to cuddle her up.

Santa always comes through. She got her brown horse!

Grandmom came over pretty quickly and Sam got to work opening the gifts Grandmom got her. I think her favorite was this kitty unicorn.

The rest of us did get some gifts, even though the day seemed to be all about Samantha. Mark got me these amazing icing piping tips. Sam can’t wait to try them out with me!

Grandmom got some new pajamas…

…and Mark got a mug that he spied and liked in Bethlehem when we went to the Christmas markets.

We weren’t sure if Santa would actually bring the gripper robot, but of course he did! Mark and Sam can’t wait to get started.

There are always some fun things under the tree that Mark and Sam enjoy doing together, and although this gift was for Mark, I know Sam will be ready to help him build this monster!

I think the best gift we bought Sam that Santa didn’t bring is her FitBit. Sam has wanted one for so long, and now she finally has one. Count those steps, Sam!

We gave Grandmom a gift from Bella, an ornament with her new Christmas picture on it.

One gift that I was especially happy to give Sam were these Shutterfly books I made her. I have been accumulating all of Sam’s artwork since she was old enough to hold a crayon and, since you just can’t keep everything, back in September, I took a day and literally spent 6 hours taking photos of everything and cataloging it by date. I had to spend a few more hours on other days catching up because Sam is pretty prolific with her art, but I managed to finish and made her four books containing photos of all her art worth memorializing. This way, she will always have the photos, even if we don’t have all the actual art. I kept the best pieces, but this way, we can have them all. I am very proud of her artistic nature, and I want her to know that we value the art she makes.

There are books for “The Early Years,” “The Preschool Years,” “Kindergarten,” and “First Grade.” Sam loves them! It’s like having coffee table books of her own artwork! It was more work that you can imagine (you have no idea), but it was totally worth it.

Sam had painted this cute little picture for me and Mark.

And I got a new Pandora charm! Sam loves picking out my charms.

Sam made Daddy a Shutterfly book all about their electronics and robot making projects. He loved it.

Sam helped the kitties pick out my gift…

Ta da! Look cozy? Sam said Zach and Penny liked it because it is a mouse.

Here we are in what has become a new tradition – family pajamas, two years in a row.

Zach and Penny had a good time with their toys. Zach loves ripping up pom poms and this jumbo sized one was just what he needed!

My poor new coat, all covered in cat fur before I even get to wear it.

The little goofball all ready for Aunt Krista and Uncle Adam’s house.

Thankfully, cooking pasta is pretty low key so we had time to chat and relax a bit.

Ryder loved his puppy. Sam knew he would.

Sam made Loretta one of her wooden snowmen. She loves giving gifts to everyone, almost as much as getting them!

Bitty Baby! It’s not appropriate to drink wine!

Dinner is served!

After dinner, Mark played his saxophone and the kids joined in for some Christmas carols.

And a few of the adults. 🙂

Merry Christmas!