First Comes Love...

Happy Holidays - I hope yours were filled with all your favorite people and traditions!

May your day be Merry and Bright!

Kevin and I kicked it up a notch this year for our annual visit to Santa with dinner at Hamanasu followed by a night at the Hyatt! We've been waiting to make this a bigger deal (add the overnight piece) for a few years, but this was the first year we felt the kids were old enough for it - and it was sooo much fun!

We had a white Christmas in Issaquah this year! Celebrations began Christmas Eve.  We had Kevin's parents and Uncle Mike and Uncle Kent over for dinner and a sleepover.  It was so much fun settling in with family, watching the snow come down as we relaxed by the fire with cocktails and good company.  The kids were especially excited that everyone would be spending the night and as it worked out, it was best this way with all the snow. The kids loved their gifts (Abigail's karaoke machine being an all around favorite!) and we topped off a great meal and dessert with a snowy walk around the neighborhood.  Even Mabel got in on the fun, pulling the kids on a wooden sled built by Kirk years ago. It was hands down my favorite Christmas Eve in recent memory; a perfectly magical celebration! Ben's smile... ha!  

Wishing you a joyous day with those you love most. Merry Christmas!

George gets the award for kid most excited for Christmas this year and his Christmas Social earlier today takes the cake! He's been walking around with the invitation to his party in hand for more than a week now and asks us to read through the program multiple times a day.  He was so excited to perform their three songs (Red, Red Hat, 5 Little Gingerbread, and Silent Night) and decided to wear his suit 😍  In addition, Daddy, Grandma, Grandpa, and Mamie joined us which made it extra special for our little star! Here are pictures and video from his big day: Off to school - it was also pajama day for K-3 (invitation in hand)

Tonight we joined St Joe's for the annual Christmas Concert at Mary, Queen of Peace. The Kindergartners performed two songs (which we've been hearing Abigail practice for a few weeks now) and they were just adorable. Abigail was so excited and confident and the boys loved dressing in their suits to honor her big night  (although Ben went home with Kevin immediately following Abigail's performance - sleepy 2 year olds...)

Our holiday traditions continued this past week (and I'm starting to feel like we could shave a few traditions off the list...I'm exhausted already!) Last Tuesday night after Abigail's Girl Scout holiday tea, we met Mamie and Papa at Cheesecake Factory for dinner then to Snowflake Lane.  It was a special year being Ben's first time and the kids had a great time; parked right in front of all the action! Here are some pictures from the evening:

We saw Santa last night! The kids are always extremely excited to see Santa each year, and this year all three were totally on board.  No one was scared - they all couldn't wait to see the big guy and let him know exactly what they wanted for Christmas.

I suppose early February is as good of time as any to get started on our Christmas post  😉 We had a wonderful Christmas celebration this year! While most of Kevin's family wasn't around to celebrate with us, we had Mamie and Papa over on Christmas Eve and they spent the night, enjoying Christmas morning with us as well.  As always, Mamie came stocked with Christmas cookies for the kids to decorate, and we enjoyed lots of delicious food and festivities.

We're off to Leavenworth for a week of fun in the snow! Wishing our family and friends a very, merry Christmas.

Is there anything more adorable than children's Christmas performances?  Especially when it's your own kids?? Nope 😍 This past week George and Abigail had their school Christmas concerts and parties.  George's class was mainly a party with a couple welcome songs, while Abigail's was a concert with three well memorizes songs + choreography  ;) Abigail and I attended George's party on Thursday.  The three of us had so much fun making Christmas cookies, painting and decorating ornaments, and being serenaded by 3 year olds! Here are some pictures (and video) from his party:

The kids were thrilled to see Santa this year (I'm not sure when Christmas magic peaks for little kids, but we sure feel ripe this year!) As usual we went downtown to visit Macy's Santa - he was so kind to the kids, talking to both Abigail and George for a while, asking how they've been, commenting on how big they've gotten, and then asking what they would like for Christmas. Neither Abigail or George were scared, but Ben was not having one bit of it.  So while the big kids were able to sit and chat with him for a few minutes, Ben was our quick in-and-out, for pictures only kiddo. I think it turned out pretty cute!

I've been procrastinating.  Our holiday celebrations were so much fun, but with so many pictures and things going on, it seemed like a lot of work getting it written. And I've got enough work around here lately  :) This Christmas was a special one for a couple of reasons: most importantly, Benjamin was with us and we got to celebrate his first Christmas!  However, Uncle John and Auntie Carolyn were in town, so it also meant a Grand Slam was in order. We celebrated Christmas morning a day early (there are only so many years we'll be able to get away with this) .  Kevin's family got a cabin on Lake Chelan for 3 nights starting the 26th, and since we  also wanted spend a few days with my family, we headed to Leavenworth the morning of the 24th. Abigail asked for a butterfly bike this year, and Santa figured George could stand to start early, so the two big kids got bikes this year!  A few days before Christmas, Abigail woke up and told me she had a dr...