Christmas Adventures 2008

This was our first Christmas on our own and it has been really special.  That sounds trite, but it really has.  Last night as Mark and I were laying in bed he said to me, "You know, I like our kids more  and more everyday."  I smiled because I knew exactly what he meant.  It's like when you get married and you think you are so in love, but now when you look back on your wedding day you realize that you didn't even have an inkling about how much you could really love another person.  And then you have kids, and each day all that love just keeps on getting bigger and bigger.   I really love my little family.  :)

Enough with the cheesy. This Christmas was FUN!

 Christmas Eve consisted of:  

My cute little mary sitting on her donkey

And of course, Joseph leading the way.
The "wise"man narrating.

Christmas Pajama's. Thank you Grandma and Grandpa Thomas!

This explains the matching dinner apparel in the next picture.  On the Keeler side we decided that, instead of giving gifts, each family was supposed to make a movie of anything that they wanted so long as they were in it and then on Christmas morning we all got to watch each others movies. It was a hit and definately a new tradition that created some priceless memories.  

  Christmas Eve Dinner - yummy soup in homemade bread bowls (yes, I'm working on them. This was my first time and apparently they aren't supposed to be so big...who knew?) We had some yummy shrimp and appetizers with dip and punch and eggnog. 

Christmas Morning:  

 Zina woke up and walked right past all the presents and stockings so we had to do a little prepping until she realized what was going on.  Wilson was happy to just tag along.

He was pretty pumped about his present though - something he is actually allowed to hit!

If it has to do with Princess's this girl is happy.

This is what Wilson thought stockings were for.

After all the presents were opened and breakfast cleaned up we packed up the car and headed for California.  Just a mere 5-6 hour drive, we were totally going to make it on time until we made it to the middle of no where...

And this happened.  

  I'm grateful that we had a spare, an air compressor to fill the spare up,  kids who thought it was great fun, and an amazing husband who had us all fixed up and out of there in no time.

We were however to late for Christmas dinner in Laguna Hills. Sorry Angel and Luis...we tried.  Panda Express filled our tummies, if not with the greatest Christmas dinner of all time at least some funny memories and a place for the kids to get their wiggles out.

Pretty darn cute.

Some day we'd like to drive back to California on Highway 78 - in the summer of course.  Who knew that it would turn our little jaunt to San Diego into an 11 hour drive through mountain passes, sand storms, snow, wind, rain, fog, branches blocking the road and finally fire and rescue telling us we had to go another way? Obviously not us.  We did however finally arrive, still in good spirits. Believe it. It's true.

And it was worth it because they got married and it was beautiful - the bride and groom, the ceremony, the families, everything!

Sure is hard for a 3yr old to wait, she did amazing and was so excited to see "Princess" Angel. :)

We spent the next day getting new tires for our car and playing at the beach.  

Zina wanted to go swimming...until she felt the water.

Here's my charmer.  I swear Wilson gets cuter everyday.  Sometimes I can't hardly stand how cute he is. 

Wilson and Papa check'n out the waves.

Trying to change a diaper and getting caught.  Sorry Wilson.

Zina and Wilson got pretty wet, and then pretty cold. Here is how we warmed them up.

Happy New Year Everyone