Santa!!!! I know him!!!!!!!!!!

Our days are filled with excitement around here.  The excitement has nothing to do with me, Ted, Johnny or anything else except Santa.  Hollin is beyond excited to see Santa and have him bring her toys.  She gets it!  I can honestly say this is the first year that she totally gets it.  We have been counting down to the BIG arrival, watching Buddy our elf move each night Elf on a Shelf.  It has been fun.  I am just as excited, if not more, for Santa's arrival. 


What did Hollin ask Santa for?  Twin babies.  She wants these.  Ironically, mom and I ended up at the new American Girl store here in Colorado and picked these up for Christmas just because we thought she would love them.  Since then we have been getting frequent catalogs and each and every time Hollin pick those twins out and tells me she wants them.  She asked Santa and has been so good because Santa has been watching her.  Adorable I know.  She has not really asked for anything else.  She would be totally and completely content on just them.  But I on the other hand went a little nuts on both of my kids.  They are getting Christmas and I can't wait to see Christmas morning with them.  Ted and I went shopping together and we got this,  this, and this.  We also got a lot more stuff but you get the gist.  Our kids are going to be spoiled. 

Last night, we went to the kids daycare party and Santa came.  Hollin loved it!  Johnny on the other hand... not a fan.  Hollin got a kitty cat (stuffed) in a purse, and Johnny got a hammer bench.  They love their new toys and it was so fun for them to see Santa.  It was great that Santa also knew to talk to Hollin about eating her dinner.  He is watching you! 

So just like Buddy the Elf says, "Santa!  I know him!" with pure excitement.  My kids are feeling the same way. 

Christmastime is Here...

We are a few days into December and in full force here for Christmas.  Complete with 5 trees, millions of animatronic Christmas toys and the Grinch on the roof.  We are after all, Griswold wanna be's and I think I was raised to be a Griswold from the beginning. 

I remember as a kid my mom would always joke about being the Griswolds but I am now realizing, as an adult she was not kidding.  We are and will continue to be the Griswolds.  Mom would always joke about putting us in matching outfits for outings. 

I remember one Christmas when my sister was coming home from college (it was her first Christmas home from college).  My grandparents, Llenie and Herbie sent my family these hideous amazing Christmas sweatshirts that light up.  My mom had us wear them to the airport to pick up my sister.  The WHOLE family, mom, dad, Greyson and I.  I being 9 thought it was BRILLANT and I loved the idea.  I wore my sweatshirt proud and marched through the airport excited to see what she thought of these WONDERFUL sweatshirts.  Meanwhile, my brother and dad had their coats zipped up to their eyeballs so no one would see.  Then the moment came, we were at the gate (before 9-11-01) and mom insisted on having us turn on our sweatshirts and have them blink as my sister walked off the tarmac and greeted our family for the holidays.  I, proud and happy 9 year old, stood there and waited.  I finally saw her, my sister, heading towards us and she got closer and closer.  Even closer.  Then she... walked right past us.  She acted like she didn't even know us.  Do you blame her?  This is close but not exact of what the sweater looked like. 

 

These are the moments that I laugh about as an adult and I see myself doing already to my poor kids.  I looked and LOOKED for my kids to have matching Christmas outfits.  Now before you laugh, realize that this is not too far fetched.  It is possible thanks to places like this.  The price is not right and my husband did not want it, have it!  But let me ask you this... is there anything cuter than a matching family?  I really want to be this family.  

With the kids are new traditions for the holidays.  These traditions will not be matching outfits but I do think it should be matching PJs at least.  

So here is to all the new traditions and fun times ahead kids.  Don't mind what I do... it is all about the experience and memories.

"Clark: We're kicking off our fun old fashion family Christmas by heading out into the country in the old front-wheel drive sleigh to embrace the frosty majesty of the winter landscape and select that most important of Christmas symbols.
Audrey: We're not coming all the way out here just to get one of those stupid ties with Santa Clauses on it are we?
Clark: No, I have one of those at home."