2012 Christmas Trees and Ornaments

Each year I try to take pictures of our Christmas Trees and new ornaments that we added. I mainly do this to remember how I decorated each tree, it never fails, when I start putting the trees up I always refer back to how I did it the year before. I may still make some changes, but I at least know what worked last year.

I added a NYC ornament from our trip to NYC in April

I also had Ava’s picture from when she was a flower girl in Kelly & Brett’s wedding printed on metal…its actually printed on metal- its pretty cool. There is another picture of her on the other side.

Each Christmas when we travel down to Disney World, I pick up a new ornament.

This is another one that was printed on metal- how cool is it?! We wanted an ornament to represent the time Adam and Dad hiked across the Grand Canyon and we couldn’t find one we really liked, so I thought, why have a picture of when you two actually exited the canyon?! So that’s what we did, on the back is another picture Adam took of the canyon.

Adam’s Aunt Winona surprised me this Christmas with these beautiful Pillsbury Doughboy ornaments that she had bought for me. They fit perfectly on my tree in the kitchen!

It never fails that Ava’s tree has the most additions each year. She already has a 4’ tree, we are going to have to get her a bigger one at the rate she receives them

Her Disney ornament this year was Rapunzel, of course.

She received a couple ballerina ornaments. This one came from her Meme.

And of course a few more princess ones.

And she received a few Barbie ones.

And of course, I couldn’t leave our our upside down tree out of the pictures

I typically buy fresh garland for my table setting, but this year I knew we would be out of town and I didn’t want to have to worry with the mess, so it was simple this year.

I did add garland and ornaments to our chandelier- it was super simple and added a lot to the area.

Christmas Day

After we opened presents from Santa and Ava rode around in her jeep, we got dressed and headed to Nana's for breakfast. Ava loves her Briany. Since she has 2 Brians that she is close to, she calls one Uncle Brian and the other Briany (or Brianie? or Brianee? or Brian-y? haha!) She was glad he was there but he was chopped liver once Raleigh-bug arrived.



Sweet girls- who were super excited to open presents- so getting them to stand still for pictures was a challenge!



After eating breakfast, we headed into the living room to take pictures and open presents. Each year we take family pictures and out of 4 shots, these are the 2 best we got- so what does that say for the other 2????







Each year, after presents have been open, the guys always engage in a wrapping paper ball fight... Adam had is ammo and his defense- ha! In all the years, they haven't broken anything yet, but I'm just waiting for the day. As we have gotten older, the game has become more schematic- it isn't all out chaos, its more about careful planning and pinpointing- ha!



We were missing Bradley and Victoria were were having a Mele Kalikimaka in Hawaii and Kelly and Brett who were having a white Christmas in Conneticuit. When did you ever think someone in our family would receive a snow shovel for Christmas and it NOT be a joke?! Well, they were there in spirit through the snow shovel!



Sweet Cousins!



After Nana's we headed home so I could get the house somewhat picked up from Santa, Ava lay down for a short nap, and be ready for my mom's side of the family to come over.



We ate dinner and it was time for more presents. This is proof that kids never tire from opening presents!



Stacey and Ava, of course, had to try out her new doll salon chair and scooter.



We had a nice time and Ava is getting so much better at the Money Drop, of course, now the older 3 kids, yes I'm talking about Meggie, Stacey, and Jackie, have started telling her to pick up the pennies- I guess they are afraid they are going get beaten by a little girl! hehe!



After presents and the money drop, Ava went to show everyone how she could drive her jeep. She even took Reese for a ride, and I think he actually liked it- either that or he was too frightened to move!

It was a nice Christmas Day but I was exhausted by the time it was over. So much work goes into 1 day and then in a snap, its over- but it was lots of fun!

Santa Comes to Town

Christmas morning we woke up and Ava, I'm not sure realized that it was time to see what Santa brought as she lingered in bed for a while, we read part 2 of the Christmas Story and it wasn't until I suggested getting up to see what Santa brought did she make a move towards the door! I hopped up and told her I needed to get the cameras ready and Adam headed to turn on the Christmas music. Then once we ready, I called out to her that she could come out.



I'm not sure there is must better than seeing the look on a child's face Christmas morning.



The child has been asking and asking and asking for a Barbie Jeep- but Adam and I were never keen on getting her one because a.) They are way too expensive and b.) I don't know if you have noticed, but she is off the charts tall for her age and she wouldn't get much use out of it. So imagine the dilema Santa was in when all she asked for- repeat the ONLY THING she asked for was a Barbie Jeep.



Suffice to say, she got her Barbie Jeep. She also received a few other gifts, some from Santa and some from Mommy and Daddy.



Make-up galore and hand sanitizer, although it never fails, she will still end up using mine :)



Zinkies, a dog that barks and hops and almost blew Santa's cover during the night, and princes stories



Cootie game...remember these games? She has almost all of the games from this era- I loved these games as a little girl and they are so easy to play, not to mention cheap and nostalgic. The Jake and the Never Land Pirates boat she picked out herself. She was shopping with me picking out a gift for her cousin Caden and we both thought this was perfect and she decided she wanted one. (It's for the bathtub). Well, I thought it's cheaper than the $50 one you have been asking for from Disney so we can get it, but I told her I was going to wrap it and she couldn't open it until Christmas morning, and she held true to that promise and didn't pester me about it- although I have to say I'm not ready for that stage in life where she picks out all her gifts- I know it will be here before I know it- but not yet- no way jose!
Santa also magically brought a Sofia the First doll for her ;)



Movies and Rapunzel figurines



Okay, these 2 gifts were for her from her Daddy, he did this all on his own, which was super sweet. He sent me the invoice after he had bought them. Ava's favorite TV show is Duck Dynasty. We all enjoy watching it, but it literally is her favorite. She would rather watch that than anything on Disney! I think it is partly because its something we all sit down to watch and she loves doing what Mommy and Daddy are doing. So he picked out this pink duck call and a Willie Bobblehead (which is her favorite person on the show). So funny!



Adam and I don't really exchange a lot of gifts- we get so much from other people and our morning is focused on Ava we don't do much- but we do like for her to see us give each other at least one gift. Of course, Adam's stocking is always filled by Santa, and this year, Ava wanted to know why I didn't get anything, so Santa is going to have to start leaving something for me :) This year, Adam did really good for me, he actually surprised me with a few things. One of them I knew about, but only after he had bought it and it came out of my checking account- ha! So I was still surprised, it just wasn't Christmas morning.



After presents were open, Ava took her jeep out for a test drive. I'm glad it had stopped raining, I woud have hated to have her bump into everything in the house trying to ride it around!