Triple Threat!

Yesterday we FINALLY got our Christmas visit in with the Alexander's.  After a few weather related delays, they braved the snow and wind to come from Red Deer for a pizza party at our house.  As you can imagine, three 16 month olds and one nearly 2 year old cause quite the whirlwind and I completely forgot to get my camera out to catch them all in action.  Anyone who knows me, knows that if it was too busy for me to take pictures that it must have been BUSY!!!  They are sweet, energetic boys with amazing parents and we are so lucky to have these friends in our lives.

Group shot... Matty, Nate, Luc and Sam.

Boys and the mommies!  No proof that Shaun or John were here for the play date.  Shaun had the camera and John was running back and forth from the vehicle to get ready for the drive home.

Thanks for the visit John, Stac, Lucas, Matthew and Nathan.  Can't wait to see what fun you boys will get into in 2011!

All sorts of Christmas'!

Finally home after celebrating and celebrating and celebrating Christmas!  What a wonderful time to be with family and catch up, share time and food, laughs and stories.  We are super blessed to have so many caring and fun people in our lives to spend all this time with.  

Christmas #1 Waking up at home to find that Santa had come right to our house!

Sam at the tree with his gifts ("Cheese")

Talking to his Santa... loves that guy!

Sam's 'DDD' from his daddy... skateboarding vid of course!

Ball tent from Santa.  Too much fun!

This was the most exciting gift of the season... Sam's very own skateboarder with a skateboard.  LOVES it!  Thanks to some wonderful neighbours!

Big boy gonchies with Oscar the Grouch on them.

By the look on his face, this car track could have been $700 and still worth the money!  

Christmas #2 Boxing Day at Gramma and Grandpa Kane's

Always plenty of fun to be had at Great Grandparents' house.  This is the look Sam gives me before he's about to do something dangerous...

AND JUMP!!!  That's right, he JUMPED off this recliner.  And the stairs.  Over and over and over.  Every time I had a look of worry on my face, someone (Mom, Aunt, cousins) remind me that this is exactly what we used to do in the den too!  I just don't remember any of us only being 1 year old?!?!?!

Cool ball from Great Auntie Bobbi led to a game of catch with Tony.  Big Guy (that's the dog's name) is ready to play too!

Annual tradition in my family is to go bowling.  The guy opens that alley just for our family and we play a couple games.  Always a ton of fun.  This is Sam's very first year bowling and he did soooo good.  He had his own lane and everything!

"Go, ball, go!"  And it did go, very very slowly!

The fam bowling it up!

Sam and his wonderful Godparents.

Sam and his Great Grandparents.

Sam and his Grandparents (my parents) and Kiki (that's what he calls the dog... dog's name is Houston, but Sam might think that he's a kitty.  Not sure.)

Christmas #3 Late morning visit at my sister's house to see my new niece (again) and my brother's kids.

Sam loves Baby S.  After 4 pictures he did say 'Baby S out', but I know he loves her!

Sam with Creig, Maeg and Serenity!

Christmas #4 Celebrating with the Connolley crew at Shaun's parents' house

Sam feeding Roxy her puppy cookies.  If he could do this professionally I think he would!  She is soooo sweet with him when he's feeding her.  He loves this dog!

Hand shake!

Waiting with Kaili for the snowman on the deck to inflate.  Big hit!

Sam with Connolley Christmas tree.

He got his very own Leaptop!

Sam with Kaili, Robyn and Chris.

Sam love love loves Uncle and Kaili.

Getting awfully close to bedtime but always time for one more picture with his Grandparents (Shaun's parents)

Our only family shot this Christmas.

Little Santa!

In the morning, Grandpa hooked Roxy to the sled and she pulled the kids around the yard.  If you knew Roxy, this would seem highly dangerous but she did a great great job!  Gord kept her on the leash and they ran around and around the loop pulling each of the kids.  Keep that up and Roxy and Grandpa will be super skinny by May!!! :)

Sam in the snow with Kaili.  Wasn't too sure about the whole situation.  

Playing on the snowbank.  He had so many layers on that he could barely move!  I LOVE the landscape at home... so beautiful!

Ended our Christmas-ing off with one sled ride with Daddy.  Though they only made it about 5 feet, I think that was enough for both of them!  There's always next year...

Lots of time with family, a beautiful and healthy baby girl, too much food, many laughs... perfect holiday.  How on Earth will we return to reality!?!?  I'm officially ready for 2011 and all the adventures it will bring!

Day 24 of CCC... All Great Things Come to an End

So today is the last day of our count down... I have LOVED counting down to Christmas so much that I think I'm going to count down to everything now!!!  

Today we took a family walk/sled to drop off a gift and check out the lights in our neighbourhood.  Not only did we see lights and our neighbours, but we also saw an airplane and a train.  SOOO exciting, especially if you are a little boy! 

Getting ready to go for our light tour!  Sam sporting his new Christmas PJs!

All loaded for the sled ride.

Quick (and little bit terrible) family photo after our walk.  The hood of the car doesn't make a great tripod and we were trying to hurry because our neighbour had just come home!!

"Dad!"  Sam really wanted Shaun to hurry into the house.

You can't tell, but there was a full on Christmas music dance party!  Shaun took some video so hopefully I can figure out how to blog it because it was a definite highlight of the night.  This boy can boogie!!!

After reading a few Christmas books, a nice cup of warm milk and watching Sesame Christmas, this little boy was ready for bed.  He's been soooo good this year and I'm sure Santa will be visiting our house tonight!

CCC Day 23 - Dinner at the Connolley's

We planned to have the Dayton's and Gorday's over for Christmas supper, but Logan and her family are sick.  Luckily, Brady and Lincoln were still able to come play.  The boys had a great and CRAZY play together.  So grateful for good friends!

This was the best picture I could get of them together... they were on the MOVE!  Having so much fun playing like crazy little boys.

Linc gave Sam this cool Pirate Island.

Lindsay sent over some Christmas cookies in their place and they all had our names on them.  Here is Sam enjoying his.

After bedtime, I flew down to Red Deer to meet my brand new niece Serenity Lee Anne.  She's a sweetie and I'm sooo glad she is finally here.  Well done Momma Brie and Daddy Kal!

Having the very best snuggle with her daddy.

Home Again, Home Again

Day 22 of CCC brought us traveling down the Las Vegas strip and back home to a snowy Calgary.  It was a really great ending to our fun trip and there was a (VERY) small part of me that missed the snow!

Sam throwing a penny into a fountain in the Paris.  

Our last lunch in Vegas at the Rainforest Cafe in the MGM.  So neat inside... all covered in leaves and animals that move.  Every half hour or so there would be a lightning and thunder storm and it made "Bam scared".  Very cool place to eat, especially with kids!

Sam on a zebra stool at the bar in the Rainforest Cafe.

Happy to be home in our own bed.  Takes being away to really appreciate our own home.  Now bring on CHRISTMAS!

CCC Day 21 - Search for the Perfect M&M

Today's task was to find Christmas M&Ms at the M&M store... boys did we!!!  Very cool store.  On the wall of M&Ms there were a few different holiday mixes, but we went traditional red, green, white and gold.  
We also managed to find the perfect Vegas Santa!

No this was not taken in the store!!!  Before we hit the pool tonight, Sam tried a couple.

This is our Vegas Santa... found him in the entrance of Margaritaville!

Mom's favourite photos of the day....

Waterfall in the Palazzo.

Christmas holiday kisses!

Watching for 'boats' in the Venetian.

FOUND ONE!

My sweetheart in the lobby of the MGM Grand.

It's the last night in Vegas and I can't believe it's almost over.  Sam has been such a good boy... tons of fun checking out the sights, laughing and smiling at strangers, dancing.  It's been the perfect holiday, rainy but no snow (yet), with my two best guys.  One more day of adventures and then back to our own home for Christmas with the families.  I'll have a sweet new little baby to snuggle... she should be here any day now.  Christmas 2010 is the best one yet!