Holiday Fun 2015

This holiday season has been jam packed with 

fun, lights, family, sugar,

and tradition.

We started with something new...

The Global Winter Wonderland

in Tulare.

This was the first year for the event

and my mom bought all of us tickets

through Groupon.

It was an "experience"

but I don't think we will be adding

it to our list of holiday traditions. ;)

Nothing says Christmas like dinosaurs...

and especially a baby on a dinosaur!

Fun fact...we were actually in a commercial for the

Global Winter Wonderland

that was airing locally.

The first weekend in December

we decided to check out a new light display in town,

Santa Claus Lane.

It is a cul-de-sac of houses 

that have synchronized their lights to music.

Pretty impressive.

It is only 16 houses long...

and it is super close to our neighborhood...

so it was worth the trip for us.

Here is a link to a video you can watch 

that pretty much gives you the full experience:

Santa Claus Lane

Next up...visiting the big man himself...

Santa!

As you can see...

Landry was a fan...

Lexie...

not so much!

Landry had his Winter Performance at school.

The kids did a great job!

They had the risers on the floor

and Landry was on the bottom row,

so we couldn't really see him...

even standing on the side. :(

Thanks to my phone,

and long arms,

I was able to hold it as high as possible

and get these videos.

We continued our tradition of walking

Candy Cane/Cindy Lane with our friends.

Landry and Amelia...ready for some lights!

Landry and I celebrated the last week of school

with Festive Holiday Hat Day...

Pajama Day...

(yes, I have the best boss...

and work with "O'mazing" people

#bestmoveEVER)

Landry at his class party!

I FINALLY got around to making

Lexie's stocking.

Our family of four!

Yesterday was our "final hurrah" 

with cookie baking and decorating!

Are you tired?

I am. :)

Add in some gingerbread house making,

late night elf moving,

Christmas present shopping...

and wrapping,

work,

10 personalized ornaments,

nearly 20 glitter sweatshirts,

5 other holiday shirts,

a work party,

friends party,

getting rear-ended,

riding the Polar Express,

and a few adult beverages...

you've got yourself one heck of a 

holiday season!

Polar Express

On Sunday we packed up the kids...and car...

and headed to

The Polar Express!

I don't even remember how...

but somehow I heard about the fact

that there is a Polar Express in Sacramento.

Well...after some research,

and online ticket stalking,

I wasn't able to get us tickets to the Sacramento

one...but luckily there is one pretty much

just like it...only not as popular...

so I was able to get us tickets to the 

Jamestown Polar Express.

My parents and sister made the trip, too!

While we waited for the train,

we had some time to check out the gift shop,

train station, and of course taking pictures 

with festive decor.

Someone was VERY concerned

that we were going to miss the train...

so we got in line.

Selfie time with my favorite little girl!

The time finally came for us to board

and find our seats!

Here are my parents...

attempting to take a selfie. ;)

Being on the train was like being in the movie!

The staff was unbelievable.

Everyone was incredibly friendly, helpful,

and full of the holiday spirit.

The waiters sang and danced...just like book and movie!

I couldn't get good pictures of them...

but they were rather impressive!

The hot cocoa was delicious!

My sister and I decided that they should

definitely sell the mix in the gift shop.

Of course you can't have hot cocoa

without a cookie!

The conductor came by to

punch our tickets.

And about that time...

we were pulling up to the North Pole!

The staff came by with little towels

so that we could wipe the condensation

off of the windows to get a better view.

Peeking out at the North Pole.

There he is...SANTA!!!

Santa and his elves were busy

at work...

but still had time to wave and greet the children.

(In the pictures they don't look like real people...but they were. ;) )

Landry wasn't quite sure what to make of everything.

Lexie...well...she just wanted to keep eating. ;)

Good-bye, North Pole!

Santa came aboard and as we left the North Pole

he greeted and gave every passenger the

first gift of Christmas...

Lexie knew just what to do with it!

Then it was time to return to the station 

and say, "good-bye" to the Polar Express.

It really was such a magical night!

I would HIGHLY recommend doing it with your family.

Although...I have to warn you...it may lead to

LOTS of questions about Santa.

"Why isn't there snow at the North Pole?"

"Where are the reindeer?"

"I thought the North Pole was a lot bigger!"

"It didn't take us very long to get there...

and we weren't going very fast...

so how did we make it ALL the way to the North Pole?"

Oh my sweet, inquisitive, oh-so-serious, little man!

Lexie Ann...9 months

Oh, Lexie Ann!

Yup...that phrase is said a lot at our house.

I have a hashtag that I like to use on Instagram

for my little Lexie-Lou...

#adventuresoflexieann

and it is so fitting for the last month!

Life with Lexie is definitely an adventure!

We joke that we don't have a baby...

we have a dog.

Yup. She loves to pull the trash and recycling cans

over on herself.

There is no obstacle too big for her to climb.

Pumpkins...

Boxes...

Yes, you saw that right.

She was climbing on the box

(which was put there so that she ideally couldn't 

get to the ficus tree and eat the moss in the bottom)

to get to the electrical outlet...

to try and PULL OFF the safety cover!

Diaper changes are a whole new adventure as well...

She pulls herself up and stands on anything and everything

Again...climbs on, over, and through 

anything in her way!

Have I mentioned that she has NO FEAR?

None.

What baby doesn't dive head first

off the couch into their toy bin?

Along with no fear...

if she isn't able to get something...

she just keeps trying...

no matter how many times she falls...

until she gets where/what she wants!

She LOVES to eat...

anything and everything!

She just started to cut her first tooth...

finally...

and is still our little peanut.

She just hit 18 pounds

and still fits in 3-6 month clothing...

but is starting to wear 6-9 month.

There is no keeping socks on her.

No. Way.

Did I mention she will eat anything?

Food.

Paper.

Fake tree moss.

Carpet fuzz.

Anything!

Even though she is constantly on the go,

there are times when she just crashes.

We treasure those moments. ;)

She is an awesome sleeper, too.

Oh...and remember how I was concerned

when Landry was little, that he wasn't talking?

Well...no concerns here!

She "talks" all the time.

There is no sweet "babbling."

Nope.

Loud, screaming, grunting, laughing,

passionate, "talking."

Most of the time with quite a bit

of sass behind it.

Lord help us now!

At 9 months she is full of opinions,

thoughts, and demands.

Yes. Demands.

But...

she is pretty much the cutest thing around!

Of course we are biased...

and we wouldn't trade her for the world!

But look out...because she is coming...

and she is going to do some pretty amazing things!