Three Days of Christmas

Christmas eve, we traditionally go to Smith's where Santa usually makes an appearance, we trade gifts to each other, and feast on food... All night long!

That night we all snuggied up in our new Christmas eve pajamas and crawled into our warm beds anxiously waiting for Santa to come.
In the morning Jess was the first to awake at 5 am. (who CAN sleep on Christmas?)
I waited and waited until 6:30 and told Josh we should go wake up Bridge.






(doesn't she look excited!?!)

While Josh and I were opening gifts from each other, Bridget was trying on her new skirt...



After we cleaned up a bit and ate breakfast, we headed out to my parents.
It was quite the day...



Dad crying,


Bridget getting more excited about MORE presents...


And Mom giving herself a face-lift with scotch tape!
(laughs owed to the new "The Office" game that Melanie and Nick got.)
Later after reading the instructions further we realized we were ALL supposed to do it... but I think it was more fun to watch Mom do it! :)

Festival of Lights

I remember as a child going to see the "Preston Lights" with my family. It was one house particularly that we would go and see. I had told Josh that I wanted to go a few years ago, but finally this year we got around to it. There was an article in the paper talking about how this is going to be the last year this family does the lights because how outrageous the electric bills have been the last few years.
Friday night after a couple stops for dinner, Arby's for Jess and Bridge, and Carl's Jr. for Josh, we headed to Preston.
after about 20 minutes of stop and go traffic for a fallen telephone line, and the half hour drive to Preston, we came upon the Hollingsworth Family lights.

They had a lot of Disney wood cut outs which was fun for us to point out to Bridget. (sorry I didn't get any better pictures, I didn't know I had a "night setting")
However...I did remember it being a LOT cooler as a child. But it was still something fun to take Bridget to.

After the Hollingworth's, we stopped at a park that Preston had local businesses help decorate. I was mostly impressed by the entrance!

And finally on the way home, we stopped to try and win a few bucks!

No such luck!

Our little fish...

So there are a few things that you can't take away from Bridget without her throwing a fit...

*Milk/Juice
*Crayons/writing utensil
&
*Water!

She did NOT want to get out even after I drained all the water, sprayed the bubbles out of the tub, AND wrapped a towel around her.

Here Comes Santa

Today we took Bridget to meet Santa. We weren't sure is he was even going to be in town yet cause usually he is out in the open so everyone can come see him, but when we got there, he was no where in sight. As we were looking for him, this lady at Hallmark was standing out front of the store pulling faces at Bridget, then she walked up to me and (freakishly) whispered in my ear, "Can she have a candy cane?" I said sure and she went in and pulled a huge one off of the shelf, tore the price tag off of it, and handed it to Bridget. She was very excited. Josh asked her if she knew when Santa would be at the Mall (if he was) and she said that he was there now, and just up and left her store to be our personal guide to the North Pole! Josh and I were a little weirded out, but we kept following her. She first took us to the gift wrapping shop thinking that that's where he was at. The workers there said that Santa comes to help wrap presents... She then continued the wild goose chase asking anyone around... at this point I was again confused why she decided to be our guide.
Long story short...
( Santa IS at the Mall! He is there from 10 am to 9 pm up until Christmas Eve in the old Head over Heals store.)

Bridget wasn't quite ready to sit on his lap, but he did give her a little book! Josh is planning on wearing a white beard around so next time, She might be ready.

...so... who's finishing up all the toys while Santa's at that mall all month???

Tis the Season...

Usually it's the day after Thanksgiving when you start hearing Christmas songs being played in stores, but this year it was the day after Halloween! Josh and I thought that was pretty pathetic, until we started our shopping! Maybe there is something about the Christmas music in the stores, maybe not, but I feel this year Christmas will be one of those years where you don't care what you got, you just want to make sure your loved ones are happy.
...you know, one of the best Christmas's ever!
This year we are on top of the ball. (luckily) We have 95% of our Christmas shopping done, and yesterday Josh got the lights hung on the house,

and yes... I put up our tree!

Usually we put the tree up the day after Thanksgiving, but just as soon as Josh mentioned "you want to put the tree up don't you?" I had the box out! Also, it is my year to decorate the tree. Last year Josh did blue, so I wanted pink. it turned out that it's not so feminine. I added green and blue too. I mostly wanted it to match our wrapping paper. (I know, who cares... but I do!)

I'm hoping that this year, Christmas does not just come and go like it has the last few years. I hope that we just enjoy each others company, and hope that everyone has love in their hearts this year to pass on to everyone.

I just am waiting on the FEETS of snow to fall!

Celebrating Halloween

Halloween was actually pretty fun for us this year since Josh didn't have to work during all the partying. We Started our festivities our at My parents house for Gma's party on Monday the 27th

Next we had a party for the Nephews at our house on Thursday the 30th. We played some games, watched The Great Pumpkin Charlies Brown, ate brains and eye balls (spaghetti and meatballs) wich afterwards I realized that I didn't bake the "bones" breadsticks. After dinner we made our carmeled apples and sent them home with thier own Charlie Brown book. I thought it turned out alright.

\

Halloween day we started out Trick-or-treating on Main Street in Logan. Bridget had a ball going from store to store for candy. She got pretty tired walking the first side, so Josh carried her back down the other side.

Later that night after our naps, we were waiting for the trick or treaters to come around. Previous years we have only had maybe 5-10 kids come because of trunk-or-treat, so we didn't know if anyone would come this year. 3 little girls came shortly after 5. I thought that was all until a big group came between 6 and 6:30. After that the neighborhood was full of monsters and goblins... even some little hoochie mammas!

We took Bridget out around then so that we could make it out to Wellsville and hangout a little before Josh had to go to work. We left our bowl out on the porch and walked around the half block. by the time we got back, the bowl had been raided! Note to self.... next time...!

All together.... it was a great Halloween!

Duck, Duck, Goose!

Today, after arguing about if there were still ducks around this time of year, we went to First Dam to find these ducks to feed.

I think that Bridge was a little nervous of the squawking birds at first, but she seemed to think they were pretty interesting after a while.

...By the way, yes there are still ducks to feed! ...and geese too!

The Bank

Bridget has been saving her money. Every time she finds some chance, or hears money jingleing, she runs to her room to find her piggy bank. After she accumulated what Josh thought was about 20 bucks, we took her to the bank to deposit it in her account.

After the bank she got her very own Happy Meal. I think she was more excited for my drink than anything!

(did you know that you have to be 3 years old to play in the Mc'D's playland???)

I hope that Bridget finds saving money as a good thing.

Daddy Daughter Ride

Josh has been excited for the day that Bridget can go on a ride with him. I don't think he could wait any longer, so Saturday, he wedged her in between him and the gas tank, and went slowly around the block. Bridget was so excited to go, she kept making "vroom, vroom" sounds and blew kisses with both hands!

a true "Biker Babe"!

(Heather, I'm sorry the video was too long!)

Our Fort

Today we built a fort. Bridget's becoming a monster! She's been practicing her growl, so today we built her a home for the little Monster to live in!

At the Beginning she is speaking her new "Monster Language", but when I ask her about it she try's to hide the fact that's she's becoming one!

She had fun hauling her pumpkin full of toys into the fort. Check out the static hair!

"Welcome to my Home! ...rrrarrr!"