Christmas comes early

So here are a few snapshots of our holiday season so far. We began the season about 2 weeks ago when Chris's Aunt Sandy sent some gifts to the girls. I put them under the tree, and when I was doing laundry one day, MC helped herself to them and there we were---celebrating Christmas a bit early. I hadn't really told her not to open them, so it was hard to get mad, but quite funny when I walked in and saw her so excited about her new elmo purse. We also celebrated X-mas with the Wells, enjoyed a great Young Life Christmas party, went to the holiday house here in Fort Myers and saw Santa!! Christmas with the Mustaine's is this weekend and then we head to Wisconsin on the 23rd.

MC and Cora Wells eating dinner

THis is what she does these days when you ask her to smile---so ANNOYING

The Well's with all the girls

Going for a walk

Aunt Jodi tickling the girls

MC trying to drag Cora along

MC got this LOLLIPOP from Aunt Jodi and Uncle Andy, she was in heaven

The ornament we got from the Wells to remind us of this year and our BEE fiasco

So---this would be the gift we ended up with from the Young Life X-mas party---you know the song---I WANT A HOPPOPOTAMUS FOR CHRISTMAS---well we got one this year, and MaryCate LOVES the freaking thing...pretty sure we are not getting rid of it, even though I tried to pitch it before we got home

She has to kiss it goodbye everytime we go somewhere

The weather has been super cold here, and I have been LOVING it---here I am out swinging with my happy girl

This would be the infamous ELMO purse that came a little early

Maggie checking out Santa

She did a lot better than her sister

THis was the closest we could get MC to Santa and she had a DEATH GRIP on Chris---but when we walked in, she was screaming she was so excited to see him---jumping up and down and waving at him

MC and Brett checking out Santa

I LOVE these girls

Hanging with Brett outside at the holiday house

A tree at the holiday house

Maggie and her Daddy

The whole FAM

The outdoor gingerbread house

One looking

The other looking

I just love when she wakes up from her nap

St. Nick Makes a visit

Well good ole St. Nick came to the Mustaine house on December 5th and I got a sneak peak into how fun Christmas is going to be. I think I have another year, until it gets REALLY fun, but Mary Cate was definitely into it and SO pumped to go check out her stocking. Luckily I remembered where I hid the gifts I bought at the end of the season last year.

I decided last year that I would get my kids X-mas PJ's each year for St. NIck---everyone wants a pair and that would be pretty good timing. So I had to get gender neutral this year since I was not sure last x-mas if Maggie was a boy or girl. I also got each kid a book!! Then at the last minute I scrounged around the house for some odds and ends to stick in there. I found some hand me down shoes and MC needs some patten leathers for X-mas, not to mention the fact that she LOVES new shoes. SO I stuck 2 pairs in her stocking, along with some play dough I found left over from my RD days at Liberty....great addition, she was in HEAVEN.

In other news the weather here has been fabulous. Definitely feeling like X-mas and I am loving it! Maggie is ABOUT to crawl. I was hoping it would not happen until Christmas, but she gets closer and closer every day----I know that my busyness level will multiply when this happens as well as my accountablility to keep things clean so that she cannot put them in her mouth, so needless to say I am somewhat dreading it!

Chris has been really busy with basketball, but his season is going well and he, as always, loves coaching. It has been fun to take the girls along to watch him in his element. I was laughing so hard the other day when I was watching football on TV with MC and she started cheering "GO DAddy"---I am going to have to explain to her that we only cheer that when HE is the one coaching. With him being out a lot, I have had some nice quiet time at home----AFTER the kids are in bed that is. I LOVE my house all decorated for Christmas and it is so nice at night to turn off all the lights and sit by the fire reading---it doesn't happen that often, but when it does it is HEAVENLY!! That is about all that is new around here.

MC in her sassy tights and brown mini-skirt

LOVE that look

So, sometimes in the morning I will take Mags out of our room so she can play in the TV room. I did this the other day and was in and out on the couch. All of a sudden I realized she was being quiet, so I open my eyes and there she is --- totally passed out on the floor, I thought it was so stinkin cute

Maggie's stocking was done just in the nick of time

You can never wipe a smile off of Maggie's face

Look at my new shoes----and yes I know I need a little help with the hair in the morning

Playdough heaven

Look Mama

Smiles all around---I LOVE my new book

MC LOVES to help me cook---here she is helping me fry up some potatoes

In our matching Jammies

I cannot get enough of both of them

Thanksgiving

We had a great Thanksgiving week!! It started with a visit from the Shorts----Becky was one of my RA's at LU and they were on Anna Maria Island for the week with her family. They kindly made the trek down to Fort Myers on Monday and spent the day/evening with us and the girls.

On Tuesday Chris had his first JV basketball game. I decided that we should support him even though I knew it would be crazy. They were playing a cross town rival and last year I didn't even take MC to this game----but I thought I would brave it. With lots of lollipops, we got thorugh, but I don't think I will venture that again---the crowd was nuts and all MC wanted to do was climb up and down the bleachers. Best part of the day was when Chris came home at about noon and told me we needed to wash about 20 jersey's----couldn't get them to me any sooner could you mustaine??

Wed. the fun started to arrive. My in-laws showed up about 11am----Auntie Trista and her good friend Ruthie came at about 3 and the entire Chien family arrived at 5pm. We began preparations for Thursday. Tried to get to sleep a bit early since 6 of us were running in the 5k turkey trot over in Cape Coral at 7:30am.

Got up to run, had a great time----and yes I did push my double stroller and ran the whole way and then it was cooking time. We enjoyed the day with friends and family!! On Friday and Sat. Chris had a basketball tournament, so Auntie Trista stayed to cheer him on. We even got to go on a much needed date on Fri night, which was a HUGE treat.

Sat. morning we got our tree---and now we are in full X-mas decorating mode. I seem to remember when I used to be able to pound it out in an afternoon----it now feels like it takes me about a week or so with the little interuptions, but it will soon be finished and we can enjoy one of my most favorite times of the year!! Happy Holidays

I had to post this---I told MC that we were going to go for a run and when I got in my room this is what I found

MaryCate with Becky Short

Mags with Beck

Matt giving some lovin to our doodlebug

Chien and the big guy pitching in

Jenny squeezing the cheese (easy cheese that is) on the celery----can you say NASTY----but it's a Mustaine thing, they all LOVE it

The girls with their Starbucks for the day

I guess peeling those eggs really wore them out

Look at that BIRD

It was DELISH

We were all stuck at the kid table---I promise MC did have a good day, she looks pitiful in this picture---don't let her fool you

My baby who is ALWAYS happy

Here we are in the t-shirt we got---all looking so COOL---and Chris looking like he does yoga on a regular basis

Breakfast time with Stephen

Can you tell how much love there is already

LOVE LOVE LOVE this deal my mother-in-law got at a garage sale--GO PACK

My 2 babies

MC rubbing noses with the reindeer as we look for the perfect tree

I have relegated myself to the fact that we will not get one good family picture for a couple of years