Recap on our Holiday Happenings! *** WARNING*** Long post

I know it has been too long but, like most of you, things have been a whirl wind of events around here starting with Thanksgiving and our house full of FAMILY!!!

Mom came out for 9 days and we loved having her. My boys had ALMOST as much fun as she did! 

Then we had Sia and Karl fly in on Wednesday....

Then along came Aniva which made Thanksgiving ALMOST complete, and I say that because we were still missing our brother who was shooting a commercial in Miami, but with both my sisters here it was time to PaRtY!!! 

The boys got to spend time with Uncle Karl and show him more of where they call home. Of course Teni is the one showing him the street!

The boys were in heaven with their fun Auntie Sia back....

And they were over the moon with spoiling Aunite Niva around....

And everything in the world is right when Grammie comes to town....

And I can't even tell you how much it meant to me to have my best friends and my wonderful mom here to love, laugh and celebrate with!

This was a holiday we'll never forget, but there is one thing we'll try  REALLY hard TO forget - right Niva (wink, wink)!

So, after all our goodbyes and tears we prepared to welcome another holiday in, cause guess what was come'n to town in a boom truck and red hat....

That's right, the annual down town holiday light parade and we were ready to wave, smile, and throw some candy down main street!

Eddie decorated all the line trucks with lights (real tough job he has hu?!?!) and we invited some of the boys friends to join in.

Teni was all smiles on the big rig....

Until it was time to start and he fell ASLEEP sitting up!!!

That was the beginning of a pleasantly busy Christmas season. We enjoyed the love and warmth that the Christmas holiday always brings, and the opportunity to focus on and celebrate the birth of our Savior. Along with the peace and wonder of the season came special packages sent from family, and one in particular came a few days before Christmas from Auntie Niva & Uncle David....

OH - YEAH!

YOU GOT IT!

LUCHADOR MASKS!!!

And mom even sent one for Eddie because anyone who remotely knows him, knows he's the BIGGEST kid of all!

So with their masks on and their new 2010 WWE game playing, the boys had a BLAST!!!

Thanks sis, you and David always do it right :)

Moving onto Christmas eve, which is always special because it is my parent's anniversary.

So my boys sat down for their one early gift. 

"Bet you can't guess what it is???"

(Guy are you there?)

PJ's for everyone....

Mommy's Little Monster....

Look'n good Guy....

Drake likes em....

And keeping with tradition we have a simple candle lit dinner to represent the simple, humble birth of Christ.

Which is always pizza and this year we threw in some yummy Chinese. Of course we had to use some cute snowmen plates....

Then after dinner we snuggled together and watched the Nativity Story movie, which just might become the newest tradition, and after that it was time for bed so Santa could come!

Then next morning came at 7:00am and the boys were ready. Down the stairs they came....

To see just how good they'd been....

Let us start with the little one and a few of his favorites....

He loved his truck..... INSIDE! But didn't want much to do with it once we took it to the streets. Santa probably could've saved himself the trouble and MONEY, but I'm sure he'll warm up to it.

He LOVES his Leapster 2 that we got him (Thanks Sia for standing in line on Black Friday at Best Buy even though you had NOTHING to get there for yourself!).

And he loves the games he got too, especially this one from his Gram!

Being that he has discovered the world of Toy Story and can't get enough of the movie, I made a Christmas eve run to Fred Meyer and picked up his newest little partner, Woody....

And then the gift of all gifts, the one he had been asking for FOREVER....

GATOR GOLF from Auntie Sia & Uncle Karl!

Christmas was now complete....

Now onto GUY!

Santa brought him his top-of-the-list gift, 

DJ HERO!

And he loves green so this Tony Hawk jacket had his name all over it!

Along with an RC car, clothes, skate board,  Sponge Bob Cranium game from Grandma, and other fun loot, he was a happy camper!

Especially when he got his JAZZ hat!

Like father, like son....

And last, but certainly not least, my Drake!

Santa brought him the Mongoose bike he really wanted....

Along with some movies they wished for....

And Tech Decks and ramps brought a smile to his face....

And this brings us to the thing he had been asking for, but his momma just hasn't been ready to buy....

Axe Body Wash and scrubber, along with a natural deodorant. Call me crazy, but first of all, those commercials are a bit to old and racy for my little boy (which is probably why he wants it in the first place), and secondly he's too young for deodorant! He's still my 1st born baby!!! 

But after smelling his pits after basketball practice a few weeks ago I decided I had to let him grow up a little - I mean he will be 10 on Jan 7th. So this was more of a stepping stone for me....

Oh, and PSP games from us and grammie were toppers on his morning....

Then onto my last boy! 

Lots of sports gear, shirts, sweatshirts, and hats, but this retro Jazz shirt was his favorite and rightly so after all the hoops I had to jump through to get it....

(Oh, and one thing I absolutely LOVE about my hubby is that by the mornings end he had tried on and wore every article of clothing I had bought him!)

The last gift of the day was a tricky one that I pulled off with the help of my mom (thanks forgiving us cash for our gifts to pitch in) and my friend who kept it until a few days before Christmas, and a false gift tag which I had written to the boys....

Look, a new DVD player....

And 32 inch flat screen LCD TV for our room!

He was pleasantly surprised and loved it, as do the rest of the family. We have been having a lot of movie nights in our room with everyone piled in the bed. Good thing we bought the Cal King bed!

So we rounded the day off with friends stopping by and gifts exchanged....

And then a little cruse'n by the party animal....

And whatta ya know, we ended up having a white Christmas break after all!!!

And the boys got to make a new friend....

And a wall to protect him from any incoming snowballs! 

We had very blessed and wonderful holiday seasons with loved ones and friends. We are looking forward to anther year of love and laughter, health and happiness. We wish you the very same!