Days After Christmas, New Years, and Beyond

On the day after Christmas my dad and I hopped on an 8 am flight to Minnesota. Yes, you read that right 8 am! We traveled to MN for a few days to pay a visit to my 93 year old grandma. It had been way too long since we had seen her and it was time to pay a visit. Not only did we get to see my grandma but some of my other family members as well. It was a quick trip, we flew back on Sunday but it was well worth it to see my MN family.

While my dad and I were in MN my mom and Jim were busy entertaining the girls. From my mom's pictures it looks like they had a great time...

...dress-up dance party...

...seeing Elsa and Anna at the Downtown Summerlin ice rink...

...and watching football with their bike helmets on (I didn't ask why).

Once Pepe and I got back from MN, we continued with to have fun activities!

On Tuesday the 30th we wend ice skating.

After ice skating the girls had some Pepe time...

On New Year's Eve dad we took the girls bowling and out to lunch with some friends. We all had a GREAT time!

New year's night....there is literally nothing to write about...we were all in bed by 9:30.

On New year's day we went to the pinball hall of fame. Who knew there was such a place but, there IS! There are rows and rows for vintage pinball machines and video games that you can play for a nominal fee (.25-.50). It was so cool! I have to admit though I might have had the most fun. I loved looking at and playing the old games.

Jim scored a Naughty But Nice while I got Harmless...

 

On the 2nd we went to see the atrium at the Bellagio. It is always a beautiful sight!

On the 3rd it was time for my parents to head back to Seattle but on the way to the airport we make time for one last outing...

Rick's Restoration...

 

...and the Ironworks showroom.

Then it was off to the airport to drop off Pepe and Burrs.

It was a holiday full of many adventures! We are all looking forward to a very happy 2015!

Christmas!

At some time during the night our tree and fireplace exploded with presents!

The girls were very excited, anxious, and nervous to see what Santa brought them this year!

From Santa, a big doll house for both of the girls, an Else costume for Kera, and a big Cinderella doll for Abby.

Next, time for stockings. Chewy first!

Thank the rest of us...lots of citrus for all.

Time for the presents under the tree. For Kera, dress up shoes from Abby.

For Abby a Rapunzel purse from Kera.

Sisters loved their presents from each other!

Now time for the rest of us. My dad was very inventive with his wrapping this year...

Homemade ornament for Burrs.

The girls were excited to give papa poop bags...I mean a new Steelers hat.

The girls got a lot of clothes this year. Here is one of Abby's favorite dresses.

Always love a messy family room for Christmas!! And as you can see, Chewy enjoyed his new bone.

Playtime before breakfast.

 

With all of the opening we did we definitely worked up an appetite for breakfast!

Holiday poppers are usually for Christmas dinner but this year we had dinner plans at our neighbors house so the poppers made an early showing.

 

The rest of the day was spent relaxing and playing with our new toys.

At 5 we headed across the street for Christmas dinner with our neighbors and friends. Most of the food was prepared by the lady of the house Allison but Jim and Pepe helped cut the bird.

The kids had fun playing together we all of Sam's new toys! Here they are in a huge gigaball. it is like a hamster wheel for kids.

Kiddos enjoying their holiday meal together.

I did help the festivities by bringing pie. I think It was a success!

Thank you for the great evening Staley's!

Christmas Eve 2014!

After Jim got home from the doctor on Christmas eve we resumed our regular scheduled activities like...cookie making...

When we went to see Santa the girls asked him what his favorite type of cookie was and he told them it was chocolate chip so, what did we make? Chocolate chip of course.

We also found sometime to paint home make ornaments.

My parents arrived on Christmas eve just in time to watch The Christmas Story and to eat Chinese takeout.

Next, it was time to open one present...

...new nightgowns from my Aunt Mary and Uncle Fred.

Don't forget the magical reindeer food, the note for Santa, Santa's cookies, and carrots for the reindeer!

And, don't forget a reading of the Night Before Christmas!

Finally it was time to go to bed! We need to make sure that we are all asleep otherwise Santa wont come....

AJ

On Christmas eve eve we got a new foster dog, AJ.

He is 8 year old and, we were told, that had been given to the organization because his family just had premature twins and they were concerned that he was too jumpy. Plus, he was just neutered the day I picked him up. We had a good first afternoon with AJ he was even sleeping on Jim's lap on the couch and then, this happened...

AJ didn't just bite Jim but he latched onto his jaw. Unfortunately, Jim had to hit him in the head to make him let go. We were dumbfounded! AJ had literally been sleeping on his lap for an hour and a half and then...AJ woke up, they looked at each other, Jim kissed him on his nose, and then BITE!

As you can imagine, Jim was livid! He even called animal control. Once we calmed down AJ was banished to the garage and we were left to figure out what to do with him in the morning. At least the girls were asleep though all of this! At 8:30 am the next morning animal control was knocking at our door. In the end AJ was taken to a 10 day quarantine at a local vet and Jim was off to the doctor. Jim had 4 punctures wounds; one of which, went through his lower lip. In order not to scar Jim needed surgery but he told the doctor, "well, since I am not going out for GQ any time soon I will take the scar."

Not the best of starts to our Christmas holiday.