Twas the Week Before Christmas

DAY FOUR

GINGERBREAD/ZOO

Cale and I decided that we needed a second try at making a Gingerbread House. Our first attempt last year was mediocre at best...we could barely get the candies to stay on, let alone keep the house upright!

We did a MUCH better job this year...and I guess all I really needed to do last year was read the directions! Imagine that!

Turns out, in order for your house to stay upright you have to wait for about 30min after it's been assembled to actually begin the decorating process...that way, the frosting has had time to "bond" and the walls stay UP!!!

Seriously don't know how I missed that one last year.

....30min later....

the decorating has begun

Cale is giving Keegyn a lesson on how to make the candy "stick."

Must say, it's the first time that I've actually seen her take his advice!

Finished!!!

OFF TO THE ZOO

...Cale is giving me a lesson on the crocs powerful jaws...

(at least I think that's what he was talking about by the looks of this picture..I kinda got distracted!)

When venturing into a dark cave, holding hands is best

(Cale couldn't have been more excited about this..he loves taking care of his sister)

Looking for the Jungle Birds

I just had to take this picture to remind me of the oddity of this Christmas season....Dec 20th...32 degrees...NO SNOW!!!!

Time to measure their wingspans!

Cale wanted to take a picture with me to thank me for bringing them to the zoo!! Man I love this guy!

Shhhhhh....don't wake the slumbering bears

Our last stop of the day...Tigers....by this time, despite the 32 degree temperature and NO SNOW, we were still cold and needed to get some HOT CHOCOLATE!!!

Twas the Week Before Christmas

Day Three

COOKIE TIME

We had to do a little online searching this year to find the perfect Christmas cookie...not just any one would do!

Cale and I decided that nothing says Christmas quite like our very own

RUDULPH COOKIES!

Of course the recipe online calls for homemade dough and frosting...but come one! Who the heck has time for that?!! So I did use a couple of shortcuts, like store bought cookie dough and frosting!

I did have to google how to make the color brown, however, cuz I had absolutely no idea how to do that! (Two days later and my hands are still stained from the food coloring! But I sure did make a good lookin' brown!)

Keegyn admiring her job well done

Cale stayed "true" to Rudulph...no blue or orange eyes for his reindeer, like Keegyn's!

Just brown eyes and red nose!

Keegyn's "true" Rudolph...accessories provided to her by Cale!

Platter 'O Rudolph

Twas the Week Before Christmas

DAY TWO

JUST CHILLIN'

The kids actually slept in after a late night spent with Grandma and Grandpa T, so we spent Day Two just chillin'. We stayed in our pj's all day and watched movies, ate some snacks, played with some toys, and laughed and laughed and laughed at our little jokester, Keegyn! She was in quite the silly mood and spent most of her day trying to get someone to laugh!

Here she is trying to get Jason to laugh by "fake snoring"

Silly face #1

Silly face #2

Silly face #3

Silly face #4

What would we do without our silly Keegyn??!!!

Twas the Week Before Christmas

Our "week before Christmas" festivities have officially begun! And yes, I did say "week before"...as if celebrating on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day is not enough!

The past few years, I've started a tradition of taking time off the entire week before Christmas to spend some special time with the kids doing all kinds of fun stuff...some having to do with Christmas, and some just having to do with having fun! We've made some special memories that will last a lifetime..and the kids really enjoy it!

DAY ONE

Thompson Christmas

Grandma and Grandpa T spend Christmas in Chicago every year, so we end up celebrating our Christmas with them usually the week before. They, of course, spoil the kids rotten with all kinds of cool, new toys and the kids get to stay up extra late...way past their bedtimes! Who wouldn't love that?!!?

Before opening presents, Cale, Keegyn and Grandma T are hard at work decorating the cake for Jesus' Birthday

Present time!!

Cale's first "big ticket" item...a remote control snowmobile that can go inside OR outside!! Just his luck, though....NO SNOW!!! We're anxiously awaiting a snowfall that doesnt melt in a matter of hours so that we can actually try it out!
Keegyn's "big ticket' item!!
Look at the shock on her face! She just can't believe she got something so cool!!!
Can you guess what it is????

Yep!!! Her very own vanity!!! Complete with curling iron, blow dryer, brush, comb, and barrettes!

Keegyn, you look absolutely MAVELOUS DAHLING!!!

A horse ranch for Cale!

(on a side note...Cale would just not be OUR Cale if he wasn't sporting pants!)

Thank you Grandma and Grandpa T for a WONDERFUL Christmas for the kids!

Our Little Princess Turns Two!!!

I'm happy to report that Keegyn's second birthday went off without a hitch! No blizzards to hold us back this year! In fact, barely any snow at all! How different her day was this year as opposed to her first birthday and the day she was born.

Keegyn enjoyed EVERY part of her big day...including lounging all morning watching Dora movies, waiting for her guests to arrive!

Now THAT'S a cake!

Pretty in pink...waiting for her guests to arrive!

Her first buddy to arrive...her cousin and BFF Mikayla!

Sweets for my Sweetie

These suckers were a BIG hit with all the kiddos!

Mikayla and Sydney waiting for Keegyn to open her presents. These two became fast friends...Mikayla is quite the little mingler!

So many to choose from...which one should I start with?

Minnie...of course!

A My Little Pony Carousel! All the girls loved this one.

"Pinky Pie"

Keegyn absolutely loves this little pony/doll. She has barely put it down since she opened it!

Cale stood eagerly behind Keegyn while she opened presents. They are definately night and day. Keegyn actually takes time to enjoy opening her presents and plays with it a bit after opening, while Cale rips open his presents like someone is going to steal it away and then just as quickly sets is aside cuz he can't get to the next one fast enough! So watching Keegyn go at her leisurely pace was almost painful for Cale!
You can just see it in his stance and posture...like, Would you hurry it up???!!!

Mommy and baby pillow pets

Sydney enjoying her sucker....those things lasted the entire day!

You'd never guess that she was actually enjoying herself by looking at these pictures....Goodness Keegyn, would it kill you to smile????

Watch out America....these girls are already walking in heels....

....and doing it well.....

There's Eli!!! He really was at the party, but he found Cale's train set downstairs and then we never heard from him again!

He missed presents and food!!!

TIME FOR CAKE!!!

Either she really didn't want to wait one more minute to eat her cake, or our singing was REALLY bad....Not quite sure which it was!!

Cale had to help with blowing out the candles....apparently she still hadn't recovered from our singing???

YUMMO!!!

Happy 2nd Birthday Baby Girl! We love you!