2007 Christmas

Our holiday festivities started the 20th of Dec. with my parents arrival....school got out the 21st and holiday break began. My brother, Nicole and little Ella arrived the 23rd... We had a great visit, the girls loved having everyone here, and Brian and I LOVED having my Mom and Dad to babysit :)) Brian and I got to go to a party, and had nights without the girls while they stayed in the hotel with my Mom and Dad... :)) the visit was too short for us, and they left the 28th. But, we'll see them in Feb. when I take the girls to NH....yes, NH in February..WHAT am I thinking you ask?? I'm pretty much nuts I think...but the girls are dying to get to my parents house, play in the snow, and see my other brother Kevin & Family, and big cousin Dylan who is 13 now and little James who is almost 2. We haven't seen them since Christmas 2006...much much much too long...

CHRISTMAS EVE

On the moring of Christmas Eve, we met up with my cousin Michael, his wife Aggie and their kids Connor, Bella and Francesca and my cousin Deirdre (who's soon to be a Mom) and her hubby Martin. They live close by in San Anselmo and Sausalito but we hardly see each other with all the kids crazy school schedules. The kids always get along instantly and have a blast together...though this time, Catie & Bella were spitting at boys...what the *#*#*#*#*#???? I said...so we had to have a little time out at the park...the age of 7 1/2yrs. old is going to be a very hard challenge I fear......

looks like trouble to me............................

Cousins...young and old.....this is one of those rare photos to have...4 cousins together and kids...

My Mom's sister was here as well and they got to visit...it was a fun morning at the park...never mind it was in the 60's out and sunny....

By 4pm, I had the girls at church getting ready for their parts in the Christmas Eve play. Catie was an angel and Meigan was sheep...It was a really cute play, and the kids all did their parts perfectly.

Catie is the angel 3rd from the left....

and here is my little sheep....with her game face on....ready to crawl/baah her way down the aisle of church with all the other animals....

After church it was home to light luminarias all along our walkway, driveway and sidewalk, have dinner and get the kids ready for bed. In keeping with family tradition from when Ryan, Kevin and I were little, Christmas jammies are handed out Christmas Eve before bed and photos are a must!! and yes, that is Oreo in the background trapsing over the gifts looking for bows to tear off...

Here are Meigan, Catie and our little niece/cousin Ella who is 18mos old...this was the first time we'd seen Ella in a year...she was 6mos. old last time....