Christmas with John and Kathy 2013

Kathy planned a very special Christmas for all of us this year that included Christmas carols, dinner, presents, limo ride and lights galore. We celebrated Christmas with them on December 15 by first going to their Church's annual Christmas Spectacular Show. The church did a fantastic job and Preston really enjoyed watching the 50's Christmas theme songs, the Polar Express segment and the Frosty the Snowman part. He sat through those pretty well but got a little squirmy during the traditional choir singing and meaning of Christmas story. He ended up falling and busting his chin on the bible shelf of the church pew in front of us. I quickly took him out and got him all bandaged up before returning to the show. Luckily that happened towards the end.

After the show, we went back to John and Kathy's to open gifts before eating dinner. Preston still doesn't quite get the concept of Christmas yet but he didn't have any problems opening his gifts. I was a proud momma when he would tear the wrapping paper and before going back to ripped off some more, he would hand the paper he just ripped to me or Kathy. He kept things very clean for us and I love it!! Preston received his first Radio Flyer, car ramp and his first set of ski clothes. John and Kathy got me a Keurig, K-cups and a gift certificate to Home Goods. Brent received a power washer and mag-light.

The limo arrived just as we finished eating so we all piled into it and headed to the Grand Prairie Lights Christmas Show. Preston played bartender with the waters they provided on the limo ride there and then hung out of the window looking at all the lights while we drove through the park. The light show was pretty amazing and a fun way to end the night.

Opening gifts from Nana & Grandpa

 Car Ramp

 Radio Flyer

 Ski Clothes

 Playing while Nana finishes preparing Christmas dinner

 Nana getting Preston his milk

 Telling Uncle "B" Hi

 Limo Ride

 Super Excited

 Looking at the all the lights

 Literally hanging out the window

 Grand Finale

 Playing with his gifts at home

Helping Daddy put his Radio Flyer together

Pictures with Santa & Bass Pro 2013

This year Preston got to meet Santa not once but twice and both times he was absolutely terrified of him. He first saw Santa at school when he came to visit. I wasn't there when the kids got to meet Santa but the school emailed all the parents pictures of their kids with Santa. I wasn't too sure how Preston would handle it and when I got the email and the email read, "We promise he was completely fine afterwards" I knew it didn't go well. This is what I was emailed from Preston's first encounter with Santa this year! I couldn't help but laugh and Brent got a kick out of it too.

Primrose Rockwall Santa

I wanted to try Santa again to see if Preston would be more calm if Brent and I were there with him so we took him to the Bass Pro Santa because it was free and we had heard they had a fun and elaborate set up. We got Preston all dressed and headed up there only to find out that everyone else had the same idea and all the pass cards were gone for that day. They told us we had to come back first thing in the morning to get a pass card for the next day. Since we were there, we walked around and let Preston explore the children's area and the Christmas set ups. He enjoyed the coloring station, playing in the fake snow and looking and hearing all the sights and sounds around him. The next morning at 9am Brent headed to Bass Pro and stood in line for over 30 minutes just to get a pass card so we could come back during our time slot and still stand in line. Crazy things parents do for their kidos and the perfect shot with Santa.

 Pushing over the display logs of course

 Coloring Station

 Concentrating hard

Our time slot was from 3-3:30pm and my parents came with us to keep Preston entertained while I waited in line. When it finally came our turn, I was a little nervous that we had done all that work and we wouldn't get a good picture because more than likely Preston would get upset once he saw Santa. Mrs. Clause had a good idea and told us that if he was a screamer, Santa would go behind the door and come back out and stand behind his chair and look over Preston so we could get a decent picture. That sounded like the perfect idea and it pretty much worked. We had to use a candy cane to get Preston to sit in Santa's chair but he finally sat there by himself and Santa sneaked in behind Preston. Preston very quickly realized Santa was behind him and bolted off that chair so fast. Luckily we got a good picture and all was well.

Hanging out with Mal & PawPaw

 Daddy having a good time too

 Our turn finally

 Santa sneaking back in behind Preston

 We got our shot!!

 Just realized Santa was behind him and he was out of there

Santa Hat Attempt

This year Kathy had a cute idea for her and John's Christmas card but it required getting Preston's picture with the personalized Santa hat she made for all 4 of them. Preston is not a hat wearer and to get him to wear it along with a smile on his face seemed to be an impossible task. Brent and I tried several times but he kept taking it off right when we put it on his head. I started to get frustrated until I remembered that Preston will wear a hat if we tell him that its cold and he needs his hat. It was cold outside so we said, Preston's its cold you need your hat. From there on out, he was perfect and smiled galore for us.

First Attempt

 Second Attempt

We finally got it!!

Christmas Tree & Felt Tree

Here are a few pics of Preston and us around our Christmas tree this year. I have absolutely loved this tree from the minute we got it over 5 years ago. I love the uniqueness of it and how it displays the ornaments so well. Next year we will have a real tree because we want to take Preston to a tree farm so he can experience cutting down your own tree but this year we enjoyed another great year with my favorite tree!!

Starting the decorating process

 Restringing a few of the lights

 Preston helping me hang an ornament for this first time

 Merry Christmas!

 Pic with our stockings too

Last year I made a Christmas tree made from felt along with felt ornaments so Preston could decorate his own tree this year. I learned he is still a little small to properly decorate the tree but he still had a good time putting a few of the ornaments on the tree but mainly he enjoyed ripping them down and have them fall on the floor. Each day I would put all the ornaments back on the tree so he could turn right around and rip them off. Maybe next year he will enjoy decorating it with me!!

Let's get decorating again

 Starting to pull them down now