Hugs and Kisses

I mustache you a question. . .

Will you be my Valentine?

I knew you could not resist me.

I shaved just for you.

Happy 4th Abby!

The Princesses

AND THE FROG.

Mirror Mirror on the wall,

Who's the

most stubborn,

cutest,

funniest,

most dramatic!!

of them all?

(And that's saying something.)

Holiday Highlights/Times I Remembered and/or Had Time to Use My Camera.

Minute to Win it at the Hall Party. . .In the words of Great Aunt Joyce:

We're one Hall of a Family.

Cookie Face Race. Get the cookie from forehead to mouth using only your face.

Seriously. Funny.

Christmas Morning, Lucy sat at her piano and tickled the ivories.
Mr. Giraffe gave her a standing ovation.
Eliza happily shared her pillow pet. . .Here it is in pillow form.
Now it's a pet! Magic. . .pure marketing magic.
Cars 2: Age 5
Reminds me of . . . Cars 1: Age 2

(notice a marketing magic theme?)
Princess (Marketing) Magic.

Kevin's old.
Lucy's not.
Speaking of youth, here are cousins of various ages joined in the bonding experience that is technology. Side by side, never talking, not needing to acknowledge one another's presence-- just staring at a lit up screen while shooting and or hitting things, creating memories that will kindle the decembers of their lives. . . I'm just kidding. Do you know many 15 year olds that will lovingly entertain a feisty almost 4 year old? Cousins 2012.
Abby blossomed at her winter dance recital.

All Dressed Up!

Cinderella, Mary Poppins, and Mario, Oh My!

Get a load of these glass slippers!

Practically Perfect. . .

I've been looking for some good help,

Nanny-tastic! Just in time. . .

this little one's been driving me buggy!

We managed one shot with all four.

Grandparents, this bugs for you.

Hugs and Kisses.

The Happiest Place on Earth

*sustained happiness not guaranteed

"How was your vacation?" I asked. I will never forget her reply. For wiser words were never spoken. Vacation? she smiled with a pause and then continued. "There are no vacations with children. There are TRIPS. Our family TRIP was fun, it was fine, nice change of scenery." She left it at that. That wise woman was Aunt Joy, and I now think her words should be engraved somewhere, or at the very least embroidered in some festive design on a pillow.

We were off to the beach for fall break,

or so we told the children.

They're eyes glistened in anticipation,

oh wait. . .that's pink eye.

Dang it. Stupid Pink Eye.

No problem we'll call for a prescription on our way out of town.

Nothing can thwart our Family Vaca--Trip!

In-n-Out, the Beach at sunset, oh wait too late for sunset,

(You try to arrive somewhere in a timely manner with a 4 month old. and a recently potty trained 3 year old.) Not the point!

Hello California!

The next morning we give the kids clues to open to figure out where we are going.

(We have it recorded but the lighting was too dark and Kevin recorded it with his iphone with the light on and it looks like the Blair Witch Project kids win a trip to Disneyland. Again not the point.)

Eliza reads the final clue "We're going to Disneyland."

Long silent pause.

Jon says "How many more days?"

I shout "Today! today! We're going to disneyland right now!"

Finally appropriate shouting.

Lucy was so happy she didn't care that she woke up with pink eye!

No worries we have enough antibiotic drops to go around!

We're on our way.

Abby almost falls to her death on an escalator,

I smile and wave, "We're country kids,

not a lot of escalators down on the farm!"

Here we go!

Happy.

Happy.

Magical.

(due to the fact this is an open air ride-- darkness+lit characters+enclosed spaces=not so magical for Abby)

A fake boy.

A real boy.

Happy. Happy. Magical.

Super Awsome -Jon gets picked for Jedi Training.

Where there are storm troopers. . .

Darth Vader soon follows.

Jonathan bravely defends the galaxy.

This is his "I defeated Darth Vader and all I got was a lousy certificate" face.

We stumbled upon Jack Skeleton.

Ask Kevin how long they stood in line to meet the mouseman himself, or don't ask.

yeah, probably don't ask.

Day 2- still feeling the magic?

Yes!

(only picture documenting Mom was there.)

Happy.

Happy.

Magical.

Suddenly-Magic gone- Abby is done.

Magic gone-- Jon is done.

(Tantrums not pictured.)

Wait. . .Parade characters are coaxing the return of magic. . .

Jon waves while laying supine. . .magic too powerful.

Eliza's favorite character.

(Eliza alone never wavered in her adoration and awe of the magic kingdom)

Even Lucy towards the end said "Lets blow this taco stand."

And after running from one end of the park to the other to find the souveneir I wanted and not finding it, I agreed.

But at least Jon had the courtesy of waiting till we sat down to dinner to barf all over me.

Family TRIP indeed,

Can't wait for the next one.

Neither can the kids they said upon leaving. . .

"Hey when do we get to go to the Beach?-You said we were going to the beach."