Way Back When-esday

This is for you, honey!

Christmas picture 2008

Christmas picture 2009

We only had time for 1 take this year because we were needing to get to my family's. Normally I take one until I am 100% satisfied, but this was good enough.

Is life easier? YES!

Calmer? Nope!

Play along with Cheryl at Twinfatuation

Holiday Traditions - North Park Mall

My laptop is finally fixed!! Hooray!! Now, get ready for a mad dash of catching up on all things Christmas.

First up is one of my families holiday traditions. Every year we head to North Park Mall in Dallas. They go all out on decorations and exhibits. I think we have been going to this mall every year for about 10-11 years now. I remember going a few times during my childhood, but it was the start of a family tradition when grandchildren entered into it.

Here is a Santa and his reindeer made with
nuts, apples, marshmallows, and other edibles.

Under that is a turtle and duck pond thingy. The kids love to watch!

Last year, the girls did little more than exist.

Here the girls sit with my brother and my mom.
Oh my GOSH, what a difference a year makes...

This year the girls were old enough to enjoy the sights.

Window shopping
Hey, we start 'em early

Olivia with Grana

Abby getting plenty of attention from her brother and cousins

One of our favorite things to see is The Ronald Mc.Donald House toy train exhibit.

Abby pointed at everything

Olivia loved this little window where she could see the train come by.

They set up the trains among all kinds of settings, including...

Dallas

along with the Ronald Mc.Donald House there next to the hospital

An old western town complete with a native american village

The white house

New York

Mount Rushmore
Zachary with cousin Cameron
A circus

Check out this street scene
And you can't forget the Porsche dealership (HA!)

Another favorite is the Scrooge puppet show.

Ah Scrooge, I remember seeing him when I was 3 years old. He asked me how old I was and I said , "3!". He commented how I was the only child who said my age and didn't hold up fingers. So I then very delicately held up my 3 fingers at him while the crowd laughed.


He is crude and hilarious in his bah-humbugness. He insults a man's fashion sense. He squirts the kids with water. He berates people for watching him instead of working. He comments how one particular man was here last week with his other girl! Every year he closes his side shutter so the people on one side can't see him.

Last year both Collin, my nephew

and Zachary was teased about not being on Santa's good list. Zachary has been called out the past 3 years. He was a little bummed when he didn't get picked this year.

Just look at the pure enjoyment of it!

Well, except Abby over there. She lost sight of us for a bit.

We all laugh right along with him and groan at his bad jokes. And he tells the sames ones...every.year. And we really don't care!

The whole group!
Collin, Jordan, Cameron, Zachary, and the ladies
2 of my other nephews were not there

My brother taught Olivia a new trick
"Cheese!"

After all that excitement, Abby was done

What I didn't realize was...
as I took pictures of Olivia's "cheese" face
how close Abby was...

to falling completely asleep.

Poor baby

Coming up are more Christmas catching up posts!

~Merry Christmas~

Merry Christmas

May your day be joyous as we remember...

No laptop = sucketh

I have so.many. posts it is unreal built up in my mind. I have putting up the tree, Christmas decorations, Christmas traditions, "favorite things" gift-giving, blah blah this, and blah blah that. I have also not read hardly any blogs lately so I am going through blog withdrawal.

I need to download my pictures to my office computer, which I am on now, and get busy. However every time I step over the gate or even mess with the gate, Olivia runs full out toward me yelling, "Nonononononono!." The only reason I am on here now is that Olivia is still taking her nap. Abby is up but all she wants me to do is watch her jump on Zachary every little bit.

Some good things that have come out of my laptop being sick
~No longer on those stupid Facebook games. Anyone play them? Oh my gosh, can you say addictive?? I have not cooked in my cafe, harvested my crops, decorated my house, or fed my pet in over a week (!!) I know they are totally stupid games, but I enjoy them. I also know what a time suck they are.

Ok, I have had my post fix for today. I hope all is well with my internet family :-)

Hopefully I can jump on here tonight after the girls go to sleep and post like crazy!



P.S. and just in time since Olivia just woke up.

BlogHer

So I got a check today...

from BlogHer...

You know, that thing over there ---------------------------------->

That button I know you all click...every time you visit me...

Right??

Well, it was for $27...for a year of service...

Worth it?

Should I drop it for the Amazon deal?

I am pretty sure I can't do both on this same site.

Open another site just for reviews and such??

Thoughts??

Oh, and my laptop is still out of commission. I am getting a small amount done around the house. Plus, I am using...ahem...Gary's Mac...BUT I am SO not happy about it.

And yes I know used a bajillion of these ... ... ... ...

I love using these ...

No Internet Connection = withdrawals

My laptop suddenly decided it didn't want to connect to the internet. I do have another computer in the office but it has a baby gate on the door. Even as I type this I have had to break up a fight over a wipe and now Abby is crying at the gate. Hopefully I can get it back up and running soon.

Excuse me while I go pick up my overly dramatic daughter from the floor where she is now laying with her head down in the carpet.

First Piggies!

Real piggies!