December 2009
Click on the picture for a larger version.
Mr. and
Mrs. Claus
We’ve lived in the Valley now for about 11 years, but have never once attended the Solvang tree lighting. Since we were already in Solvang for a doctor’s appointment we just decided to check it out. It was very festive with live music and people handing out free hot chocolate and ginger snaps. They even had Mr. and Mrs. Claus and we decided to see if Tyler would at least talk to them. The best we could do was have Tyler sit on Bill’s shoulders and lean down to talk to them. Oh well, it was a start. We were hoping that the lighting would happen near the beginning of the performance, but after a while we decided we were more hungry than interested and decided to leave and try to catch the lighting another year. At least we gave it a try!
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Solvang
Christmas Parade
Saturday, December 5th
was Christmas parade time again. This year we met up with our friends the
Bakers, the Hinnrichs and the Harringtons to take in the parade. It was a lot
of fun and the kids were very excited about getting candy thrown at them
from the parade participants. It was made all the more interesting by Alana’s
friend Lindsey who knew how to get them to throw the candy our way (being a
past parade participant herself). She would shout and scream loudly for them to
throw the candy our way. Alana’s ears rang for weeks after that.
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Will, Jessica and Tyler anxiously wait for the candy, I
mean parade |
Woo hoo! Candy! |
Decorating
the Tree
This year Tyler was into decorating the tree a lot more. Mainly because he knew what goes under the tree. He had been talking about Christmas for something like the past 4 months and knew exactly what he was going to ask Santa for. He was a great helper and even went up the step ladder to put some of the ornaments up higher than he could reach. I think maybe next year we’ll just let him do the whole tree!
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This looks like a good spot |
Cheese! |
Hmmm… |
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I love decorating the tree! |
It’s so purty! |
Such a good helper |
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Cookie
Decorating
We did something different
this year. Instead of having a Christmas get together at the house we decided
to go out for brunch with friends and then have them back to the house to
decorate Christmas cookies. It was a lot of fun, but Tyler seemed to be more
interested than in decorating. He decorated one cookie, which he gave to Bill
and then went back to playing. Tyler didn’t really get into it, but everyone
else seemed to have a good time. Although, the adults seemed to get more cookie
decorating in than the kids.
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Tyler’s “gingerbread” house he made at the school open
house |
Chloe, Landon, Cori and Payton get to work |
Brenda gets some decorations ready for Jessica and
Weston |
Chloe is very excited about her cookie |
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What talent |
I’m not sure where her cookie went… |
Landon wishes he could have a few more |
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Christmas
Lights
Bill had to work late one night
so Tyler and I went out for a walk with our friend Brenda and her family. Tyler
and their daughter Jessica had a great time walking together, but I think they
were more interested in being silly than looking at Christmas lights.
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A brief pause… |
before they took off again. |
Joe smiles for the camera while Brendan checks out the
lights |
Christmas
Day
Christmas Eve we spent over at
our friends the Staudes’ house and they turn in came to our house for Christmas
dinner. Our friend Joe and his mother Juliana joined us for dinner as well. Bill
once again made his famous prime rib dinner which was a big hit. If he ever
decides to make something different in the future we’re all going to be very
disappointed. Unfortunately Alana’s sister Kim couldn’t fly out from New York
to be with us this year. Hopefully we’ll be able to see her within the next
year in addition to next Christmas. As for Christmas morning, it was definitely
a Transformers Christmas. Tyler got no less than 5 new Transformers, not
including an Optimus Prime shirt he got from Santa and the Bumblebee mask and
gun he got from Mom and Dad. I wonder what the toy to have will be next year??
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No more milk and cookies! |
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Checking out the stocking |
Wow, how did Santa know?? |
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Opening the first Christmas gift |
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More Transformers?!? |
Is that Bumblebee? |
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All the excitement of Christmas morning was too much for
Grandpa |
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