Christmas Day 2010

I am a little late blogging about Christmas day but since I use my blog for scrap book journal writing too I wanted to make sure to write it down.  This Christmas season has been one of the most magical since I was a kid.  It's been so much fun watching LeAnne be so excited about Christmas 

Around 4am I heard LeAnne hollering her drink was missing.  When I got to her room she was pretty crabby so I gave her the drink and said go back to sleep.  She later woke up happy around 6:30am.  Since her room is right next to the living room, I showed her the stockings were filled then we turned upstairs to wake up daddy. Sensing her excitement daddy was outa bed in a flash.  Once down stairs LeAnne found her gift from Santa, which was a Chugginton Training Yard Loop Set. She absolutely LOVES her train set and trains!! 



While she was playing I passed out presents then daddy & I started opening our gifts to each other.  My husband spoiled me once again! Thank-you so much honey!!

Once LeAnne saw us opening gifts she was all over opening her gifts.  She was  a bit overwhelmed with all her gifts.  After all the gifts were opened we put in the Beauty and the Beast DVD she got from Auntie Katie.  Auntie also got her a set of the movie characters so each time a new character was introduced we'd give them to her and she'd compare them with the TV saying :"match".  We've now seen Beauty and the Best 4 times and she loves playing with the characters. 

What is the saying... It isn't Christmas until someone cries.  I made cinnamon rolls and fruit for breakfast thinking LeAnne would love this.  Ha ha that is what I get for thinking.  It was like absolute torture to get her to even take a bit.  Ended up with her going to her room crying and the movie being paused.  After a short while daddy sat down to have cinnamon roll with her and as I thought she loved it once she took a bite. "Tastes like candy" 

Adorable moment alert... Christmas morning I was busy cleaning up the kitchen when I turned to see LeAnne totally naked, with her Christmas dress wrapped around her playing with her train set. Okay I think it's time to get dressed. hee hee!

Around noon we picked up Grandma Marcia and headed down Clear View Springs farm where we had a lot of fun with my sister and her family. It was one of the most relaxed Christmas celebrations I've had in a few years!  LeAnn wore her cute Christmas dress and mud boots so she was ready to ride Buddy.  All the food was yummy. Oh the prime rib...yum!  Every time I turned around LeAnne had a handful of veggies from the veggie tray. I love that she loves vegetables. 

Okay as I am typing this LeAnne is singing "Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells, Jingle all the way, ABC Santa's sleigh, Santa's sled, Yeah"  She is quite the little singer this year.  She sings E (we) Wish you a Merry Christmas, and Jingle Jingle Little Bell a lot.

In fact here is a performance by Miss LeAnne Kimberly Leonard Wingnut Princess Pumpkin !! 



This post is really random so I am just going to let the pictures and videos we took do the talking. 

Christmas morning mess! Watching Beauty & The Beast!!

Loving her Hungry Hippo Game from Uncle Greg, Auntie C resent & Dane

Learning how to ply her Leap Frog Zippity

Dr. Leonard getting ready to give mama a shot 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Eve 2010

On Christmas Eve we ventured over the river and through the city streets to Grandma Marcia's house. (a 5 minute journey across town for our family) We had way too much yummy food to snack on through out the evening.  We opened gifts and then watched The Christmas Carol.  It was a tad bit scary for LeAnne but she handled it very well.  LeAnne was beyond excited the whole evening.  She sang and danced all night long.

Once at home LeAnne helped prepare a plate of goodies for Santa & the reindeer.  She insisted Santa wanted an egg, some cookies and milk. Thank goodness we'd brought home some deviled eggs from grandmas.  The reindeer got some baby carrots. Then daddy read her the Night Before Christmas and we tucked her into bed. 

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday - 5 Fave photos from Christmas

Daddy reading the Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve

Helping make Snicker doodles! She mixed the cinnamon , sugar & sprinkles then rolled the balls in her mixture!

Bella, LeAnne & Gracie

She absolutely LOVES her Chuggington Play set from Santa

Sitting on Buddy Christmas day

The Christmas Mess!

For More wordless Wednesday Fun head on over to 5 Minutes for Moms.

Merry Christmas Eve

"It's Christmas Eve, it's the one night of the year where we all act a little nicer, we smile a little easier, we cheer a little more...for a couple of hours out of the whole year we are the people that we always hoped we would be. It's a miracle, it's really sort of a miracle, because it happens every Christmas Eve...(quote from the Grinch)

LeAnne & I made cupcakes for Jesus. We shall sing Him happy birthday tomorrow!  LeAnne opened door #24 in her advent calendar and carried the church around most of the morning. Our stockings are hung with care, most of the presents are wrapped, I have a few more meal preparations to make, and LeAnne is taking a nap before the fun begins at Grandma Marcia's.  

Here are a few pictures and a video of her singing right before her nap.  It's not the best quality video but I wanted to share her sweet voice. :-) 

She was on such a sugar high after eating the frosting as we decorated!

Bella, LeAnne & Gracie

Our beautiful gingerbread Christmas tree - This was FUN to make!!

Christmas cookies

LeAnne has been getting into Christmas big time this year!  She and I had so much fun making Christmas cookies.  Her favorite to eat this year are Snicker doodles.  We will be making up plates of cookies and a home salt dough ornament for our neighbors.  She also helped me to make treats for the dogs yesterday. 

She mixed the sugar, cinnamon & sprinkles then rolled the Snicker doodles all by herself

Wordless Wednesday - She had a snowtastic time!

Gettin ready to throw a snowball at mama!

For more Wordless Wednesday fun head on over to 5 Minutes for Moms

School Christmas Program

My mom, LeAnne & I attended the Christmas program at the school I work at on Thursday night.  The preschooler children sang a snow man song, then Jingle Jingle Little Bell and We Wish You a Merry Christmas.  It was adorable! Mom said LeAnne was singing right along with them.  I can't wait to see her on stage next year.

Then the K-5th grade presented a Wizard of Oz Christmas story play.  The kids worked very hard to memorize their lines, and to become their characters.  The show was a huge hit with the audience!  I am so proud of our kids!  Mom said LeAnne loved it.  According to mom she was singing along with all the songs and announcing the characters. :-) 

Then after the program Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus visited the school.  While we stood in line waiting our turn LeAnne was so excited but quickly changed her mind when it was her turn to sit on his lap. I ended up holding her next to Santa.

Christmas Tree & Seeing Santa

This year we went to a small privately own Christmas tree farm about 20 minutes from home. The field use to be used to grow alfalfa then the kids moved away, with no help to harvest the hay, the farmer planted Christmas trees. He had many nice tree's priced very reasonably. It was nice to have our tree cut that day and support the community I work in.  LeAnne wasn't all together thrilled with the search for the tree. In fact I ended up carrying her up and down the hill while daddy and I picked out a tree.  I tried to get her to play hide and seek like I use to with my little brother but she was just too cold. 

Decorating the tree on the other hand, she had a blast!!  We cranked up the Christmas tunes, she danced and impatiently waited while daddy strung the lights and garland.  Our tree is decorated with beautiful ornaments and memories. 

On Sunday night we went to the Walla Walla Law enforcement Christmas party.  It was nice to meet John's partner and his family.  We enjoyed a yummy dinner and LeAnne loved seeing Santa.  She was not afraid at all, in fact she was very excited to see him.  We were surprised when each family got a gift.  LeAnne thinks Santa is pretty amazing!!





 

She loved that her baby had a matching dress!

On the way home from the party LeAnne was a bit worn out, we turned on one of her Jesus CD's, silly thing kept skipping so we had trouble finding a song that would work for her and then we said "How is this one"? She said "okay, I shake my booty" and begun to bust a move in her car seat. I was so precious!! :-)

This is the best Christmas yet with her.  She went from not understanding Christmas at all last year to be so full of excitement this year.  She loves the decorations, the lights, the music, Santa of course, and wrapping presents.  She tells us Merry Christmas at least a few times a day.  It's precious!

Wordless Wednesday - Her 1st Christmas

Just a quick look back at LeAnne's 1st Christmas.  She was 3 months old.

A quick hello

Good Morning!  I am so happy to say we are all healthy again and I am going back to work today.  That was the sickest I've been in years.  LeAnne is feeling better too and enjoying the Christmas season.  She says Merry Christmas to us at least a few times a day.  She is very excited to talk with Santa this next weekend.  She's watched Mickey's Christmas so many times I've lost count. (10 plus).  Next year for sure we must take her to Disney on ice.  Seeing Christmas through her eyes is such a gift.  We've been talking about the reason for the season and I am thinking I might make a small birthday cake with a candle and we'll sing Happy Birthday Jesus Christmas day to help her understand a little. 

I must get ready to work but I wanted to leave you with a few cute pictures of our girl LeAnne Kimberly Leonard Wingnut Princess Pumpkin (she actually says that is her full name and corrects us if we get it out of order) hee hee!  She has been into dressing up and make believe play a lot lately.  Sunday night she walks out of her room with this hat, sunglasses and bracelet saying "That's me"!

Enter to win a Hearts 4 Hearts Doll

Here I am again to write about another doll I found on my search for a doll for LeAnne for Christmas.   The Heart for Heart girls represent different parts of the world and they each have a story about how they help to give back in their community. Each doll stands 14" has a poseable, smooth vinyl body, and high-quality rooted hair for hours of doll play.  I love that they are conservatively dressed, come with adorable accessories and a mini story about the dolls life.


This doll scored major points with me when I read that when you buy a doll, Hearts For Hearts Girls donates part of the purchase price through their charitable partner, World Vision, to programs that support girls in that country. Whether it’s malaria nets in Africa, schoolbooks in Asia, or food supplies in the US, these programs help girls to thrive and succeed. Now that's awesome!!!

My favorite doll is Dell from the USA.  Dell comes from a family who's had hard times but through hard work they are making ends meet.  Dell's father was a coal miner, lost his job at the mine, and now makes guitars.  Dell's mom is cafeteria worker at her school.  I love that Dell gives back by knitting blankets and hats for people in the Appalachians. I also like that when your child registers on the heart 4 heart girls web page they can play games, read their dolls diaries and learn  how to help in their community.

I also appreciate that these dolls are very affordable at just $24.99. At that price I would love t o get my daughter a few of the dolls over time to teach her about different parts of our world. :-)

The Bragging Mommy is giving away one of these beautiful dolls to a lucky reader as part of her Brag Worthy Christmas event. She has a lot of great giveaways going on right now. The Hearts 4 Hearts doll giveaway ends Dec. 6.

BFC 18" ink doll Giveaway @Momspotted

I recently started searching for a doll to give LeAnne for Christmas so it was perfect timing that I came upon this giveaway.  BFC, Ink. has offered one Mom Spotted Reader a BFC, Ink. 18″ Large Doll Set! I like these dolls because they are modern and conservatively dressed.  I also really appreciate that each of the dolls has a story that will help young girls deal with real life challenges. This is a doll I would love to win and put away for LeAnne when she gets a little bit older.  



Kaitlin looks the most like LeAnne and I think she might be able to relate to her artistic abilities. 

I was struck by how much Noelle reminds me of myself.  She's organized, sweet, caring, painfully shy and loves animals. 

I also love that these dolls are available for $30 - $35 each.  A very affordable quality doll.


Hurry now, head on over to Mom Spotted to enter to win your own BFC Ink doll.

Our Thanksgiving 2010

The afternoon before Thanksgiving we loaded up the car and headed over the river and through the woods to Grammy and Grammpy's house in Salem, Oregon! John thoroughly check all the traffic websites and and felt comfortable.  It was hit and miss their for a while and down right scary on Hwy 84.  The traffic websites had said spots of ice but it was more like spots of pavement.  We left at 1:30pm and arrived at 9pm. LeAnne had slept on and off the whole trip, but she was none to happy when she woke up and was still trapped in her car seat.  We knew exactly how she felt and we were never so happy to pull into Grammy and Grammpy's driveway.

Thanksgiving day brought the arrival of John's brother & his family.  It was great to see them and watch the kids play.  LeAnne has an absolute blast playing with their 2 1/2 year old son, Cash.  Their oldest, Emma, 4 1/2, brightened up the room with her beautiful smile and jokes. Oh precious little kid jokes. :-)  We had a yummy feast, Thank-you Grammy!  Then since LeAnne had boycotted a nap that day when her cousins left for the hotel she settled down and was fast asleep by 5:30pm.   This helped to convince daddy that we needed to get up early to participate in Black Friday, his first ever.  Amanda arrived at Grammy's later that evening and said she'd love to go with us. 

Black Friday LeAnne woke us up at 5am and we were out the door to Fred Myers by 6am.  Back up a second; I don't want to forget to include LeAnne's precious chatting in my arms as everyone woke up.  I don't recall what she said but it was so fun to listen to Amanda get a chuckle out of her sister. How I wish those girls had more time together.  Back at Fred Myers, we parked and headed to the electronics section. On the trip down we made the decision our princess needed an early Christmas present; a portable DVD player.  I have had mixed feeling about these things for a while, not wanting our girl to turn into a zombie and miss the scenery around her as we drove but daddy had a point when he said pick your monsters; screaming banshee or happy zombie. Then I thought about our sanity and gave into getting the DVD player.  We made some good scores there.  Next stop McDonald's for breakfast then Khols to score a great deal on a Leap Frog Zippity for our princess.  While at Khols we also found LeAnne a Christmas dress for a great price. Oh how I wish we had a Khols here in small town America. The shopping trip was a great experience and it was nice to spend time with our girls together.  The stores were packed but there were a lot less people there than a typical day at any Seattle Shopping Mall. I'd do Black Friday shopping in Salem again in a heart beat. 

Back at Grammy and Grampy's house we settled down to rest, chat and watched The Search for Santa Paws.  Overall I would give this movie a 5 on a scale of 1-10. It wasn't terrible but very predictable and the Santa Claus character was creepy.   Amanda and I thought he took advantage of the Holiday special we saw on a reader board in Salem; $9.95 Botox injections and went a little overboard. Just as the movie was getting over Aunt Carrie, Uncle Dave and their kids arrived.  WOW it is absolutely amazing how much those kids have grown up. 

While everyone was together I thought it would be fun to break out the ginger bread village I had bought.  This was one interesting project for sure.  The kids had a good time and were way better architect's than their oldest cousin and myself.  My house looked like an outhouse that was going to collapse at any moment.  The rest of the afternoon was filled with talking, foot balls games and the disappearance of LeAnne.  

While we were making the gingerbread houses LeAnne had been there to help or should I say eat the decorations for a short while then went back to playing with Cash.  After we'd cleaned up I realized I had not seen or heard LeAnne for a while. I looked where she had been playing and when I asked if they knew where she was they said we thought she was with you. So began the search and the thoughts of her wandering outside because she'd slipped out the door. By this time a few were helping to look for her when John thought She couldn't be under the kids tent but sure enough as he lifted it up there lay LeAnne fast asleep under the kids tent. We could not believe she had fallen asleep with all the noise going on around her.  She stayed there sleeping until everyone had gone home. 

We were so happy to have been able to see Amanda.  We had a very nice visit.  She is growing up to be such quite the beautiful lady with such a kind heart.  It's something to believe she will be 18 in April and graduating from High School June 10th.  Then it's on to a Linn-Benton Community College in the fall of 2011. We are very proud of our girl and miss her so much.  Please keep her in your prayers as she enjoys the last of her high school year, looks for a job and searches for her path in this world. 

Our plan was to stay in Salem until Sunday morning but the road conditions were not looking good at all. The road conditions for 84 were icy.  John had a bad feeling in his stomach about the drive home the way we came.  So I threw out the idea of driving up to the Seattle area Saturday, staying the night with some of my family and driving home that way instead.  After checking those road conditions the decision was made that would be a good idea so we packed up, said our good byes and headed out on I-5.  We made plans to stay with my Grandma and Auntie.  Then somewhere along the way the idea to go to Point Defiance Zoo lights came to mind and plans were made to meet my aunt in Tacoma.  LeAnne napped the first part of the trip, we had lunch and then oh my you should have seen her reaction when we started up Tinkerbell in the DVD player.  Oh portable DVD playing how I love you.  I was even able to finish reading a great book,  The Thorn by Beverly Lewis.   I can't wait for the next book to come out in April 2011.  I love reading about the Amish and Beverly Lewis is a great author. 

LeAnne was very excited to see Auntie Katie. We grabbed a quick bit to eat and headed off to the zoo lights at Point Defiance zoo.   I am so happy we were able to do the zoo lights with Auntie Katie!  LeAnne kept saying it's bootiful (beautiful) and gorgeous.  The way she says gorgeous is so adorable, Katie said it perfectly she says it like Sandra Bullock in Ms. Congeniality when Gracie Lou Freebush says "You think I'm gorgeous, you wanna kiss me".  Click here to hear a clip. The lights were amazing.  We heard a walrus barking, pet a goat, saw a lot of different fish including a rare glimpse of an octopus.

how she loves carousel rides

We got out pic taken with Prancer

It was so fun that Auntie road too!

Then we headed to Lake Taps to Grandma's house. We visited with Grandma, LeAnne had some tea with Auntie Katie then we headed to bed.  The next morning the first thing out of LeAnne's mouth was "Lets have tea" and she wanted to wake Auntie. We had a yummy breakfast, checked the road conditions and were on the road again.  It was a very non eventful trip home with great roads and Tinkerbell on the DVD player. 

This story isn't over... Somewhere in our travels we came in contact with a nasty flu virus.  LeAnne woke up throwing up Monday morning.  Poor girl threw up on and off through out the day.  This is the most sick she's ever been and had no clue why she was spitting this stuff out of her mouth. She kept trying to run away from it and it ended up on me, and if we were lucky the towel we were chasing her with.  She kept saying "I'm sorry". It was so sad.  She spiked a temp of 101 on Monday night, had a rough night of sleeping with mama Monday night.  Tuesday morning she seemed somewhat better but not 100 percent.  Then the bug hit me and oh boy this has not been fun.  My stomach has not rumbled and turned this much ever.  I keep wondering where when it will stop.  UGH!  I am home from work for the 3rd day and I am so done with this flu bug.  Oh I forgot to mention to bug also go daddy who stayed home last night too. Oh flu bug go away!!

LeAnne is really getting into Christmas this year.  She knows who Santa is, doesn't really understand all about him though.  She knows their should be presents under the tree and it really bothered her when Grandma Marcia didn't have any under her tree yet.  She even went into Grandma's room where she found a few presents and put them under the tree then said "perfect". We've been reading her Christmas stories and look forward to sharing with her the reason for the season.