Thursday, December 31, 2009

Celebrating Christmas in Fulshear

We did a little traveling for Christmas this year. First, we headed down to Fulshear, TX where Grandma Sheila & Papanui live. We were also joined by Mira's Aunt Kara & Uncle Kellen - we had so much fun seeing everyone!

We arrived on Christmas Eve after a long drive (about 5 hours). Mira only slept about 30 minutes of the drive, so it felt even longer than usual! She does not like being in her carseat at all!

One of the first things we did was make sugar cookies! Grandma Sheila just happened to have a little apron exactly Mira's size! She really loved it! She smiled so big once it was on, rubbed it, clapped her hands, and posed for us.






She was a big helper pouring in the ingredients and mixing the dough with Papanui! She really got into it - both literally and figuratively!!







Papanui and Grandma Sheila had the train set up (complete with village and winter wonderland!) - Mira loved it! It has a few years on it and didn't always want to stay on the track. But Papanui was ever-so-patient and re-built the train over and over, so Mira could watch it go around a couple of times before crashing again!



On Christmas morning, Mira opened her gifts from Santa and her stocking from home (Grandma Sheila and Papanui had a stocking for her at their house, too!). We waited to open all the other gifts later, once Uncle Kellen had arrived.

Santa brought her the LeapFrog Alphabet Catapillar, a couple of great books, some tub toys, and two bottles for her baby dolls.


Admiring all the stockings!


She's a pro at feeding her dolls - see the "no-look" feeding?!


A little for you...a little for me...and a little more for me...(she kept "drinking" even though nothing comes out)!


She's found the chocolate kisses in her stocking. She knows exactly what to do and can unwrap them with no help at all!


Still working on that chocolate - she's very patient with this project.


More stocking stuff - some de-tangler for her hair, Post-It flags (they are so fun to pull out of the dispenser!), a giant candy cane (she got about two licks before we put it "away"), a new toothbrush with toothpaste, a Starbuck's travel cup, and some snacks.


Reading my new book with Grandma Sheila - aren't their p.j.'s adorable??! Mira got the partridge p.j's as her Christmas Eve gift, but she has those exact owl pajama's at home!!

Later, we finally got around to decorating the sugar cookies. Mira wasn't quite as interested in this part of the process - perhaps because it was getting late, and she was ready for bed. But, she managed to get one cookie iced and sprinkled (with PapaNui's help, of course). I think she really liked standing on the stool like a big girl! Can't wait until she's old enough for the Learning Tower!









The finished product...


We had such a great time! We played games, ate, drove through the neighborhood to look at Christmas lights, had a bite to eat, cooked, enjoyed some great food, baked, indulged in sweets and treats, watched movies, dined in, did some shopping, dined out, and even took a dip in the hot tub! I'm so glad we all got to spend some time together!  =)

From there, it was on to Fairfield to spend some time with the Hughes (and eat some more)!

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