Christmas Day

Christmas day was our third day of celebrating Christmas.  We celebrated with my family on the 23rd and I forgot the camera.  Doh!  Thank goodness I took some good ones at Thanksgiving.

Christmas morning was just us 4... well, Adelaide slept thru it but we wont hold it against her:)

Oh, the Mom in jammies on Christmas morning photos... that's me now.  Ha!  Memories are worth it.

Late morning we were joined by Auntie and Uncle Zak, Grandpa and Pauly, Great Grandma.

How cute are those two ladies!?

The three of them ain't too shabby either.

Adelaide loves present opening.  She was way into it.  Wrapping paper, the gift that keeps on giving.

Here's a look at how much Marigold liked her new books.  She got pretty much everyone to read to her:)  Mama...

Auntie...

Pauly...

and my Mom ( This was later in the evening)

We are so lucky to get to see Great Grandma as often as we do.  

It was so good to have her there.

Marigold got an awesome train set from her Grandpa and it's sitting on her new play table from Santa.  The train theme was rounded out by Grandma and Grandpa Rowe, Grammy and Auntie and Uncle Zak.  I love a good theme and this girl was tickled pink.  And spoiled.  We were all spoiled.  Blessings counted, full, exhausted and so so thankful for my friends and family.  Ho ho ho!!!

Also, this happened.  Grammy came over on the 26th.  Marigold pushed her over, climbed on and there they stayed, hanging out for quite awhile.  So cute.

Christmas Eve

We always spend Christmas Eve at the Grandma Great's house.  This was my first year in my 14 years with Casey that I celebrated Christmas Eve with out Uncle Dan.  He passed away a couple of months ago and his presence, his joy and his heart were hugely missed.  He was truly my Uncle and always always made me and anyone else for that matter, feel so loved. To be honest, I think there is always going to be and Uncle Dan shaped hole missing in that house for me.  One of a kind.  Rest in peace.

On a happy note, Zak joined me this year as an official in-law.  These are our in-law game faces.

Marigold loves playing at the pool table.  Uncle Zak helped out by making sure her fingers didn't get smashed and Alexander helped out by being adorable.

Alexander also brought a bucket o Thomas trains.  Marigold loves Thomas.  SHe looks at the faces to tell who's who and is always right.  Crazy.

Dada and his tiniest daughter.

US!!

uh oh!  Here they come... a slew of pictures taken with my monkey arm.

Like this one!

There was lots of yummy food.

There were lots of yummy drinks.

There was a little of this...

 And a bit of that.

Grammy and sweet Adelaide.

Casey was Santa this year and helped by elves, Lorelli and Alexander.

Grandma Great supervised.  She's a pro.

This is how Marigold "smiles" these days if you ask her to.

It cracks me up every time.

Michelle photo bomb!  I'll take it.

We remembered to take a family picture at the end of the night just as Marigold was melting down.  

It's real people.  Merry Christmas!!

Thanksgiving

I know.  I'm ridiculously behind.  I'm skipping 11 thousand things to post about the holidays.  Here we go.

We spent Thanksgiving with my family this year.  Both my brothers were there, which is rare and it turned out to be a really nice, music filled time of thanks.

Lots of music.

Lots of Adelaide snuggling.  She is so lovable.

US!

My Mom has a dollhouse in the extra bedroom and Marigold has reached the age where it's pure magic to her.

She talks for all the dolls and plays out many a scene.  I love watching her mind work.

Bestest niece and nephew.

Cousins.

Dancing cousins.

Doting Grandpa

My niece may be the sweetest niece that ever was.

A very rare picture.  So happy to have it.

There were drums.

There were generations.

And this happened!  We got a new camera and we put it to good use.  We are so grateful and so thankful.

Cute Overload

Sometimes there's just so much cuteness in my house that I think I'm going to explode.

Examples....

Marigold got a big girl bed.  She generally does a really good job staying in it.  Although, the last few nights I've found her snuggled up and fast asleep in my spot in our bed.  I don't hate it:)

That means Adelaide now has her very own crib.  This whole thing is going too fast.

Face.

Marigold thinks her "funny hat" is a gas!  Every shirt she takes off now HAS to be a funny hat.

Indisputably adorable.

Laughing face.  Will always be one of my favorites.

Come on!

Bundled and oh so darling.

Pretty in PJ's.

The apple of my eye.  Oh, I'm on a roll.

Love from sissy.  Adelaide's face is appropriately cautious.

So sporty.

Falling asleep with a book on her face.

Reading to sissy.

She liked it.

Pigtails.

Baby by firelight.

Marigold looks like Casey.  We all know it.  But this picture reminded Casey of one of me at about 4.  Maybe in expression only but it's nice to see some resemblance.

Marigold and Adelaide at 4 months.

Seriously, How much cuteness can one mom take!