Here are more Christmas pictures and this still isn't half of them! The pictures in this post are from the 23rd and 24th and all the Spiers' family activities that we crammed into those two days. On the 23rd, we bundled up (but not too much because of this unusually mild winter) and spent the evening at Christmas Town at Busch Gardens. We have decided to make this trip a tradition but we have also decided to only do it on a week night or after Christmas from now on. We had a wonderful time but it was very crowded this year compared to last year when Matt, Callie and I went on a Wednesday night. The main agenda for the evening was to get Santa to sign Callie's cast, and that we accomplished and we have some really sweet pictures to remember it by. Callie also enjoyed this trip because she was old enough to ride a few of the little rides and also because she is extremely into Christmas lights! Then next day, Christmas Eve, was packed full of present opening and eating and visiting with Pa and the crew in Carson. We started off the day with opening our presents from Mimi and Yoo-Hoo and each other. Then, we rushed around to shower and prepare food for Pa's house and had a great evening spending time with Matt and Michelle's cousins and spouses, uncle and, of course, Pa. The highlight of Christmas Eve for Callie was no doubt getting a train table from Pa. She had been asking for one for months and that was what she told Santa she wanted. I think she was a little confused about the logistics of Santa and Pa and how they worked together to get her the table, but now, when I ask her, she always says that Pa got it for her and I think this will be a Christmas Eve she will always remember. And since we have a ridiculous amount of video and photos of her opening the train table, I don't think she has a choice about remembering!
Aunt Missy, Uncle Scott and Wrigley arrived in the wee hours of the morning on Friday so Callie was excited to see them when she woke up on the morning and to show Missy her cast.
And, of course, Callie couldn't wait to show both of them her puzzles.
Callie and Wrigley have the same amount of energy and could chase each other for hours!
Christmas Town:
Christmas Town's new addition this year was the lighting of the Pompei area. It was really impressive to see in person.
Callie immediately wanted to ride something! Other than the carousel, this was her first official theme park ride.
And she loved it! (I kinda did too!)
We all got a little tired of standing in lines that night! Especially Mimi and Yoo-Hoo who stood in the Santa line for us for almost an hour before we even joined them!
The penguins were back this year. They stink but they are also stinkin' cute!
Speaking of so stinkin' cute...how cute are we in our winter garb!?
Enjoying the lights with Daddy!
It never got really cold but Callie was prepared!
Some more cuties!
Even with her cast she was hard to keep up with!
Sparkle, the Elf, was also a big hit with Callie and signed her cast. Later, when she would show people where Santa signed, she would also show where Sparkle signed.
Christmas Eve Morning:
Callie begged to open presents from the moment we arrived in Richmond so she was more than ready to start passing them out on Christmas Eve morning.
Wrigley was also very into the present opening.
This is the only picture I am posting of Yoo-Hoo and so it can just be considered payback for all the bad pictures he takes of me (more on that later!).
Eventually, Wrigley had to go hang out upstairs because she was just long and lanky for the space and, well, her silent but deadly gifts to us were not appreciated by any of us!
Beer...Scott said it was his "choo-choo train table" gift!
Callie got her own pair of scrubs with her name on them from Dr. Uncle Scott and Aunt Missy!
...and a doctor's kit!
Team doctor perhaps??? Daddy would love that!
Callie's response to most gifts this year was, "For me???"
Callie already new all about this bracelet that Mimi and Yoo-Hoo got Missy because she had opened it the day before when we left her unattended in the living room! Of all the gifts, she went right for the jewelry! Even little girls know that those little boxes are the best!
Another Peanuts character for Daddy's (or maybe Callie's) collection.
Callie also loved her light-up princess suitcase!
Callie and Missy made Reindeer cupcakes to take to Pa's. They were so cute and Callie would put each one up to her mouth and pretend to eat it before putting it in the container. She had to wait until she got to Pa's and ate supper before she could have one and she could barely stand it!
Christmas Eve Night at Pa's House:
What could possibly be in this big box! Since Mimi likes to wrap Callie and Aunt Missy's presents in princess paper, Callie assumed this big present was for Missy instead!
I don't have a good picture of her initial reaction but we do have video and she jumped and down (as much as she could in her cast) and squealed when she saw it was a train table.
Callie wasn't the only person who enjoyed playing with it!
Big hug and thank you!
Callie also enjoyed helping Pa open his gifts.
She got two different plush princesses this year and she sleeps with both of them.
Pa and his boys...
A few of the other usual suspects...
Some final snuggle time with Missy and Uncle Scott (we left that night to drive home so Callie had to say goodbye to them at Pa's.)
And some kisses for Wrigley.
Callie Loves Pa!
Someone let in a ferocious T-Rex!
A few attempts at keeping a dog and a toddler still for a picture...
And then it was time to disassemble the table so that Yoo-Hoo could load it up and bring it to our house the next day. Callie was confused by this and told me that night, once we got home, that she hoped Santa would bring her a train table on Christmas morning. I don't think she completely understood that the train table was hers and not Pa's until it was delivered and set up in our living room. She has played with it a long time almost everyday and is currently telling her trains to "stay on the track" as I write this blog post. It is definitely the gift that keeps on giving...for me!
Callie was a great help...
...Mommy was not much help but at least I held the directions for them!`````
It was an busy two days and then we had to drive all the way home, but it was a lot of fun! One day I am going to put on an exhibit of all the unflattering pictures Steve takes of people, mostly of me!
