Christmas/Birthday Celebration...

The mid-part of Christmas day was taken up by toy play and the boys birthday celebration.

Happiness is a Nintendo DS...

Each picked a cake out of a our kid's cake book. Conner choose this (Just like my mom used to make for me!) I iced it, he took sole charge of decorating...

Aidan chose a snowman cake (I think my mom made one like this for my sister, too!)...

The boys opening their gifts with Auntie Kim, Uncle Dino and Ben...

Happy Kim and Dino...

Gram and Grandpa Howard were there too...

Euan and our friend/neighbor seem to be enjoying one of the kids gifts more than anyone else...

Christmas Morn...

I can't believe that Christmas has already come and gone. Here are some shots from Christmas Morn.

The boys seeing what Santa put in their stockings...(not the blackness out the windows)

Conner wearing his christmas crown from his breakfast cracker...

Aidan trying out his new spy gear...

Euan opening a gift from Santa...

Aidan oohing and ahhing over his new gifts...

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...

Lately, we are obsessed with Star Wars at our house. Conner is very good at coming up with costumes. He designed his own (Leia) and Aidan's (Luke). I particularly like the hairdo!

Blast from the past

These photos are over 2 1/2 years old. I came across them when I was looking for something else. I had to post them. So cute with their crazy, blond hair!

Little Houses...

This is by far one of the boys favorite Christmas activities (probably because they get to eat the candy.) I love it too.

Oh Christmas Tree...

The Christmas tree was picked out...

It was imperative that we start decorating the minute we got home...

They placed most of the ornaments (I may have reorganized a few after they were asleep)...

Voila! The finished product...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Magic Reindeer Food is prepared...

Decorations are hauled out of storage...

Advent Calendars are opened...

The Nativity is set up...

Much more too come...

Since our locally based family wasn't able to spend Thanksgiving together, Papa and Jacky hosted a brunch on Sunday. Good food! Yum!

Then it was on to the next project on our Agenda, wreath making. Using things from nature and some beautiful freeze-dried fruit, the kids each put one together. Then they left it to the adults to do the hot-gluing while they went and played with rocks and dirt.

We then headed to the local mall for our 2nd Annual "Feed the Turkey" trip. We started this last year instead of getting all the cousins Christmas gifts (it was getting out of hand!) The kids helped shop for the non-perishables, we talked about the significance of the trip and then we headed over to the Turkey to deposit the food...

We spent some time dancing to the Christmas music and being merry...

before heading over to Santa Claus to make our Christmas wishes and sing a little song...

The trip concluded with lovely hot chocolate courtesy of Jacky and the local bakery. It was a beautiful day from the weather to the wonderful time spent with family.

(Conner likes the foam, Aidan in chocolate heaven and practising his eyebrow dance.)

Their happiest place on earth...

Since the kids had the whole week of Thanksgiving off, we decided to head off on an impromptu trip to Disneyland. We went with some dear friends which was fun for us and the kids. Since our kids are seasoned visitors, it was nice to see the park through their daughter's first time visit.

Conner trying his hardest to look fierce on Pirate Island...


Moseyalong and Sweetpea go for a drive...

Outside the castle...

A quiet walkway that we had never wandered through before...

The Macdonald boys clad in their new gear (coonskin hats and Nightmare before Christmas sweatshirts) courtesy of Daddy...

Mommy doesn't do these kind of rides anymore. Just watching them makes me dizzy...

Some friends...

We braved the crowds and stayed up late on the last night to catch part of the Fanstamic show and to experience the Holiday themed fireworks on Main Street. The fireworks show ended with snow appearing up and down main street. Aidan declared it his "best night ever"...

We keep saying it will be our last trip for awhile but we always end up going back sooner than expected. It's hard to resist the Happiest Place on Earth!