Twelve Days of Christmas (Day Twelve)

This day is also known as the best mail day ever. Since we were gone for six days, I put our mail on hold and picked it up the day after we got back. We got three packages and about ten Christmas cards. It was great! It also meant we got to open lots of presents.

Merry Christmas from the Weldons!

Twelve Days of Christmas (Days Eight - Eleven, aka DISNEYLAND)

This year for Christmas we took a trip with all of the Weldons to Disneyland. We left on Friday, December 21st and got back on Wednesday, December 26th. It was a great trip and a perfect way to spend Christmas. 

The morning of the 21st, we woke up early (me earlier than the rest because I couldn't sleep) and loaded everyone into the car to drive to the airport. We met the Iowa clan after their first leg and then boarded the plane to California. Despite waking up early, the boys did great. 

 

Side note: this was Patrick's first plane ride. It went really well. I lucked out, too. Despite being a full flight, I had an empty seat next to me. I think he liked it. 

We made it to LAX late in the morning (CA time) and after a little less than an hour wait for the bus (all the kids did really well sitting on the side of the road) we made it to our hotel. We had decided to stay at the Disneyland Hotel. It was awesome! It was right next to Downtown Disney so we unpacked and then walked around for a while. After the day of travel, we had an early evening (the only one of the trip).

The next day, we headed to Disneyland!

Here's a picture of almost all of us when we first got there. Jeni and Adam were with Jerrod at the hospital (he was diagnosed with croup and had to get steroid treatments-Merry Christmas) and the CO Weldons had not arrived yet. 

We spent the whole day there going from ride to ride. 

Star Tours!

The next day we headed over to California Adventure. My favorite place there was Cars Land. It just opened in June. It was amazing. If you have ever seen the movie Cars, this place is like walking down main street. They spared no expense to make this place look exactly like Radiator Springs. It was so cool.

The had all the characters and they actually moved!

This is my favorite picture of the older cousins.

Daniel's favorite ride of the trip was Space Mountain. I think he rode it four times while we were there. My little dare devil. We were nervous leading up to the trip because we knew you had to be at least 40 inches to ride most rides (including Space Mountain and Radiator Springs Racers). Daniel was just under that the few months leading up to the trip so we came prepared with big shoes and additional insoles. We didn't need them though. He measured at 40 1/2 inches. His first ride on Space Mountain they measured him at every turn and each time he was tall enough he walked away saying "I'm tall enough". He was so excited!

Josh's favorite ride (and mine) of the whole trip was Radiator Springs Racers. You got to ride in a car through scenes from the movie and then race another car. It is so fun. Plus, as with any Disney ride, the line scenery is fantastic.

The boys were excited.

I love this series of pictures. Apparently Josh could only be bothered for one shot.

 Being over Christmas, Santa was able to visit us in the hotel. It was cute. We woke-up Christmas morning to the boys talking about Santa and wondering if he had come to the hotel. It was a nice way to wake-up.

Baby's 1st Christmas!

You may be asking how was Patrick when we did all this, he was awesome (of course, we wouldn't expect less from the easiest baby). He enjoyed being held by the many family members. 

He even was okay napping and riding in the stroller (or Yacht as Grandpa would call it). He even made it onto a few rides. He really enjoyed everything there was to see in Small World.

Christmas at Disney is a must experience for anyone. It is a great place to visit any time but they really do Christmas up, even changing some of their rides for the holiday. It was a great trip.

These are just a few of my favorite pictures. You can see all of the over 900 photos at www.weldons.shutterfly.com in a few weeks. 

Twelve Days of Christmas (Day Seven)

Josh had his holiday party in his classroom today. It worked out nice because it was on a Thursday so Daniel had preschool and was otherwise preoccupied. The parents in this classroom always come up with the best craft ideas. This time they made crapes for a snack, with real fruit and low fat yogurt (delicious and healthy and fun since the kids put them together themselves). 

They also made candy cane reindeers. 

Very cute!

They also decorated hats that attached to sandwich bags that held hot chocolate and mini-marshmellows. 

The activity was carrying snowballs (aka ping pong balls) from one spot to another and then tossing them into a cardboard snowman with cutout holes. 

These parents come up with the cutest ideas. And they all fit in the 15 minute time frame. Awesome!

Twelve Days of Christmas (Day Six)

Daniel had his "program" at school today. It was so cute. They performed on the stage in the library. They sang songs about snowmen with little actions. Fitting given their outfits.

Then, they had a party in their room with lots of treats. I had to leave early to volunteer in Josh's room, but it was a fun time.

Twelve Days of Christmas (Day Five)

One thing Daniel really wanted to do (and me too) was make a Rice Krispie Treat Train. We bought a kit from Sam's Club before Thanksgiving and he has been dying to make it.

He actually did most of the work. 

It kept him busy for a good hour. That is not an easy thing to accomplish.

He made his to be exactly like the box (at least how he saw it).

I decorated the other side.  Happy Eating!

Twelve Days of Christmas (Day Four)

 Since we are spending Christmas in Disneyland this year, we decided to open our family gifts early (really early). So, Saturday morning, we headed downstairs in our Christmas pajamas (from last year) and open gifts.

The boys got movies to take on the plane. Daniel is always good for an exciting reaction.

Patrick got a V-tech rolling ball. He loves it!

It was a good Christmas morning.

We even got to open an extra present from Grandma and Grandpa Great. Puzzles! These boys love puzzles. Thank you Greats!

Twelve Days of Christmas (Day Three)

Daniel got invited to an cookie decorating party and ornament exchanges at a friends house. The ornaments were supposed to be new, used, or created. I decided created would be a good way to get a craft out of it as well so we went to the store and picked out some ornaments. Daniel had to pick one out for Patrick as well. He had fun decorating the two ornaments with paint.

I think they turned out pretty well.

It was a fun party with a lot of little kids. I didn't take any pictures at the party but you can imagine what it was like with about 12 kids under four. Daniel had a blast.

Big Boy

 In addition to gaining weight (up two pounds in November to 14lbs, 14 oz which brings him up from the 2nd percentile at 5 months to the 10th percentile at 6 months), Patrick has started eating "solid" foods. He has had rice cereal, sweet potatoes, green beans, carrots, and applesauce.

He is all boy and will eat just about anything, just make sure you get it in his mouth fast enough. It is funny though, while Daniel's favorite food was (and still is) green beans, Patrick is not as big of a fan of those.

It was also his first time in a high chair, now that he can sit up by himself. I think he liked being able to look around.

Another one bites the dust

Josh has now lost five teeth. I was really excited for him to loose his two front teeth so he could sing the sone, now I am just worried his adult teeth will grow in crooked. He has a huge whole on the top. Oh well, I guess the third one needed to fall out so the adult tooth had room to come in. The joys of having a small mouth (like their mom). It does make for a cute smile though.

Twelve Days of Christmas (Day Two)

Every year, a group of friends get together for a Christmas party. It has evolved over the years from an adults only party with a white elephant gift exchange to a kids party with a kids gift exchange.

 

Either type of party is always fun. It was nice reminiscing about the old days before kids. 

It was a fun evening with some good food, good friends, and good times.