Here Comes Santa Claus!

We were especially excited for our ward Christmas Party because we knew Santa would be there and we couldn't wait to get pictures of our little cherub with the big S.C. We were all giddy and gleeful as we lined up and awaited our turn. Our joy and anticipation was cut short when it became clear Santa couldn't make it this year... instead, he sent his creepy cousin who was visiting from the homeless shelter, Chester Claus, in his place...



You can tell how experienced he was with the little ones by the way he's wrenching Leah's arm behind her back. I didn't feel the need to take more than just this one shot before snatching her up and scurrying away. We love you Chester!



This was the shot taken directly after "the encounter." You can see Leah casting a disdainful stink eye in Chester's direction. Judging by Sam's face, even he was a little traumatized.



All in all we still managed to have a splendid little dinner... though I'll be keeping these pics hidden until Leah is old enough to know the truth...



The beginning of me and Sam's gingerbread house making extravaganza. Which didn't take long to become a gingerbread house making competition... with Sam making every addition to his house in secret so that I "couldn't copy."



The finished product! I was officially duped when Sam unveiled his mind-blowing icicle-making icing technique.... of course I totally played it cool, "I don't WANT icicles on my house." I secretly tried to add a few... didn't work out so well.

Blessed Thanksgiving...

This years Thanksgiving was particularly delightful for me. Our little family packed up and drove to my parent's house in Idaho Falls where we spent a most excellent five days with my mom and Dad, the Christensen clan (Mer, Jason and Little Lucy--or as I have dubber her "Doof." The nickname metamorphosis went as follows--Lucy, Loofy, Doofy, and finally Doof) and my bro, Jesse. This was my first Collard family Thanksgiving in 5 years! Thanks to a combination of my mom and dad gallivanting around from Virginia to Hawaii and my escapades in San Francisco, I have been deprived. SOO, you can imagine my joy and splendor at stuffing my face with the holiday feastings of my childhood. I guess the following clip is the best way to describe my participation in the meal. It went something like this:

Oh yeah... P.S.

While we spent the Thanksgiving holiday sightseeing (haha), soaking in the hot pools at Lava Hot Springs, visiting friends, and being pretty awesome in general, the following is the single, solitary picture I have of the entire week. Tis true... I get a pit in my stomach when I think about it because there were so many fun memories to catch, but all of the cameras joined in conspiracy against us. Mera and Jason forgot theirs.... but Sam and I brought both our digital camera AND our new fancy HD video camera! HOWEVER--after I snapped the following shot my camera battery DIED. Then, when I busted out the video camera, the brand new extra long eight hour battery we installed had somehow managed to die as well. I was sure I had brought the charger but I ripped through my bag like 5 times and found nothing. You can imagine how thrilled I was when I got home and checked in my toiletry bag and there the charger was... pointing and laughing at me. Anyway, at least the following is a splendid little shot of one of the many naps our little beauts took side by side...