Christmas in Dallas - Part III

We were all so excited for Jody and his crew to arrive in Dallas Tuesday night. I absolutely adore my nephews (Reece and Ryker) and my niece (Presley). They have had a special spot in my heart for a long time and I'm always excited when Dylan gets to play with them. He likes it too. After a brief period of shyness due to overwhelming activity with their arrival, Dylan jumped right into cousin play. 



Our Little Buzz Lightyears - Dylan and Ryker
(Pipaw didn't have the right matching PJ's)

The few days we had with them just flew by - mostly because there was just so much going on and packed into those days. On Wednesday, we had our official Christmas celebration, complete with a big lunch (followed by lots of cookies) and our present exchange. In between food and gifts, while the young ones were napping, Mike, Presley and I had the privilege of meeting the newest member of the family - my Aunt Pam's puppy, Rika Papi. We had a fun time running around his yard with him.

Christmas Lunch

The Gang - (Top) Pam, Kerryn, Marcy, Jody, Reece, Mike, Me
(Bottom) Blanche (Kerryn's mom), Dylan, Pipaw, Ryker, Mimaw, Presley

Our Little Musicians - Ryker and Dylan

Rika Papi!!

Nap Part II (part I in the crib apparently didn't last long)

Christmas Elves

Elf Dylan with Mimaw

It was a fun filled day of Christmas craziness. Gifts were generous and thoughtful (as they always are in our family) and the kids were just so wonderfully behaved that they made it such an enjoyable day.

To put the cherry on our Christmas day, we put the little kids to bed and busted out a VHS copy of Tron to enjoy. With the release of the new movie, we decided watching the original had to happen together since it was a childhood family favorite. Somehow my movie buff husband had gone his entire life without seeing it so I was thrilled to share a fond childhood favorite with him.

That day was just the beginning of our Christmas. More family fun was to come in the following days. Since I apparently failed to upload those pictures and am taking off with my boys and some friends to play in the snow in NH to ring in the new year, I'll finish up reporting on our holiday fun in the new year. Our NH escape is still a (very comfortable) pretty remote escape - no wifi there (gasp)! So, no blog updates. Have a great, happy, safe New Year's Eve everyone! I'll be having a great time, I'm sure, and doing my best to actually stay up until midnight.

Christmas in Dallas - Part II

Monday was the beginning of what I now call Cookiefest 2010. My mom always has a large assortment  of cookies laid out all day long, every day, around Christmastime. Now, I normally don't indulge in too many sweets (since I do count every calorie very closely), but there's something about holiday tradition that I can't escape when it comes to my Mom's cookies. The first few days in Dallas, I was able to avoid the extra sugar because she hadn't made her usuals yet. I was not going to have that luck any longer....

To begin the week, I helped my Mom with a new addition to the cookie assortment - reindeer cookies! She got the idea from the newspaper. We decided on a Burch cookie favorite for the base - snickerdoodles - and then decorated with pretzels, M&M's and chocolate chips to make our reindeer face. They turned out very cute!

Reindeer Cookies

After our baking was done, we wanted to enjoy the unseasonably warm weather in Dallas (especially for folks coming from Boston) and do something outside. Since Texas still has flowers in December (something that's been long gone from Boston), we ventured out to the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden.

We walked around, toured the children's Texas pioneer homes, enjoyed the artwork and water features, and viewed the large Santa collection in the DeGolyer Estate. Dylan had a great time "ho ho"ing at many of the various Santa's.

The Family and White Rock Lake

My Sweet Boy!

Appreciating Art

Tuesday was the day my brother, Jody, and his family were going to arrive. To spend the morning outdoors on another warm day, my Dad took Mike, Dylan and myself to tour some of the new additions of our neighborhood lake - White Rock. It has been many years since I biked or walked around the path so it was very nostalgic but with a lot of new features to enjoy.

Dylan was more interested in looking at the ducks on the lake than at the camera.

We walked along the path for a while taking in the sights and made it to the playground on T.P. hill. Dylan had a great time on the swings, slide and enjoyed running around with his Pipaw.

To try and keep Dylan's naps somewhat regular, it was time to head back to the car. We took the new path by the lake which used to be a train line. I'm not sure how goods get in and out of Dallas now because all of their train lines seem to be defunct. All the ones I knew about are now walking paths or DART rail (public transportation) tracks. In any case, I love seeing walk\bike paths like this developed in any urban areas. I'm a fan of cities encouraging active lifestyles.

Me, Dylan and Pipaw Walking the Path

After a nap, a trip to the mall (with Dylan sleeping in the car), and heavy traffic home, we arrived back at the house just a few minutes before Jody and his crew!

Christmas in Dallas - Part 1

A week before Christmas, Mike, Dylan and I set out on a plane to Dallas. The week before was more than a bit chaotic. Not only did we have to pack everyone for a week long trip and do the usual house prep that I do before vacations, as well as my usual work week of course, we had to get all of our Christmas things done. Cards were sent out and gifts were decided on. Since we were doing Christmas with my family while I was there, all of those gifts had to be taken care of before we left and since we were getting back late Christmas Eve, our family and Mike's family gifts as well as Santa presents had to be all set a week before the actual holiday.

With all that done, we left our house very early Saturday morning and headed to the airport. The trip went without hitch and Dylan's Mimaw and Pipaw were waiting for us as we got to baggage claim. The rest of that day, we had a nice time catching up and Dylan had fun playing with his grandparents. Sunday, Dylan and I went to church services with my parents and then we arrived back at their house and were greeted by my great friend Amy and her new fiance, Brad. They made us feel very honored by making the long drive up from Austin to spend just the afternoon with our family.

After lunch, Amy and Brad presented Dylan a lovely card which I read to him. To our surprise, the card asked, by way of cute poem, if Dylan would be the ring bearer in their wedding! I was not at all expecting that and was a little emotional about such a sweet request. Of course Dylan said yes (ok, maybe I did on his behalf) and I can't wait to see how cute he will be all dressed and going down the aisle at the big event in April.

Reading the Card

It was a nice day so we all headed down to the park to let the ring-bearer-to-be get some energy out and have some fun playing. While I chatted with Amy and Brad about wedding details, Dylan played with his Dad and Pipaw and had a great time. We heard LOTS of giggling coming from his cute face.

Me, Amy and Brad

Although far too short of a visit, it was awesome to be able to spend that little amount of time with them. After a long and eventful day, the rest of the evening was spent relaxing at my parents house. The last time we were there, Dylan developed a slight obsession with the Hokey floor sweeper. Well, it didn't take him long to find it and help Mimaw clean up.

Dylan and the Hokey

On Monday, we spent the day with some last minute shopping and a wrapping up all of our gifts for the family. We HAD to get all that done because Tuesday the holiday excitement would be kicked up a notch with the arrival of my brother and his family.

The Blizzard of 2010

Well, we're back at home after a whirlwind trip to Dallas and more Christmas get togethers then one family deserves. Our first day at home was yesterday and while it would have been nice to relax, we had a lot of things that needed to get done. We cleaned, unpacked, found homes for all the new Christmas loot, had workouts, got some groceries and watched the snow fall down. Yesterday was the start of Dylan's first official blizzard. The worst of the storm happened while we were sleeping and while this was far from record snowfall, the conditions were concerning enough that most of Boston shut down. In fact, my company even closed due to the weather...the first time in my 11 years there! Wow!

The bulk of the snow wrapped up this morning so it was time to start working on clearing the pavement.

The Snow Drifts Caused by the High Winds Were Really Cool

Mike took first shift at snow removal with our snow blower. After clearing the bulk of the sidewalks and driveway, the self propeller went out so it was time to finish up with the shovel. We deemed the winds mild enough to all go out in so I dressed Dylan up in his new snowsuit and boots. Armed with his own mini shovel, he was ready to help out.

Snowsuit Cuteness!

Dylan, however, did not put that cute little shovel to good use. Some day that boy will start pulling his weight with talents other then cuteness, but today would not be that day. He spent the time with the shovel just dragging it around. But, he enjoyed doing that and allowed Mike and I to finish up the job.

After we dug out, I did end up going to work for a couple of hours so I didn't get the full snow day off but I'm glad I got to see Dylan experience his first big snow. Yes, I realize he saw snow last year but now he can walk around in it and be exposed to it in entirely new and different ways. Now that we're settled back in, I'm working to pick out photos to post about our big holiday week. More posts will be going up this week!

Strollin'

As you read this, me and my little family will be strollin' our way to Texas to celebrate Christmas with my clan (well, flying actually). Last weekend, we did a stroll of another kind - a stroll down Centre Street in our town of West Roxbury.

The community has a program called Main Streets that promotes and enhances our town's business district. They had a special event last Saturday called the Holiday Stroll. It started at a restaurant on the other side of town from us (about a 20 minute walk) where you could meet and take your picture with Santa. There, you received a "passport" to get stamped at other local businesses. Most were offering a freebie or some other promotion. For each business you found, you received a stamp on your passport and each stamp was good for one entry in the raffle. I like free things and discounts, being active in the community, supporting local businesses and strolling so we went to take part in the event.

As I mentioned in my last post, this was where Dylan encountered his first Santa Claus of this Christmas season. He was very interested in the balloons surrounding Santa and the fire roaring behind him but was not very sure about the dude in the red suit.

After we got this best attempt at a picture, we strolled on down Centre Street. We had a lot of fun searching out the participating businesses, some we hadn't been to before, interacting with neighbors and doing a little shopping along the way. 2 hours later, Dylan finally decided to take a nap....just in time for the after party where the raffle was being held. After he woke up, we ran over there just in time to find the raffle wrapping up without our hard earned entries. What a bummer!

So, we didn't get any big wins, but we did get some free pizza, donuts, chocolate (I let the boys enjoy those while I stuck to my diet), and tea as well as great discounts on some books, a spa gift certificate, and some gloves for Dylan. There are definitely some things we got that day that I can't recall because our stroller was filled to the brim by the time we got home. I was more disappointed about missing the raffle then I'd like to admit (we spent a LOT of time and effort filling up our passports for that purpose) so I'm trying to focus on all the fun we had that day and great bargains we got!

Zoo Lights 2010

With a few vacation days left to burn before the end of the year (I can't roll them over), I took off Monday to spend the day with the boys. The weather forcast for the day was dismal so we didn't make any fun plans. The excitement at our house for the day was cleaning out our pantry and reorganizing some cabinets. Then we had a fun trip to the grocery store. Can you stand how glamorous my life is? A day off for housework and errands....how fun!

As the day progressed and the rain decreased, it looked as if we were actually going to get a decent evening. So, we called up Mike's parents (Nana and Bumpa) and asked if they wanted to join us for Zoo Lights at the Stone Zoo near their house. They were in! So, we packed up and headed up to their place.

We were assuming Dylan would nap on the way up there but he didn't. So, after chasing the kittens around Nana and Bumpa's house for a while, having a big dinner and being overwhelmed by all the Christmas lights, we ended up getting mostly dazed looks on all of our pictures. Don't be fooled, though, he had a great time and loved it!

Dylan and Phinny

Also due to the tiredness, he was only interested in being held. Bumpa was a trooper and carried him around most of our time there. I told him I would take him back when his arms got tired and his response was "I'll rest my arms when I get home." I think Bumpa was having a fun time with his grandson!

Dylan is an absolute pro at finding every Santa and snowmen in the vicinity. Last week, on our "stroll" down Centre St. (yet to be blogged about), he met a real live Santa for the first time. He seemed a little unsure about the big guy so we pointed out that Santa had the same hat as Dylan...how neat! Ever since, he seems to be obsessed with his Santa hat and has insisted on wearing it at all times. Two weeks ago we couldn't keep a hat on him without tying it on and now he tells us the second it falls off.

Nana, Dylan and Bumpa

Last year, we got to take a picture with two young reindeer. This year, we had our picture with a gorgeous barn owl.

What a gorgeous bird!

At the entrance to the "Santa" section is a really nice photo op. Last year, that photo op being the cute family portrait that made our Christmas card. This time, another great shot of us all!

Since the line to see Santa wasn't very long, we decided to give it another go. Our attempts the previous weekend (on the stroll I hope to blog about soon) weren't awesome. Maybe with practice, he'd be less apprehensive about Santa. While in line, he excitedly pointed out every Santa and "ho, ho, ho'd" at them. When we got up to the real one, he was overwhelmed. As I approached Santa, Dylan's arm wrapped tighter around mine and his legs clenched around my waist. Being the sly mom that I am, I sneakily squatted near Santa's leg while holding Dylan and swiftly transferred him and slipped my hand away for the picture. I'm not sure which one of them looks more confused\deer in the headlights about the situation!

Dylan and Santa!!

(If you look closely you can see my hand

still on the arm of the chair.)

After the photo, we went back out to see the moving displays set up outside Santa's castle.

Dylan had a great time watching the trains ("shhh shh"...still working on his choo choo noise) go around and around the track.

But he was most amazed by the GIANT teddy bear that blinked his eye. He was uninterested in any other characters after him and kept looking back towards him and pointing. We don't have a picture of the actual bear, but this is Dylan looking on in wonder!

There were a couple of kid rides there as well. The poor guy was so tired at this point that my usual adventure seeker really didn't want to go on them. We tried anyway. Here we are standing beside a horse on the carousel. Yeah, I stood there like an idiot while we went round and round.

He wouldn't let go of me to drive the little cars around but he did go on the spinning barrels with Mike and I. After that, we let the sleepy boy call it a night and headed home. He crashed pretty quickly after hitting his car seat.

Sleepy Santa

I'm not sure who's enjoying all these great Christmas activities more, me or Dylan!

A Boston Holiday Tradition

Enchanted Village is a Boston tradition dating back to 1940. My father in law remembers going to see the display as a child in the Jordan Marsh store in downtown Boston. I first went a few years ago with Mike's family so that we could partake in the Christmas fun. Last year, the village was bought by a local furniture chain, Jordan's, and is set up in one of their stores for 3 months of the year. We thought Dylan would enjoy seeing it so we went to it a couple of weeks ago.

As a set built 70 years ago, the storefronts are from another era and the "animation" of the characters is very rudimentary. Even so, there's a sense of nostalgia to it (even though these types of scenes predate my life) and a warm, innocent, holiday feel to the set up that makes it very enjoyable.

Dylan was having trouble with his naps that day (as seems to be a recurring theme over the last couple of weeks) so he was pretty tired going into it. So, we saw a lot of the deer in the headlights look but the eyes were definitely taking it all in and the pointing finger at all that interested him confirmed he truly enjoyed it.

The cutest addition to the set that Jordan's contributed was snow. Christmas music was constantly playing, of course, but when Bing Crosby's White Christmas came up, machines revved up in several areas around the set and bubbles started falling from the sky. All the kids (and parents) loved that!

"Snow" Falling

It was a nice, low key, Christmas activity and it was free....a win, win, win situation. That means we'll likely visit again next year.

Park Fun

Dylan is a lucky boy. He loves parks and his Dad takes him to them often. Usually, our weekends have other fun activites and not a lot of park time. However, one weekend not too far back, I was lucky enough to spend some time at a cool park with the boys. Admittedly, I think most of the equipment in the park was more fun for Mike and I. We would be playing (Mike and I) and realize that one of us should probably follow our kid that just took off back to equipment he enjoyed more. His favorites were the bouncy see saw and (as usual) the swing. Here are just a couple of cute pics snapped that day.





(Note, my Christmas to do list is overwhelming me a little and obviously making me a little forgetful about blog details. I realized after posting that I'd already put up a couple of these pics with Dylan's 17 month old post. Oops, my bad is a present to you....you get to see cute pictures of Dylan again! Merry Christmas!)