What a fun December!

OK, get ready for lots of pictures!

I'll try to keep my words brief, because we all know a picture can say a thousand words on it's own.

Cohen was so excited for Santa and Christmas this year. 

Just barely three, he was the perfect age, in my opinion.

This first video is of him watching Santa arrive at our church Christmas party.

Sitting on Santa's lap, he asked for a drum set and a Foosball table.

Parker didn't do as well.... but I distinctly remember the same situation when Cohen was this same age at our church Christmas party in Utah.

See!

This is simply a cute picture of Parker sleeping.  That's all.

 Cohen pretended to be Santa pretty frequently through the season.  Here he is coming in on his sleigh with Rudolph leading the way.  I had been a very good girl and he left something under the tree for me.

December was full of emotion.  Christmas time was huge of course, but we also had to say good-bye to several dear friends.  This is the last time Cohen and Kaleb got to play.  Cohen really misses him, and is a little confused why we aren't moving to California too, just like Kaleb.

 We phased Cohen out of naps.  It was time.  Now bedtime is 7:30, instead of 8:30 plus an undetermined amount of time of struggle and stay awake tactics.  I could go on and on, but it was just time.

The poor little thing fell asleep in Walmart while the groceries were being ringed up, and stayed asleep while I put the groceries on and around him, and all the way through the bumpy parking lot, I had to make great efforts to wake him up to get into the house.

 We now have a sunbeam!!! I can hardly believe he graduated from nursery!

 I had to say good-bye to 2 wonderful friends.  Lacey Poytress was fantastic, and brought girls together and was so easy going.  I really miss her!

Sabrina Mangum.  Oh, I love her!  I'm so sad she's gone!  We did lots together with and without our kids, who are the same age.  She's someone I look up to in many ways; she's smart, funny, fun, frugal, crafty, spiritual, loving, a great mother, and a great friend!

Hope I didn't embarrass you, Sabrina!

Since we weren't going home for Christmas, I tried as hard as I could to make it seem like home, and do as many traditional things as I could.

We went to see Santa at the Clackamas mall.  They had a train there and Cohen loved it!

Waiting to see Santa.... he's SO HANDSOME!!

I simply refused to pay $30 or more for pictures with Santa.  How ridiculous!!!  So, this is what my mom snagged from far away. 

The picture tells a lot about our situation, I think.  I kind of treasure it. 

Weird, I know.

So, Nana came!!!! Hooray!!! It didn't really feel like Christmas until she came.  She was here for about 4 days, about a week before Christmas.  We had a wonderful time.

 Cohen and her got us started with gingerbread houses. 

 Cohen's job was to unwrap all the really old candy I had stashed in the back of the cupboard. 

He was very dedicated, and very good.

(I know candy lasts forever, practically, but I wouldn't want to eat 2 year old smarties.)

 Even Josh got involved!  Thank goodness for school breaks!

This is the best picture we could muster with the kids and my mom.  Oh, well.

 They both got lots of tub toys from Nana.  Cohen was happy as a lark.

 I love my mom.

 Mom went back to Utah, but I still needed to go see the lights with the family.  Peacock Lane is the place to go, I heard.  Wow, traffic.  Sad to say, I was pretty disappointed at the display. 

 Perhaps I'm just used to seeing temple square.  It was fun, non the less.

 The most memorable moment from the trip, this guy. 

Santa suite, unicyclist, bag pipe guy going down the middle of the street.

 We went to the Grotto.  This was another attempt to create the Christmas spirit.  They had this beautiful nativity, music, puppet shows, choirs, lights, stories, gift shops, etc.  It was lovely, and wonderful.

 I was loving it.

This is one of Cohen's best moments there.  The sad part is, he was in a rotten mood that night, and so we didn't stay nearly as long as Josh and I wanted.  Oh, well.  Better luck next year, right?

Next post, Christmas!  I'll get there... promise.