Christmas, Christmas time is here

Tradition is very important to us.  And it's a very important tradition to leave milk and cookies for Santa.  It is also important to update traditions with the times, and sometimes, Santa needs a little something extra.

Honestly, is there anything more exciting than Christmas morning?

Someone *may* have had some chocolate for breakfast ;)

Christmas dance recital

This was Eleda's second Christmas dance recital.  She was much more excited and didn't have the stage fright that she experienced last year.

Ashton hammed it up for the camera while we waited for the recital to being.

We were fortune to be presented by a piece from The Nutcracker by one of the Gold Medal candidates.

The little angels waiting to come entertain us.

Christmas totally makes you think hula, right?

And the grand tap finale.

This is the most important part... where the little ones sit on the floor and are plied with various forms of sugar.

In the foreground in Miss Liliane, the greatest ballet teacher of all time.

Ashton-Man turns two!

I didn't think it could happen, but my baby boy turned two.  He's just so awesome.  I've been so lucky to stay home with him since the summer and we have really bonded and he is so expressive and loving.  Because his birthday is in the winter and we have a little house, I decided to make things easy on myself and have his party at McDonalds.  For his first birthday we did a lunch in the hall at our church, but we had to do all the food, set up, clean up and entertaining.  At McD's, I really just had to pay, and it was quite affordable, so everyone was happy.

Kids playing with the cup tower.

 Ashton got to topple the cup tower.  He was scared that he would get in trouble but then he went for it he had a blast!

 My dad being... well... my dad.

There were games...

even duck duk goose.

 And presents!

 And we mustn't forget about the cake.