Christmas Day...Home Sweet Home-TAKE THREE

Okay, so by this time, I didn't have any juice left in the camera to take pictures, but I am sure you got the idea from all the other postings. We had a wonderful Christmas, spent lots of time with family and friends, Santa and his "elves" were WAY TOO GENEROUS, there were no shortcomings of food, and everyone got in the Christmas spirit of giving (even sharing their germs).

After fun at Marta's we headed back here to celebrate Christmas Day with mom, Allison, and Marcus. The day after, Barbara came back into town for a few days to continue the holiday celebrations. By this time, Russ's stomach virus had attacked me! UGGGH! As if vomiting from being pregnant wasn't bad enough! A day later, both my mom and Russ's mom had a version of the virus!

We were so lucky that Lexie didn't end up getting it! Maybe Santa brought her a boost in her immune system!!!

In any event, we had a wonderful time with family and friends...however, I hate to disappoint anyone, but we are STAYING PUT for Christmas in 2009!!!!!!

Christmas Eve in Cleveland...Take TWO

We made it back safely from visiting the east coast just in time to unpack and repack for a Christmas Eve trip up to my Aunt Marsha and Uncle Tom's. We always spent the holidays with them growing up, so it seemed just like old times (minus Kirsten, GG and Gpa)! We had a lovely dinner (of which Russ could barely eat due to a stomach virus), exchanged gifts via a 'Dirty Santa' gift exchange, shared some old stories and had a few laughs! Russ, Marsha & Tom even made it to midnight mass. The rest of us heathens opted for an earlier bed time so we could be up early for brunch...and a glimpse at Santa of course!



Russ trying to relax by the Christmas tree. Santa came early and brought him a stomach bug! YUCK!!!


Eric introducing Lexie to Dancing Santa...I really think she wanted to take him home!



Little Miss with her newest puppy, compliments of Eric, Tanya, & Oatis. (For the record...we are not adding to our family with a four foot critter just yet...we are bracing for the two foot one first!)


Marsha scoping her loot from the Dirty Santa Gift Exchange


Aunt Allie with the money tree she stole playing Dirty Santa. (What an extremely clever idea if I do say so myself!)


Oatis helps Eric open his Christmas present! (That box has been reused for years and years and years...too bad it didn't have a Browns win in it, or even a touchdown for that matter! Better luck next year Eric!



Uncle Tom is all smiles with his new Mac Book! Looks like he was a VERY GOOD BOY this year!

"Christmas" in Philly...TAKE ONE

After a few fun filled days in Northern Jersey, we arrived back at Grandma Barbara's house to celebrate with Russ's side of the family. The celebration was twofold...obviously we would be celebrating Christmas, but we were lucky enough to break out some candle and sing "Happy Birthday" to HIS Grandmother! That's right!!! Lexie's GREAT-Grandmother turned 89 years young! What a fabulous event! It was such a nice treat to be able to partake in all the festivities!



Molly and Lexie in their Christmas duds, checking out their new loot!



Looked as though Santa arrived early!!!




More gifts! Just how are we going to get all of this stuff back home with us?




Russ and Becky nabbed the girls to TRY to get a picture by the tree...well, we tried!



Lexie under the Christmas tree...after pulling off an ornament! She is still the best gift in the whole world! Thanks Santa!




Family photo...nice face mom and dad!



Molly really got into opening presents. She decided she would help Great Grandma Jones!



Uncle John looks like he is have a good time!





Our Little Christmas Cutie!



Donna and Walt snuggle by the fireplace



The hostess finally gets a chance to relax and open some gifts!



Uncle John, Pat and David opening some gifts



Happy Birthday to YOU!!!!!

A Trip to Northern NJ...kinda like the North Pole!!!

Our "Pre-Christmas" travels continued with a stop in Northern NJ to visit with some friends and celebrate the holidays! We had a wonderful time at the Kadusons! Lexie really enjoyed playing with the girls! We were able to meet up with some of Russ's former co-workers and our good friends the Hajarts for lunch, then it was off to the Berks for a holiday party to see Russ's friends from college! It was a busy couple of days but had a good time!


Lexie and Margo...just before we were about to leave for lunch



Lexie giving Jamie a kiss goodbye



She has a kiss for Aaron too!!!!



Waving bye-bye with the Hajarts!!! Thanks again for her Christmas gift!!!




Lexie with all the Kaduson girls! They are all sooooooooo cute and getting to be so big!!!

A Museum Just for Kids?

After spending a few fun filled days with just Molly and Becky, Russ finally met up with us in Philly. We had a busy few days of traveling ahead of us, but before we headed up to North Jersey, we went to the Please Touch Museum with the WHOLE family. I have to admit I was a bit leery about the place by just the name alone, but as the saying goes... You can't judge a book by its cover! It was the CUTEST place! Every exhibit is geared towards children and encouraged them to...Please Touch! They had ALL kinds of exhibits...everything from Alice in Wonderland, A Hospital, and a Grocery Store, to Train Station, Duck Pond and Central Park. I would have to recommend this as a MUST to anyone traveling through the area with kids! It was well worth the visit!


Russ and Lexie exploring the Locks


Stepping on the lily pads in the "pond"


Lexie cozies up to a goose


Great-grandma, Lexie, and Russ on their way down to fairy tale land


Lexie and Molly in the sail boat...Molly's at the wheel!


The girls in the Alice in Wonderland exhibit. They LOVED the big doors and slanted floors!!!


Mirror, mirror on the wall...who's the cutest of them all????


Lexie finding her way through the Alice in Wonderland maze with a little help from her daddy!


She had SO MUCH FUN in the grocery store pushing her cart through the aisles and picking food from the shelves!!


Aunt Becky directing traffic...that was close!

A "Pre" Christmas Spectacular

The week before Christmas, Lexie and I went out to Philly to have some much needed girl time with Becky and Molly. We took a train to NYC to enjoy the holiday festivities in the BIG APPLE. Thanks to Uncle Brad, we had a FABULOUS suite in the middle of Time Square with a view to die for! Aunt Becky's good friend Kristin met up with us which made our trip that much more fun! We went to see the tree, the windows, Santa...it was A BLAST and the snow made it that much more "Christmas-like" (not to mention a little cold and wet!) The photos don't do our visit justice...but at least you get a sneak peek! Enjoy!!!

Molly pushing Lexie on the train...boy was she having the ride of her life!



Molly wasn't quite ready to get off the train!




Posing in the S N O W by the tree at Rockefeller Center/



With Becky and Molly...having a BLAST!!!!



The picture doesn't do it justice! It was BEAUTIFUL!!!!


Kissing cousins having fun in the Big Apple!



Fun's over...the girls are soooooo ready for bed!!! They were troopers though! :)



View from out suite at the Marriott Time Square!!! (Thanks again Uncle Brad!)


The girls were so cute first thing in the morning! Molly couldn't give her cousin enough kisses!


The girls pose with Miss Kristin (Aunt Becky's Best Friend) in front of one of the windows at Macy's Harold Square.


One last view...so much fun!

Breakfast with Nini....and Santa!!

After Lexie's first interaction with Santa, we thought we should try again...and since Janoski's was featuring a free breakfast with Santa, we couldn't pass up the opportunity!!! It was even more exciting because NINI was able to join us! (We hadn't seen her since Lexie's early birthday party in September so it made it that much more special!!!) The food was great and the company was even better! Lexie even made it through the visit without shedding a single tear! (It must have been all the support from Nini!!!) Thanks for such a great visit mom!


Lexie was such a big girl in her booster seat and ate a BIG BREAKFAST!!!!



Nini took Lexie up to see Santa...she was a bit hesitant, but made her way to the big guy's lap



She isn't all smiles, but at least there aren't any tears!!!



I jumped in for a kodak moment



Back home after a fun filled day with Nini and Santa...she was so excited to see Oscar that I didn't even get to take her hat off!!!!