Tis the Season

Waiting for Santa.. Every year on the Saturday before Christmas, Santa comes through the neighborhood on a fire truck.





Pre-Christmas Silliness







Nathan posing as a Christmas tree



Would you like a spot of tea? Our first "real" tea party. Thank you Auntie Mo!





Christmas Eve

We had dinner with our good friends, Matt, Ellen and Family.






Daddy was allowed to open his gift from the kids.



Twas the Night before Christmas (with props of course)




Sprinkling reindeer food







Christmas Morning


Even Abbie was spoiled












A Pillow Pet! - Nathan's gift from Juliana.




Nathan posing with his new Tron ornament



Juliana's Daisy ornament



The Carmello boys getting ready to play hockey.





Jules posing with her bear.. notice the matching nightgowns?





The kids received a tent for Christmas. They had lots of fun "camping out"

Juliana's 6th Birthday Party

Juliana's invitation



The cupcakes-- my fav! So, I had this great idea to make these little paint brushes out of fondant and have the brushes paint the number "6" on the cupcakes.. Here is what they looked like the night before the party.






Unfortunately, here is what they looked like the morning of the party. I learned quickly that you don't put fondant in an air tight container overnight. oops! Luckily, I had only put the paint brushes on half of the cupcakes. : )



Her party was at a "paint your own pottery" place called Art Space Studio.



The final cupcakes sans paint brushes.



More birthday pics:




All of Juliana's friends signed this plate. They'll fire it and she'll get to have this as a keepsake.









Even the boys had fun at this girly party.





Jules and her little brother although he doesn't look so little here.. does he?



Our little artist!





We made all of the attendees this little art aprons to wear at the party and to take home with them.











Juliana hanging out with her friend, Mia.



As we were standing inside the art place, I noticed a sign that said Santa would be "strolling" around the plaza. We peeked outside and sure enough, there he was. So, the kids were able tell him their wishes and mom got her Santa pics (and no mall lines! - cool)



Santa and "rudolph". One of Juliana's friends brought her this big red nose. She had a lot of fun with it.







Dad putting together a birthday present.




I threw this photo in there as I was telling Susie and Marena about cake pops. I did make some. These were actually oreo cookie truffles (no baking required). They were really yummy. Jules took these to school as a birthday treat for her classmates.