Happy Christmas!

Now that we're all suffering that Christmas-is-over let down, let the Yule Tide Christmas blog be posted! This year we went to Bremerton to celebrate the merriness. We had such a fun time with the fam, except for Darby's snot-filled cold and waiting til 5am to fall asleep on Christmas Eve....I guess she was excited? Or sick? Or both. But she managed to leave some cookies for Santa to gobble down.

She was excited to see proof that Santa loves Christmas cookies.

Then there were stockings...

Followed by billions of presents. 

Her Daddy made her a pretty little stepping stool so she can finally reach the toothbrush by herself and other grown up type things ;) He's just so handy-dandy.

(And if you're wondering, yes she got some new PJ's from Santa so she doesn't have to be a belly-exposer anymore)

Present-opening was followed by lazin- it up on the couch surrounded by toys and watching Over the Hedge.

After her sleepless night of excitement (and sickness) on Christmas Eve, she slept through all of Christmas dinner! Oh well, at least she got to eat what she wanted in solitary peace and quiet ;)

Another Christmas is over! I can't believe next Christmas we'll have TWO lil kiddos. That really blows my mind. Lil baby boy will be 9 months old at Christmastime. Can't wait for the fun and crazy times ahead :) Merry Christmas!

Family Christmas Music

My family basically listens to the regular favorites during the holidays. But there is one album I grew up listening to in the Willcoxon household that NO ONE ELSE in the world seems to know about! Dave makes fun of me every year when I pop in this particular CD, even though I think it is secretly starting to grow on him. So along with Amy Grant's Christmas Album, Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, and the rest of the favorites, everyone should take a listen to (drum roll please) -

That's right! The Roger Whittaker Christmas Album! It's the BEST. He's European, dontcha know ;) With such tunes as Momma Mary (Darby's fav), Hallelujah It's Christmas, Darcy the Dragon (my fav), A Time For Peace, and Country Christmas how can you NOT get in the Christmas spirit?! I am seriously so grateful for my weirdo parents who picked this album out of oblivion and stuck it in our record player when I was a kid. Awwww memories. But really, the story goes like this - my dad went to pick up some Christmas music at the store early on in their marriage and saw the cover of this one and grabbed it. Didn't know ANY of the songs. And now it's a family classic. Yay Dad!

Take a listen someday when you're not all drowning in Christmas cheeriness and business - click here to listen

Family Photo Session w/ Claire

Right after Thanksgiving the talented Claire Gilfillan had a mini-shoot, so we took advantage of her stellar deal and expertise and got some family photos done for 2010. It was perfect timing for Christmas cards and to also capture a little bit of the pregnant tummy before baby boy arrives! We were so happy with how she captured our lil family, she really is such a talented photographer. Thank you again Claire!!

Gingerbread House

Today at preschool Darby had such a great time making (or eating) a gingerbread house. She even said 'Take pictures Mommy!' So of course, I had to ;)

More Merriness

Holy holiday season! It's been crazy already and it's only December 10th, but we're definitely having a blast! Today Darby got her annual pic with Santa at Alderwood Mall. She was so excited and even told him she likes Mickey Mouse, which totally surprised me. What happened to Elmo and Curious George?! ;) Well here she is in all her glory.

She was happy, I swear it! Compare it to her first Santa photo-

Awwww Santa has moved up so much in her world since then ;)

To add to our Christmas cheery-day, we went to Garden D'Lights at the Bellevue Botanical Gardens with friends, and finished with Snowflake Lane and Red Robin at Bell Square. Quite the merry evening. I think even 'Daddy Dave' was secretly in candy cane heaven.

She had so much fun with sweet Olivia! (Couldn't fix her glowing eye)

So excited!

Love these girls <3

Such a magical jingle bell-y good time!

Merriness

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here! Getting in the holiday spirit, picking out our tree, decorating and making cookies for cookie exchanges is just even more fun with a little 2 and a half year old girl to enjoy it with! Seeing everything through her excited eyes makes it even more special.

We headed out to Farmer Brown's to pick out our tree again this year, and found a great one!

Darby had so much fun helping me decorate. She likes to put 5 ornaments on one branch! 

Being in the duplex this year for Christmas, it was kind of difficult to find a spot for the tree. Behind the front door seemed to be the only spot!

My mom gave us the advent Christmas countdown calendar that we used when I was growing up. Now Darby gets to move the little mouse every morning just like I did when I was a little girl :)

We've also been having lots of Christmas fun with friends, and went to a cookie exchange the other day. Darby was such a good helper with the Hershey Kisses.

During the week of Thanksgiving we had some fun snow days. Darby loved playing outside, even when Mommy was freezing!!

We got her to come back in by tempting her with hot cocoa

One tradition we started last year was checking out the Macy's Star and Christmas tree lighting in downtown Seattle. It's pretty fun and Darby loves the fireworks they set off. Downtown Seattle is always so pretty at Christmastime.

Merry Merry!!