Happy New Year!

Night in the City

After a busy holiday week it was very fun to get away for a night!!  We were lucky to have Tootie, Ky, Lulu and Poppy to watch the girls.  So off to Chicago for the wedding of a fraternity brother of Poppa's.  We arrived with enough time for some shopping pre-wedding.  Love shopping sans kids, nothing like our shopping trip with kids day after Christmas. (What were we thinking!).  

Then the big event with my date.

Black tie wedding at the Trump and I would be happy to stay there again! 

Love spending time with friends and this guy.  We danced all night.  How could you not with a great band and floor to ceiling windows with a city view. 

Chicago!!

We love these two and miss them , move back now!!

So fun seeing good buddies back together like old times but everyone just a little older!

This ice luge kept the drinks and fun flowing all night.  This reception was an event and we had so much fun!!

We scheduled the flight for late Saturday. We went to brunch with good friends, Courtney and Michael, loved catching up over good eats and coffee. Then we shopped some more before heading back to the babes and then back to Como.  We loved being away but home felt oh so good!!!

Christmas in STL

Christmas Eve is a night that reminds you of the meaning of Christmas.  I love the mass, the music, the crowded church and my favorite the bells as you leave.  With this strange bug that bothered both littles we were not sure we would make it. So happy we did.  After talking and seeing friends posts I feel lucky to have only faced this bug but urged strange.  No flu signs, no appetite or mood changes just a span of 4 hours where they got sick...strange.  Hope that is all because I'm not a fan. 

We enjoyed the night and dinner.  Them off to bed to dream of sugar plums.  

These girls are so lucky.  What a Christmas! I think my favorite part is that EK must get every piece of paper and tape off the package while opening.  She also wants to play with each toy she opens.  Littles enjoyed not quite into opening gifts yet but they have a helper.  Christmas through kids is truly so much fun!

Poppy French toast completes the morning!! EK really only ate powder sugar!!  

After long naps there was more fun to be had Christmas night.  Apps at my mom's brothers followed by dinner with the whole Ott family.

So much fun to see everyone! Pop loves Christmas dinner and this year my aunt gave him a leftover roll of beef tenderloin. Made his night!! EK could not get enough of cousins, dance shows have already started!! Merry merry Christmas was had and enjoying a few lore festivities to close out the year!

Ho Ho Ho visits the Manda Girls

The last few hours before Santa was a busy time for his elves.  I did do most of the simple sewing but poppa did some too!  

Builder the Elf, had some construction of a horse and cart as well.  The horse may have been put together with 2 little helpers that decided to wake right as we started.  Life with kids!!  But I was pleased with our work...

Santa had 3 girls on the good list!!  He comes a little early when you travel. 

Loves the horse.

Team work. 

Stockings were filled, EK really liked this part.  Also commented "Santa left some cookie"...she ate it for him!

Presenting the 1st puppet show...

Happy morning playing by the fire as it lightly snowed, beautiful! 

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Travels Begin

First stop Kansas City for holiday fun with Mimi & Pops, aunts, uncles, and cousins.  It was a weekend packed with fun.  Friday the cousins had quite the play day! 4 boys and 3 girls can make some noise, a mess, and keep everyone busy.  Mimi & Auntie Sarah had craft time to make the traditional hand print ornaments, cookies were baked and lots of playing.  A fun day was ended with presents under the tree!! Everyone had a merry merry Christmas here!!! EK loved it all and really loved matching outfit for her and her doll! Littles both loved their bitty baby, MF so much that she screamed when we took it  to get it out if the box.  

Saturday we headed to Crowne Center fir a day of fun! Both poppa and I were so excited for this.  He has great memories of childhood Christmas memories here and I had been once with him year before EK and loved it.  It's the perfect holiday place, a real Santa, fabulous decor, cute shops, ice rink, huge tree, just overall very festive.  We had a fabulous day!!! Started with a visit with Ho Ho Ho. My sister in law and family arrived even earlier than we had planned to get in line and we were like 5th in line!!! Great start thanks to them! I had low expectations for this Santa visit as EK was not into last year and had not got close this year.  It was a success and this momma was so pleased.  

Cousins!!

Thank you Mimi and Auntie Sarah for the fabulous dresses!!!!

This was my view.  Right before Santa hollers "I'm dropping the little one!"

Fun contined with a visit to Kalediescope, crayola art center.  So much fun!!! All the kid loved all the crafts and I think us adults did as well. Auntie Sarah and Poppa were so excited for the melted crayon craft. 

Lunch at Fritz's. This is the best place. You order using the phone at the table and a train then delivers your food.  No waiters.  Always a line to get in but so worth it.  Good burgers and fries and they are fast, which is perfect for hungry kids!! All the girls really watched the trains. 

EK loved Frosty!!!

We all left full, happy, and tired!!! Got back to Mimi and Pops just in time for the ice storm to start.  

1st LODO Christmas Program

The first group to sing was the Lightning Bugs and our two little bugs put on quite a show. Jingle Bells!!! 

We could not believe they sat and shook their bells the whole time!!

Their friend was not having it, thumb the whole time!

Next up the Lambs. EK knew her songs but no nap = no performance. 

Hard to get 2 years all together but so sweet! Santa Clause is coming to town was first. Better not pout EK!

Classic. Favorite pic. One with finger in nose, one crying, one pouting. 

Then tears so this is how we sang Away in a Manager. 

All smiles after with cookies and handing out teacher gifts.  We love this fabulous Director!

Fun night enjoying holiday carols from kiddos.  Quick change to jammas and we traveled to Kansas City for Manda Family Christmas!

Party Weekend!

Ok I know picture overload this time of year.  But I can't get enough of them and I love looking back for memories. 

Saturday night we enjoyed a fun night at friends. The littles got to wear Tootie gifts from EK's first Christmas.  One of the benefits to early means we fit in some of her clothes in the right season.  

                    

Sunday was our a Annual Friends Christmas dinner. Invite designed by the one and only Tootie!  It was one of the best yet! All the kids had a blast.  Lets just say in 2 years (could not have party last year with the tiny littles) we added babes.  

It was a great night of food, the chef never disappoints! You must try his mac n cheese. We had no leftovers of anything.

Great drinks and conversations were flowing. 

These 3 love hosting a party!

Kid table set by EK! She had to match the plate to the chair, what have I done?!! We had to bring out the other smaller table as well, I underestimated some of the little ones, they all wanted to sit at the kids table!

Kid smiles! Adults were here just no pics of us.  

So I did rearrange yet again for this party. It was needed with setting up tables and traffic flow with all the kiddos.  So yes my couch went in front of the window, moved the tree, moved the book shelf, and chairs.  The outcome was tons of space!!!  Plus you can see so much from the kitchen.  Only thing that builder and I are concerned about is the sun on the couch.  It's killer through that window and bleaches things out fast.  So we might be moving couches around...call us crazy!! But for now I love the change.

So after the party ended EK and poppa had more party to attend.  Poppas work party. EK and poppa attended last year and the tradition continued.  Starts too late for littles still. 

Ready for her date! Note loves this cost because of the pockets.  This was her Auntie Sarah's coat.

They had a great time! What did I do, cleaned up from the party, ha!!  We all may have been a little slow today but it was a great holiday weekend!

MM & MF 1st Snow day!!

They all loved it!! Perfect snow for our first snowman!! Let it snow!!! Spent the rest of the morning with a fire, Christmas music and playing.  Happy Saturday!!

Holiday Photo Shoot

Holiday photos are my favorite and this year A did a fabulous job capturing all the moments, real life with the mandas! 

Then the best part...the outtakes of shooting a 2.5 year old and 2 one year olds. 

This last one is forever a classic.  It was the last photo A took and it was quitting time ...note the bow on the step.  I think we all laughed for awhile.   EK pulled that bow out, crossed those arms and wanted no more.  Ok so I don't usually laugh at bad behavior but this was warranted, enough was enough!!  We are so lucky to have a photographer that moves quick and captures all the best moments.  We love our time with A!  All photos from Saturday Shutter.