Christmas 2012!

As always, Christmas was a very full and tiring day, but it was filled with lots of fun and happiness!  If there was any sadness or drama, we don't have any pictures to remember it by so I want to say that there was none. -T

Christmas Morning...

Not a bad start to the day when we got them BOTH to smile at the same time!

I want to say they look better than the scary pictures of me when I was a kid on Christmas morning

Enough with the pictures, let's get this party started!

From peas in her stocking to goldfish

Anna's First Christmas

Playing dress-up

Mae sharing her new doll

Happy Anna

Doesn't EVERYONE just LOVE Veggie Tales?  Josh and the Big Wall!

More zoo animals!

Already starting to line them up - so organized.

I was ALMOST able to take a picture without Anna noticing

Pausing the morning for a quick read

Anna!  You don't have to smile for EVERY picture!

Wanting to open "the big one!"

Buuuut...it freaked Mae out so Anna had to open it by herself (it was for the both of them)

Once it was opened - Mae did like it.  Mae played with her new toys...

...while Anna smiled for pictures.

I said, "Mae played with her new toys..."

"...while Anna smiled for pictures." 

Combining her toys into a great imaginary world

The bed was supposed to be for her new doll, but maybe she was already worn out for the day.

Off to Aunt Beth's...

Eyein' down Big Nate...or where he's going with that gift

Mae's no dummy - she knows who passes out the gifts

Enjoying the atmosphere

Enjoying others' gifts - and getting a little rest

Most people relaxing, Morgan and Mae wrestling, and I honestly can't figure out what Papa D's doing.  

The "no look" smile for the camera - or just having fun with Kylie an Uncle Brian

Mom getting a needed break...and Anna finding the camera JUST in time

Back home for a little more...

Papa D and Grandma Weez had dropped off their gifts beforehand

It goes perfect with their new kitchen

Mae's excitement could not be contained

What a great Christmas!  And we even ended the day getting Anna NOT to smile!

Christmas Eve Messes

Nothing like kids making messes.  However, one of our children seems to enjoy messes more than the other.  -T

It's a Christmas Eve massacre!  She did NOT like finger painting - even if it was going to be a gift for a grandparent.  Whereas Mae hates messes...

...Anna loves them!

Or just knows when to smile for the camera

Overrated Gingerbread Housing

We busted out a gingerbread kit that we had.  It was fun at first and I even tried to let my OCD go and let Mae just put stuff wherever she wanted to (not easy).  Eventually, it just got boring, and I realized that all the great gingerbread houses that we had at my house when I was younger was just fine by me that my mom just did it without our help. Oh, and we never really did take a "finished product" picture.  I'm not sure why but I'll just say it's probably because it was never finished and we got distracted by Mae's bedtime - best guess. -T

Anna didn't last, but at least she made it one picture

What you see done here is about as far as we got before we started getting bored

Me showing off my patience

Mom made a Christmas tree...Mae decorated the tree.

The first gingerbread man she pulled out was broken (see: head on roof), so she was disappointed when the second gingerbread man didn't match that of the first as wasn't broken

I guess we could have broken it for her...we were done anyway

Chattanooga Vacation Day 2: Christmas & Museum

It was the Spjut Family Christmas morning. We did our individual gift exchange in the morning where everyone had drawn a name.  We then got ready, packed some lunches, and headed to the Chattanooga Children's Museum.  It was a really cool place and the kids loved it (if the adults say they didn't love it too, they are lying).  In the evening, Grandma and Grandpa busted out their gifts for everyone.  It was a very full but very fun day. -T

"Christmas morning" (actually this was the night before, but it was still dark here so it seemed more "Christmas morningish" and I didn't have much in the ways of a bunch of people in a picture in the morning so this will have to do

Anna - ready for her first Christmas

Everyone loves Grandpa

Anna was too slow to the party

The cousins gift exchange - Mae looks as if she really didn't know what she was getting them

To: Mae/Anna From: Madilyn/Audrey

Anna was happy to just get the paper from the gift

Mae tried to thank Audrey with a hug - totally rejected.

Lindsey's magical gift from Amie - she has wanted this for awhile now

Who needs new toys when you have a "horse" already in the house!

Pushing the horsey

The Children's Museum - Aunt Kylee and Aunt Jackie bringing the fun

Grandpa trying to stay in the seat and balance to hold granddaughters at the same time

Anna wanted to play bowling with the Chess pieces

Mae was unsure about this water in the beginning; Anna loved it right away.   Eventually Mae warmed up to it and even starting drinking it

Aunt Jackie and Mae preparing for the slide

Good timing on the picture, Dad! (Yeah, I nailed it!)

She would need a little nudge from time to time but she grasped it

This was not easy for an adult to get up through

I was actually very surprised she just did this without help -  it was a long way down!

Happy!!! Nope, just "showing her teeth"

Just chillin'

We pumped this lever to get water to come out down the funnel; it excited Mae that she would bounce and forth  - I got a good shot of her hair on the bounce

Shooting the water up

Possible Mae's favorite part - you would push a button to have that specific instrument join into the song that was already playing - Mae directed it 

We were here awhile

Grandpa and Mae dancing

The other side of it

Mae and Anna are going to put on a play

Nope, Anna doesn't think it's a good idea

Something is spooking Aunt Kylee out behind the puppet show - from her reaction I thought it was nothing less than a tarantula 

It was just the creepy eyes

Madilyn and Audrey DID put on a play - I got to be the stage guy doing  the sun and clouds...Madilyn should write plays as the 2 or 3 she came up with were VERY entertaning

Mae thought she would bow even though she really didn't want to be in it

Playing with Aunt Amie

Mae and Audrey as if they were bees

Busy bees

Across the parking lot is the home of the FORMER AA Reds Affiliate Chattanooga Lookouts (currently the Dodgers AA affiliate)

Up in the tower

In the tower with Grandpa

Anna got a nap during the afternoon and was happy

She wouldn't do this bubble toy when we first got there, but like I said, she got braver during the afternoon and by the end was willing to do it

Mom feeding Anna

The gifts then started up again - Mae (and Audrey) absolutely loved this gift!

Telling Aunt Kylee how excited she is for the music playing Nativity Set

Anna liked hers too

But again, mainly the paper

I wanna say it might be too big for her for another month or so

Mae helping Mom

Anna's just happy to be there