Adventures in Smithtown: "It's A Marshmallow World in the Winter..."

It has been a busy and snow filled month in Smithtown. The Bailey couldn't have been happier about the snow and the magic of Christmas. We all had a very Merry Christmas in Idaho and got everything we had hoped and asked Santa for. Bailey was particularly excited about her Peppa Pig scooter which came from England via the North Pole and her Peppa Pig camper van. Trevor's highlights included a Batman snuggie and framed blueprints of the Millennium Falcon. I got an amazing blender that I have been busy making smoothies with and some super cute clothes.

Someone sure loves Santa

Bailey and myself were lucky to go up early to Idaho and spend a few days with my sister McKenna and her kids since they would be spending Christmas in Logan and not with our parents. Bailey loves all her cousins, but she often refers to McKenna's kids as her brother and sisters. It's pretty cute how much she loves them. "They aren't just my cousins..." which is why they sometimes even fight like siblings. :) We also got to see my brother Brinn (and Ramona) and his cute kids before they ventured north to Canada for Christmas. I was still on oxygen as close to 24/7 while at my parents so it was a much more relaxed and quiet visit - well except for the noisy machine. The kids were only slightly freaked out when they first saw me wearing my sexy tubes. Luckily my brother Dalan came up with his family to help fill the void when McKenna left so Bailey still got to play with cousins and I got to snuggle with my cute little nephew. Trevor made it up on Tuesday night after work. He was driving during a storm and some supposed terrible road conditions - he told me he thought he would arrive around midnight or later. He tricked me and arrived around 9p (scaring me when I went into our room to check on Bailey) shortly after telling me he was still hours away. It was a great surprise and a Christmas miracle that the roads were fine.

The nearly 9 days we were at my parents we decorated cookies, mailed our letter to Santa, went and saw beautiful gingerbread houses, donated money to the Salvation Army (an idea to help teach Bailey about giving - from her Grandpa Smith - which I loved), went sledding with Skipper, watched the Peanuts movie at a theatre just for us, ate yummy food and played really hard and long - everyday. It was a wonderful Christmas and we can hardly wait for next year.

Before Santa Came

Glamorous Christmas Attire 2015 - Ha

Reindeer Food

Santa Came!

Private Showing of Peanuts - Granat Family Fun

What a difference 4 years can make?

After getting home it was time to unpack and make room for new toys. Bailey didn't much like the idea of getting rid of stuff so I might be doing it very sneakingly. So far she hasn't discovered anything amiss - yet. Bailey continues to talk about Christmas, Santa, her elf Guillermo, her birthday and Disneyland and asks when we can go back and when is the next party we get to go to and when can she play and see her cousins again - so we are planning all that. Although, we probably should finish paying off the last trip to Disneyland before trying to go again. ;)

Visiting my work at the Marriott Library:

For New Years we went and spent a few hours with our family friends - The Jensen's where Bailey got her first eyeliner and cat eye. She loves makeup and can rarely leave the house without putting on some lipstick and if she forgets she tries to kiss me so that some of mine will rub off on her. What a silly girl. She is getting really good at putting it on. The rest of the evening was pretty mellow and I don't want to admit this, but we didn't bother to stay up until Midnight. Maybe we can do that next year. :)