Christmas decorations part #3

Adding more lights on day 2

Luke's first experience with the Christmas balls ... of course, he simply HAD to taste one ... and then throw it!

Christmas decorating part #2

The tree arrives home!

...and more importantly, the lights come out!

The tree hunt

We went on quite the hunt this year for our Christmas tree. The good news is that Luke absolutely LOVED tree shopping (who would've guessed?) AND we ended up with a gorgeous tree (our best yet, if you ask me). Here are some photos from our tree hunt ...

And we're off!

Luke & Daddy scouting out the trees:

Luke contemplating (cookie in hand):

We found one!!!

Taking our tree home:

Christmas decorations part #1

With a toddler, it apparently takes several days and nights to decorate a house for Christmas. This is news to us seeing as this is our first Christmas having a toddler. In the past, we have typically done it all, inside and outside, in one day. But, as those of you who are parents know, EVERYTHING takes longer with a toddler.

So, here are some pictures from the first night of decorating. Michael and Luke are working on the fireplace mantle.

Looking at (and tasting) the lights:

Giving kisses to the snowman stocking:

Checking out the choo-choo train stocking holders:

Another James in the making?

Does he have some of those "techie" genes from his Uncle James? Let's hope so because we could really use someone like him around our house.

Just updating his own blog:

...not to forget the infamous 1-finger typing skill

Body parts and blowing kisses....

I know, I know ... he IS brilliant!

A time to give thanks

Luke is thankful for:
* Mommy, Daddy, Grammy, Poppy, Satya, and all of my other family members
* those furry, fun creatures that live with us and let me pull their tails and give them "pets"
* Maria, who comes to play with me while Mommy & Daddy go to work and who is simply the BEST (Mommy loves her a lot too!)
* Thomas the Train & Elmo (my two current obsessions)
* French fries - while Wendy's still seem to be my favorite, I don't discriminate and will happily take McDonald's
* this just in - Chicken nuggets (Mommy is REALLY excited because I've added one more thing to my short list of Luke-approved foods)
* the park
* walks in my stroller
* my portable DVD player from Grandma & Grandpa that helped us all survive the car ride to SB
* my binky and blankie
* my home and bed ... I really LOVE to be in my own place, in my own bed (made evident by the 15 hours that I slept the night we arrived back home after Thanksgiving weekend)
* for other things I'm super thankful for, see the my favorite things list on the right hand side - that pretty much sums it up!

Mommy & Daddy are thankful for:
* Luke, who is absolutely the light of our lives
* our families, who are so unconditionally loving and supportive and who we enjoy not only as family but also as some of our best friends
* our pets, who are some of the best teachers of unconditional love
* our friends, near and far, who we couldn't do without
* our beautiful home, which we often don't remember how lucky we are to have because we are only thinking of what more we want to do to or changes to make to it
* our country, where we live safely and freely
* food, which we ate too much of over the last few days
* jobs, which we often complain about, but are so lucky and grateful to have
...and honestly, the list could go on and on...we have so very much to be thankful for.

We spent Thanksgiving weekend this year in Santa Barbara. We had a wonderful weekend surrounded by lots of food, family, fun conversation, and beautiful weather.

Mommy is disappointed in how few pictures she took of the weekend (and just in general lately). She says that she is going to really make an effort to take more pictures in the coming weeks and over the Christmas holiday. At any rate, here are a few from our weekend.

All of us at great -Grandma & Papa's beautiful Thanksgiving dinner table (that's Uncle Ken whose head is blocked by Uncle Todd ... and Mommy is obviously taking the picture):


Satya really enjoying the meal:


Happy Thanksgiving, little boy:


Satya opens a few early birthday presents - and she just loves her fairy princess dress up outfit from Aunt Kathi & Uncle Mike - what a beauty!


Our immediate family (obviously missing our sweet Brooklyn & Linus):

Our other family members

Linus & Brooklyn:

We love them

(and they love each other!)

Luke-isms

A day in the life of Luke

(well, not ALL of these things happened in ONE day, but it gives you a taste of what life is like right now)

Giddy-up, Kitty:

Climbing, climbing, climbing ....

...onto the toybox:

...onto the desk:

...onto the kitchen table (Mommy hasn't caught this on film because it is so completely dangerous that she must immediately remove me from my perch)

Patiently waiting for Daddy's arrival home:

Lollipop love - for a special treat

(this one after enduring a 2nd haircut)

Hard at work inspecting binks

Making his way out to the garage and helping himself into his stroller ... as if to say, "c'mon Mommy, let's go!"

Speaking of being in the garage ... it's a good thing we have a hidden key because Luke locked me out of the house the other day when I went into the garage to give Brooklyn some water. Yep, he now can lock doors - just GREAT!

Blowing kisses

(video to come)

Moving decor from one part of the house to another

(again, video to come)

Grammy, oh Grammy

Thank you, Grammy! You did a wonderful thing this week for me (and for Mommy & Daddy). Just because you love me, you drove ALL THE WAY home from Tahoe EARLY to take care of me so that I didn't have to wake up super early and go to daycare two days in a row.

And then, on top of that super wonderful deed, you took me for my first visit to McDonald's. I loved eating fries and waving to all of the big trucks as they drove by.

Thank you, Grammy, thank you! I love you!