It's All About Tradition!!!

Every year while growing up my parents took us to the mall so we could go see Santa. We would get dressed in our Christmas dresses and wait in line to tell Santa what we wanted for Christmas.  The mall that we went to was indoor, (there aren't many indoor malls in San Diego) so it was pretty awesome we didn't have the wait in the cold.

Now that I have my own family it is no different.  We don't have a mall here but we take our kids to see Santa.  The only thing that did change was Morgan refused to take our kids to see Santa within their first year.  He is in the medical field, more specifically infectious disease.  Since both of our kids were too young to get their flu shots around Christmas time, he didn't want to take that chance.  I think he has seen what the flu can do to someone, especially a young child so he doesn't want to take the risk.   There are so many kids that go through that line, also with all the people , there is just a lot of germs that could be spread.  (I know we probably sound crazy) Totally understandable, so we just took their pics by our tree.  After Amelia's first year, we have taken her ever since.  Since Nolan is now 1 and able to get his flu shot (both of our kids received their flu shots this year) this will be his first year.

This is the first year that we had both our kids in the picture.  The local USO had a Santa set up that you pay $10 per kid and you get the pictures, some of the fee would go towards the USO.  This was the first year Amelia didn't cry.  It was just so precious, the look in her eye when she saw Santa.  She really believed it was him.  Her innocence was just so adorable.  Nolan on the other hand, was screaming bloody murder.  I got to give all the Santas out their a hand, because having probably every other kid cry must be crazy!! Here's to all the Santas out there!!!

Day in the Life

Thought this meme was appropriate :) 

I have a 16 mo old (Nolan) and a 4 yr old (Amelia).  I tend to stay on a routine to keep my sanity AND so the kids know what to expect from day to day. Here is what a typical day looks like


6:00-    I like to get up before the kids and get some ME time.  I have my coffee and I browse my social media, news, gossip, and generally wake up

7:00-    16 mo old wakes up

7:45-    Get Amelia up and beds made

8:00-    Feed both kids breakfast, pack Amelia's lunch and her backpack

8:30-    Get both kids dressed and ready

8:40-    Take Amelia to pre-school (if it's a school day MWF)

9:00-    After we drop off Amelia we have play time, either in the play room our outside.  OR if we have errands I do them now.  I like to get stuff done in the morning, less people and no lines. On Wed Nolan and I have story time at the Library and Kinder Jam.  On Fridays we have Alligator Steps (mommy and me class).

11:00- We usually get home, I start up a movie for Nolan to watch and I prepare lunch

11:30- Lunch TIME

12:00- Nolan goes down for a nap

1:30-    Wake up him and give him a small snack

1:40-    We go and pick up Amelia

2:00-    Get home and feed Amelia a snack

2:30-4:30-play time

5:00-    Daddy comes home from work and I start to prepare dinner

5:30-    Dinner for everyone

6:30-    Clean up kitchen and living room

7:00-    Kids take a bath

7:30-    Bottle, brush teeth, bedtime story

8:30-    Lights out

The rest of the night is spent with the hubby, it's our down time.   We watch our fave shows, he plays video games, I read, I catch up on YouTube, he watches sports highlights, haha we just chill.  We usually go to bed around 9:30-10:30 and we do it all again the next day.