Santa baby!!!!

We were hoping this year would bring smiles from Smith when he saw Santa but not the case.  I love these pictures today.  However, yesterday while I was taking them and worn slick I thought I was going to loose it.  Smith goes through having a full fit to just being super mad.  At one point, I know his little mind was thinking (along with my husband and Tom Sutherland) enough already with these pictures in this Jon jon with a big Santa on it Mom!!!  However, despite all that, we really had a great time at Breakfast with Santa.  We went to brunch with our very best friends here in Springfield and it is always fun and of course a little crazy when we all get together.  My kids were so excited to see Santa (all except Smith).  When they laid their eyes on him and talked to him it was magical.  He was pretty round and short.  He was so kind and as Jackson quoted from elf "he didn't smell like beef and cheese."  Jackson and Mollie Jane talked all day yesterday about how that was the real Santa.  Santa had the neatest pocket watch that was amazing.  It was like a music box with a little sleigh that danced around it and it showed all the time zones and was beautiful.  A little boy came up to Santa and said that he wasn't the real Santa because he didn't know the name of his toy or something and then Santa explained that he did know the name of it an proceeded to say it and the little boy was speechless.  Santa was also so good with Smith who decided to throw fits around Santa yesterday.  Santa was so patient and was concerned that Smith wasn't feeling well or himself.  Santa was right.  Smith has been fighting a bad cold, although I think more of our behavior (as you can see from the photographs) was just being a lovely two year old as opposed to being "under the weather."  Our whole family is now convinced that he was the real Santa and he was magical for sure.  It was so fun and my dear friend Melissa and I because we have such similar taste ordered the same outfits for our kids so we were like one big family yesterday.  Several people asked me if we were related.  I said I wish!  The reality is these friends really are like family and don't know what I would do without them the last several years with all the challenges it has brought and with my husband being "MIA" so often.

A fun Christmas party for Mommy

Very fun that I got to sneak in a Chi Omega Springfield Alumni group Xmas party during a busy season! It is such a fun group of ladies and several of them have become some of my closest friends . We had an owl ornament exchange and ate some yummy food at sweet Katie Vance's house.

The Polar Express with Vivie

We had such a blast with Aunt Jill & Uncle David on the Polar Express.  They were in a separate car that was attached to ours.  All my kids love their Aunt Jill and Vivie but Smith especially has such a place in his heart for his JJ & Viv.  They have invested so much time and help with us this last year when we really needed it and because of that we have such a special bond.  I truly don't know what we would do or where we would be without them.  So the Choo Choo ride with Vivie was like over the top for big Smith. A couple of times when I turned my head he ran to Aunt Jill's car and stayed there.  The last timeUncle Dave brought him back and asked if we recognized the chubby red fellow!  What a fun night!  We probably should have stayed in their coach cauz the vicious conductor was pretty nice to them!!!

The Polar Express

We had the most amazing time at the Polar Express train in Branson. My kids were so excited and we had pumped them up for two weeks about this fun night.  Jackson and Mollie Jane discussed it amongst themselves all week and were wondering if there was a magic track.  They also were convinced it was the "real Polar Express.". 

We all met for dinner in our jammies and then boarded the train.  There was hot chocolate, super loud Christmas caroling, cookies, Santa & Ms Claus, Christmas lights and our very best pals in the whole world all cozied up on one train.   How could it get any better than that?  The kids were all amazing, however, we had an extremely crabby conductor.  I thought it was part of the "act" of the serious conductor similar to the movie.   However, my pals all caught on a bit earlier to "vicious Vic" and his moodiness.   So needless to say Vic is no longer conducting and we were happy when he was done punching our tickets and moved along to the next train.  It was a fun night full of lots of fun memories and for a few moments a few tears.  However, today we have had much laughter about last night and have had multiple requests to ride the polar express again minus the crabby conductor.  The kids faces were priceless when they saw Santa and when they were all crowding in the window to see the lights and the "north pole"

Cub Scout Genealogy project

Jackson did a great job on his genealogy project for Cub Scouts. It was all color coded and very extensive. He researched and called trying to find out names of his relatives. We talked about it at our meeting at the Library Center and then did some research on micro-fish film. Jackson looked up 3-23-2003 & wrote what happened. Of course, Sissy was also there to help and assist.

Christmas PJ's

One of my most favorite things in the world is pajama's.  So I especially go nuts for Christmas pajamas. Here we are in our 2011 gear!

Dance Party Time

In the Brawner house a new favorite activity which has spontaneously been happening lately is a "Dance Party."  We like to have a variety of music and occasionally we dance on the table.  This particular dance party Jackson busted out his trumpet.  We tend to gravitate to the same music selection such as the macarana, the chocolato song, party in the USA, and any and all Christmas music (especially Feliz Navidad).  We have been having so many lately that we are all really perfecting our moves!

Smith's stage

I love that my child is going through a stage where he doesn't like his picture taken. He must have missed the memo that his mother is part Japenese! Sadly it hasn't stopped me so I hope he adapts cauz it could be a rough 16 years until college!

Girls love owls

I love that Mollie Jane is completely & utterly obsessed with owls. Just like her Mama! She put together this outfit the other day all by herself. Her Christmas list pretty much consists of anything owls! Girls love owls people!