FUN AND BUSY WEEK-END, AND MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Well it is Monday morning and the flurry and scurry of the last few days is all quiet for the time being.  It was a  REALLY good time, but it was definitely as we call it in this family, a FULL pop, lol.  Hubby and I met my son and his kids about half way ~ though I think his was a little over half ~ on Friday morning to start our week-end.  We kept their car as it is large enough to add in even a couple of more grandkids, and they took ours.  We headed over then to the Candlelight Pavilion for their annual Christmas play and meal.  In the past we have always gone to the dinner show, but this year we decided the matinee would make more sense for 4 year old Donatella.  What a good time we had!  The kids got a HUGE kick out of the whole thing, and they were all as good as gold.  At the end of the play they get to go up on stage with the cast and participate in a song and little dance.  It was a toss up which one of them enjoyed that part more.  Here are some pics of this event.

POSING IN THE LOBBY BEFORE IT STARTED....THEY WERE EXCITED AND SOO CUTE!

THEY WROTE OUT THEIR LISTS FOR SANTA

MAILING HER LIST

DONATELLA  WITH HER GLASS OF CRANBERRY JUICE.  SHE FELT SOO BIG WITH HER CRYSTAL GLASS...SHE DID REALLY GOOD, LOL

CAPRI INSISTED ON TAKING GRANDMA'S PICTURE...SHE REALLY DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB

JD WAS PLEASED WITH THE GLASSES TOO, LOL

POSING WITH MR. AND MRS. CLAUS   HOW DARLING IS SHE?

ADORABLE

CUTE ONE WITH ALL 3

THE TREE ON THE STAGE

After the play, we headed over to Mike's grandma's house to say a quick hello to Melody and Luke who had arrived while we were at the play.  The kids jumped on the huge trampoline in the back yard and we then we finally headed back to our house.  It was then pizza, Christmas sugar cookies and hot chocolate, the Grinch on TV, baths, and then finally it was bedtime.  I think Grandma was more tired than they were though, lol.  The next morning Melody and Luke had arrived too so we made a big pancake breakfast and let the kids run around and play.  Melody and Luke left to go and visit some of her friends who were also all in town for the funeral on Friday night, and we headed over to pick up Jeffie and Cody.  We got Mc Donalds for lunch and went to the park to let the kids RUN and play.  If I could just figure out a way to harness all their energy, lol. Grandpa got out there and ran with them, but Grandma sat on the bench WATCHING most of the activity perfectly content, lol. They ran for well over 2 hours.  They all enjoy being together soo much.

ON A RARE AND BRIEF BREAK FROM ALL OF THEIR ACTIVITY, GRANDPA SNAPPED A PICTURE

After the park we loaded up and went to see the new kid movie Frozen.  Again, soo fun.  The kids were as good as they could be, but 5 kids settled into a movie theater with popcorn, candy, and a drink was not as easy as I remembered, lol.  Or maybe Grandma is just not as quick as she once was it was more like it, haha.  But they all enjoyed it including Grandma and grandpa, though Grandma saw him dozing once or twice, lol.  After the movie we checked out a few Christmas lights and took Jeffie and Cody back home much to everyone's dismay.  I think they would have like to jumped onto the spending the night with their cousins at grandma's house too, but truthfully with Mel and Luke also there we were pretty full.  Plus I knew the next morning would be an early rise to get ready to go to church and get them back home.  We stopped for a quick bite on the way home and got them home, bathed, and settled in for another Christmas movie and another couple of Christmas cookies.  Charlie Brown this time...one of my favorites.  The kids went to sleep a lot quicker this night.  I think we may have finally wore them out.  Sun morning we got up early, dressed for church, packed up their things and all headed down to San Diego for service.  Mel and I and Luke took another car as we were going to go and meet up with Jessica later that afternoon to register for her baby shower.  After service we all went to lunch and visited quite a while and then Mel and I headed out with little Luke.  We met my sister Danae and her daughter Jessica at Babies R Us and spent the next 3 and half hours helping Jessie make decisions.  Truthfully I spent a lot of that time sitting in a rocker in the store holding a peacefully sleeping Luke.  By the time we were leaving it was dark and this gal was downright beat I am not going to lie, lol.  Thankfully hubby had some dinner ready for us and we all headed into bed pretty early after that.  Whew....I am tired just writing this all out living it over again.  Soo many sweet things were said and did.  How I enjoy them all would be hard to describe.  I am soo blessed.  Hubby headed out to work this morning, and Melody went to the airport to pick up her husband and little Sam.  How she missed him!  3 full days is a LONG time to be away from a little 2 year old.  They are going over to spend the rest of this day and evening with Mike's family, but will be back here to go to bed tonight.  I am picking things up ~ what a whirl wind with soo many little ones in the house! ~ doing some laundry, putting up this post, and then I think taking a much needed nap, lol.  Hope you are all enjoying these days before Christmas.  I don't think I will get another opportunity until after the whole thing is finally over, so let me take this time to wish you all a VERY blessed and merry Christmas!  How I thank God for everyone of you!  I will probably do some visiting though it seems as though most of you are as busy as I am.  Praising God for His Son!  MERRY CHRISTMAS to all!