We have just returned from our 2011 Holiday Road Trip!!! And we had the most fun EVER!!!!!! We picked the two big girls up from school on Friday at noon and told them we were going on a SURPRISE road trip!!! My girls LOVE road trips and we always do crazy weekend get aways and never tell them where we are going until we get to the destination!! I've learned that they don't ask as many questions and everyone is eager and ready for an adventure!!! Anyway as bags and we went to the cities to stay downtown and see the holidazzle parade!
Ryan and I always take the kids and watch the downtown Holidazzle Parade together-so it's no huge surprise. But every year we LOVE it! There's really something magical about it! Everyone has their hot cocoa in hand and has the Christmas spirit! The kids were bundled up tighter than fort Knox and we had a super time!
Ahnya and Magnus were happy and content in the stroller for the event!
We spent the next day at the Mall of America and the kids had so much fun! Gabbi told me, "Who knew shopping could be this much fun!"
We had an early appointment to visit Santa Claus on Saturday morning! The kids had an amazing time talking with Santa and listening to some of his stories. The kids actually spent about 25 minutes with Santa and it was so fun to watch! Santa got out of his chair and sat on the floor with all the kids because his lap wasn't BIG enough!!! Ahnya told Santa that Magnus was on the naughty list and that he was a rotten lil brother and he stinks! Ryan and I just pretty much died laughing! The two older girls are seasoned veterans when it comes to Santa visits and they are always very behaved! Not Ahnya! She is major work in progress.
After seeing Santa Claus we took the girls to the American Girl Store! If anyone knows our girls-then you know they have been waiting and WAITING for an American Girl doll! I was boy-cotting the American Girl Store for years because I didn't really think my little girls "fit" the whole American Girl theme! I mean they aren't exactly "American" and the American Girl doll doesn't have adoption related themes....blah, blah. blah...I plain didn't see the point in our family. But they wore me down...and it's not about me and my beliefs anyway. They're little girls and they love their American Girls dolls!!
Magnus was an A-M-A-Z-I-N-G baby for this trip! He shopped great and sat in his stroller with his sister Ahnya the whole day without much complaint!
My friend Jami had told me the whole experience of getting the American Girl doll is actually GOING to the store with the girls and picking it out and etc!!! So with that advise (thank you Jami!) Gabriella had the BEST time picking out a doll that looked just like HER! And to Ryan and my surprise, she named the doll her Russian birth name-Yulia! Ok, American Girl has us now HOOKED!
Here's Jocelyn with her doll that she picked out! She picked one that looks just like her! Jocelyn said to me, "Mommy I want an Asian doll that looks like me!" And she named her doll, Ka In, which is her Korean birth name! I'm so proud of these girls because they are proud of their birth countries and heritage! I tried to get a picture of Ahnya with her doll but she wouldn't cooperate!
After that we went to Under Water World at MOA. They've done great renovations with the sea life at Underwater World! I was impressed! Very educational, informative and not as rushed as before!!
The girls loved the sea turtles the best! Ahnya and Magnus LOVED the hammer head sharks!!
The kids ended the day with plenty of sugary sweets and we were all exhausted!! They ALL slept on the way home!! What a road trip to remember!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Santa Claus came a couple days early to our house before he set off to Europe and left the kids their gifts in their stockings!!!! Some gifts were TOO big to fit in their stockings........
Ryan and I always have our "own family" Christmas the day before Christmas Eve. So Friday was our day to celebrate!!!! The kids played with their Santa gifts all day while I worked on dinner!
We opened our family gifts that evening. The girls opened their American Girl dolls and accessories.
Magnus loved opening his gifts that night....but then be didn't seem to care by the 2nd and 3rd day at the grandparents homes.
Ahnya was all smiles....
Jocelyn...always appreciative for the gifts.
And my Gabriella...had a very special night, too!
We celebrated Christmas Eve day with the Johnson Family at the farm!!! It was a super fun day! Always busy...and always fun!!!
Here's Nana & Bumpa with all the Grandkids.
My beauties.....................................................................
Ahnya and Harley are "naughty" and "naughtier".................................
We went to the Schlenner's on Christmas morning and spent the day there. It was another fun day and the kids in good spirits!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Happy Holidays and God Bless Us All...Everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
