McCall 2011

Last year we started a new tradition with four other co-workers and their families of going to the McCall Winter Festival. We rent a big house and all share in meal preparations and enjoy time just hanging out and visiting all of the beautiful snow sculptures that people create! Sam's favorite was definitely the one with the mine cart, ski lift and snowmobile we got to sit on...she liked it best because there was lots to see and lots of space to run around plus she was allowed to touch anything there. My favorite was the outhouse...someone had a good sense of humor :) The theme was celebrating 100 years of McCall so there were plenty of trains and logging trucks along with a few Sharlie sculptures which apparently is a local legend around there.

Hop 2 It

We took Sam to Hop 2 It for the first time the other day. Hop 2 It is basically a warehouse with a whole bunch of blow up toys for kids and their parents to go on...they have obstacle courses, a ball pit, slides, jump houses and sporty bounce things! We got there and figured Sam would be scared to death since she's pretty much afraid of everything, but we were wrong...she was still cautious but wasn't scared by any means. After an hour of jumping and going through obstacle courses she had totally worn her dad out but we did stay for a while longer...mommy even jumped a little with her too even though baby brother was comfy on mom's bladder!! ;)

Christmas Day

I had to work Christmas Eve night, so when I got home we opened presents from each other and Santa then webcammed with my in-laws and exchanged our gifts that way. This Christmas was by far the best one!! And I'm sure they're only going to get more and more fun!! Sam definitely understood things a lot better this year! And although it took us 15 minutes to talk her out of her bed and her toy room, when she came out to the living room and saw her kitchen and stocking from Santa her eyes just lit up as a perma-grin appeared across her face! She did much better with opening presents as she instructed mommy to "pull pull" on all the wrapping paper to help her get it opened :) We still had some trouble keeping her on track with opening all of her presents as she got so excited with each present she didn't want to open another. But, we eventually got through them all and she couldn't decide which one to play with, although her favorites appear to be her kitchen, her "Sweet Pea" doll, the Veggie Tales movie, Pistachio, Mr. Potato Head and her Dora book with all the little figurines in the back. After presents we put the ham in the oven and all laid down so Mommy could take a nap while Sam watched Pistachio three or four times over :)

Christmas in Spokane

Due to the nature of Michael and my jobs, we unfortunately end up working over most holidays. So we went back to Spokane a few weeks early to celebrate Christmas with my family and pick up gifts from Michael's family to open Christmas morning over the webcam. While we were there we also went on a lights cruise across lake Coeur d'alene.

Sam showing off her stickers to Grandma that she got in her stocking...

Peeking at the present before she got it all the way open

Watching the water as the boat cruised across the lake...

The wind blowing in our faces on the lake cruise

Getting ready to start the lake cruise...Sam was more intrigued with the water hitting the boat than she was with the thousands of lights...

Decorating for Christmas

Christmas this year has already been so much more fun than previous years! Samantha is way more involved with everything from decorating to going to see the lights! She loved helping put up and decorate the tree! Although she could not get the ornaments on the tree very well, she did enjoy putting the candy canes on...and later taking them off to eat! Watching her face as we drive by decorative houses and hearing the "ooohhh", "wow", "lights" and "flash" from the back seat has been sooo much fun!!

IT SNOWED!!! YAY!!!

Well we got our first big snow last night and Sam was just in awe at the little white flakes falling from the sky! It was sooo cool to watch her face as she looked up in the sky then down at the ground and back up at the sky again...lol. One of God's mysteries lil' girl...just enjoy it :o)
So this morning we woke up and I pulled out the snow suit I had bought two sizes bigger at the end of last season...well should've just gone with one size bigger :o( It was WAY too big! So off to Target we went...and the girl managed to spend way to much of my money way too quickly! But we left with a new coat, boots, snow pants and gloves!
We came home, got all dressed up and headed outside...the little princess that I have decided she didn't want to touch the snow AT ALL. But she'd walk through it and tell me to throw it :o) She plopped down on the sled and wasn't entirely sure what to think when I pulled her around so we left it stationary and basically mom just threw snow at her the whole time- which she loved! I don't know how it's possible but man I love this girl more and more everyday! What a princess!!