Thursday, December 8, 2011

Visiting Santa Clause 2011

Ashlyn wasn't totally thrilled about sitting with Santa, but she totally lost it when I got up to get out of the picture.  We tried all the "meeting a new person" tricks we had up our sleeve, like letting Lovey meet the new person too (see Santa's right hand)...but to no avail...maybe she'll appreciate Santa Clause more next year. :o)  Christmas tree is decorated now!  Tonight I wrap gifts and make a list of what else I have left of Christmas shopping and I will hopefully get to start sewing our stockings and tree skirt.  It's not on the diet plan, but I think I'll sneak in a big mug of Hot Cocoa too! 17 days until Christmas and counting!!!!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Jingle Bells!

'Jingle Bells' is one of Ashlyn's FAVORITE songs for me to sing with her when we get ready in the morning!  She also really likes 'Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer'.  That one is pretty funny because every time I say "Hey" - I have to say it softly or she gets startled and jumps a mile high! :)  Christmastime is officially here and you know I'm loving every minute of it!  We went to Murphy's Christmas Tree Farm this year to "hunt" for our own Christmas Tree.


We said we would let Ashlyn pick the tree...but between you and me....she doesn't know much about Christmas Tree picking, so we helped her out a little.

Can you see the tiny little ornament that Daddy hung for Ashlyn on what would become the 2011 Ryan Family Christmas Tree?....Yep...that's her paci. LOL!  We would pick her up and let her take it off and she would give it right back to us to hang back on the tree.  She is funny.

Gotta have a family picture!

Ashlyn watching them strap the tree to the car.  Next year we'll use more string to tie the tree down the first go around, since we drove about 20 miles an hour down the road (in a 60 mph zone) on the way home until we could get to the store to buy more.  You live and learn...

Mommy and Daddy got to go on a date night Saturday!  Uncle Joe babysat for the first time.  We went to dinner and then to the movies (can you tell that's our favorite thing to do for date night?!).  Mommy convinced Daddy to see Twilight...he only agreed because there was hardly anything else out except animated movies.  When we got back home we finished installing the new ceiling fan in the master bedroom.  The light in the old one had some bad wiring or something and it has been messed up for so long that it's weird finally having a light that works in there now!  Ashlyn kept climbing up the step ladder to 'help' Daddy.  I remember when I was little...I loved going out to my Dad's workshop to 'help'.  He would give me a scrap block of wood, some nails and a hammer and I would hammer nails for hours.  Oh the memories...
We've got our tree set up in the living room and lights on it...tonight we hang ornaments!  We got our annual Christmas Ornament Sunday when we took Ashlyn to visit Santa.  I'll have that picture next post.  She wasn't too pleased about being left on Santa's lap.


This is the ornament we chose this year.  It is inscribed "Our Little Princess".  I knew from the beginning that I wanted to do something that reminded me of Ashlyn's First Birthday...and since that was the birthday theme...we thought this one was perfect.  I put a picture of Ashlyn in the frame and it is the sole ornament hanging on our Christmas tree right now.  As soon as Ashlyn goes to bed though...it will meet all it's mates!