The Dodd Squad

Talk to Santa, a photo by J-Rae Dodd on Flickr.

Our visit with Mr. Claus in a bit more detail...

Christmas is my absolute favorite! Here are some fun things we did leading up to the big day!

We got an Elf on the Shelf this year! The kids named him Rocky Top and he really did work. The kids loved it! Sam especially loved telling on the big kids to him. I would catch him talking to Rocky Top. It might sound something like this. "Rocky Top, Addie told me I was bad boy and she hit me. I not bad boy Rocky Top. I not!"
We went to the Christmas Parade...

Some cheerleaders gave Logan and Addie these really big suckers and this made them really happy!

The night before Christmas Eve, we had a surprise night out. We told the kids to get dressed in red because we were going to see somebody who loved the color red. They were happy to see it was Santa Claus!

I know these pictures aren't great but this is the best we could do without having to spend a fortune! Sam would not get close to him but he would stand next to Logan. He told Santa from a distance that he wanted to motorcycle and a racecar. Logan and Addie were not shy at all!

We kept the surprise alive...after we were done visiting with Santa, we stopped at McDonald's to get hot chocolate then climbed aboard the Minivan Express to go look at Christmas Lights. It was so much fun! The kids were impressed! We drove through neighborhoods with very, very big houses. Addie was hoping she would see the princesses who lived in those houses. She is such a dreamer!

Sam won the prize for staying awake the longest. By the time we got home, he was the only one still awake! What a great, fun time!

Since Christmas was yesterday, I better get our Thanksgiving pictures on here...oops! Seems like forever ago but here they are...

We had the best turkey ever this year! Addie was a turkey in her Kindergarten program! SOOOO STINKIN CUTE!!!!!!!!!!

Thanksgiving Day---

We ate at my sister Gina's house! It was yummy and fun but just not super. Jennifer spent Thanksgiving back in the hospital (boo!), David was working (boo!), and Gina's husband Philip was also working (boo!). But we made the best of it...

Love this face!

The Oreo Turkeys have become a tradition!

This was Mamo's first Thanksgiving with us! WE JUST LOVE HIM!

We stopped by the fire station to visit with daddy on the way home!

This little boy was just too tired...

Station 3 has a pet...it's a gecko and Addie held it!

Sam woke up for hot chocolate and marshmallows...

Day after Thanksgiving at Nana and Pop's house...

Look at these turkey cookies...so cute and so yummy!

David got a present from his brother Jon...yes...he received a picture of his brother Jon! I just don't even to have the words to explain this but it was sooooooo funny!

And then David retaliated! This is Jon's truck and yes, that is Jon standing beside his truck with the mounted picture. Again...I have no words to explain! We laughed and laughed and laughed! I am laughing again! I love this family and I love laughing!