We are back at home and trying to recover after two fun, busy, jam-packed, crazy weeks that we really just loved. Of course it started with Christmas... Christmas Eve-Eve actually, when we celebrated at my parents house by exchanging gifts and having fun opening the treasured "punch boxes." We shared a lovely Chinese dinner in the "A Chistmas Story" style (
fa-ra-ra-ra-ra!)
Cousins Samuel, Leia & Laylie sitting by the Christmas tree
Mamoe & Grandad holding their littlest grandchild, beautiful Rael
Andrew showing off what a punchbox is, exactly
On the 24th, it has always been a tradition spend the afternoon/evening at Grandma June's house. It was a fun time to celebrate with the extended White family and watch all the great grand-kids open some gifts.
Samuel leaving cookies, milk & carrots for Santa & his reindeer
Then came Christmas morning... I love spending Christmas morning at our home. Oh what wonderful memories that are made! I hope the boys will one day look back on their Christmas mornings with just as much joy as Andrew & I look back on ours!
Stockings!
Yes, that present was bigger than Micah!
Santa remembered!!! Just what he always wanted!
Our annual family photo by the Christmas tree :) I love how that photo changes every year.
That afternoon we headed up to Santa Clarita to celebrate Christmas with Andrew's extended family. Afterwards, we walked around some of the best Christmas lights we've seen all season with some of our dear friends, the Wisners.
On the 26th, we celebrated Christmas with Andrew's family at their house. While staying up there, the guys enjoyed 2 rounds of golf, and we had fun skeet shooting at a local gun club, and even enjoyed a fun double-date with our sibs Nick & Amy. Although it sounds very busy so far, it was really nice to have Christmas spread out over a few days. Oh, but just wait for the rest of the post...
The boys got cute matching sweatshirts from their Aunt Amy & Uncle Nick
One afternoon we had fun taking the boys to ride the ferris wheel
Happy Birthday Andrew! We love you!!!
Once we got home we had less than 3 days to officially undecorate, clean the house, grocery shop, meal plan, bake, do laundry, celebrate New Year's
and Andrew's birthday and then re-pack up our bags and the car for... Disneyland! My parents were gracious enough to invite all their children and grandchildren to enjoy 2 days at that happiest place on earth. To top it all off, we even got to stay together in a fun 2 bedroom hotel room. That's right, there were 14 sleeping bodies carefully arranged into that one suite. :) Here are some of the photo highlights of the trip...
More birthday fun for Andrew!
And the next morning... Micah was so excited for Disneyland!!!
Teacups with Mamoe & Aunty!
Everyone was mesmerized by the Christmas parade on main street
Samuel & Mommy ready to ride his (no-longer) favorite ride! He used to love this ride, but not any longer. His favorite ride is now the "Thunder-Thunder-choo-choo-train."
Autopia was Laylie's favorite ride!
Samuel was such a good driver
All the kids tried to pull the sword out of the stone
On day 2, we loved visiting the new Cars land in California Adventure. It was JUST like walking down the main street in Radiator Springs.
We stood in line to meet and talk with the real Tow-Mater! The kids loved tickling him.
Samuel getting ready to ride the Cars Racers ride... what a thrill!
The whole White family, posing in front of the big Mickey ferris wheel at sunset. Thank you Mom & Dad for this wonderful trip of a lifetime!
But we couldn't leave without just one more ride on the Tower of Terror...
This just about sums up how we were feeling after that! :)
But, on Friday, January 4th, we arrived back home just in time to welcome our sweet cousins from Georgia. What a special treat to spend the weekend with this wonderful family of 6. We took them on a whale watching tour off the waters of San Diego Bay, where we saw many, many whales and even some dolphins!
Getting ready to watch some whales!
The dolphins like to swim alongside the bow of the boat as we headed out of the bay.
We would watch as the whales would blow their spout into the air, and then flip up their tales as they were heading south to the warmer waters.
We were lucky enough to spot a mama whale and her newborn baby just on the left side of her! :) She was teaching her little one how to swim and use its blowhole!
On Saturday, while some of the guys went golfing, the rest of us spent the day at the Wild Animal Park. It was a perfect day, and we saw many animals and their babies (baby giraffes, a baby elephant, and a baby gorilla!) But, perhaps the most exciting part of the day was watching a cheetah run at top speed (over 60mph) for 300 feet! It only took the cheetah 5.4 seconds to do this!
Riding the safari tram and watching the giraffes
We loved watching the family of gorillas
So fun to have these Georgia Davidsons visit! We hope to see you again soon!
I told you it was a crazy two weeks! But so fun and memorable at the same time. We wouldn't trade it for anything. :)
