Letters from the Evans: Holiday Celebrations Day 3: Happy M Ranch

Let's face it, holidays are even more fun with lots of family there!

(prepare yourself for a long post with lots of pictures)

Clara is pretty intrigued by "Moby" which is her way of saying "Molly" and "Baby" combined I think :)

First things first, a shower!

Riding patient Maverick

Loves to read with Auntie M.

Molly was doing tummy time, so Dolly should too.

Me with sweet Molly Mouse

Love these girls!

Video:

Smile Molly!

There we go!

Ohhh, Lulu says it's time for gifts!

(We were a little worried that if we did our immediate family's gifts with the gifts from the big Meloy clan the next day she would be hugely overstimulated and overwhelmed. It ended up being a very good plan.)

First gift of the season:

It took her a few tries, but by the end of 3 days she had the hang of opening gifts! In fact, she was more than happy to open ANYONE's gifts by the time we got to the Evans'. I may have had to *ahem* rewrap a few because she didn't know they were for someone else and not her :) I also think she just likes ripping the paper! She never did get as into opening gifts in a bag - she just kept putting trash in the gift bags (even ones that hadn't been open yet.)

Love this picture of the 3 Meloys :)

A musical suitcase! whoa!

I guess she's seen us pack up and leave the house several times, because she quickly headed off, waving bye bye with her new suitcase haha. Her favorite part: the phone with a button.

"Bye bye!"

Molly's first gift. She was more of an observer than an active participant this year (very much like Clara last year). Next year she'll be all over it too!

Another one for me!?

And another one for Molly!

Molly loved the monkey!

The magnetic/felt easel Lulu & Papa got Clara was a huge hit!

This is AWESOME!

Good thing Papa had just as much fun playing with it as Clara did :) Well, maybe.

Clara's gift to Daddy was a huge DUCKA! The large duck is a really comfortable pad for by the bathtub since Daddy almost always does bath time, and a duck wash cloth that fits over your hand kind of like a puppet. Clara loved the gift she got Daddy :)

lots of giggles :)

I can wear it too!!

One of my gifts to Bryan was a marshmallow gun - meant for fun on Christmas Eve (more info on that later) and to exercise the dogs by shooting them across the yard :)

Clara received this awesome ride on zebra from Lulu, but she wasn't feeling well enough to bravely ride. She's going to love it once she's her usual daredevil self again.

Clara & Molly gave Lulu and Papa a frame and a picture book. I think they were a big hit too :)

Guitar hangers from M & G!

I think they were enjoying the girls reactions to all of this :)

What is it? it looks fun!

wee!!! weee!!! weeeee!!!

Video:

Oooo, another one.

It's a toddler laptop! Now when Mommy needs to do lesson plans, Clara can "work" too!

I put Bryan in charge of figuring out how it works and teaching Clara :) He IS the IT guy in our family after all!

Of course he's really good at being silly too!

Papa & Molly

Playing with some of her new and exciting toys.

Papa grew on Molly I think :)

Weee weee weee weee, around and around, and oops, fall down! too dizzy!

Not dizzy enough to stay off! Or even take a break to eat some raisins. They just hitched a ride with her!

"THIS IS AWESOME!"

Trying on Uncle G's "choos"

Mommy got Clara a "fun bag" that can fit a book, coloring book and has little pockets for crayons. This is going to be our "going to the doctor" or "to a restaurant" bag.