Christmas Eve & Christmas Day 2011

Not sure who the little boy is in the back....

Christmas Eve was spent in Fairmont Hot Springs with my mom & dad and sisters, along with Perry and the boys. As soon as we arrived, everyone headed down to the pools for a nice swim. My mom had water wings and a swimsuit with built in floaties for Hunter. Hunter took to swimming a lot quicker than JP did.




As soon as we walked through the door, JP turned around and headed the other way. By the end of the swimming trip, JP was done crying and had laughed and smiled a few times. He even sat on the stairs by himself. Hunter had enough confidence to walk around the shallow end a few times. By the time we got back to the room, JP was too exhausted to even speak. He just laid on the bed and mouthed his answers.

After cleaning up from the pool, we gathered in one room to have sandwiches that Kim made, along with ham & cheese rollups and puppy chow. Not a typical Christmas dinner, but it sure was yummy! This is when I started the present giving and gave out my gifts of wine. Of course the boys wanted to open gifts so one by one they started. Out of no where, someone yelled that they saw Santa out the window and urged Hunter & JP to go check it out, and of course by the time they got to the window, Santa was gone. About twenty minutes later, Papa Craig saw Santa out the window so the boys went running to the window again, only to miss him again.

We continued to open gifts and laugh together. Suddenly Hunter shreaked, "I saw Santa! He was out the window!" He got off his chair and ran to the window. Everyone else missed him that time. We had planned for Santa, a.k.a. Papa Craig, to dropped their presents by the door, but not until morning. Once again about ten minutes later, Hunter said he saw Santa out the window. This time Papa Craig ran into the hall and let out his HoHoHo as the boys eagerly ran to the door. By the time they got there, Santa was gone, but had left his hat and their presents. Aunt Bobby took Hunter running down the hall to see if they could find him. JP wandered down the hall after them, clueless. They had so much fun opening presents when they finally got back to the room!

Once the boys had all their presents opened, it was off to bed for them. They were so tired! Not having naps and then swimming and eating candy should have wore them out sooner than it did! They were exhausted little boys, but they didn't go to bed right away. It took a few trips into the next room to quiet them down. Meanwhile the adults played Papa Craig's dice game called Craigslist. : ) Winner (myself!) received the gift Kile brought, consisting of a little Santa, some chocolate, and a bottle of wine from Poulsbo, Washington. The rest of the evening we spent opening our Santa presents and then a few of us took at late night swim.

My family + Nanny & Papa & the Aunts

The next morning we all went to church in Anaconda and then returned to the hotel for a quick bite to eat and to get photos by the tree. In Fairmont, that's almost a "have-to" thing. Then off the four of us went back home to see what Santa had left for us there. (Before we departed the day before, we set up all of Santa's gifts and stockings so they would be ready when we arrived.) After long naps in the car, the boys were ready to open presents as soon as we got home.

JP says "go way"    

Hunter says he got 5 cars

Santa gave Hunter and JP a "really cool" tool bench!

The gift Hunter had been waiting for....

We went Christmas shopping in November with the boy in tow. JP was going to get a keyboard of some sort, and since Hunter was in the right place at the right time, he scored himself a guitar. Silly mommy wrapped it without turning it to off. So every now and again (which was pretty often) this gift was bumped so Elmo would start talking. Pretty sure this is one of Hunter's favorite gifts. And on my list of "I can only hear it so much." See video below.  : )

Looks like we have a rock star on our hands! He repetitively asked Perry and I last night "Are you ready to dance?!"