McPherson Marathon: Christmas 2011

For Christmas this year we got to stay home (mainly b/c the Army said we couldn't leave our home) and it was not to bad. Our chapel did a Christmas Eve service and I volunteered Jon to be in a play. I don't recommend doing that unless you are ready to participate yourself as they turned the tables on me and said they thought Joseph and Mary should be a married couple so they could practice their lines at home. So Molly and Riley got to hang out with the Long family during most of the service as we prepared and participated in the play Joseph doubted. Jon did get Molly towards the middle of the service. And as he was supposed to be helping light the candles for the candle lite portion she let him know she needed to use the restroom so he ran her out to the bathroom, came in and lite the first few rows and then ran back out to get her. I was in charge of the lights and thought maybe he had dropped Molly off with Riley and Ch. Long who were out in the hallway eating all the Christmas cookies until he told me the story afterwards:) We had a dessert party after chapel at a friends house and I told Molly if she ate her dinner of pizza she could eat as many cookies as she wanted. I guess when you give a kid that kind of freedom they don't know what to do because she just kept begging for an apple and didn't eat any cookies - if only I could take after her:)
Christmas day we slept in, ate monkey bread, finished our Jesse Advent Tree, read the Christmas story and opened presents and ate some more! Molly loved everything and was in toy overload trying to figure out how to play with it all. The funniest reaction was to buzz lightyear that she got from her cousin. She really likes Toy story and Buzz is her favorite character and kept saying she wanted one so when her young boy cousin drew her name I recommended that and it was pretty funny!! Riley loved all her toys and enjoys playing with them when Molly doesn't walk off with them. She got a few stuffed animals. One was LeapFrog's Scout dog who you can personalize and she loves that he talks to her - she gives him lots of hugs and kisses until of course Molly grabs him and moves him! Jon got the ever exciting boots and head light from me but at least he still got me an awesome present - a Kitchen Aide mixer!!! In the afternoon we took a walk to the park and played for awhile then came home for some french dip sandwiches and both girls were so tired from no naps and an exciting day that they went to bed at 6:45!!
The day after Christmas we took Molly to Barnes and Noble to play with the train table and then went to our friends the Morken's for a post Christmas party - which had the most amazing finger food!!!! Queso! Hummus! Buffalo chicken dip! Bacon, ranch, chicken pizza!! Cayenne candied bacon!!!! Needless to say I enjoyed the food and so did everyone else:) Afterwards we went to see the Fireantz hockey game with the 3 BDE UMT. We tried to explain it to Molly but in the end she thought we were going to see princess hockey. The game was a little rough - no fights and the other team was leading 6 -1 when we left at 10pm.
Now for the fun part - PICTURES! Please note Molly is in many outfits b/c she feels the need to change ALL THE TIME.

Molly getting to open her Christmas eve present - A set of bears you get to dress up!!! Their first outfit of choice is pj's and then whatever else she can find.