{a very merry} week in review: 8

we spent our first christmas together as a family in our own home. it was very low key, and although we missed our families terribly, it was really nice to not be traveling around with two small children.  i just have to say that i think i enjoy playing santa as much (if not more) as i liked believing in santa as a kid. i could hardly wait for coen to go to bed so wes and i could get everything put together and perfect for christmas morning, while munching on cookies, of course!

 
as we were walking downstairs to see what the jolly man left i was thinking about how next year, marin will be shuffling beside coen. i may have shed a tear over how happy that made my heart.  

he was so good about opening gifts. really sat and played with each thing. we strung it out all morning, while sipping coffee and eating warm cinnamon rolls. santa delivered "an aircraft carrier with metal jets" just like he asked for. score!

santa didn't forget about our littlest, he brought her this adorable rag doll. 

it was a very wonderful hawaiian christmas, indeed.

last week we had our playgroup over for a christmas celebration with the kiddos. everyone brought a wrapped book to exchange. my dear friend emily has a baby girl, geneva that is only a couple months older than marin. she also has a 3 year old, lucy whom coen really adores. to top it off she was one of my nurses in the hostpital when marin was born! what a special lady!

 

if i think about it too hard i think the idea of sitting on a old man's lap at the mall is creepy. i kind of wish that there weren't mall santa's, and that the identity of the jolly man himself was more of a legend. but coen really wanted to go see santa, and his eye seriously light up with magic when he did. and i decided that i have to let it go, and remember that to coen it is all very real and very special. 

soooooo, we loaded up and went to the mall and it was all very cute. after the visit we headed to hallmark to pick out a new ornament for each kid, a fun new tradition to conitue through the years.

 

 

 

 cute little cupcake!

and good old hallmark didn't let us down, they thankfully had an airplane ornament for our little pilot.

we hope that wherever you are this holiday season, you enjoy the many blessings around you. as i reflected on how much i missed my family and friends i was reminded that no matter where we are or who we are with, we have a savior to celebrate. hallelujah!