The Tree, Temple Lights and Santa Pictures

A couple of weeks ago we got our Christmas tree from the local Home Depot. A lot different than my memories from growing up and going to a real tree farm and cutting down a Christmas tree... but it's the best we can do in Arizona. We got a Noble Fir this year (the kind that I grew up with) and I love it and the smell. Ellie helped me decorate and so far has been pretty good about not touching the ornaments too much. We get our Christmas pajamas at the beginning of the month so the kids can wear them all month so I tried to get them to pose in front of the tree. Poor Chloe doesn't look too thrilled with her sister's method of holding her!


My dad and Debbie came into town this last weekend since we were blessing Chloe. On Friday night we went to Mango's for dinner and then over to the Mesa temple to look at the lights. Ellie loved seeing all the lights and Chloe slept the whole time. We even managed to run into some friends from home in University Place - Ginger and James Coleman! (They live here in Arizona too but we don't see them very often).


On Saturday we decided to try out the Bass Pro Shop and their free Santa pictures. My dad and Debbie had given Ellie this adorable tutu with a matching headband earlier in the day. Well when it came time to get ready to go get Santa pictures done, I couldn't convince Ellie to change into anything else! So she wore her tutu over her jeans the whole night and for the Santa pictures. Pretty funny kid! While we waited for our turn for Santa pictures (they gave us a card to come back at a different time and avoid a long line) we went to Rubio's for dinner and then to Angel Sweet for dessert. We then headed back to Bass Pro and Ellie wrote a letter to Santa before she got her picture taken. I need to scan in the picture still but she wouldn't sit on Santa's lap - she left that to Chloe. She did tell Santa what she wanted even if it was very QUIET (A bicycle and helmet). Afterwards we walked around Bass Pro Shop for a little bit and checked out all the fun things in that store. And even had a scare of losing Ellie for a little bit too... that part wasn't my favorite event of the night! After Santa pictures we went to Barnes and Noble where Grandpa taught Ellie how to use headphones to listen to music.




And just because she's so cute - here are a couple of pictures of Chloe laughing that I managed to catch on camera: