Getting Into The Holiday Spirit

As I mentioned in an earlier post the lovely MeMa and I have decided to spend the upcoming Holidays on the island of Maui. We have always made a big to-do of Christmas and New Years at the Manor but they were such an ordeal last year because the daughter's -in -laws were not speaking to each other which resulted in even more hard feelings. So right then and there we looked at each other and said "next year a warm tropical island", and Maui it is. All is well between the two now but our trip is entirely paid in advance and the house sitter is gnashing at the bit to move in so why spoil plans? We will have a family celebration on our return giving the "Little Terrorists two Christmas's, what fun!
I can't but feel a bit like an old scrooge though as I normally decorate the outside with masses of lights and ornaments. This year I put a string of lights in the front gardens Monkey Puzzle tree and MeMa purchased some over sized ornaments.

And in place of the large tree we normally have in the dinning room we placed this ceramic tree that was a family memento of MeMa's, and we splashed a few other decorations around to give a little Christmas cheer.




The nativity



Christmas photo's of our son's above the mantle, a good friend framed and mated it for us.

Last night Mema and I picked up Little Terrorist # 2, Brooklyn and drove downtown to the Macy's store to have pictures taken with Santa. The plan was that we would meet Little Terrorist # 1 Taeya and her parents and auntie and two cousins at Macy's and all have pictures together. We of course arrived at the scheduled time only to get a call that the rest would be another half hour away. Even with the best efforts at distracting Brooklyn he spotted Santa and took off running, climbed into Santa's lap and told him that he wanted a Helicopter. The photographer being well versed in the art of capturing Kodak moments when Kodak moments are made available started snapping shots immediately.




"I want a helicopter"
We didn't even get a chance to remove his jacket.

 Forty five minutes later the rest of the family showed up, and all was going well until Taeya was plopped next to Santa. Even with her cousin Olivia's best effort to hang onto her this was the only picture we could get.

Mia....Brooklyn.....Santa.....Olivia....and "I want my mum" Taeya

Hope you all have a fun Holiday season however you celebrate it and an even better New Year....Aloha!