Maple’s First Birthday and Irvine Park Christmas Train

Can’t believe we’re only six days away from Christmas! Catching up on some beginning of December events…

Maple’s First Birthday party was a a chic Winter ONE-derland party and the birthday girl was stylin’ on her big day!

This year flew by! We were so happy to celebrate sweet Maple.

Parker was a wonderful co-host and helped all the kids at the craft table.

The beautiful decor, dessert table and macarons were to die for… Maple is already such a foodie!

After celebrating Maple’s big day, we took our annual ride on the Christmas Train with the Kagels and Gerins.

Christmas Train in years past:

Let’s get this party started!

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Noah is a little outnumbered by all his girl cousins.

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Looking festive with their hot cocoa.

The line to see Santa was crazy ridiculous, and the Gerins/Kagels made the right call by heading back on the train to do some activities while we waited in line so the girls could talk to Santa. It was Meredith’s first time seeing Santa, after all, so we stuck it out for the picture opportunity, even though our time was probably better spent elsewhere. It may have helped that Santa had called them on the phone (I signed up through our city to have “Santa” call one night and ask the girls if they were being good sisters and ask them to clean up their toys!), but this was the first year the twins actually wanted to talk with him in person.

Samantha and Amelia kept themselves entertained while we were waiting.

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Meredith was jealous and kept trying to figure out how to get up that tree.

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Meredith’s first time seeing Santa!

First: nonchalance.

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Second: Confusion.

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Third: Betrayal!

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The progression of Meredith’s reaction is classic:

Once we hopped back on the train and got some food in her belly, Meredith was in better spirits, having forgotten the terrifying old man with whom her parents so negligently left her. She watched the girls win the inevitable inflatable animals at the carnival and giggled as Noah and the twins ran around the park chasing each other. Baby Hailey was so cozy and snug in her Baby Bjorn while Meredith chilled and took in the lights from her stroller.

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We can’t escape any holiday activity without getting roped into cookie decorating by the twins. It’s like they have an internal sensor that starts beeping whenever we’re within a three-mile radius of sprinkles and toxic food coloring.

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I have no idea how those three little bellies could consume such massive amounts of sugar, but they gobbled those monsters up like it was nothing.

Next year, Meredith and Hailey might get a bite!

Lots of love,

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Irvine Regional Park Train and Zoo with Noah

Trains, animals and cousin Noah? Nothing beats that entertainment value in Samantha and Amelia’s book, so when the girls found out we would be meeting Noah and his entourage (Cousins Allison, Zack, Ben, Great Auntie Lynn and Great Uncle Steve) at Irvine Regional Park, they cooperated lightning fast to potty up and get out the door.

Samantha and Amelia with engineer Noah.

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Last year, we rode the special Christmas train at the park to see Santa, but this year, the regular train was just as fun– except for a few minor technical difficulties. The tracks were slippery (or, more likely, we were all just too heavy from all those Christmas sweets) and the train had a hard time making it up the hill… after sitting stopped for so long, Samantha and Amelia were ready to jump ship. There were only so many “I think I can, I think I can” comments we could make to keep the girls occupied! Thankfully, Noah’s crew never fails to entertain.

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Last year on the Christmas Train:

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So much bigger now!

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Ben’s disappearing arm trick kept the girls occupied.

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After our ten-minute-turned-thirty-minute train ride, we walked up to the zoo; or, rather, I drove my car while Uncle Steve pushed the twins up the hill to meet me there. Thank you!

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Two little birdies.

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Fascinated by deer, or in Noah’s case, giant ornament decorations on the ground.

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What an entourage!

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Samantha was a big girl carrying her own lunchbox around and then thought it was hilarious to walk around with it on her head.

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Of course, Amelia had to follow suit.

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The girls kept asking the cougar if he would like anything out of their lunch boxes. I’m fairly certain he would have rather eaten one or two of the creatures holding the lunches… starting with the meatier one.

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Thanks for a fun outing, Noah and crew!

Lots of love,

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Auntie Lynn’s Hanukkah Party 2015

Samantha and Amelia think it’s fun that not only do they celebrate Christmas, but they also get to join in some of the Hanukkah festivities with Cousin Noah. Holiday jackpot!  Every year, their Great Auntie Lynn throws a massive Hanukkah party for friends and family and we always leave with tummies bursting with blintzes, lox, treats and latkes. This year, we didn’t make it for the actual party, but came over after naps when everyone but immediate family had left, which meant we had all the latkes to ourselves.

We heart latkes. So did Baby Girl– I think I ate for more than just two.

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Get your eyes off my bagel!

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Noah showed the girls his favorite book and made sure they understood that the main character was a “red truck.”

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The after party on the patio.

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King of the stairs.

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Playing Simon Says. Touch Noah’s nose!

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Samantha in a silly mood.

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Burning off all those latkes by chasing Cooper. Or was Cooper chasing them?

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The girls tried to teach Noah how to play Ring Around the Rosie but he didn’t seem much into girlie games like that!

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S and A quickly figured out that playing dreidel meant eating chocolate coins.

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Thanks to Great Auntie Lynn for the party and Cousin Noah for playing. Happy Hanukkah!

Lots of love,

 

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