The return to Kansas City

Sadly, our fairytale vacation in Kentucky did not last forever. Luckily, Shawn was able to drive us back to Kansas City and stay a week until Grandma Jen arrived. He spoiled me with an evening at Cheesecake Factory and a date night out for my birthday this year. When Shawn left, Caleb and Grandma spent every day upstairs doing school work while Aubrey snoozed and snuggled in her Grandma's arms. Mommy was busy trying to get back into the groove of dental school and was welcomed home by her beautiful children and wonderful mom that had savory meals and delightful desserts prepared every evening (not to mention a clean house)! Even Grampy Wally surprised us all with a visit to KC to meet his new granddaughter and celebrate Grandma Jen Jen's birthday. Caleb and I took Grandma on a tea-themed birthday date beginning with lunch at Classic Cup where we used our best manners and lunch etiquitte, then off to TeaDrops for some bubble tea and cupcakes!

Christmas in our new home

This year, we enjoyed Christmas in our new home with our new family. We enjoyed baking a birthday cake for baby Jesus and decorating cookies to leave out for Santa. Caleb insisted we leave out chocolate milk because Santa, "gets tired of white milk all night long". After mass, we sang happy birthday to Jesus and read The Night Before Christmas (as we have every Christmas Eve since Caleb's birth). Grandma Jen and Grampy Wally had made Caleb and Aubrey a special audio enhanced version of the story since we were not able to make it to New Mexico during Christmas this year. Caleb and Aubrey exchanged gifts and we decided it will be an annual tradition for Caleb to give Aubrey a snowglobe and Aubrey to give Caleb a nutcracker. This year, Aubrey received a 2009 Mickey and Minny snowglobe Caleb discovered at the Disney store and Caleb received a true blue University of Kentucky nutcracker! After our family gift exchange, we tried every bribe under the moon to put our ecstatic toddler to bed. Caleb could hardly contain himself waiting for Santa to come! He even heard bells ringing in the distance as Santa and his reindeer flew near. Our sleepy boy did not actually fall asleep until almost 11pm! The next morning Caleb woke mommy, daddy, and attempted to wake Aubrey and we all opened gifts downstairs from under the tree and our stockings. Later that day, we drove to Monticello to visit Nana, Papa and the Crabtree family where the cousins had a blast exchanging gifts and playing with their new toys. Aubrey, Jaedyn and Brylee dressed up in their matching dresses under Nana's tree.

The Jesus Birthday Cake Christmas morning

Bandit Caleb with his new toys Yee-haw partner!