Fast Take Picture Catch Up

We've been pretty busy at the Shaw-Chase home and in all our busy-ness we managed to lose our camera, yet again. For those not familiar, Wim and I have been unable to keep a functioning camera for much more than a year. Actually, I was getting attached to our last camera as I think we did manage to hold onto for about a year!  We have been married a little over 5-years and are now on our 4th camera.

In anticipation that we will be traveling to bring home Clara Rose shortly after Christmas, we are going light on the decorations this year. The day after Thanksgiving, we got our tree and put it up with the usual fan-fare and grumblings over the lights.

True to the Holiday Sprit was a very happy Gabrielle who is almost bigger than the tree we got, which is much smaller than we usually get.

Josie was very excited to dump out the decorations-- am I glad I didn't unpack the "Good Ones" this year!

Wim and Xavier topped off the tree later in the evening.

Of course, Josie wanted to imitate her Guh Guh.

Time for some holiday tunes courtesy of our in-house rockers.

The next day we went to visit an Alpaca Farm and all the kids had fun hanging out with these crazy looking animals that like to "blow kisses" at people from not quite far enough away.

There was a small obstacle course and the kids were able to take turns walking an alpaca through the course. Gabrielle helped Josie's friend Angeline walk and alpaca.

Josie was a little apprehensive, but after watching Angeline, she asked her Guh Guh to help her. Xavier acted like he wasn't that interested, but we all know he had a good time.

In case you can't quite see it, She is one happy little Dong Dong walking the alpaca around

What's not to smile at? Did I mention they like to "blow kisses" at the crowd?

The following weekend one of Josie's friends invited to have breakfast with her and Santa.

"MMmmmm. This good food!"

"Josie, look hind you!"

"Wat dat? Who dat?"

"HO HO Ho!"

"I'm a perfect little angle"

Josie still prefers to admire Santa from afar, although she did give him a couple of high fives.

In addition to Santa, the fire dog was also making rounds. Josie enjoyed watching her very brave friend Grace play with the fire dog.

Moving along with our Holiday Spirit and Christmas cheer-- Josie kept asking me if we could make a gingerbread house. Everytime she would see a kit in a store she would ask to make it. So, I broke down and got one of the kits. After a bit of frustration, my advice to others embarking upon such a project-- look it over and figure out how YOU would put it together and don't pay attention to the directions.

"Look at me! I make a candy-pop house!"

"Mmmm, I want to eat dis. Mommy, I eat dis?"

"This is very serious work."

"Quick! Mommy's not looking! Oooops! Did she take a picture?"

"Look at my candy-pop house!"

Even the cat was interested in the candy-pop house-- and she isn't too interested in most things.

Lastly, Josie and I are talking more and more about Clara Rose. Josie is helping me re-organize their room so Clara Rose has space for her things as well.

"Dis is Wose's cwib."

Josie still says, "No Wose." sometimes. She also tells me that "Wose" will not be sleeping in the new cwib because she is going to, "sweep next to Josie in Josie's cwib."