If you are crazy enough to take
your kids to the mall...

I am not a big fan of malls or shopping, so why I took my kids to the mall on Christmas shopping weekend is beyond me. They were a little sick and weepy but I felt the need to get out of my basement that has become Santa's workshop. I forgot my stroller and was thrilled that our mall gives these little cars out for free while you shop.
The girls were dressed up to visit Dad at work in the afternoon. While I was sitting with the girls eating the yummiest pretzels that one could find in a mall two women came up to me saying ,"Where did you find those bows and smocked dresses?" These two women were so dang cute and after telling them all my eBay secrets for 10 minutes the one lady offered me to come to Annapolis and tour the Naval Academy and turns out the other lady knows my husband from work. All this conversation while my crazy kids spilled both of their slushies on the ground and threw the rest of their pretzels at each other. So I say if you take your kids out and they are crazy like mine dress them as cute as you can so that it will mask their poor behavior.
I won't be sending my new mall friends Christmas cards but will be taking the one lady up on the family tour of the Naval Academy.

We got to take the girls to see Jeff at work, I think this is their first time seeing what he does and where he works.
Caroline was just so thrilled to see that he had a chair in the office that went up and down. I thought this picture was priceless and when she is 30 I think it could be one of her favorites.
Our night ended with just about the best gift we could have been given. We have been totally overwhelmed and exhausted with all the secret Santa that we have been doing. I am amazed at how emotional it has been deciding what will go where and to whom. I don't like playing that person.
We were invited to our friends house for dinner and a gingerbread house decorating party. I think we must have walked in looking like zombies. Sitting down and eating a yummy warm dinner and doing something for Christmas just for us and our family was a needed break. I felt like I was at a catalog shoot for a Country Living Christmas edition. The feel in the home was magical. I can't believe I only took a few photos but that it always telling I had a great time. I felt like I wanted to lay down on their couch and spend the night but knew we had many more gifts to wrap for the big delivery in the morning. We left there feel rejuvenated by our night with them and motivated to finish the big project we had taken on.
We came home and wrapped and organized until 12:30 am and set our alarm for 6:30 am.