and this is how it went down...

so clueless.  i love it.

twas the night before christmouse

just like last year, we had a january disney trip planned. and given how much $$ disney costs, it was once again their primary christmas gift. i wanted a creative way to tell them about the trip, so i rewrote the words to "a visit from st. nicholas", "illustrated" it in powerpoint, and then had books printed from shutterfly.

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house
Not a creature was stirring. Well, maybe a Mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
And the Mouse hopped up and slipped something in there.

 

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While pirates and princesses danced in their heads.

Without waking the children or interrupting their nap,

The Mouse scurried away and was gone in a snap.

Out on the lawn, the Mouse joined the Mad Hatter,

And Alice, the White Rabbit, and of course, Cheshire Cat there.

The Incredible family – Jack Jack, Violet, and Dash,

Mr. and Mrs.  – joined the rest in a flash.

Donald and Daisy and Goofy and Pluto

Anxiously waited with Minnie and Toodles.

The sun was just rising – the moment was near!

The gang patiently waited for the kids to appear.

The children awoke and ran downstairs so quick

Excitedly grabbing their socks off the brick.

Found in each stocking was a note, each the same.

I read it, and smiled, and called them by name:

“Quentin! And Caroline! And Lilly! And Ginny! 

Are going to the Mouse House to see Mickey and Minnie!

First to the airport, then up in the air

You’ll fly away! Fly away! Fly away there!”

The children were stunned, their eyes opened wide.

They smiled.  They giggled.  “Oh my goodness!” they cried.

I glanced out the window, toward Piglet and Roo.

The crowd on the lawn, they celebrated too!

Figaro purred.  And Bolt gave a woof.

Tigger, he bounced all the way to the roof.

Mrs. Potts and Chip hugged the Fox and the Hound.

And Ariel danced with Sebastian and Flounder.

“I just can’t believe it!” Quentin declared.

Lilly went crazy and Ginny just stared.

Caroline giggled.  They all bounced and twirled

Together they screamed, “We love Disney World!”

Their eyes – how they twinkled!  Their smiles – how merry!

Excitedly they asked, how long ‘til January?

I told them not long – it’d be here before they know

It soon would be time to pack up and go!

We’ll see the whole crew in just a short spell

We’ll see Jasmine, Rapunzel, Aurora, and Belle.

Cinderella, of course, and Lady Tremaine

We’ll watch the parade by the castle and Main.

We’ll see Jessie, Bullseye, Buzz, Woody, and Wheezy

And Sleepy, and Happy, and Bashful, and Sneezy

And Snow White, and Grumpy, and Dopey, and Doc,

Nemo, and Dory and Peach, Bloat, and Jacques.

We’ll ride on Space Mountain; We’ll feast with the Beast

We’ll go on safari, and last but not least,

We’ll dress up like princesses and drive racecars too,

We’ll have a magical time, whatever we do!

Back on the lawn, Jiminy Cricket gave a little whistle

Signaling the Mouse and his team’s dismissal.

But I heard Mickey exclaim, ‘ere he slipped out of sight,

“Happy Christmas to all, and have a safe flight!”

it could have been good. in theory...

my exquisite jewels

christmas gift, hand-selected by Q

only 64 days since christmas

yup. finally getting to christmas. maybe i'll blog our disney trip before we go back there again.

 santa uses adorable polar bear wrapping paper and has very nice handwriting.  he took a bite out of each cookie and drank most of his milk.  the reindeer chomped their carrots.  the carrots had to have green (per quentin.)

the baby gate kept the horde of dogs away and also slowed the kids' assault on the gift piles.  cousin strategery below.

identifying their gifts

c'mon, mom.  we're ready to open them.

cousin party

plus beagle

santa brought caroline the xylophone she explicitly requested.

and he hit it out of the park with Q's color changer monster trucks.  (they change color when dunked in warm and cold water.  Q learned about them on youtube, but they do not have them in any store.  ebay for the win.  and a cringe-worthy blow to the paypal account.)

santa also found a "belle in her blue dress" - another very specific pickle request

stupid (mommy!  you said a bad word!) blogger loaded these sideways and i don't have the patience to figure out why.  santa also got Q some super cool star wars fighter guys.

the carnage continues

oh wow.  santa also scored a really good lightning deal for a cinderella castle play set on amazon.

and star wars angry birds.  if they just incorporate monster jam into the mix, Q would never have any cause to play with anything else ever.

immediate fun with color changing monster trucks.  hot.  cold.  hot.  cold  hot.  cold.  look mommy, digger is green.  now he's purple. now he's green.  now he's purple...

despite getting three awesome gifts from the big guy, caroline could not take her eye off the giant my little pony her cousin wrenny got.

hey that's me!

and more color changing.  it. just. doesn't. get. old.

futile attempt to get nice photos.  who am i kidding?  my children to not cooperate.

the gift tag on Q's shirt says, "to grandma, from quentin"

baby cousin logan is ready to get on with the show

giant stockings, bigger than kids

part one of present opening.  because we are cruel people who do not start opening presents until like noon.  and then we stop, mid chaos, when lunch is ready.

pickle stopped to read each book she got

omg!  princess sofia!  disney store sent it to me by accident and told me to keep it.  then, demand was so high people were buying them on ebay for more than $100.  if only i had known...

she also donned her super girl princess cape

Q's school had a fundraiser where the kids could go shopping for crap, i mean gifts, while their parents were in parent/teacher conferences.  quentin hand-selected gifts for each of us.  daddy received a desk set - a pen, a calculator, and a keychain.  daddy's favorite gift.  i got a *beautiful* necklace.  frampa, who never dresses up, got a fine necktie.

more chaos