The Baranko Family: Christmas 2015

CHRISTMAS!! The kids were at such a fun age for enjoying the magic of Christmas this year. They were so into everything, it was such a joyful time.

Isolene gave Claire this princess tea party set a couple days before Christmas on her last day of work, and it was a HUGE hit - Claire insisted on bringing it along with us in a little backpack everywhere we went. Rose & Kirah gave her this Cinderella Barbie that was also a huge hit. Claire always has to be the Cinderella cup and saucer. Sometimes (like in this picture) she lets Cinderella have a turn.

The past couple years we have gone to Key Lime Cove with the Carpenters, but since they weren't making the trip this year, we went just the four of us right before Christmas. It was a lot of fun!

Luke lost his first tooth!! We knew it was loose, but we didn't know it fell out until the next morning. Luke told us "Yea, it fell out last night while I was in bed and I put it under my pillow, but the tooth fairy didn't come!" Uh-oh! Isolene had changed his sheets that morning, so we were sure the tooth was lost forever. But the tooth was found, miraculously, and the tooth fairy came that night instead.

Christmas Eve was spent with G&G B & Ben and Linda, who had just made it into town

Luke did not love his outfit. After a big fuss I told him if he took a picture in front of the tree he could change into his comfy clothes. This is the picture, nice huh?

Flowers we gave to D&E that my friend Hannah did, she's just started her own flower design business. So pretty!

Helping Uncle Ben with his gift

Butterfly wings from B&L were much loved by Clairebee

the brothers both got drones! what a fun toy for these big kids

Hats from Grandpa for everybody

Cash register

Flying around the rooms

Christmas puppy

Luke took this one

Linda mimicking Luke's picture taking pose

Luke made sure to remember to put out milk & cookies for Santa and apples for the reindeer (he didn't like my carrots idea for the reindeer, he told me that they like apples better)

Santa hits the Baranko house

Santa got an earnest last minute request from Luke to bring him underwear, and he delivered!

Christmas morning!!! Claire goes right for her new Elsa nightlight.

Luke starts playing with his garbage truck

Checking out her new dollhouse

These things are always a fave

marbles and chopsticks in his stocking

Showing Barbie Cinderella and Elsa night light around their new digs

Hot cocoa

Riding her pony, who she named "Claire"

"Shine a light" magic books

D&E had given Luke this build-your-own wrecking ball kit the day before. It was a bit advanced for him, so Dad ended up spending a while Christmas morning putting it together so that the glue would dry and become a toy that Luke could actually start wrecking things with.

Cinderella glass slippers in Claire's stocking. She took off her own footie jammies so she could wear her new shoes and was walking around the house in just her glass slippers.

Then she decided she needed her Cinderella dress on to go with her new shoes.

Snowman pancakes

Bloody Mary's for the adults! Yum!

New slack line toy from D&E worked great in the new basement between two poles

later Christmas Day we headed to Brookfield to celebrate with G&G M

New book for the new reader from K&C - they had sent all their gifts

New recliner chair like the one Luke got for his birthday!

Delicious crab leg and lamb chop Christmas feast

Admiring the ornaments with Grandma

Sleepy girl after a big couple of days!

Finally, the day after Christmas we celebrated at Grandma Della's.

Aunt Susan got a kick out of watching Claire play with her old tea party set.

Jason brought a girl to Christmas, his first time bringing a girl to any family function:) Pretty special! Jenny was really cool. She is cousin approved!