We definitely got into the holiday spirit this year! I tried to fit as many Christmas-y activities into the month as I could to get Riley really excited for Christmas. She was able to understand that Santa would be coming to deliver presents on Christmas Eve while we were sleeping, but we had to be good! However, she still wouldn't go to the mall and take a picture with him. Her response, "No! I'm scared!" Maybe next year!
Puppet Show
Just down the street from where we live, there's a house that puts on a puppet show on their front porch every year. There is several different puppets that dance along to Christmas songs- some with lyrics of their own and some with the original lyrics. It was a really cute 30 minute show and Riley loved it! It was her 2nd time and my 1st :) Andi and Daddy stayed home where it was warm!
All of the puppets were hand carved by the puppeteers! So amazing, they looked awesome!
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| famous for their upside down Christmas tree! |
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| the stage came right off of their porch |
Naples in Long Beach
Riley has really been loving all of the Christmas decorations and lights on everyone's houses! Whenever we go somewhere and we're driving down the streets, she'll look out the window and say, "Look! Lights!" "Santa!". One night Ruben and I decided that we wanted to take her somewhere where we could walk around and see a lot of lights! So we took Riley and Andi to Naples and walked up and down the street looking at all of the beautifully decorated houses. It was our first time there, and we will definitely be going back every year!
A few of the houses we saw...
The Nutcracker
This year was my first year going to see the Nutcracker with my mom, grandma, sister and brother-in-law and I LOVED it! It was at the Long Beach Terrace Theater (in Long Beach, CA) and we attended the one in the afternoon. I brought Andi with me since I didn't know how long I would be away from her (I am exclusively breastfeeding) and she just slept in the Moby Wrap the entire time... what a good baby :) I really wish I could've brought Riley too, but I'm not so sure she would've sat quietly for 2 hours. Next year I'm hoping she'll be a little bit more patient because I know she would really enjoy it.
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| 4 generations in one picture! |
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| Andi's Nutcracker ornament |
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| Riley's Nutcracker ornament |
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| random picture of Riley being silly! |
An Oceanside Christmas
Every year the Emmsley family gets together before Christmas and we do our gift exchange and celebrate early, making it easier to be with other families on Christmas Eve/Christmas Day. For a few years now, we've been going down to Oceanside (where my grandma Lani lives) for a weekend and we exchange gifts and hang out together. We usually do brunch on Sunday at Dini's by the Sea (in Carlsbad), and then everyone heads back home. I love getting together like this because we always have so much fun! It truly feels like the holiday season when you spend it with loved ones.
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| Hawaiian style Christmas tree! |
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| crazy penthouse party! |
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| Grandma "Nui" |
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| It's not an Emmsley party without a little poker ;) and YES, Ruben won! |
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| Pops and Andi |
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| jacuzzi bath time! |
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| learning a little too early... |
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| grumpy at brunch! |
On the way back home, we stopped in Whittier to celebrate Grandma Connie's (Ruben's grandma) birthday! What an amazing family-filled weekend!
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| Andi and her aunties Felicia & Nicolette |
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