Santa Photo 2014

Okay so it's been over a year since I've posted anything to the girl's blog.  I apologize to all those who still even check the blog.  First I was waiting on photo's from Matt then life with two just got a hold of me and I've been running.  Lots has happened in a years time, which I'll get to soon to catch you all up.  In the meantime, we wanted to say Happy Holidays!

'Tis The Night Before Christmas.... And Who Should Arrive?

I know one little girl that is all whooped up about the night before Christmas!  This year we had a VERY special visitor come a knocking - apparently sometimes when little girls become big sisters just before Christmas this special someone will come to you to visit your new baby sister and make sure that you are being a very good big sister.  We just happen to mention to Dylan that someone was coming to visit her but didn't say who when what do our ears start to hear but tiny bells a ringing and a big 'Ho, Ho, Ho'.

So off to the door we do go...

and who comes walking in but Santa - Whooooaaaaa!

Here is one starry eyed little girl.  For once Dylan was speechless.

Santa is checking his list for Dylan's name - now which column should Santa check - naughty or nice?

Worried D... but wait "Santa meet my baby sister" - distraction, yeh, that's the trick.

"See Santa, I will hug her, pet her, squeeze her and call her George"

Thanks for the visit Santa - "That was the best Mom, Santa came to our house, I can't believe it!" - you sure made one little, I mean big girl's night!

Happy Christmas And Merry New Year

Oh my gosh Christmas, where do I start there are so many funnies stories! First there was the Christmas tree decorating - at one point Dylan stands back puts her hands over her mouth and says "Ooooooh, it's sooooo beautiful". I'd say the tree has been decorated about 50 times - I think she finally got it right as it's remained the same for a few days now. The tree has now become the home to many Fisher Price Little People. Everyone that comes in the house now has to look at Dylan's Christmas tree and her toddler bed - contractors included. Best of all was Christmas night dinner - we were all gathered around and I asked Dylan what she was thankful for, with out skipping a beat she says "I'm thankful for my ginie" as in v-ginie, south of the boarder - uh, we were all holding back the laughter but tears were streaming down our face. Dylan turns to Auntie Beans and says, "Auntie Beans why are you crying?". Priceless!

The making of this year's card:

So for the few Christmas's Dylan's had in her little life time, all whom are close now the stories of the failed traditional Santa pictures - I've tried, honestly. So it's become a new tradition (and more our style) to come up with more of a comical Santa photo. This year my December quickly started getting away from us as we got tied up with remodel and work. In the back of my mind I was trying to come up with this years theme. It's the first year in many that we were actually staying in Seattle so I wanted to do something to represent our home town. Since I was working Dylan's sitters had all kinds of fun festive activities lined up - one of which Madison took Dylan to the Space Needle. Dylan has been dying for months to go to the Space Needle so it was her lucky day! Apparently they had a blast - Dylan loved the elevator ride and the view from the top deck. When they got back down there was a photo booth set up. When Dylan was asked if she wanted to get her photo taken her response was "I want to do it myself". So she jumped on deck and when the photographer said "put your hands on your hips" she did exactly what she was told but only with a little sass. With each photo you are given a receipt with a code in which you use to go online and select a back drop. The original one the girls selected was a great shot of Seattle. Later when I got home I jumped online and found the Santa option and bingo there was our Christmas card. Thanks for your help Madison - turned out perfect. I then asked Dylan what she wanted to say to everyone and her response "Happy Christmas and Merry New Year". done, it was a wrap.

A Christmas flashback.....

Hawaii 2009:

Berlin 2010:

So here's to a Happy Christmas and Merry New Year to you all from the Clark's.

A Visit To Santa

Our good friend, Kristie's office was having a Christmas party and rumor had it that Santa was going to attend. "Oh boy, Kristie knows Santa" was the talk of our house for a few days and Kristie was a ROCKSTAR! So the day came and we grabbed Kristie and headed over to Bellevue. Every one was so nice and sweet and we sure had a great time. Here's Dylan meeting Olivia. I can just hear her now "Hi Olivia, I'm Dylan Clark. I like your dress."


"Hey Mom, look!".

After a few snacks and Christmas cookies - which reminds me of one of many funny stories from the day. When Dylan walked in she headed straight for the snack table and helped herself to a chocolate cookie with green frosting. She ate most of the cookie and then walked away distracted. A little while later Dylan came back over to the spot and saw a man eating the same kind of cookie and says "mom, oh no, that man is eating my cookie!". I thought the man was going to shoot cookie out of his nose he was laughing so hard. Thank god, no CPR was preformed.

Then came the big moment when Santa arrived! Let's just say up to this point Dylan was quite talkative about Santa and the two of them meeting. Upon his arrival she got a bit quiet and I thought "Uttoh". Santa soon settled into a cushy red chair and called all the kids over (about 25) to come sit around him and his little elf. He then called the first name to come get their present. After the second name was called, Dylan stands up (mind you I'm across the room) and says with her hands on her hips and then up in the air in a questionable position - "Hey Santa, I'm thinking you have a soccer team.". "Do you have a dog? I'm thinking you have 9 of them.". Oh man, classic Dylan, not a dry eye in the house. Then she sits down for a few minutes before standing up again and says "Hey Santa, where are your reindeer?".

Then the big moment - "Dylan" Santa says. She jumps up and runs right up and hops on Santas lap. Santa had done his homework and knew about Dylan's bike race so they talked a little about that. Then Santa asked what she's been into and her response "my little people" - Santa hadn't a clue that she was talking about her Fisher Price Little People so he said "You have your people and I have mine".


She got a little shy at the end but all in all it went well.

Then the next little boy who got called up didn't do so good, so Dylan jumped up for a little moral support.

Towards the end apparently Dylan was still full of questions as she jumped up and said "Hey Santa what are your reindeer's names?". She was now testing him - luckily he named them all. Her response "My dog is named Maggie.".

At the end all the kids opened their presents together - I can't believe Santa got 25 kids to all wait patiently to open their presents but he did. Dylan got a cute little alphabet machine which she thinks is so cool.



Thanks so much Kristie, what a fun time. And yes, Dylan still thinks you are a rockstar - we all do actually!

Oh No Santa - Not Again!

Another Christmas another year without a picture with Santa! Honestly I really did try - again! You'll have to look back at last years crazy Santa pictures if you don't remember the story. SO THIS YEAR we were going to Europe in PLENTY of time to get a picture with Santa. Well who knew or should I say didn't know that they don't really do the whole Santa picture thing in Europe. So year 2 and still no real Santa pictures. Have I failed as a mother or have I just started a new family tradition of finding the funniest "Santa" possible - which I'm totally okay with.

We were walking through a Christmas market in Berlin when we came across this Santa statue. Not completely knowing yet about the lack of a real Santa we decided to shoot this as a back up and thank goodness we did! I love the statue like look on Dylan's face - it matches the look on Santa's face.

So serious - or possibly soooo cold!

Ha! Okay now she's having fun.

Family Santa photo fun! So now that we have a new family tradition you'll have to stand by for next years exciting Santa story!

Santa Jeff, a Little Hula Girl, & An Elf Named Jill

Well here's a very funny story. Before leaving for Hawaii I thought as a mom I should start the traditional Santa pictures. You know get a shot every year of all the stages - the screaming sitting on a scary man's lap, the "wow, I'm going to make a good impression on this guy so I can get everything on my list", and the "oh god, I'm way to old to be sitting on this guys lap, hope none of my friends see me!" - all good, classic stages, all making for a good laugh and it's part of history - right? So since we were spending Dylan's first Christmas in Hawaii I asked Auntie Jill to search for a good Hawaiian Santa - you know to go with the theme of Christmas in Hawaii. Jill and her friends searched for a good one and had it all lined up. Little did anyone know, apparently Hawaiian Santa's stop working on the 22nd and we got in on the 23rd! After our plane landed we headed over to Santa's village to check it all out. We saw the schedule was only until the 22nd but thought oh for sure he's still working! So the next day (24th) we headed down and nope, no Santa. "Oh crap, (pardon my french) I've failed as a mother!!!". So Auntie Jill and friends got on the horn searching the island for a Santa, but no luck. "Double crap!!!!" I thought. So we quickly came up with plan b. One of the farm Wolfer's (work trade person) had a beard and was totally into being our Santa guinea pig - THANK YOU JEFF, is all this mom can say! Everyone searched their closets and we came up with a Santa outfit - okay it's a little pathetic but on such short noticed it had to do. Jeff got really into it, even came up with the idea of putting flour in his beard to make it white. He was a trooper! So after Christmas brunch and D's morning nap we loaded up the car and headed down to Santa's little workshop in the strip mall - thank goodness it was still up. And since it was christmas we had the whole place to ourselves. We got in an entire photo shoot - thank goodness d's dad is a photographer! At first d wasn't so into it - I think she wasn't quite awake from her nap so the actual Santa's workshop shots came out just okay but then we headed out to an open space where they had a big Christmas tree decorated. Jill and I found this very cute little hula outfit at Target of all places. By this time Dylan was waking up and totally into the photo shoot.

Thanks Santa Jeff! What a trooper let me tell you.

So now we have Dylan's first picture with Santa. Next year I'll be first in line at Santa's little workshop, that's for sure!!!! Thank you all for your help!

Thanks Santa Claus!!!!

Dear Santa,

Thank you for answering my wish for the really super duper coolest ever radio flyer retro rocket! You are the best Santa!!!!!

Love, Dylan Ray Clark