Santa's elves make an early arrival...

While touring local neighborhoods for Christmas lights we saw a little cottage with a big yard filled with probably 20 or more inflatable Christmas decorations. Liv was enchanted and decided she wanted a "popup" Christmas decoration for her yard from Santa. She specifically wanted a snow globe with a merry-go-round in it.

I think Santa had a tough time fulfilling Liv's specific wish but he did pretty darn well. A few days before Christmas Eve he sent his elves to set up 3 popups in our front yard! Liv was so excited when Chris and I woke her to show her the surprise. At first she was a little scared and wanted to go back inside. But after a few minutes of thinking about it she wanted to go right back outside to walk around and inspect her presents. Santa brought a giant snowman, Santa in a plane (with spinning propellers) and Santa on a sled with penguins.

Unfortunately this story has a sad ending; somebody swiped all but the snowman from our yard a few nights after Christmas. But luckily we had a chance to get some pretty good pictures to remember them by.

Capturing the candy cane swiper

I stepped out of the house to do some laundry in the carport while the girls played in the living room by the Christmas tree. When I came back Violet was crying and Liv dashed to her bedroom and I didn't see her again for about an hour and a half! And if you don't remember Liv doesn't take naps (hasn't since she was about 6 months old). So disappearing quietly into her bedroom for such a long time was highly unusual. I checked on her during this time and she was under the comforter in her bed. I was shocked.
She finally emerged with a lost look in her eye, shiny hands and hair that looked like a bird had made a nest in it. Here's what I figure happened.

Liv took a candy cane from the Christmas tree and ran out of the room just as I was coming in from doing the laundry (and she probably bumped Violet causing her to cry).
Liv hid under her comforter, removed the candy cane wrapper and started to eat.
And then, hold your breath, she fell into a sugary slumber.
About an hour and a half later she woke up and stumbled into the kitchen where Vi and I were having an afternoon snack.
Here she is after waking up (with the candy cane still in her mouth).


Here we are cleaning up the candy cane swiper.


Wrapper on the floor and the bed. The red is where she drooled on her sheets.





And I found this cute little munchkin at the scene of the crime but her alibi is solid as she was in the kitchen with me the whole time.