A Very Merry Christmas

We had a great Christmas! Here are a couple of pictures, from our quick jaunt to Saint Louis and then back home. So much fun!

Jack and Helen both visit Santa!

We passed on the hour long line at Oak Park Mall yesterday for Santa, so today we visited the Zona Rosa Santa. This was the first Santa that Helen went up to and sat on his lap. Before she has just swiped the candy cane and run for the hills! Jack of course had a letter for Santa (probably his 6th letter for this year) and Santa told Jack he would deliver it to the North Pole. They took a cute picture together and it was free! That doesn't happen often. Here are a couple new pictures of the crazy Barrons.

I am done with the snow!

Well, snow is fun, and it is pretty, but I have had my fill for the year! Jack loves to play in the snow though. Helen likes it for a few minutes and then she freezes and says "I don't like it." I keep telling Jack to stop licking his lips because they will get more chapped. The other day, we were eating lunch at Frank's in Parkville. Jack got upset with me and said defiantly, "I am going to lick my lips Mom!" I tried not to laugh, as did Angela and Muddie. I am going to use that line sometime when I am mad! Helen just ran around as usual, making other diners regret that they had come to Frank's at the same time as us. I like to think that I burn off my entire lunch by chasing her around, but it isn't that easy, is it? Oh well, it's just a "phase" right?

Christmas Pictures

We took our Christmas pictures today. "We" was Helen, Jack, Muddie and me. It was a combination of getting Christmas pictures taken, Helen's 2 year pics, and a surprise for Steve's birthday. Well, they had to bring in an extra person because Jack was not wanting to get his picture taken. Finally, he cooperated, while Helen was posing the whole time!
They actually turned out pretty cute. Here are a couple of them......
While we were waiting we walked around the stores. Helen and I were outside of Hallmark while Jack and Muddie were shopping. She was running around too much inside the store so I thought we couldn't do much damage outdoors....right? She was walking on the ledge of the sidewalk when an old security guard walked by and said "Children are not allowed to walk on the ledge". Thanks buddy.

Mom, is it December?

Jack is anxious for Christmas. He has been a little miffed that we don't have the Christmas tree up yet. So, today I told him we would look at Lowe's. He said "No, we are not going to just look, we are going to buy one." And that we did. What a deal! $29 for a pretty Frasier Fir, and somehow I fit it in the car with Jack and Helen. Let's see what it looks like when we get it up. ...