Wow! This month has really flown by! I can't believe it's been so long since I updated our blog. We've definitely been busy getting ready for Christmas. We're so excited to spend it together this year! Here's a pic of the kids seeing Santa on Sunday. Ella was very serious and told him she wanted a pink Cinderella puzzle (of course, the first I've heard of it. mustfindcinderellapuzzlethisweek!). And Benson hated him. Obviously.
Crystal & my Dad came out for a visit over Thanksgiving. It was lots of fun showing them around the island and doing some 'touristy' things together. Ella started preschool the first week of December, and she loves it! She goes to a school very close to our house 2 days a week. They had a Christmas program on Friday, and it was so cute to see the little kids dressed as the nativity scene & singing Christmas songs. One of Ella's songs was "Mele Kalikimaka" which she pronounces "wiki wiki maka." LOL She is VERY excited about Christmas this year, prancing around the house singing "Happy Birthday, Jesus." It's really cute.
James is officially home on leave for the next 2 weeks, and he's very relieved to be done with his combatives training that he's been teaching for the last 3 weeks. We're happy to spend some family time together before he travels to Minnesota in January to brief their National Guard unit. I'm sure the winter weather will be an awakening for him. We aren't missing the cold at all!
Tomorrow James and I celebrate our 5 year wedding anniversary. We can't believe how quickly these 5 years have gone. James joked this morning and said it felt more like a reunion. He's got an evening out planned for us, and apparently I don't need to know any more than that. It was my job to find the babysitter. We never get to go out, so we're looking forward to it!
Here's a link to our December pics on the Kodak Gallery:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLanding.action?c=14moigfq.484m8dra&x=0&y=ppi72f&localeid=en_USWe hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!
We hope everyone had a great Christmas! Here are some before & after pictures of Christmas day at our house. 
