Christmas Time

You know the Michael McClean song I Cry the Day That I Take the Tree Down? I don't really share that sentiment. For some reason it feels like a good and happy thing to take the tree down. I often wonder why I feel this way, because I love Christmas. I haven't come up with an answer. I just thought I'd let everyone know what was on my mind. Anyway.

We had a wonderful Christmas. Something about a six-year-old brimming with excitement, explaining to the three-year-old all the wonders that await her on Christmas Morning give the season an almost magical touch.

Here was our Christmas morning:

Little Hallie was adorable, ripping paper was fun to her. And she enjoyed her gifts...

But every parent knows that the real wonder begins at the magical age of 3. Since this little girl asked for, "thingonail poliss," it was easy to go above and beyond her wildest dreams (so fun to watch)...

And what did Brecken get (I love taking pictures of genuine smiles)?...

An Easy-Bake Oven?! Uh!!! No way!!!! Ok. She had been telling everyone since December 25, 2010 that this would be her request to Santa, so the surprise element wasn't totally there, but the thrill factor definitely was.

Merry Christmas!...

I know, you probably thought this was over. But I thought I would be a little wordy, and let everyone not in the mood for wordy end satisfied. So those not in the mood for wordy: Happy New Year!

This Christmas Season was really wonderful for me. I really felt the spirit of the season, and had so many opportunities to think about Christ, His birth and His life. When I truly pondered, it was little wonder to me that though His birth was centuries ago, the world still celebrates the amazing miracle of Jesus Christ each Christmas. His birth marked the beginning of His life. And His life's purpose was to show us the way, atone for us, die for us, and prepare a way for us to live with Him again.

It was interesting to watch Christmas movies this year. A theme that struck me was the "Believe" theme. Don't get me wrong, I love Santa Clause. I love movies about Santa Clause. We even watch Polar Express every Christmas Eve (well for a couple years anyway :]). But I find it very interesting that in a lot of the movies they equate the magic of the season to believing in Santa Clause. And of course, if you don't believe in Santa, then the magic of Christmas is gone. When you've given up "believing" you enter the realm of "Grumpy old Christmas Hater"(maybe the themes weren't that harsh).

It made me grateful to realize that the true wonder of the season isn't believing in Santa Clause, it's believing in Christ. The spirit of the season is the spirit of Christ. The wonderful feelings at Christmas time aren't something to be given up as a grown up, because Christ is real. The feelings of love and kindness don't stem from magic, or reindeer, or presents; they stem from Christ, and I truly feel like He blesses the world with an abundance of His spirit at Christmas time. Anyway, belated Merry Christmas, everyone! And because I really feel it right now: I love you all! ;)

Remembering Disneyland

We recently had friends swing by and stay with us. Their daughter, Emma, is a little older than Brecken but it had been a year since they had seen each other. On the day of their coming Russ said "Brecken, do you remember Emma?"

Taylor interjected, "I do! I know Emma! I remember Emma!" We couldn't figure her enthusiasm knowing she probably did not really remember Emma. But she continued, "Emma C, see ya real soon. K-E-Y..."

Yes. Somehow everything gets back to Disneyland.

Perhaps this post is better suited for our Cute Things blog, but since I'm adding pictures it'll go here.

Our Disneyland spoils...

Happy Halloween

What an original title. This year was a very happy Halloween. What made it so joyous? The one year old. Trick-or-Treating has never been so amusing. Once she realized the name of the game she clutched that little plastic pumpkin like it was her life source. She toddled along, bucket in one hand, dad's hand in the other; no smile, strictly business. And the other girls were of course cute too. As usual.

Here is the little bumble bee...

All smiles once she got home and could delve into the goods (no making fun of her toes hanging over her her sandals, we had a shoe crisis just as it was time to leave)...

Oh, so cute. I love this girl...

And this girl at every house said "I'm a chicken." So adorable...

Doin' what chickens do...

And last, but certainly not least is our beautiful fairy. I don't know how she managed, but she literally had twice as much candy as Taylor, and three times as much as Hallie. She was leaving everyone in her fairy dust as she flitted from house to house. I love this girl. She's too much like her mom :)...

Happy Halloween.

Random Joys of Motherhood

Just a few things that have made me smile recently.

There are times when all grows quiet. You bask in the quietude, then fear what it means. You search out your children, wondering what has produced the sudden stillness, and find this...

Other moments are simply amusing...

And there are some times when you just have to laugh. Even a year an a half later...

The Happiest Place on Earth

The Harrington Family did it. We had our first annual week-long family vacation. I know, I know. You're probably thinking we vacation all the time. And we do. But this was our first real, week-long vacation (with our whole family and no one but our family).

So where to, on this momentous occasion? We wanted to go somewhere that would spoil us for the rest of our vacationing career (can I say that? is that an oxymoron?) Somewhere that would make every vacation after this seem lame by comparison. Girls, we're going to...

Disneyland!

We started the trip off by visiting family in California (but who takes pictures of that?) which was amazingly fun, and shamefully overdue. The rest of the trip, well, with about a thousand pictures to weed through... gear up for a long post. Because I know you want to know every nitty gritty detail of our week of awesomeness.

Day 1 of the Beach ...

Hallie discovered her love for the ocean (if you'll note she has a rock in each hand, her first love is still for rocks)...

Brecken is showing me a seashell (sorry, I accidentally blurred it a bit too much). Her first love. I think seashell collecting was as impressive as Disneyland itself...

And Taylor discovered her love of chasing birds...

And also the sorrow of defeat. After defeat...

Day 2 of Beach...

This time Huntington Beach, which we have decided it is the best beach in California the world.

This picture is even more adorable when you know that Hallie is not walking. She stood in this exact position for an entire minute...

Dad and his girls...

And now for the good stuff. The Happiest Place on Earth...

I will start with the Princesses. Brecken could not rest until we had seen Cinderella. It mattered not that we could get on any ride we wanted to in less than ten minutes, Cinderella must be seen. Hour long line and all. But, may I say, every minute of the wait was worth it...

Rapunzel...

And then there were lots of pictures of lots of princesses, but moving on. We ran into Alice...

Minnie's house. Where every minute my back was turned Taylor was running back to hug Minnie's leg (ruining dozens of strangers' family pictures, no doubt)...

Enjoying every magical crack and crevice of Disneyland...

And the rides! The tea cups were a general favorite of the kids (not so much the dad's- something about spinning round and round)...

And Hallie's favorite ride was the train. In all seriousness. She waved to everyone and everything. She loved it. I don't know who had more fun: Hallie waving, or me watching Hallie waving. Probably Hallie...

And Taylor on the train, just 'cause she's cute...

Our own Sleeping Beauty (hey, Disneyland will do that to you)...

LAAH! (that's my attempt at a chorus singing) It's the Disneyland Castle!!!! And us in front of it (us minus Hallie-she's taking the picture)...

Brecken and her most prized posession...

And there were two favorite things to see in Disneyland: The "mean queen" opening the curtains of the Snow White ride (that's a picture of Taylor's face when she saw the queen)...

And the parade. It was un. be. lievable...

At the end of the day...

Disneyland Day 2 (which was really California Adventure)...

In the morning while getting ready the girls were occupied. Much to Taylor's dismay I had to answer "no" to the question: "Is MegaMind in Disneyland?"...

There were more rides...

And fun random moments...

And, of course, more characters to meet...

We brought so much food with us every day. Eating was almost as fun as riding the rides. Actually not. But it was fun nonetheless. This is us eating lunch (just in case you didn't catch why I was mentioning the food we brought)...

And when all was said and done, Taylor's favorite ride was the carrousel. Really. She tells that to everyone. So when you look at this picture, you are looking into the face of perfect felicity...

Day 3 of the Beach...

Huntington Beach was so perfect we had to go back again...

This time so Russ could do this...

And this (oh, he'd be embarrassed if he knew I put this on here)...

And Day 3 of Disneyland...

Our final day. The pictures of this day need a little preface. The previous two days of Disneyland, everywhere we went there were kids, adults, teenagers, normal people and weirdos wearing their Mickey Mouse Ears and Disneyland Shirts. Inwardly I scoffed (not at the children), equating them to nerds who dress up in their Darth Vader costumes on the opening night of Star Wars (no offense Star Wars Nerds). Well, after two perfect days of Disney Bliss, I was singing M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E on my way to the Disney Store. The ears were a bit much, but I could handle a shirt. We are now the Disneyland version of Star Wars Nerds (again, no offense)...

More characters (we met dozens... so feel lucky I spared you most of them)...

How Hallie entertained herself in the character lines (which were always longer than the ride lines)...

We kept meaning to get back to the castle and get a picture of the Harrington nerds family wearing our Mickey shirts in front of that great Disney edifice. But, in all honesty, we were having too much fun riding the rides, watching the parade, enjoying the fireworks, and reveling in the wonder of Disneyland to stop. At the end of the day, all three girls were asleep. So I took a picture, Harringtonless, of the castle.

It was an amazing vacation. There were no melt downs. The weather was beautiful. We rode our favorite (well, the girl's favorite) rides four and five times, Brecken found a million seashells at the beach, we met every character the girls had hoped to, and Hallie only had one poopy diaper a day at Disneyland. When so many things like that go right, I really have to say Heavenly Father blessed us so much.

Disneyland, M-I-C, See you real soon K-E-Y, Why? Because we like you. M-O-U-S-E.

(only, it won't really be real soon, but we do like you)