Here comes Santa Claus

One of my dearest friends, Jessica, invited our family to her Christmas party. She works for an airline company and they held the party in hanger.

The main event of the party was Santa arriving on an airplane. The kids were so excited to see an airplane up close. We had talked about it on the way up there and in all the excitement about this particular part of the afternoon, I guess we overlooked the first thrill of the day which was a school bus. They had parking about five minutes from the airport and then a school bus that transported you from the parking lot to the party. Little Man was beside himself with excitement. He was jumping up and down...literally. I was holding his hand as we stood in line for the bus and my arm was being yanked all over. He greeted the bus driver with wide us and then surveyed the scene before him. Rows and rows of green benches and the smell of school bus (I had forgotten that smell, but it came right back to me). Not a car seat, a booster seat, or even a seat belt in sight for that matter. So this is what takes the big kids away every day. He excitedly choose a seat and then plastered his face to the window continuing to bounce up and down with excitement. We could have rode the shuttle school bus all afternoon and he would have been thrilled. When we got off the bus and the thanked the driver, she said he was her favorite passenger. ggg Kiwi, on the other hand, had a death grip around Mike's neck and had very few comments about the adventure. She did tell Mike repeatedly that she "no loves this bus."

When we got to the party we were greeted by Jess, who was one of the people in charge of it (she did a great job!) We were also able to see her parents and grandma which was a treat for me (I spent many hours with her family growing up). When it was time for the first airplane to arrive which did not hold Santa, but did have some pirates, Jessica made sure we stood right in the middle front and center. When the doors open, there was this plane coming right towards us. The kids were mesmerized. Then the pirates got off and gave out coins and stickers and said Santa was on his way. After enjoying some of the festivities, we saw Santa come in on a big jet plane. First came the elves and then the jolly old man himself. Later, Little Man spent quite some time breaking this event down. Why the reindeer weren't on the plane, just how many elves had come from the north pole, the fact that they had brought the reindeer harnesses, etc. It was pretty cute to listen to.

It was a wonderful fun filled afternoon. Thanks Jess for inviting us!

Kiwi bouncing in a Sesame Street bouncy house. I don't know what it is about this picture, but there is something about it that just looks so grown up to me. Maybe it's her face which seemed to have suddenly lost it's baby chub or her crazy curls that now brush her shoulder blades...or maybe it's that right before this picture she climbed into the bouncy house without a second glance and me and proceeded not only jump, but fling herself over some of the little barriers inside laughing the whole time and generally acting like a big girl. And I guess she kind of is.

The pirates

The best picture I got of Little Man on the school bus. Imagine a face this excited times about ten and you'll get a pretty good idea how wound up he was for most of the ride.

The little plane coming in with the pirates.