Vienne's 3rd Christmas, Part II

After our "Christmases" with my family, we packed up the car and headed out for our first "Destination Christmas" with Mark's family.  We rented a large glorified cabin in Cle Elum, WA - a tiny little wintry town a few miles away from Leavenworth.  Our intention had been to rent a home in Leavenworth but we couldn't find one that fit our requirements in time.  This house turned out to be perfect and ideal and the amount of snow that blanketed the entire town was a real dream come true.  Here are the pictures from that trip...

(Oh bunny....Vienne didn't love the drive to Cle Elum so much but once she got there she was rewarded for all her patience!)

(We were the first to make it to the cabin and Vienne was immediately itching to play in the snow...we threw on the first coat we could find and ran out there!)

(and all she wanted to do?....EAT IT!)

(the "cabin"...how idyllic is that?!)

(a view from inside the "cabin" - how my Christmases have looked like in my dreams....warm and cozy inside and LOTS of snow outside)

(cousins playing - Vienne and Ellie)

(Grandma Lynn and Vienne)

(Grandpa Tom and Vienne)

(Mark playing with lincoln logs as only a boy at heart does)

(the cute cousins ~ Ellie, Luke, and Vienne)

(dear Aunt Kinsey and Vienne - how sweet is this picture?)

(one of my favorite photos)

(she had to make sure he tasted as good as he looked)

(mmmmm....SNOW!)

(sledding with Grandpa Tom)

(cold after long hours in the snow)

(silly Grandma Lynn - they dug this tunnel to the front door)

(the sledding hill at Lake Cle Elum)

(uummm....GORGEOUS)

(Aunt Becky and Uncle Dan - Mark's brother and wife, Luke and Ellie's parents)

(cute cousin hugs)

(always eating snow)

(playing in the snow was a perfect opportunity for wonderful family photos by Kinsey.  I love and cherish the beautiful shots she captured that day)

(the entire family...a treasured photo)

(the BEST family photo EVER!  Look at Vienne!)

(Mark and his siblings - Daniel, David, and Christy)

(how they really behave)

(Christmas morning)

(peaking!)

(checking out the gifts while we wait for everyone to wake)

(Christmas crab dinner)

Vienne's 3rd Christmas, Part I

Vienne's third Christmas was probably my favorite Christmas.  She was 2 1/2 and this year was spent with Mark's family.  Before we left for Christmas with Mark's family, we had two other Christmases with my family;  one with my Dad and one with my Mom and Stepdad.  We shared a sweet dinner and gift exchange with my Dad and my sis and her husband, Jeremy.  The next night, we spent at my Mom and Tom's house for another lovely dinner and gift exchange.  

Then, we left for our trip, which turned out to be one of the most idyllic Christmases in my book....which I will write about in the next post.  ;)

(opening gifts from Poppy, my Dad.  I just love her face, here.  Along with my parents, we had purchased a play kitchen for Vienne this Christmas.  She hadn't received it yet, but Poppy stocked Vienne up with beautiful wooden containers for her kitchen.  He knew our love and preference for wooden toys over plastic.)

(opening gifts ~ I LOVE how she runs to throw the wrappings away after each gift.  She is just way too cute)

(blowing out candles with Aunt Kate - I LOVE this photo...such joy)

(my sister and my baby - I need to write a special post sometime soon, just on how close these two were.  Katy loved Vienne like her own, with such a fierce fierce love.)

(Christmas dinner at my Mom's and Stepdad's.  She is wearing the sweater dress she wore the year before...my tiny girl...sitting like such a lady ;) )

(my little ham wanted to climb over and under the chair rather than sit on it for pictures)

(playing with her buddy, Bob, my Mom's puppy)

(a silly time dancing with Grammy and Aunt Kate)

(pwesents!!)

(cute Grandpa and Grammy...and Bob)

(the kitchen!)

(a fort-tent!)

(and just for some comical relief...this Guy.  Yeah, I'm married to him.  He's special.  The boys in our family like to get goofy and have a lot of laughs, as you can tell)

Vienne's 2nd Christmas

On Vienne's second Christmas, she was 1 1/2 and turning into quite the little doll.  As you can see from the following pictures, Christmas was all about Vienne.  That year of 2009 was spent with my family.  Up until last year, which was Vienne's last Christmas, she was the only grandchild on my side.  She made Christmas.  She was the first and became the standard for children in our family, on Christmas morning.  This will be the first Christmas with the two new grandchildren in our family - Ivy and Miriam, my sister's new daughter.  How do you start all over again? 

(all dressed up for Christmas Eve Dinner at Aunt Kate's and Uncle Jeremy's house.  I loved this vintage handmade dress and can't wait for Ivy to wear it...doesn't she look like a doll?)

(sooooo much love between these two - my sister, Aunt Katy)

(I miss those cheeks.)

(3 generations of girls - Vienne, me, and my Mama)

(Vienne and her Poppy, my Dad - they were also very close)

(Feeding Grammy)

(oooooh...nummy!)

(Christmas Eve presents)

(Christmas tree at Grammy and Grandpa's)

(Christmas morning, peeking over the railing at the stockings)

(I remember the 3 of us were up early, with V, on Christmas morning, waiting for everyone else to wake and open presents!)

(while we waited, we read "Twas the Night Before Christmas")

(a little tutu from her stocking...love her bed head)

(I just love her patient little stance as she waits for me to figure out the toy...look at her little hands and her patient cherub face!)

(reading new books with Daddy)

(a new baby doll)

(I loved this picture....so domestic:  holding her baby and "vacuuming")

(Christmas night, wearing a favorite Christmas sweater dress...how sweet is she?)

(with Aunt Christy.  Oh, how she loved her Aunt Christy....FUN Aunt Christy! {Mark's little sister})

(Mark, V, and Poppy)

(Vienne!  Are you picking your nose!)

(Christmas night time hugs)

I miss her.