Mia Bella Vida.....My Beautiful Life: A Palm Tree Christmas

Hi friends! I know there's some really cheesy "last year" joke that I could use to describe how long it's been since I've blogged. But it kinda feels like it's been that long, huh?

This holiday season was one for the books. Here's some of the highlights

After watching some kids carol on Sesame Street, Bella and Mia decided they wanted to carol too. Since I don't know my neighbors all that well and I can't handle the cold for long periods of time, I decided to take them to the local nursing home.

It was such a riot! I knew that when I agreed to take them it meant that I'd have to sing along too. And oh my holy night--I was awful. Like really awful. I'm not sure what happened but from the first note I sang I was totally off-key. And to top it off--our audience members don't have the greatest of hearing so I was asked to sing louder! Uuuggh! Thankfully I had two really great backup singers who belted through the carols like they were Johnny Freakin' Mathis!

It was the perfect start to our Christmas season.

And we continued to sing every day. Our favorites were Jingle Bells, Santa Claus is Coming to Town and Rudolph. Wanting to musically redeem myself in the eyes of my daughters, I decided to bust out my flute from the 7th grade and I actually sounded alright. Sa-weet! This mommy was cool again!

Ya know, in that band camp kinda way.

But no matter how much I tried to slow down and treasure the true meaning of the season, I couldn't. There was so much to get done--so many (self imposed) tasks to cross off my list that, at times, my stress could be felt by everyone.

Every year I tell myself that I'm going to do it differently, but it never seems to happen. This year though, it was only stressful for a short period of time. Once we had our bags packed and we boarded the plane for Los Angeles, I let all of my worries go. We were so excited to go back again. Excited to see all the family that we miss and talk about every day.

Excited to proudly introduce everyone to our newest family member. To let them fall in love with him the way we have.

It wasn't long before Chance felt the warmth and security of our West Coast roots.

And in an instant Bella and Mia were reunited with their ol' gang again. It was like no time had passed. From sleepovers to play dates the kids were together all the time.

Laughing and playing the way they used to.

At our friends xmas party, they got to sit on Santa's lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas. Five bucks says that Mia is telling Santa that she wants a white Cinderella dress. Another five bucks says that Santa told her that Cinderella usually wears a blue dress. And an additional five smackers says that Mia very matter of factly informs Santa that Cinderella DOES TOO wear a white dress at the end of the story when she gets married and that this is the exact dress that she wants.

Like every other 5 month old child, Santa freaked the shit out of Chance.

Since it rained all bloody week we spent most of our time indoors, playing around and enjoying each other's company.

And since Disneyland was out of the question cuz of the rain, my in-laws treated the kids to Disney on Ice. It was my first ice-skating show and I have to admit it was fun. Watching Jessie and Woody attempt a triple lutz was highly entertaining.

And watching Mickey magically order around about 30 live broomsticks was enough to make me question what my popcorn was laced with.

The daily christmas carols continued. Although, after the nursing home debacle, my daughters grew wise and kicked me out of the band. I was no sooner replaced by a

battery operated Bing Crosby.

I reunited with old friends and shared a laugh or two or three.

Isn't this adorable? My love, my Chance.

We'll always remember this Christmas. We boarded the plane with such full hearts, happy to have spent this holiday with the people that mean so much to us. We arrived home two days after Christmas and the girls actually believed that Santa was waiting until our arrival to leave some presents under the tree.

I guess Santa got my e-mail.

Mia was amazed that he ate the cookies.