Decker the Halls

Grandma and Grandpa Decker left snowy, wintery Texas (after a 3-hr-plus de-icing debacle on the airport runway) to come spread Christmas cheer in California. They jumped right into the Christmas chaos and ran errands, snuggled babies, and played with preschoolers, so that two grateful mommies could get some last-minute Christmas shopping and organizing done. (How could we have done that without you?!) Some highlights of their visit were:

• bonding time with Andrew, showing off his tricks
• the "First Gift of Christmas!" (as Caleb called it): "Mimi's and Movies" Basket
• Making hundreds of Christmas pretzel kisses with lots of helpers to make it go quickly
• Highlight for the kids: Super Franks and sleepover with G&G
• Highlight for Mom & Dad: Christmas party and a night at the Hyatt Hotel--sleeping in and gingerbread pancakes--heaven!

• Celebrating Grandpa's birthday--chocolaty-chocolate cake and no matches to light the candles (oops!)

• Turkey dinner on Sunday (while the babies napped--woohoo) with cousins and G&G

• Christmas FHE by G&G--retelling the Christmas story with visual aids and lots of helpers
• Caleb's cute enthusiastic performance at his school Christmas sing-a-long (video taped by Grandpa in case mom missed anything while wrestling a very active one-year-old)

• Pedicures with the girls on Natalie's birthday

• Discovering computer-animated lights and Santa's sleigh in a nearby neighborhood

• Visiting Santa, who, even though Caleb did not know what he wanted for Christmas, told him, "No problem, just send me a letter or write me an email."

• Saturday morning "Christmas" breakfast with cousins and G&G--enjoying "down time" in our pj's while the kids played
• Watching our kids and their grandparents together--so much love!