The 3 Santas

Our Christmas was going to be a humble one, this year . I even planned that we have a Wise man theme going on our first tradition of getting only three gifts to open, per person and ....Well the 3 Big Santas didn't let that happen.

Now Lana knows all about Santa....UH-OH

Santa #1 ~ Daddy ( Santa #1 Elf") worked on his gift to Lana no kidding for 5 hours on Christmas Eve. We didn't see the fine print on the box that said "Some assembly required" Boy that was an understatement. We had a "lack of sleep" hangover on Christmas morning.

This is Gift #1 (some assembly required)

Santa #2 ~ This one came to our house on Christmas Eve with a couple boxes of Gifts. The person dressed up like Santa's Elf only answered my surprised questions on who, what and why with this..."Just know someone in your ward was thinking of you...." Lana and Baby Tali scored CHA-CHING with a beatiful hand made dollhouse...dollhouse accessories to go inside, very nice Christmas story books, a beautiful winter coat for both girls , 3 preschool games, a huge tin of cookies, candy canes, and Wilton cookie cutters for me ( I claimed them cause I'm the only one that can bake) an ornament...ect. The gifts were very personalized and I have a feeling I know this mysterious Santa very well but yet no names have come forward...We felt really blessed.

This is the Huge gift # 2

Santa * 3 ~ I had less than an idea my Mom and Dad had another HUGE Christmas SURPRISE waiting for us later on that evening. Mom AKA: Granma ~had prepared all the bells and whistles from Amazingly beautiful hand stitched keepsakes to a very huge goodie Bag to gifts and gifts and gifts including clothes and toys for our girls. Thankyou Dad , Thanks Mom! This one of the big gifts #3 for Lana, it included Doll house accessories and princess dolls...Very cool

aLL i wAnt for cHristMas is

The other animals we saw were fun 2! well Lana kept trying to get into the monkey cages. Maybe Leilana is part monkey too?
This little guy she couldn't stop talking about....





"Roar" was something the Lioness named "Cookie" did not say .....because she was only on her way to SnoRe the day away.



First, she has to say her prayers..Prayer of the Day.....

" I know in my heart , I know in my mind that i stick up beHinD!!"
Lana laughs ,

" Hahaha" they are so funny, I want to take them all home....Pleeeeeeeeeez
Sorry, Lana the only monkey your taking home is this one we brought with us. (I bet the monkey side comes from daddy.) and what a cute monkey, part mermaid she is...





Then Leilana says, If I can't have the monkeys, the Lioness or the Giraffe.. can I take this really cool leaf home...? No Mommy says Absolutely not! Why...Lana pleads ???
Because it's poisonous...Mommy reminds her this throughout the rest of the day.
Tina wonders out loud..."Um, does she know what that word poisonous means...?
Good point...says Lana's Mom....
Absolutely/ Probably not.

Santa Clause came

Karaoke star ~Vuna handing Tali over to Santa
Santa and Tali andthe Brown Santa?
Santa getting in some helpful advice on how to get what you want from Mommy

Leilana fits right under the tree...what a gift!

Double the Bubbles

I made the cake for Salena's Twins' shower and well it didn't turn out quite the same as the ideal Wilton but it was good for a first try at it...Salena if you didn't know is having twin Boys so i wrote a different message on my cake (which was hard to read but said Double the Bubbles Twice the Troubles...My mom thought up the clever little last line.

What face did you wake up with?

Tali said silently inside her head "It's RainING..You're crazy if you think I am waking up today."

Lana making her Funny Faces...Yo Gabba~gaBBa

I finished Eclipse ...Now i just have 2 wait like the rest of the world....

Ornament 2007

The ornament chosen this year was found in Rustic Hutch, of couse, in honor of our new baby girl Talitha Cumi, her 1st Christmas ever (so love her).

Ornament 2006

This ornament was given to us by my little sister Ana Wolfgramm. I hadn't officially made the ornament finding" a tradition" yet probably because I hadn't found a good one but this one was perfect . The miracle of Jesus Christ entering the world reminds us of the miracles he brings us.

Ornament 2005

This one was bought in New Zealand when I brought Leilana with me to visit Daddy and his family (technically our 2nd Christmas) but the first one officially spent together because of Immigration.

Our tree

Our First family tradition is to get an ornament for every year. It actually started our 2nd Christmas when we went to visit Aisake in New Zealand and i found the cutest little NZ sheep ornanment. We didn't have an ornament on our first family Christmas because we were apart across the continent from eachother. I was pregnant with Leilana when Sake and I were tragically separated by immigration paperwork. I'll never forget that Christmas. Take a look at our ornaments for the other years since 2004

Aisake and Mary Lou

Leilana's 3rd Christmas (oops, growing fast)

Talitha Cumi's 1st Christmas

Christmas is a Time

The Family picture Leilana liked most.

Smile for Christmas

Well, the Tuihalangingie Family has a new Portrait.

Although Mary is the picture GuRu, always scheduling studio pictures of her girls monthly in their growing graduations; Grandma actually motivated this Christmas 07' project. She bought the girls' Christmas dresses. She coordinated the ivory /black, color palette and I orchestrated the Mom and Dad outfits, while Aisake just dragged himself, half willingly, dressed and prodded by his obsessed wife.

I actually wish I hadn't worn the cap, but it was so cute in the store, moreso than in the picture. The Girls look gorgeous and well we didn't realize it, until we viewed the proofs, but our Daddy had a hard time knowing when to smile. He was following the squeaky pig and the photographer kept asking daddy if he would look at the camera instead. Mommy had a problem slouching but the girls were natural models. Easy for them being it is a monthly ritual, and they smiled on cue and so beautifully too.

As we were posing and the photographer was about to go "click." Leilana took the liberty of stopping the shoot by jumping up of her rocking horse, as we all watched she went looking for an appropriate prop (a string of pearls) she put them half way in the top of her dress and halfway out and then jumped back in with the framed, frozen rest of the group , she smiled her poser smile to let us know it was now........... the perfect picture.