The Week Before Christmas...

we never stopped moving!

It was a bit crazy, but we really enjoyed all of the fun things we got to do. One of the Malls around here has the Christmas Train. One morning we decided just to get up and go. So off we went to Pearlridge mall. The Conductor looked just like Vincent Price and it was a bit creepy. I kept waiting for the opening lines of Thriller.

He was not very jolly. Of course since it was my child screaming for the first few minutes of the ride I guess I should understand.

She quickly realized I wasn't leaving her there and enjoyed the rest of the ride. We spent one morning making cookies with a new friend.

We have really become quite close in a short time. We made chocolate crackles first, although once our friends arrived Danya was more interested in playing with her friend than making cookies. So us Momma's finished the job.

Very random moment of quirkiness. She got her pillow, found a nuky in one of her hiding places, and brought her blankie out to sit in the laundry basket.

Uncle Inflatable's House!
The man at the end of our block is featured in the news every year for his inflatables and other decorations. We went down one night on a walk just to see them again (this time we brought a camera). Danya loves Christmas lights, and really enjoyed seeing everything. We call him uncle inflatable. Danya can't remember all of that so she just says "go a walk, Uncle lights" It took me several days to decode this phrase, but she's working hard at it and doesn't give up until I get it.

"If it fits it Ships!"
I don't think this was quite what the USPS was thinking of, but Danya looves getting boxes of "pesants". This morning she sat in the box and said "GO" for quite a while.

Danya is getting very brave at McDonald's play land now. She has figured out how to get up into the tower and down the slide. She isn't too keen on the mesh "open" type tunnels but she looooooooooves Play Place.

Honolulu City Lights!
Every year Honolulu has a big display on the Hale lawn. (The Hale is like a town hall pronounced Hall-a more or less.) This was the 25th year. Danya had a lot of fun exploring all the different displays.



Shaka Santa and Tutu Mele (See it works like this Hawaii is near the end of the global day so it is the last place that night falls. Santa stops here last and then gets to take a well earned vacation in paradise. Naturally Mrs. Claus wouldn't want to be left home in the cold so she comes too, Tutu Mele. Tutu is a term of respect for older women and mele is a celebration)


Someday she will hate this photo. I think it sums up our life right now pretty well. Danya has a bit of a temper and thinks she is in charge of the world. She wanted to be at Santa's house but she told him to "go!" She is quite a homebody lately and is quite shy at first around others. Naturally with a long line there was no way around it she was gonna be screaming. I laugh because even her tantrum looks perfectly posed. By the way I think I look great in this photo, which is amazing in the circumstances.

Danya's little friend made 3 Christmas week and she had a hula princess party. Danya had a really good time playing. She was tentative about the jumper at first but then she got into it.

And I wondered why I was soo exhausted on Christmas, when I was forced to sit still. Busy, busy, busy, but lots of fun.