It's a most wonderful time of the year

Oh my we are in full holiday swing here at the Haukland household.  Last Sunday was the church show and Samantha took her role to heart by watching over the Baby Jesus and never looking anywhere else. She loves being an angel and can't wait to do it again next year.  Grandma Phil has joined us for the last couple years now and includes going to the Diner afterwards. Interesting enough she saw Santa at both Church and the Diner.

She also got a chance to see gal pal Brea before the holidays and they both were silly with glee over the impending holiday.  Our dear lifelong friends, Angie and Dan, are visiting from over the pond and their beautiful daughter Lola loved hanging out with Samantha.  Samantha keeps asking for a baby sister but got a tish jealous about the attention Lola received from us. Reminded me of the days she did that with Brea and now it rarely happens.

Samantha is over the top about Santa Claus this year and is expecting the Li Shang doll to be in her stocking along with some Angelina Ballerina books. We are also surprising her with a doll house compliments of us and Grandma Jane and Grandpa Booney. Hoping that the latest storm in MN does not hold up their flight as we have one very excited Grandchild who cannot wait to see them.  Merry Christmas to All!!

Pink Tree

Ok a bit late but here are some more recent photos of Samantha celebrating the Christmas Season.  For the first time in 3 years she told Santa what she wanted and posed for a photo. She never ceases to amaze us and this Christmas is by far our favorite with her. She is really caught up in the spirit of it all and it is contagious!! It brings back your own childhood memories and makes your believe in the magic of Christmas all over again.
Thanks to our dear friends Angie, Dan and Lola for the Angelina Ballerina video and princess wear. It as a huge hit.
We will post more soon. Love to all, The H's

Orange Julius

We have finally decided make our living room where we can enjoy a book, watch tv or just relax and have tea. We wanted to go with a bright color as it is a dark and limited room with only one window.  Here is some of the progress that we have completed thus far as of today- painted ceiling, new ceiling fan that is not from the 80's,  moulding, repaired walls and now freshly painted walls. Our goal is to have more earthy tone furniture, lamps, tables and NO COUCHES in the room. While we know we will not have this all done by Christmas (budget and time) our goal is to have the walls, moulding and ceiling painted by then for our in-laws arrival. My wonderful hubby has been the one to do all this and is doing a great job while my task is to keep Maggie, the cats and Samantha away from the paint and the mess. Easier said than done but thus far Maggie is the only one that needed a "de-painting" today!!

P.S that is our couch in our kitchen/dining area. I can't believe we still have that flippin wagon wheel dining room light. That eating area is another project for 2010.

Samantha Wears Jeans

Well Samantha had an opportunity to go horse back riding with gal pal Garbriella on Friday afternoon. I did not think she would make to to the farm since she had not napped, gotten two shots that morning, went the mall with Grandma, rode the merry go round and the train AND NEWS FLASH posed with Santa Claus. In addition to this I told her she COULD NOT WEAT A DRESS to the farm. I thought that would be the dealbreaker-Ha ha Mom I will show you! Mind you the jeans are Princess style with gold lame' and fancy pictures on them but they pass for denim!!

Very reasonable for a Mom's play date $10.00 to brush, ride and give the horse some snacks plus learn some stuff about horses. They prefer 5-8 kids to organize a group.  If you ever want to check out the farm, here is the link Johnson's Folly Horse Farm Elizabeth, the instructor, whose horse Samantha rode, is tall but gentle-his name is Vador and he was great with all three kids.

By the way it is an adorable Santa photo that I won't show here since I will probably put it on our holiday card. I wish I would have had her beautiful holiday dress for her pose but hey, like Santa, said, "Take what you can get when you can." Wise man. Samantha told him she wanted Princess Tiana stuff and Angelina Ballerina books and dvd's. Oh, if could always be this simple.

Thanks to Sandra's friend Susan for sending over some photos since things here a wreck with our living room under MAJOR construction.