Bah Humbug! :(

If you were wondering were all the photos and stories are from Christmas, I can tell you. LOST. That's right, I took amazing pictures the night before and the day of and some how Donald managed to delete them all while meaning to save and back up. So we are doing are best to recover the images. So hold tight and what we can post we will. But for now BAH HUMBUG!! (yes, this means we are a bit upset)

Visiting Santa

I know that some time ago Donald posted the video of Emma visiting Santa. I still wanted to take time out to share the photo taken. Last year I had a really hard time with the whole Santa thing as Christmas is about the birth of Christ and giving to others. But as my friend Julie gently put it, that's exactly what St Nicholas did and as long as I keep the focus on Jesus, the introducing St Nicolas isn't a bad thing. So this year feeling a bit better, and getting into the spirit of it a bit more we took Emma to sit on Santa's lap. I think she was a bit undecided about whether or not she was Okay sitting on some white bearded mans lap. Since the visit she loves to talk about the experience and loves watching the video of her visit. Best of all she understands that it's baby Jesus birthday (she has been singing happy to you Jesus all the time) and can't wait to give presents to all the family! She's a very giving little girl. Yesterday we took a presents to our good friend Mary and Emma was more excited about giving Auntie Mary her gift then taking some presents home from Auntie Mary. Then last night when we were doing the advent calendar and Daddy asked who gets the first bite of chocolate? You are mommy? Emma took the chocolate and walked it over to me and let me have the first bite. We love her sooo Much!!

Christmas Photo Shoot

Just like last year I did my own photography for Emma's Christmas picture. Last year my mom gave Emma a wonderful white coat for Thanksgiving and I used that for her picture. So this year when my mom got Emma a red cape from Baby Gap for Thanksgiving, I decided to start a tradition and use the coat my mom got her this year for her picture. We went over to Carlsbad's The Forum since it was quiet and decorated really nice for the holidays. These are some of the photos I took that didn't make the Christmas card, but I thought they were so great I had to share.
Had to take a moment and get the giggles and smiles going so I started tickling my little lady. She is such a giggle monster.

Grandpa's Girl

While my dad was here Emma spent most of the time running around with his hat on or trying to steal it off his head. She wanted to be just like Grandpa.

In The Paper!!

A picture of us on the front page of the C section of the Union Tribune

I know it wont come as a big shock to anyone who knows me, but Emma's first picture in the paper was of us Shopping!! It is a huge Leppink family tradition that you got out as early as possible the day after Thanksgiving and get in on all those sales. It's a ton of fun not just shopping but people watching and over all craziness. I love it. So when my mom and sisters all lived in San Diego we would all get together on Thanksgiving each with our own paper and pour over the ads and sales for the next day. We would then plan our attack and hit the stores. We usually were out of the house by 4AM! Last year we were in Colorado for Thanksgiving so I got to do my family tradition there. So when my mom said she was coming out I knew I was going to get to do it with her. I ended up sleeping in a bit and we didn't get a jump on the shops til almost 5:30Am. I left Emma at home snuggled in with a sleepy daddy and we were off. Well not much of a shock that the sales were not very good this year. We hardly purchased anything. We were out of the mall by 8 Am, and back home to collect Emma and Daddy. We decided to try the Carlsbad Company Outlet stores to see if they had anything good going on. That was the place to be. As you can see from the sign behind my head in the picture, EVERYTHING in Banana Republic was 50% off the last marked price!! We finally got in on some great deals and had a photographer from the Union Tribune following us all over the store. She asked us a bunch of questions about our shopping and just kept taking pictures of Emma mostly. As much as it started really making me feel uncomfortable, I couldn't blame her because I go crazy with the camera too when it's pointing at Emma. We ended up with a lot of great purchases from a few of the shops running unbelievable one day sales at that shopping center. It was great fun!!

Our picture got published about a week later. Donald's parents called first thing in the morning to say they saw us. Donald was so excited about his girls being in the paper he went out to buy up some copies. But it was no surprise as he would say that it was hard finding a few papers left to purchase since we were in it. Then he called his good friend Susan that still works at the paper to get 2 press plates. He said that over time the paper would fade and discolor, but the press plates would last forever. So I sent a copy of the paper to my mom and a press plate and have the other ones for Emma.

Hello Grandpa and Grandma & A Happy Thanksgiving

It has been a fall full of relatives and friends. My mom and dad came out for the whole week of thanksgiving from Colorado and we all had a blast. Grandpa never got a moments peace and I think spent most of the the week crawling around on the floor. Grandma was full of goodies and treats and shopping!


Moments after their arrival grandpa was playing horse and rider.

A Happy Thanksgiving

Donald got the offer he had been waiting for! The day before Thanksgiving a wonderful tech company downtown offered Donald a really nice package. If you ever read our "London is Calling" blog you might remember that Donald's other favorite job offer also came the day before Thanksgiving while we were living in London. Donald is now a firm believer that the fall is the best time to apply for jobs, because he always seems to land the best jobs at that time. Unfortunately for Emma and I this meant that our all day fun with daddy would soon come to an end. We are so pleased for Donald and this wonderful new opportunity this is a much better fit than any job other than the London job, has been.

Thanksgiving DinnerEveryone was busy making dinner. Micheal joined us and got no choice in the matter when it came to preparing food. My kitchen is extremely small and when you take into account what my parents are use to back home in Colorado, it made for some tight quarters. But we're all family so a bit of bumping around is okay. I didn't do much in the way of helping out since I tried to make pumpkin pie during Emma's nap and lost half an egg shell in the mix. So I stood back happily with camera in hand.

Emma really wanted to help out and kept running up and down the kitchen saying "help you"


I just loved this brown skirt and top my mom got her at a store in Rancho Santa Fe called Childish Couture. Grandma Litzenberg introduced me to the shop and I go there when ever I get a chance and couldn't resist taking my mom. This lovely $75 outfit was marked down to $15! Did I mention they also run amazingly great sales!!!!

Dinner is almost done and Emma is ready to dig in. But I swear that she is the only child ever that doesn't eat mash potatoes or rice. She did great on the turkey and cranberries!

The day before Thanksgiving my mom cut off the baby mullet that Emma had. It looks so much better!! I don't feel like I have to have it up in a ponytail all the time to hide her once bad haircut.

Really wanting to help her Uncle Mike. Everyone that knows Mike can figure out why he is still single. He cooks, cleans, dresses great, and is amazing with kids. We keep telling him he needs to borrow Emma for the day and take her to the mall and pick up on girls. Emma is a chick magnet!!
Ready to share the whipped topping, but not so sure about mommies pumpkin pie. Never did find the egg shell.

Saying Farewell to Uncle David and Aunt Ann

After an amazing time with The Clan Chief for the McCallums and his lovely Ann. It was time to say a fond farewell to Uncle David and Aunt Ann. They went back to Glasgow the day after Ann's birthday. It was wonderful getting to celebrate her birthday before they left, and spend a lovely night at Grandma and Grandpa's. Their trip seemed all to short even though they stayed for just over two weeks. Emma still calls every tall white haired mad she sees Uncle David and loves when I show her pictures of Aunt Ann and Uncle David. There hasn't been a day that has gone by that she doesn't ask me if we can go and see them. I am hoping this year we will get to take Emma to see them in Scotland.

Uncle David sharing apple slices with his little Emma

Now it's Emma's turn to share with her Aunt Ann. Emma has been so good about sharing with others that I hope this is something she won't ever loose.

Playing with her Uncle Stewart (from Yorkshire) Uncle Stewart has an extremely thick Yorkshire accent which at the best of times can be difficult to understand if you aren't use to it. But Emma and Stewart seem to understand each other perfectly and have become great pals.

Andra and Kevin cutting the top section from their wedding cake. I know it seems weird, but I never got to see them cut their cake or have any at the wedding. I don't know where I was or what I was doing, but somehow I missed the whole thing. So Andra and Kevin were happy to do a few poses and cut their cake one more time and share it with me, oh and everyone else too :)

Getting in some play time with Grandma. Grandma has been going non stop starting months before the wedding, this is a rare shot of her taking a bit of "me time" with her Emma. And that is well deserved and much needed "me time".

Saying goodbye to Uncle David until they cuddle again

Vegas Baby!!

We arrived in Vegas only 2 days after the Wedding. What a crazy busy time. We drove and Trisha and Stewart our good friends from Cambridge rode with us. We followed 4 other card loads of people that were in town for the wedding. Aunt Ann and Uncle David from Glasgow Scotland, Aunt Linda and Uncle Stewart from Yorkshire England, Grandma, and Grandpa from Rancho Bernardo, Shelia and Gene from Lakeside, Aunt Pam and cousin Melissa from Ohio, and the Newlyweds Kevin and Andra from Mission Valley. We seemed to fill every restaurant we ate at and were always bumping into each other on the strip. Kind of weird being in Vegas running into friends and family. For Emma it was a stimulation over load! She loved it! We went all over trying to show her as much fun stuff as we could and still didn't make it to a fraction of the attractions.

On the strip at night with Uncle David and Daddy

Eating breakfast with Grandpa before going shopping with mommy and daddy

We didn't bring our stroller which was a big mistake and won't ever be repeated. I thought since Emma loves to walk and can walk for really long periods of time that we really woudn't need one. I was dead wrong! Both our shoulders and arms got tired and we finally ended up breaking down and purchasing a $20 umbrella stroller that was worth it's weight in gold!

Emma loved all the moving sidewalks and escalators!

In the Belagio Gardens with Daddy

Getting ready to do some serious shopping at FAO Schwartz!

The Day After

The day after the wedding was just a bunch of more fun. We had breakfast with everyone that stayed the night in the hotel. Then after some quick packing it was home for a nap then back to Grandpa's and Grandma's house for the after party fun.

Getting cuddles and a bit of chatting with her Aunt Ann from Glasgow Scotland at breakfast

Playing in the Fountain after breakfast with cousin Meghan

Greeting the New Mrs. Smith

At the after party reading with Meghan and looking like Daddy just gave her some chocolate below.

The Reception

It's time to PARTY!!

Emma and Daddy greeting Mr. & Mrs. Smith

It was so exciting to finally celebrate this extremely happy occasion. We just love Andra so much and it was so amazing to watch her fall in love with someone that brings out the best in her. Donald and I first met Kevin when we got off the plane from London. We had been traveling for 15 hours, me with morning sickness as I was pregnant with Emma, and Donald with food poisoning from something he had in the pub while celebrating with mates. Both of us couldn't look worse and there was Andra greeting us with a huge smile and introducing us to Kevin. Even then in all our gloom and sickness we knew we were going to love Kevin. Andra has been nothing but a bright and happy lady since she met Kevin and so this really was the celebration we have all been looking forward to.

Emma trying to eat like a big girl in a big girl chair with a big girl fork. She was so excited and loved every minute of this special meal.

If she could have been, she would have been the first on the dance floor. My little lady (just like her daddy) LOVES to dance!!

Toasting the Bride and Groom with their sparkling apple cyder

Doing the Itsy Bitsy Spider Dance

Yes, we asked the DJ to play a version of the Itsy Bitsy Spider we had at the party. It was a huge hit and Emma danced for Everyone!!

All to happy to share a moment with her boy Kyle.

The two happy dancers

Daddy bringing "The Snuggles" back in to say goodnight to everyone in her PJ's
We let Emma stay up way past her bed time til 9:00! She did great!

Making the goodnight rounds

One last dance with the maid of honor before it's off to bed

Feeling a bit of freedom as Aunt Linda said she would stay in the room with our fast asleep little girl as we get a chance to have a bit of mommy and daddy dance time!!