Merry Christmas 2010 - Love, The Marlow's

We hope your holiday was filled with love and laughter....

Merry Christmas

Love, The Marlow's

Kelly, Matt, and Molly

Merry Christmas EVE!

Well, it's Christmas Eve and there is about 4-5 inches of fresh snow surrounding us here in St. Louis...but never fear - Matt, Molly and I went for a walk tonight in the snow to make sure Santa's landing strip (a portion of a neighbor's yard that we have affectionately nicknamed)....just to make sure that it would be lit tonight so that Santa could find his way to our house in this Winter Wonderland...and sure enough - although one side was damaged - it was bright enough that we feel confident that with Rudolph's nose, Dasher's sense of direction, and Commet's eagle eye sight - Santa and his sleigh will make it safely to our house tonight! MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE FRIENDS AND FAMILY!

Family visit before the Holidays!

So, my mom and dad made a drive up to St. Louis to visit before they headed to see Robyn and John for Christmas! It was really nice...well probably not the drive up because they were making it during a big ICE storm! Originally they were going to make it in two days - stopping halfway...however during the day of the drive, they heard from me, Matt, Kimberly and Jeff about how bad it was going to get that night and they decided to go the whole way...well, until 7 pm came and BAM!!! it was HORRIBLE outside! Kimberly's van slid down her driveway, Jeff slipped on ice, Matt had already de-iced our driveway twice in anticipation of my parents...and that's when thank goodness my parents pulled into the first hotel they saw! It was really a horrible ice storm and I'm so thankful that all of my family was safe and sound! So with that being said, the next morning I went to work - learning to drive on ice - interesting. Matt welcomed my parents in our house around 1 pm or so - they were staying with us because my sister is renovating her kitchen and there was a lot of dust in the air - tile dust...anyways, I came home from work and we had a nice Thursday evening in! Friday I was off work - so off my parents and I set while Matt got to work...We went shopping and met up with Kimberly, Jeff, and Carter for lunch and a little more shopping! Then that night, it was family dinner at the Marlow's house! Matt and I set up our dining room to accommodate 8 people and we made lasagna, had the wine and beer flowing, my dad made his famous garlic/olive oil sauce and we had chocolate pie, ice cream and Kimberly brought cookies. Dinner was phenomenal - so much fun! Then the kiddos watched some Christmas movies while the adults played Apples to Apples! So fun! Saturday was a morning with Kimberly and Mom...while Jeff, Dad, Logan and Carter hung out (movie and incredible pizza for lunch)....and Matt chilled at home...nothing was stopping us from a great day for all - even a nasty stomach bug I had! Then that night was adult date night at Mosaic!!! SO MUCH FUN!!!! So nice!!! Then Sunday Matt had a work dinner at Harrah's Casino and me, my mom, my dad, and I hung out with Kimberly, Logan, Carter and Jeff. While Matt worked at our home and Jeff worked renovating his home - the rest of us went to MOBOT for Garland Express and then to the Transportation Museum. After that, we picked up Jeff for dinner and a trip through Santa's Magical Kingdom! Monday morning I took my parents to the airport as they flew off to Colorado to celebrate Christmas with Robyn and John! Then this week it's been work work work for Matt and I - getting ready for Christmas...a white Christmas at that!

First Snow...hopefully first of many!

Well Old Man Winter and I had it out in February and I told him that I never wanted to see snow again...well, actually all I said was that i didn't want to see 2 feet of snow, 3 snow storms in a row again...well then Matt and I moved to the midwest, which is more known for snow than Charlottesville, VA and NOTHING as of almost mid-December....and then BAM!!!! The last Matt and I checked the weather before the nephews arrived Friday night, the weatherman said that the precipitation would be gone before the snow/ice line...well about 10 pm on Saturday night I got a text from my sister saying that we might get up to 3 inches...Matt and I were like "What? Snow? No way, we watched the weather!" Well when I woke up on Sunday around 4 am, I looked outside - and it was a blanket of snow - and it was in fact about 4 inches of snow! SWEET! If it wasn't for the FREEZING weather that came with the beautiful snow, then it would've been perfect! Matt and I shoveled the driveway and then came back in and Carter was ready to go outside...so after calling my sister and her husband, to get the official ok...we all went outside and played...it was a fun time playing in the first snow of the year, but just like Carter said "IT WAS FREEZING!"

Winter Fun Weekend

Friday night my sister Kimberly dropped of our nephews Logan and Carter for a two night kid vacation...and we had a great time!
Friday night it was pretty much bedtime when the boys got to our house after they had a pizza dinner with Santa. So once we got on jammies it was off to bed....Then it all started at 6:30 am Saturday morning...well, really, it started at 1:30 with Carter screaming "Kelly" but that was just a quick trip to the bathroom and back to bed! HA! HA! Once Logan woke up - he and I headed downstairs to play some Wii monopoly...Matt joined us pretty quickly after - actually really quickly since I couldn't get the Wii to work! And we started a game of monopoly...shortly after Carter followed....and the day began!!! Cinnamon rolls followed Wii monopoly, then outside we all went for picking up leaves and playing football, then it was Christmas craft time, then baking Christmas cookies, then showers (covered in flour - see pictures), then Petsmart with Molly to get her picture with Santa (it was HORRIBLE and quite a crappy picture - but it went to a good cause), then back home to decorate the Christmas cookies (which really turned out phenomenal - well, that's a personal opinion), then a Christmas movie with Uncle Matt while Aunt Kelly made lunch (mac 'n cheese and hotdogs - classic), then naptime (well only one of them really naps anymore, but it is a secret from the other one...truth be told though, I think it was Aunt Kelly who really wanted a nap! Ha! Ha!), then time to get in toasty warm clothes for the Santa walk as Suson Park, then popcorn snack in the van, and pretty soon we were at Suson park...well it was FREEZING - I mean literally freezing, Carter was screaming - "I'm so cold"....the winds were quite possibly the most horrible cold things I've ever felt! So off we went to The Bread Co...for some hot soup for the adults and blueberry bagels for the kiddos...then home for a cookie and reading Spud's letter...then a game of Sorry (Kelly and Logan kicked Matt and Carter's butt), then pj's and everyone got cozy in Logan's bed for a Billy Boy story from Papa Doc (via skype), and then it was bedtime!!!! Wowzers, this has really been only 24 hours...CRAZY, but fun! Definitely a fun winter weekend!

Wednesday night at Tillis Park Winter Wonderland

Wednesday night after work, Matt and I went out on another Christmas date night...we drove out to Tillis Park for their Winter Wonderland. Tillis Park is one of St. Louis County parks and during the holiday time it is transformed into a Winter Wonderland...with lights galore! It is created and designed by St. Louis County Parks Employees - and I must say this year they have done an AMAZING job! Matt and I throughly enjoy the drive-thru lights - very classy and reminded us of a park we drove through in D.C. last year with Diana and Kory! I love when parts of the holiday season help me remember good times with dear friends and family - love it!

Wednesday night at Tillis Park Winter onderland

Santa's Magical Kingdom Sunday Night

Sunday night Matt and I met up with Kimberly, Jeff, Logan, Carter and a family who is a friend of their family - Charissa, her husband Scott and their 3 boys....it was supposed to be a larger group but unfortunately tons of people were sick with a stomach virus that has been going around St. Louis like the plague! Fortunately though, they stayed home...don't get me wrong, love some of those families...but I do not want what is being passed around! Well traditionally my sister has a Christmas cookie party at her house with everyone and then they caravan to Santa's Magical Kingdom, but this year with their kitchen in demolition/remodeling mode it was dinner at El Nopal and then off to Santa's Magical Kingdom - a drive-thru light park at a local Jellystone Park and Kringles Store where Santa was. The lights were cool and Santa, well, he was a little crazy, telling Logan to "look up what responsible is in the dictionary"....all this because he wanted a cell phone! Ha! Ha! Crazy Santa! It was a great night! Thanks to the Phillip's family for inviting the Marlow's!

Anheuser-Busch Holiday Lights Tour Date Night

Last night Matt and I went on our second themed date night to Anheuser-Busch to take the Holiday Light tour! It was great! Matt had not ever been on the tour, and I had not been in several years since going with my twin sister...Our tour guides were good and informative (which i guess is their job)...and we got to see all the regular stuff on the tour plus the over 1 million lights that AB puts up for the holiday season! It was awesome - well cold, but awesome! (And apparently not as cold as Monday is supposed to be at 17 to start and a high of 30 - hello Old Man Winter - I love you and missed you)...We had a great time on the tour - then it was off to the tasting room! Matt and I both tried new beers - he like his, I wasn't a fan of mine - too dark, but definitely worth tasting...Another great Holiday Date Night! Getting excited for another holiday date night on Sunday night with friends and family! Love this time of season - absolutely, positively love it!