Christmas Eve 2007

Our family celebrates Christmas Eve at Noel's parents house, usually starting around 8pm. It is a long, long wait until midnight for the kids!

Noel is "Santa", passing out all of the gifts that are piled high along the tree. This year, Evan played assistant Santa, helping Dad pass along the loot! He got a pretty big kick out of that one!! The kids all get jammies to unwrap and wear home, so that when we pull in the drive at 3am thay are ready for bed. Santa comes after everyone is tucked up and asleep!

We all had a great time this year! Can't wait for the next get-together at New Years!!

Evans gift from Tita Malou was quite the hit!

Evan loving on his new game!

My Nikon buddy and nephew, Anthony.

Matching neices - Agnes, Melizza and Nika.

It's SANTA!!

Pix from Christmas...

Manny waiting to play Santa...

Melyssa really DID like her metronome...

Jillyan with her American Girl Doll - Elizabeth


Elly with her bitty baby...

Unwrapping is hard work!!

Ol' Dead Eye

Evan's Nerf Longshot was a big hit this Christmas. The guys set up the target, and took turns trying to maneuver the Nerf darts into the target holes. This thing is like a military sniper rifle - complete with an extendable barrel, bi-pod and scope. No joke.

Jillyan took a turn at target practice - and nailed the target on almost every shot she took! Aparently, we have a sharpshooter in our midst!

Jilly getting some pointers from Big Daddy...

Dead eye checking out the scope...

Christmas Videos

If you can wait for it...there's a classic Evan moment at the end of this clip. I'm still trying to figure out the editing process for Nero. Call me blond. It's supposed to be easy, but alas! Not so for me. If you can't wait - or don't want to wade through the Malabanan Christmas clips, feel free to skip it to about 45 seconds from the end... enjoy!

Merry Christmas!!

Hope you received all you asked for and more!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!!!

May the magic and love of Christmas surround you and yours!

kisses,

Emily & Family...

13 Candles...

Happy 13th Birthday Allyson!

Pretty candles on her My Little Pony b-day cake...

Basking in the glow of 13 candles!

Wow, 13 already. Seems like just yesterday. Eighteen hours of labor - sheer panic. I did not know Allyson would be a girl prior to her arrival. SURPRISE. What a surprise she was. A Christmas time blessing. Allyson was born an "old soul", her big eyes taking in the world and seemingly understanding. How perfectly normal it was for her to play alone for hours, entertaining herself within her mind. Now she is a high maintenance teenager. My head whirls...

I do need to say; however, that the bond formed between Allyson and Madeline at birth has stayed strong - even though "Chico and Casper" only see each other once a year. It's so cute to see the impish gleam in their eyes when they get together...the 2-2-2 team goes unbroken!! I wish that I had a scanner (Michelle - sorry!) to post the little naked babies on here!! For any of my family who would like to see those two together, Michelle has some awesome pictures on her blog! Thanks Chelle!!

This year, Allyson picked out her birthday cake - My Little Pony, AND got totally punked on her birthday present!! We told her that there was no way she was getting an iPod Shuffle. Naturally we already had bought it (purple, in case you were wondering Chelle), and Manny stayed up really late one night to load all of her favorite songs on it. When she opened it, her expression was priceless...and when she figured out how to use it AND hear her favorite songs on there - that was TOO funny. Sorry I didn't get the true pic of that one...but there are some moments I don't want to view from the lens.

We had a great night with just us chickens (the usual way we celebrate birthdays)...and before midnight I'm trying to fire off this post...SO...

I'm making a dorky face, even though my parents bought me AE clogs, and my Grandma bought me an outfit from Hollister!



What can this be? My hearts desire?!?



Hmmm...how does this operate?

Allyson's imitation of the iPod people!

HEY!! SOUND!!

Happy 13th Birthday, baby girl. I hope all of your wishes come true...