Christmas in Guam

 

Christmas Lights

It's no James Island Holiday Festival of Lights but it'll do for our tiny island and simple life here on Guam. 

Letters to Santa

  

Giant Gingerbread

Kicked off our Christmas advent activities with a visit to a life-sized gingerbread house made of 400 sheets of gingerbread and 800 pounds of icing in the Hyatt lobby.  The kids were completely unimpressed since they weren't allowed to touch or taste. 

Santa 2015

We took the kids to see Santa this evening although neither of them believe in him anymore. Currier asked for Xbox One Skate 3 and Lego Dimensions (especially cyborg) video games and The Golden Dragon Ninjago Lego set. Rya asked for a camera and an American Girl Doll bed, clothes and glasses.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our wacky family to yours!

Would You Like to Build a Snowman?

This is South Carolina's version of "Would You Like to Build a Snowman?" 

Santa Visit 2014

We took the kids to see Santa tonight at Towne Center.  Currier asked for an Xbox, Plants vs. Zombies video game, Minecraft video game and Legos.  Rya asked for a vanity, make up and Barbies.

Christmas 2013

"Santa came!  Santa came!  Santa came!"  The kids had a great Christmas.  Rya got the Barbie Dream House (which took Santa 3 hours to assemble!) and Currier got lots of Legos.  He was a little disappointed that he didn't get an Xbox (a $400 gift that Santa couldn't afford!) so we used this as an opportunity to explain a life lesson called "You can't always get what you want".  Merry Christmas!   

Christmas 2013

Notice the newest addition to our family?  No, not my double chin!  It's Rosy, the bearded dragon, on Trent's shoulder.  Happiest of Holidays from our family to yours. 

Elf Application

I love his answer to number 4.

Santa

We took the kids to see Santa last night.  Currier asked for an Xbox, Minecraft and new sneakers.  Rya asked for the Barbie Dream House and Barbies. 

Christmas 2012

Christmas was over in a blink.  The kids woke around 6AM and had all their gifts and stocking goodies torn open by 6:30AM.  It was a mass frenzy of pure awesomeness.  Rya got a bike, a baby doll and a highchair.  Currier got a medal detector and a cage for a bearded dragon.  Santa left a note saying that live animals aren't allowed on his sleigh so he left some money for Currier to go pick out his own bearded dragon after we all return from our trip to Disney.  With Disney being part of their Christmas gift, the holiday isn't over for us until January 14th.   

Festival of Lights

We went and saw the Festival of Lights on James Island for the 4th year in a row.  It's become a little family tradition and each year it seems to get better and better.  The kids sat on the roof of the car while Trent kept a hold of their feet through the sun roof.  The kids thought that was so cool.    

We drove through the park twice while singing along to Christmas music in the car.  If this doesn't get you in the holiday spirit nothing will!  The bottle of wine helped us along too!    

We took at brief stop at the festival just long enough to ride the Merry-Go-Round, Climb the rock climbing wall and roast some marshmallows.  

Holiday Traditions

Today we took the kids downtown Charleston to do some holiday window shopping and to check out the amazing train set displayed in the prestigious Hotel Charleston Place.   Window shopping turned into roars of laughter over a naked mannequin's butt in one window.  I'm learning that my children share my sense of humor in all things inappropriate.  We ended our fun little day at the Market Pavilion Rooftop bar drinking Shirley Temples because it was too warm for hot chocolate.  This is a tradition I'd love to repeat each year!    

Merry Christmas 2012

Without further adieu, I present the Balent family holiday photograph.  I know it's a bit disappointing that we're not wearing matching sweaters but the Balent budget did not allot for such silly luxuries this year.  You have to admit that this is still an impressive shot with all six of us actually looking at the camera (Even if Trent looks like he just smelled a fart!).  It only took a half hour of sweating, squirming, swearing and yelling—“Can we all just act like we love each other for five freakin’ seconds!?"—to get this winning shot!  * Photo taken by Laura Hudson and edited by Ella Gamba.    

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from our wacky family to yours! 

Gingerbread Village

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Gingerbread houses will turn your kids into cracked out assholes.  But oh what fun!

Santa 2012

We took the kids to Towne Center last night to see Santa.  Currier asked for a bearded dragon (YES, the live kind—We steered him away from his original wish for an iPod Touch and now this is what he wants!  Ugh.) and a medal detector and Rya asked for a pink bike with a horn and a baby doll in a high chair. I asked for extra refills on my xanax and D batteries in bulk.

Christmas 2011

The kids woke us at 7AM on Christmas morning with crazy excitement, "SANTA CAME!  SANTA CAME!"  It was awesome seeing Currier get Wii and the games he wanted and Rya get a cool vintage kitchen set and all the accessories.  Santa did good this year.  Best Christmas yet!

Festival of Lights

This holiday season has been crazy busy but we still managed to squeeze in the annual tradition of seeing the Holiday Festival of Lights on James Island.  As we were rushing there to get in the gate before it closed, we got a lovely speeding ticket for $85.  Merry Friggin Christmas!