The Parrillo Family

Every year, we try to get to see Santa at the annual Wannamaker's open house and this year was no different.  The kids keep growing, but this tradition is a nice way to kick-off the Christmas season.  All three - Eloise, Sadie and Frankie - gave the reindeer a little pet and then talked to (note...didn't sit on his lap.  lol) to the big guy about what they want this year.  Here are some photos from this same visit to Santa in 2016 - six years prior.  

Those of you who are here because of our Christmas card, here's the outtake for the photo on the back!  Merry Christmas from our four savages. 

The last time Eloise put the angel on top of our Christmas tree was back in 2015 when we were living in the Marini house in Elmhurst .  Same angel.  Bigger tree.  And much bigger young lady!

This sums up their relationship with the big buy.  SD and Frankie are all-in. Trying to make sure he gets their 'list'.  But Eloise?  As uncomfortable as they come.  Take a look at the photo from last year .  She still won't get too close to him.   Same as it ever was.  Here she was giving Santa the ole 'slip' on her second visit .   And b eing unhappy at age 3 .  But then something happened in 2013.  At age 4, Eloise was all smiles and even sat on his lap.  Sadie?  Not so much .  This visit is something we've done for years and I've documented it here on the family blog: Here's the photos from this same visit in 2018 . Here's the photos from this same visit in 2017 . Here's the photos from this same visit in 2016 . Here's the photos from this same visit in 2015 .

One of the great family traditions we have that kicks off the holiday season annually is a visit to pick out (and cut down!) our Christmas tree.  Welp, this year, we have tree(s).  Two of them.  And we cut them both down over the weekend. We've been going to the Tammen Tree Farm down in Braidwood for as long as I've been a part of the Moran family Christmas Tree tradition and have been posting the photos since 2010. Here's the post and photos from our trip to the Farm in 2016 . I don't seem to have posted about Christmas Tree Day in 2015? Here's the post and photos from our trip to the Farm in 2014 . Here's the post and photos from our trip to the Farm in 2013 . Here's the post and photos from our trip to the Farm in 2012 . Here's the post and photos from our trip to the Farm in 2011 . Here's the post and photos from our trip to the Farm in 2010 . This year, we had our full crew and found our 'big' tree in one of the fields.  Yo...

As we've done the past few years, we kicked off the Christmas season with a visit to meet Santa at Wannemakers for their annual Christmas Open House in early November. It is a nice little setup with the kids being able to meet with Santa and Mrs. Claus and the past few years, they've even had reindeers.  This year?  The reindeers were "sick", so it was a donkey - which is just fine with us! Here's the photos from this same visit in 2017 . Here's the photos from this same visit in 2016 . Here's the photos from this same visit in 2015 . You can see that SD and Frankie are right in there with the Big Guy.  Eloise?  She's over, a short distance away in her own personal, private space. Go flip back through the 2017, 2016 and 2015 photos.  Eloise has the same position every year.  Not too close.  Just enough to be in the photos.  Back in 2012, she was traumatized , I think.  She squirmed out of Santa's arms, but hasn't sat on his lap ...

In what has quickly become a fun family tradition, we took the kids along with both Grammy and Granddad as well as Noonie and Papa to meet Santa and his reindeer at Wannamaker's in Downers Grove.   Here's the photos of the same event last year.   And here's the kids in 2015 meeting Santa .  If you look back through those, you can see how much each of them has grown! The program starts with a stop to meet the reindeer.  You can see all the kids above petting Peppermint who is just six months old.   Below, you can see Sadie - the animal lover - petting the six-year-old Glitter.  Then it was time to meet the big guy.  Sadie, of course got up there right away.  The other two were a bit more hesitant.  Eloise made sure to keep her distance.  Frankie?  He decided to put on his 'Batman mask' with his hands to protect himself from Santa! Check it out in action below: But...what happens when Sa...

Like...for real.  A star. Check her out at her Little Lamb's Christmas performance. She got to wear the star costume and be a part of the main performance as well as sing along with the entire Little Lamb's class.  See her below all the way at the edge of the risers with her arms up singing along loudly! And check out this video of the 'star of the show' highlights.  You can see her get into it!  And get *out* of her Star costume by the end.  And the laugh along with Natalie (who you can hear!) at the end of the clip.  (If you are reading this in your email and can't see the video below, click here to see it!) Here's a video of the same performance from last year  and you can see how much she's grown up in just 12 months.

For the third (I think?) year in a row, we brought the kids and met their cousin, Aunt Sisi and Uncle Bill along with Grammy and Granddad at an early Holiday Open House in the Western Suburbs to meet Santa and his reindeer. Here's the post showing photos from the same event last year. Like in year's past, we first were able to meet some of the reindeer.  Sadie loved petting them and learning all about them from the elves. The line was long, but the team at Wannamakers has set up some cute photo ops including this one in the little red car with a Christmas Tree attached to the roof. And then it was 'showtime'!  Let's meet Santa and tell him what we want for Christmas. As you can see, Frank couldn't get out of there fast enough!   *Feets don't fail me now!* But the girls?  They hung right in there. And were able to spend some time with Santa to tell him what was on their list.  SD said she wanted the American Girl Camping set. ...

The weekend after Thanksgiving means it is the time to wander out into fields of Braidwood to find the Parrillo (and Moran and Fox) family Christmas tree(s).   This year was a breeze as everyone found their trees in no time and all in the same area! The kids had a ball running around and even got in on the cutting of our tree! This is an annual tradition that I've documented over the years: I don't seem to have posted about Christmas Tree Day in 2015? Here's the post and photos from our trip to the Farm in 2014 . Here's the post and photos from our trip to the Farm in 2013 . Here's the post and photos from our trip to the Farm in 2012 . Here's the post and photos from our trip to the Farm in 2011 . Here's the post and photos from our trip to the Farm in 2010 . Here's SD lending me a hand in cutting our family tree down: Frank helped for the first time cut some of the excess branches off of our tree. We were all joined by the Si...

Christmas morning this year was a unique one!  Sure...there were presents.  And coffee cake.  And tears when there were no more presents to open.  But...the venue had changed! We were lucky to wake up Christmas Day out in Naperville where we were joined by a very merry and full house.  Grammy and Granddad were there, but so were the Foxes and all the Moranimals.  While it wasn't exactly 'on tradition', it is certainly a Christmas morning that we won't soon forget. We were so fortunate to have a great place to celebrate and be surrounded by family.  Ellie in particular loved being in the middle of so much activity. Santa found out where the kids were staying and made sure to drink his eggnog and eat some of his treats.  He also left a note! Nothing says Christmas morning like matching pajamas, right? The girls loved having Grammy and Granddad there when they opened their presents.  This was *way* better than the normal Goo...