There were tons of presents underneath a tree. Myra and Julie ran up to the tree and looked at all the presents.
"Now remember what I said girls, mommy and daddy will take the presents and give them to the person they are for cus Santa wrote names on them."
"Yes mommy."
They all sat around the Christmas tree. Lori grabbed the first present. It read Myra so Lori handed the present to Myra. Myra took it and happily started tearing the paper off. It was an Elsa dress for dressing up. The next present was for Julie. It was a stroller with a doll. The next present was for Finn.
"Can you open the present for Finn?" Lori asked Myra.
Myra took the present and opened it. It was a sheep rattle. Julie could open the present for Charlie. It was a pack with two wrist rattles, one a monkey and the other a panda.
The kids got a lot of presents but there were some presents for the adults as well.
"Well I think that were all the presents," Lori spoke as Julie had finished unpacking the last package.
"No mommy," Myra replied. "One pwessie left."
"Where then sweetie?"
Myra carefully crawled underneath the tree and fished a present out from underneath it.
"Ah very well Myra, mommy missed that one." Lori knew that it was there but she wanted to see if the girls would notice.
"Open it mommy?"
"Yeah go ahead Myra, open it." Myra opened the present and it revealed a small leash. "Wonder what that it?"
"Fow doggy."
Callen had snuck out when Myra was getting the gift and he went down to the basement.
"But we don't have a doggy. Wonder why Santa brought that here."
"I want doggy."
"Yes but what are gonna do with a leash if you don't have a dog?" Myra and Julie looked up as they heard a little bark coming from the kitchen. "Go see what's there girls."
Myra and Julie got up and ran to the kitchen. Myra pushed open the door. The girls had a big smile on their faces when a puppy came running their way. The puppy knocked the girls over and started licking their faces. Myra and Julie were all smiles.
"Mommy, daddy, look a doggy," Julie spoke.
"Yes it's a little doggy," Lori replied.
"My doggy?"
"He's our doggy, me, your daddy, you, Myra, Finn and Charlie."
It was a eight week old female yellow Labrador. It looked so freaking cute. The girls were so freaking in love with the little doggy.
"Myra, Julie, you can pick out a name for her."
"Ella," Myra and Julie called at the same time. Ella is how the girls call Cinderella.
"That's a nice name. Now you're gonna have to take good care of Ella, mommy and daddy will help you."
"Yes mommy."
Myra and Julie were totally loving Ella. They couldn't get enough of the doggy, it was the best Christmas present ever. After breakfast everyone left. Myra and Julie loved playing with Ella. They followed Ella all over the house. Ella loved Myra and Julie, she loved playing with them. It would be a little handful but Lori was sure it would be alright. Lori had grabbed all of Ella's stuff from the basement and put it in the living room.
"I think it's time for Ella's walk," Callen said after a while. "Come on Myra, Julie, let's get dressed so we can walk Ella."
Callen took the girls upstairs and dressed them. Callen put Ella's leash on and went outside with the girls. Myra could hold the leash first. Callen kept an eye on them so he could intervene if Myra let go of the leash. They went to the park nearby. Ella did her business. They took a little walk before going back home. Julie got to hold the leash as well.
"Mommy, we walk Ella," Julie spoke to Lori.
"Yes, did she make a pipi?"
"Yes she did."
"Good."
The Hanna family was coming by later today for Christmas dinner. Callen, Lori, the kids and Ella just relaxed around the house. Myra and Julie didn't want to go up to bed in the afternoon. They wanted to keep playing with Ella.
"Ella needs to sleep just like you," Lori spoke. "When you're awake again you can play with her more. Ella is a baby too, she needs sleep too."
Eventually Myra and Julie went upstairs and went to sleep. Now that Myra and Julie were gone Ella lay down on her pillow and feel asleep too.
"They love the Christmas present," Callen stated once Lori was back downstairs.
"Oh yes they do. It's the perfect gift. I knew they would love her. It's so cute to see them together."
"Oh yes it is."
It was just past 4pm when the Hanna family arrived. Ella flew at the door as the new people came in and started sniffing them and jumping around them.
"You got a dog G?" Sam asked.
"Yeah, it was the Christmas present for the girls."
"That's nice."
"Name is Ella," Julie spoke.
"That's a nice name. Can't believe you got a dog G."
"The girls were asking for it so and it's nice to have it running around the house."
"That's nice. There's no place like home."
"No there's not. I love my family life."
"That's good G. I'm glad. How are the twins doing?"
"Which one?" Callen asked with a smile, although he knew Sam was talking about the boys.
"The boys G," Sam replied with a smile.
"They are doing very well. They are growing big and fast and the girls love being a big sister. It's hard work sometimes but we've got it under control and Emily is still coming by even though Lori is still home and Lori's parents and Sylvie are coming by sometimes too."
"That's good."
Kamran went to play with Myra and Julie and Ella. Aiden was there too, he was home for the holidays. The adults sat around just talking. Just after 5.30pm Lori and Michelle disappeared into the kitchen and went to prepare dinner. They were doing a fry up. Lori and Michelle fed Finn and Charlie before they sat down. Callen and Lori helped the girls with baking their food. They were all having fun. Finn and Charlie sat peacefully in their swing chairs. Everyone was enjoying the dinner. Myra and Julie at very well too. Just after 7.30pm Finn and Charlie started fussing so Lori and Michelle took them upstairs. They changed their diapers and dressed them in their pajamas for bed. They rocked the boys a bit in their arms before putting them in their cribs. The boys were fast asleep and peacefully sucking on their pacifiers.
"They are so cute," Michelle spoke softly.
"Yeah they are. G and I both love them so much."
"Yeah, you really have a nice family here."
"Thanks, you have a nice family too. We both got lucky I guess."
"Yeah I guess so. I wouldn't want to have it any other way."
"No me neither."
Lori and Michelle went back downstairs. Thirty minutes later Callen brought Myra and Julie up to bed.
"Daddy, Ella sweep hewe?" Myra asked.
"No sweetie, Ella sleeps downstairs in her own bed, we don't take Ella upstairs."
"Pwease daddy?" Myra asked, putting on her sweet face.
"No Myra, Ella sleeps downstairs. You can play with her again tomorrow, okay. Goodnight sweetie."
"Niwt daddy."
Callen gave her a kiss and then gave Julie a kiss too. Before going back downstairs Callen went to check on the boys. They were both sleeping peacefully.
It was just past 11pm when the Hanna family went back home. Callen and Lori cleaned up and Lori walked Ella before they went up to bed.
Myra and Julie were up early the next morning. They stormed into Callen and Lori's bedroom just past 7.30am.
"Mommy, daddy, wake up, wanna see Ella," Julie yelled.
Lori and Callen grunted as they woke up when the girls jumped on their bed.
"Go back to sleep sweeties," Callen spoke.
"No daddy, wanna see Ella."
"Alright, go get dressed so we can walk Ella."
Before Callen even finished his sentence the girls had already jumped off the bed and ran to their room.
"You stay in bed honey, I'll go out with them," Callen told Lori and gave her a soft kiss on her cheek.
"Alright G," Lori responded half asleep.
Callen got dressed as well. When he was done the girls already came storming out of their bedroom. Callen opened the gate at the top of the stairs. Ella was jumping around in her crate, begging to be led out.
"Ella!" Myra and Julie squealed as soon as Callen opened the crate.
Ella came storming at Myra and Julie and the girls gave her some love. Callen put her leash on and they all put their coats and shoes on before going outside. Once Ella had done her business they went back inside. Callen grabbed her kibble and Myra could measure it in the cup and Julie could put the kibble in Ella's bowl. Callen gave her some fresh water.
"Girls, leave Ella alone while she's eating."
Callen fixed them some breakfast and they ate it in the living room. Once Ella was done eating she joined the family in the living room.
Callen and Lori decided to go away for a few days with the family. They were going to Palm Springs. It was about an hour and a half drive to the address. They had rented a vacation home. After they had breakfast Callen and Lori loaded the mini-van and Lori put the box on the roof. Once the car was full Lori strapped the boys into their car seats on the last row as Callen walked Ella with the girls. Once Ella had done her business Callen walked back to the car. Lori strapped the girls into their car seats and then lifted Ella up. She put Ella in her booster seat. They had bought a dog booster car seat in which they could strap Ella. Her car seat stood in between the girls. Callen and Lori made sure everything was in the car and Lori locked up before getting in the car. Since Callen's hand was still in a cast Lori drove. She took the ten freeway to get out of LA. They stayed at the ten until they came at the exit for Palm Springs. Lori took the one hundred eleven to Palm Springs. A little further down the road she took the left onto West San Rafael Drive. This road changed into the East San Rafael Drive and then Lori took a right onto North Avenida Caballeros and then a right onto Sundance Circle West. Their house was on this street. It was in the Sundance Resort Community. This was a gated community of forty six homes. There was a small cabin at the front. Lori reported their and gave the guard their names. Lori showed them their passports. The guard checked them out and then gave them the keys to the house and showed on the map where it was located. On the keychain was also a keycard which they could use to enter and exit the premises. Lori thanked him and got back in the car. She drove to the house. It was a beautiful house in a bit of a sand/salmon color with a drive way and a garage. The garage had space for the car, there was a washer and dryer. Next to the garage was the front door.
Lori turned off the car and Callen and Lori took the kids and Ella out of the car. Callen first let Ella do her business before taking her inside. They came into a small hallway. Through a door they walked into the main area. To the left was the living room. It had rattan furnishings. The living room also had a gas fireplace, plasma screen, DVD player and even a piano. On the ceiling hung a fan. From the living room they looked into the backyard.
To the right of the hallway was the kitchen and a dining area. It was a modern kitchen with granite countertops and an island. There was a double oven and separate built in microwave, dishwasher and a refrigerator with ice-maker and filtered water. The kitchen was completely stocked with different appliances. There were two stools at the island to create a bar. There stood a dinner table with glass top and wooden legs, the chairs were wooden too with black seat cushions. From the dining area you could walked onto a private and enclosed front courtyard with a seating area. There was a flower-covered trellis and a grill.
The master bedroom looked out over the back yard. You could access that through the sliding doors. The bedroom had a ceiling fan, a king-sized bed, TV/DVD player, sitting area and a walk-in closet. Adjacent to this room was the master bathroom. This had an oversized soaking tub, a double vanity and a shower. From the bathroom they could access the back yard as well. The other two bedrooms had either a queen sized or a double bed and the rooms had a ceiling fan and a large closet. The backyard had a high hedge around it, a pool and hot tub. The backyard was decorated with several flowers and palm trees and a small fountain. Several different chairs stood in the yard around the pool. The backyard also had a covered seating area with TV. There was also a dinner table outside. The house featured a second smaller bathroom with a vanity and shower. Close by their house there was a park. It was allowed to walk the dogs there. They could also be off-leash there but they probably wouldn't use that just yet with Ella.
After they had explored the house they went to unpack the car. The boys stood on the couch in their car seats. Lori first took their playpens out and set them up so the boys could lie in there. The girls helped carry some of the small stuff into the house. The girls got the bedroom with the queen sized bed. They could sleep in the same bed here. There was a rocking chair in this room so Lori moved that one over to the other bedroom so they could use that for the boys. There was a bed in this room as well but they would just use the travel beds for the boys.
After everything had been unpacked they ate some lunch. Lori had packed some sandwiches at home already.
"Mommy go swimming?" Myra asked.
"In a bit sweetie. You can't got swimming immediately after you've eaten."
During this vacation Lori and Callen would see how the girls would do without their afternoon nap. They were three and a half now.
"Pway game?" Julie asked.
"Yes we can play a game sweetie."
Myra and Julie went to pick a game and they sat at the dinner table to play the game. The boys were in their bouncy chairs on the bar. They were peacefully looking at the toys dangling above them. Callen, Lori, Myra and Julie played a game of 'Frozen' memory. The girls were actually pretty good at it already. Callen and Lori let the girls take the most sets. In the end Julie had one more than Myra.
"Swim now mommy?" Myra asked.
"Yes now we can go swim."
Even though it was December it was a nice day in Palm Springs. It was around seventy five degrees(twenty four degrees Celsius) and sunny. Myra wanted to wear her blue Elsa tutu swim suit and Julie wanted to wear her blue Cinderella tutu swim suit. Lori changed into her swim suit as well. Lori wore an aqua green colored tankini top with black swim shorts They rubbed some sun screen on them before they went outside. Callen couldn't go in the water with his cast so he stayed on the side and kept and an eye on the boys. Lori had taken the boys outside and put them down on their playing mats in the shade. Lori got into the water with the girls after putting the girls' floaties on. They went into the water via the stairs. The girls started to learn to swim a bit. They played some games in the water before getting out. Myra and Julie lay together on one of the lounge chairs. A little later Lori noticed that the girls had fallen asleep. Lori got up and went to get the tub for the boys. They had a tub with a sling so the boys could lie in the water there. They had two tubs at home but they had only taken one with them. Lori put the filled tub on the bar in the kitchen and went to get Finn. Lori undressed Finn on a towel on the dinner table and put him in the bath.
"Yeah that's nice huh buddy."
Finn smiled up to her as Lori splashed some water over him. Lori grabbed some soap and washed him. Finn was enjoying it, he didn't mind it one bit. Lori grabbed the bath duck that quacked and put it in the tub. Finn tried to grabbed it as it floated around. Lori squeezed it in so it quacked. After a while she took Finn out and dressed him up again. She sat down on the chair in the living room and breast fed Finn before taking him back out to Callen. She took Charlie inside and repeated the process with him. Now that both boys had been fed Lori took them into the bedroom so they could get some sleep. Lori put the music mobiles on before leaving the room. Lori went back outside and Callen went to walk Ella. When Callen came back Ella ran straight outside again. She started exploring the garden again. A little later Lori heard a splash. Ella had jumped or fallen into the pool.