We didn't actually celebrate Christmas in March, it's just taken me this long to finally post!We kicked off the holiday by moving in our much-too-large Christmas tree. We had to move a bookshelf and Adam and I nearly had to call over a third adult to help. So we overshot a bit...you live and you learn!
Ava really enjoyed unpacking every single ornament. She loved looking at them and it was all I could do to talk her out of taking a few to her room with her. I knew they'd get loved on a little too much and might not make it back in one piece.
Elizabeth could feel the excitement in the air and was loving every minute of the fun!
Ava got her tiny Christmas tree ready to put up in her room. Elizabeth will get one next year when she's ready to not try to move and climb furniture to reach the ornaments!
Ava was my light-hanging helper. I'm kinda picky about the lights, so I like to be in charge of that part.
Ava bringing a whole new meaning to Christmas tree "skirt".
Look at my whirling Christmas dervish!
This was our third year to attend the big Christmas parade downtown.
We met up with several friends and enjoyed the beautiful not-too-chilly day!
Ava is totally into making super-silly faces lately. Such a silly girl!
April and John met up with us and we so enjoyed their company.
This was Elizabeth's first ever parade. She was a bit wiggly until things got started.
Once things were moving she really enjoyed the sights and sounds!
Before the parade started Ava and I made a Starbucks run for hot cocoa and coffee. We had to climb over some bleachers and wait in a really long line. Starbucks made some serious cash that day! They were out of hot cocoa, but we got some hot coffee. Next year I'm determined to bring a thermos of hot cocoa.
We got the hook up on some wonderful bleacher tickets from some of our friends from the lake house. We got to sit with several other lake house friends at the parade and had a ball! Tamra, Jeff and brought along their boys, Gavin and baby Cameron. I think Elizabeth has a little crush on Gavin.
John seemed to enjoy the parade and all the snuggles from his Momma!
Here's a pic of our family with our friends Jeff and Tamra and their son, Gavin.
We took the public transit rail to the parade, which Ava really enjoyed.
Here's a pic of Elizabeth playing with a baby doll she got from Auntie Ging during our Christmas with her and Uncle Jeff and Auntie Michelle at our house.
We all wore our p.j.'s and enjoyed pizza, wine and a gift exchange.
Ava got a great tea set that she and Elizabeth couldn't resist playing with right away!
Elizabeth was introduced to lipgloss. The obsession begins...
Oh yes, Auntie Ginger needs some too!
Daddy was able to peel away from work to come see Ava's parent's presentation at dance class just before Christmas.
There she is on the far left practicing her ballet moves.
This is her third year at Ms. Janie's and she really enjoys every minute!
Aren't these four girls posed so sweetly? I love the way Ava is stooped over with her hands on her knees.
This year Ava got to add tap to her dance learnin'!
After the presentation, Elizabeth got to get her hands on one of the bears she'd been eyeing!
Ava and her teacher, Ms. Janie. We all just adore her and are so delighted to have her influence in Ava's life.
We kept our tradition of building a gingerbread house this year.
Somehow Daddy was left to mix the icing. Not the best idea...
It turned out to be so thin and runny that the candy wouldn't stick!
Ava and Elizabeth took this as a chance to eat the candy as it slid down the roof!
That house is really...something!
I couldn't resist getting the camera out to capture the girls in their Christmas Sunday dresses.
The older Elizabeth gets, the more the girls have bonded with one another. They have some tense moments, but most of the time they get along beautifully.
Christmas Eve was at Grandma and Grandpa's, as usual.
We so enjoy spending that time with Adam's brothers families and his sister and Mom and Dad.
The kids get a little dinner in them before the cookies, candies and cakes go down!
Check out Aunt Angela's cute prego belly!
Elizabeth ate more of Grandma's famous pumpkin cake rolls than anyone else.
I grabbed a quick shot of Adam and his Dad.
Ava admires Caleb's new cash register toy. These two cousins are like peas and carrots. Friends forever, I'm sure.
Mason and Amy help their daughter Lydia enjoy her first Christmas. She's just as sweet as sweet can be...and a butterball to boot!
The kids had fun spreading the "reindeer food" (oatmeal and glitter) in the front yard to help Santa's reindeer find their way.
Grandma let the kids decorate cookies with colored sugar. They really enjoyed the cooking fun.
The adults played a few games.
Check out Ava's wings she got as a gift. Too cute.
We got to bed late after Grandma and Grandpa's, but the girls woke up excited for Christmas morning in our house!
Ava found her biggest wish, a pet fish by the chimney where Santa had left her.
She also got the scooter she asked for in her Santa letter.
Santa brought Elizabeth a tricycle with a long handle to help Mom and Dad push.
Daddy got a new racquetball racket from his girls!
Ava wanted some "girl colored" cars. She thought Elizabeth needed some too.
We got dressed, ate breakfast and headed for Nana and Poppy's house to continue our Christmas festivities.
My Grandma from Missouri was there to join in the fun.
Dad got the cool weekend bag he had on his wish list.
Uncle Josh and Aunt Caylon spoiled the girls with fun gifts and lots of love.
Elizabeth got a super cool dog from Nana and Poppy. He responds to verbal commands and acts like a real dog. She loves dogs so much, so she really thinks this dog is just wonderful. She felt like he needed to be brushed too.
A four generation pic taken in our backyard when my grandma came to check out our house.
Santa came to our house when Adam volunteered to wear the suit for a neighborhood group I'm involved with.
Elizabeth wasn't convinced she knew the bearded dude.
Ava had the nativity story down pat by the end of the Christmas season. She got her own nativity set to play with and really enjoyed being able to take them to her room to set up.
Christmas was full of family visits, good friends, delicious food, tradition and lots of fun. I hope our girls will always cherish the memories we make each year.
Ava really enjoyed unpacking every single ornament. She loved looking at them and it was all I could do to talk her out of taking a few to her room with her. I knew they'd get loved on a little too much and might not make it back in one piece.
Elizabeth could feel the excitement in the air and was loving every minute of the fun!
Ava got her tiny Christmas tree ready to put up in her room. Elizabeth will get one next year when she's ready to not try to move and climb furniture to reach the ornaments!
Ava was my light-hanging helper. I'm kinda picky about the lights, so I like to be in charge of that part.
Ava bringing a whole new meaning to Christmas tree "skirt".
Look at my whirling Christmas dervish!
This was our third year to attend the big Christmas parade downtown.
We met up with several friends and enjoyed the beautiful not-too-chilly day!
Ava is totally into making super-silly faces lately. Such a silly girl!
April and John met up with us and we so enjoyed their company.
This was Elizabeth's first ever parade. She was a bit wiggly until things got started.
Once things were moving she really enjoyed the sights and sounds!
Before the parade started Ava and I made a Starbucks run for hot cocoa and coffee. We had to climb over some bleachers and wait in a really long line. Starbucks made some serious cash that day! They were out of hot cocoa, but we got some hot coffee. Next year I'm determined to bring a thermos of hot cocoa.
We got the hook up on some wonderful bleacher tickets from some of our friends from the lake house. We got to sit with several other lake house friends at the parade and had a ball! Tamra, Jeff and brought along their boys, Gavin and baby Cameron. I think Elizabeth has a little crush on Gavin.
John seemed to enjoy the parade and all the snuggles from his Momma!
Here's a pic of our family with our friends Jeff and Tamra and their son, Gavin.
We took the public transit rail to the parade, which Ava really enjoyed.
Here's a pic of Elizabeth playing with a baby doll she got from Auntie Ging during our Christmas with her and Uncle Jeff and Auntie Michelle at our house.
We all wore our p.j.'s and enjoyed pizza, wine and a gift exchange.
Ava got a great tea set that she and Elizabeth couldn't resist playing with right away!
Elizabeth was introduced to lipgloss. The obsession begins...
Oh yes, Auntie Ginger needs some too!
Daddy was able to peel away from work to come see Ava's parent's presentation at dance class just before Christmas.
There she is on the far left practicing her ballet moves.
This is her third year at Ms. Janie's and she really enjoys every minute!
Aren't these four girls posed so sweetly? I love the way Ava is stooped over with her hands on her knees.
This year Ava got to add tap to her dance learnin'!
After the presentation, Elizabeth got to get her hands on one of the bears she'd been eyeing!
Ava and her teacher, Ms. Janie. We all just adore her and are so delighted to have her influence in Ava's life.
We kept our tradition of building a gingerbread house this year.
Somehow Daddy was left to mix the icing. Not the best idea...
It turned out to be so thin and runny that the candy wouldn't stick!
Ava and Elizabeth took this as a chance to eat the candy as it slid down the roof!
That house is really...something!
I couldn't resist getting the camera out to capture the girls in their Christmas Sunday dresses. 
The older Elizabeth gets, the more the girls have bonded with one another. They have some tense moments, but most of the time they get along beautifully.
Christmas Eve was at Grandma and Grandpa's, as usual.
We so enjoy spending that time with Adam's brothers families and his sister and Mom and Dad.
The kids get a little dinner in them before the cookies, candies and cakes go down!
Check out Aunt Angela's cute prego belly!
Elizabeth ate more of Grandma's famous pumpkin cake rolls than anyone else.
I grabbed a quick shot of Adam and his Dad.
Ava admires Caleb's new cash register toy. These two cousins are like peas and carrots. Friends forever, I'm sure.
Mason and Amy help their daughter Lydia enjoy her first Christmas. She's just as sweet as sweet can be...and a butterball to boot!
The kids had fun spreading the "reindeer food" (oatmeal and glitter) in the front yard to help Santa's reindeer find their way.
Grandma let the kids decorate cookies with colored sugar. They really enjoyed the cooking fun.
The adults played a few games.
Check out Ava's wings she got as a gift. Too cute.
We got to bed late after Grandma and Grandpa's, but the girls woke up excited for Christmas morning in our house!
Ava found her biggest wish, a pet fish by the chimney where Santa had left her.
She also got the scooter she asked for in her Santa letter.
Santa brought Elizabeth a tricycle with a long handle to help Mom and Dad push.
Daddy got a new racquetball racket from his girls!
Ava wanted some "girl colored" cars. She thought Elizabeth needed some too.
We got dressed, ate breakfast and headed for Nana and Poppy's house to continue our Christmas festivities.
My Grandma from Missouri was there to join in the fun.
Dad got the cool weekend bag he had on his wish list.
Uncle Josh and Aunt Caylon spoiled the girls with fun gifts and lots of love.
Elizabeth got a super cool dog from Nana and Poppy. He responds to verbal commands and acts like a real dog. She loves dogs so much, so she really thinks this dog is just wonderful. She felt like he needed to be brushed too.
A four generation pic taken in our backyard when my grandma came to check out our house.
Santa came to our house when Adam volunteered to wear the suit for a neighborhood group I'm involved with.
Elizabeth wasn't convinced she knew the bearded dude.
Ava had the nativity story down pat by the end of the Christmas season. She got her own nativity set to play with and really enjoyed being able to take them to her room to set up.
Christmas was full of family visits, good friends, delicious food, tradition and lots of fun. I hope our girls will always cherish the memories we make each year. 
1 comment:
We have that same tree skirt, although ours goes under our tree...we went to the Parade with some neighborhood friends as well. Next year I am either getting there very early, or will get bleacher seats. Fun times!
Post a Comment