Santa Babies

Our little Santa Babies all dressed up and ready to meet the big guy himself!!


We have a tradition at Christmas that involves cute Christmas dresses, decorating Christmas cookies and the man with the jolly cheeks, round button nose and round belly that shakes when he laughs like a bowl full of jelly!!!

We enjoy a night with great friends, dinner, playing, decorating Christmas cookies and a visit from Santa to the very home that we inhabit that splendid evening in the days before Christmas.

This year, the girls looked so cute in their santa dresses. I could not wait for them to meet Santa. I thought that Olivia would be a little leary, and I really had no idea how Reagan would react. Last year she was terrified at first, but warmed up to Old St. Nick as the evening went on and finally sat on his lap and told him she wanted a dollhouse for Christmas. That was news to Jeremy and I two days before Christmas last year!! I thought that she may be excited this year to sit on Santa's lap and tell him her Christmas wishes.

Fast forward several hours..... Pizza was consumed, girls were still clean and cute. Kids were playing and having a blast. Knock. Knock. Knock at the door. And in walks in Santa Clause himself, all bright and cheery in his bright red suit. I look around, Reagan is NOWHERE to be found. NOWHERE!!! She took off as soon as she saw him and no-one could find her. All the other kids laughed and screamed and danced and jumped and screamed and screamed. Olivia got scared and wanted to be held. Reagan, well Reagan ran and hid and could not be found. When we finally did find her, she was in the playroom, hiding in the corner, shaking and refused to come out and meet Santa. She refused to even come out of the room and look at Santa. Jeremy and I both tried several times to get her to come out of the room. Not a chance. Santa visited for at least a half hour, everyone sat on his lap and told him what they wished for. Santa even gave out books to all of the kids. Reagan could not be talked or bribed out of the room. She slammed the door and hid in the corner until Santa left.

Olivia was a little timid and would not sit on Santa's lap, but she did go up to Santa to have her picture taken and checked out the bells on Santa's suit. Now, anytime you mention Santa Clause, she shakes her arms like Santa did when he shook the bells on his coat for her.


After Santa left, we decorated and ate yummy cookies and enjoyed the rest of the evening with great friends. All in all a super fun night!!!

Our Merry Little Christmas

And that we did!! We had a wonderful little Christmas, a quiet little Christmas, a blessed little Christmas. We enjoyed time with family and friends. We went to bed late and slept late. We had visitors and wrapped presents and baked cookies and opened presents; we played with new presents, donated old presents to those who have less, and tried our best to remember the true reason for the season.

Reagan and I did the Truth in the Tinsel advent experience this year. It blessed me so much to be able to share with Reagan the story of Jesus, and his birth. We decorated an ornament for each day of December, and read a corresponding verse and story that laid out the entire Christmas story beautifully. Reagan loved it and was so proud of her ornaments.



Our Christmas in pictures......

Family Pictures 2012

A dear friend of ours recently took some pictures of our family! I must be honest, I really was not too optimistic about how these pictures were going to turn out. It was cold out the morning we took them, and my girls behavior was less than stellar, to say the least. I left with a sinking feeling that our attempt at getting some new pictures of the girls and our family was futile. Much to my delight, I was so pleased and happy to see how the pictures turned out!! Thanks friend for taking some beautiful pictures of our family!!! Here are a few of my favorites

Liva's First Birthday!!

My sweet little Liva turned ONE !!! We had a HUGE celebration!!! Our party was brightly colored and full of fun, friends, food and family!!! My MOM came in town for the party!!! We were all over the moon with excitement that Nana was coming to the party!!!We had balloons, pinwheels, bubbles, food, strawberry cake (daddy's pick), and much much fun!!!We sang HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our sweet girl, she ate it up, being the center of attention. She had a BALL at her party, she walked around smiling with her silly little grin, swinging her arms and clapping!! She totally loved all of the excitement and all of the chaos!!

Pictures of my sweetness!!!!

 Here are some pictures of my  beauties!!!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE these pictures, I love my girls in blue!! What a blessing to have such sweet, funny, silly, crazy, beautiful girls in my life!!

   

The difference between Mommies and Daddies

Just an example of how mommy's and daddy's are totally different!! Here is a picture of Reagan and I's play-doh creation. We made a bakery, full of yummy treats and cookies and cakes!! Reagan let her daddy come and "shop" at her bakery and pick out his favorite cookie.

 

 And......Here is a picture of what Jeremy made when Reagan asked him to play with us. This is his "BOOGER" which he sculpted and then proceeded to blow out of his nose, Nice!!! Reagan was totally grossed out!!!!! She would not go anywhere near the "Booger."

 

I'm thinking that Jeremy is really needing a little boy to make play-doh boogers with:-))

Easter 2012

I love Easter!! I love everything about Easter. I love sweet little girls in pretty Easter dresses, I love brightly colored Easter Eggs, I love matching Easter baskets, I love Easter egg hunts, I love Easter weather!! I love that this year, Reagan was really into talking about and learning about the true meaning of this holiday we celebrate. We had such a fun Easter weekend, full of egg hunts, coloring Easter eggs, trips to the zoo, and time with friends!! We had a visit from the Easter bunny, and got to worship at our church and hear the never tired message of redemption!!