New skates!

Morgan Leigh asked Santa for new roller skates this year.  We wanted to get onto some good sidewalks to try them out.  She didn't last too long, but it's super cute!

Anna Grace was off on her bike, so she switched to her new two-wheeled scooter.  And they were off!

It's a beautiful day to test out our toys!

Pedicures

We are just trying to keep busy with Matt's work schedule during his holiday.  Anna Grace got a pedicure set from our sweet friend Stacey for Christmas.  She was anxious to do her own toes today.

Outfit choices

Everyone says to pick your battles.  I gave up trying to tell her what went together today.  This is what she came out in.

Christmas Day

We rearranged the furniture last night so that we could see all their faces while opening gifts.

They are excited for all the new things they received.

Big Lego sets, roller skates, jewelry, etc.

This was our advent wreath.  We have done readings most of the nights of December along with lighting the candles and telling the story of Jesus birth.  ML kept wanting to light the white candle which we don't do until Christmas.  I told her we would light it the morning we opened our gifts.  We did just that.  I moved into the kitchen to baste the turkey and got side-tracked.  The girls were playing with a few toys and we heard ML saying "uh-oh!" louder and louder over and over.  Matt ran in to find this little gem on fire!!!  Tom blew it out and Matt took it out the front door to douse it with water....YIKES!  That's not really the excitement of Christmas we needed!

The Reagan Family joined us for our Turkey lunch.  We love having the 6 of these cousins together often.

The girls patiently waited to get out the big Lego sets until the lunch was cleaned up and our company had left.  But I think they waited 5 minutes after they left before tearing into the bags.

ML still needs a little help putting the sets together.  She started with Gigi, moved onto grandpa etc.  We all got a little chance to help!  It's been a busy, blessed day.

Christmas Eve traditions

I never have stopped to think about how many things are tradition for us through the holiday season.  A friend pointed it out saying that they need to develop some of their own.  Church was at 5 today and while we were getting dinner ready we posed for a few pictures.

Matt is busy preparing the beef tenderloin.

So we will snap these few pictures and sit down to a delicious meal.  Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Christmas Eve Pageant

These sweet angels have grown up in our church together and I can't wait to see how they continue to grow and shape one another!

Our girls after the pageant concluded.

Cinnamon rolls

It doesn't seem like Christmas to me, if there aren't cinnamon rolls for breakfast.  Both girls are very helpful in the process.  This is the brown sugar layer and since there are 2 doz in this batch, they both get to prepare their own dough.

Costco

I used to love Costco for the giant carts.  I could easily get both girls in those and shop.  Now....not they look hugs in these tiny carts.  They're getting so big!

Shopping and margaritas

We took the girls to shop for one another this afternoon and then for a few drinks.  What a great Saturday afternoon!

Christmas party

I love getting to be at all the parties for both girls.  (Next year will be a little split, because they will be at the same time!)  Today they made snowflakes from coffee filters and the teacher let them use the fan to see how far they would float.

Christmas program

Today was Morgan Leigh's Christmas program.  I texted my friend and asked if I was crazy to go sit in the sanctuary at 8:30.  She said yes.  So I waited 10 minutes before I headed up there.  We got to the chapel and it was dark and I had 15 precious minutes in the dark with Morgan Leigh talking about God's house.  I may be crazy, but that is one of my favorite memories ever!

Here she is singing at the top of her lungs.  You could even pick her voice out a few times.

She was thrilled to have Nora, Paige, Gigi, grandpa, daddy and I on the front row.

And lastly, posing with Matt and I.  Such a special day.

Frosty the Snowman

We had a reschedule from last weekend's ice for Frosty.  We crammed in a million things today, but this is a great way to cap off a Sunday.

Tree trimming

The girls have been patient while Matt got the tree in the stand and all the lights on it.  Today though, we could wait no more to decorate.

It's ML's year to put up the star.  She was so proud in the moment, sitting on Matt's head and everything!  It's beginning to feel like Christmas.

Christmas tree shopping

 

 We have a few hours to get a tree today.  Nothing like the ice storm interrupting our plans to get a tree last weekend.  This looks to be the perfect one this year.  That way I won't be late to church!

Ice day #3

When I cancel everything else, I have time to sew the pj bottoms that Nonna serged for us.  The girls don't seem to mind the third day of shut in.  We had home church today (thanks to Margie for the suggestion!) in the warm home.  Tomorrow's school is cancelled too....Say a prayer for me. :)

Ice day 2...

Today is the second day of being iced in.  The roads are just plain awful and we have tried our best to just shut-in.  We will have some neighbors walk over for dinner though so that we keep some sanity....

Ice days

The girls are itching to get outside and Matt was nice enough to take them.  Warm jackets, mittens and pj bottoms.  Perfect!

Day 2 of being shut in and they are all smiles.  What a blessing it has been to do this in the middle of the Christmas season.  We cleared the calendar and have just spent time with one another.

Happy ice day y'all!

Sing your heart out

Who needs a karaoke machine?  Maybe all you need is a mic and some music?

St. Nicholas

The girls still love seeing St. Nicholas at our church at the beginning of December.

Morgan Leigh without tears actually sat on his lap and told him her wishlist this year!