What We Did for Christmas

Christmas was good. We traveled up to Utah to see our family and to surprise one of our Papas. I'm pretty sure he was surprised by the look on his face when he answered the door. It was a treat for him to have all his family together for Christmas since its been a few years since we've all been together during the holidays.

On Christmas Eve, while Noelle was sleeping and dreaming of the presents she was going to open, Santa brought her some great things in her stocking and while he was putting out the gifts he thought he'd better check to make sure Noelle was asleep. Sure enough, she was and Santa was kind enough to cover her up with her special silky blankets.

Noelle was especially delighted with the set of markers she found in her stocking. She's been using them since. We decided that we should store the chocolate from all our stockings and ration it out from time to time. Noelle even tried to convince her Grammy who was at our house that it would be okay since mom was gone to get the chocolate down from the closet.

During our Christmas vacation our girls did a fair amount of sleeping in coats, in the car. We're not used to wearing big coats and I think Sis thought it might just be a sleeping bag.
Our girls also spent some time with their cousins. This is just an example of how much fun it can be. You can't tell from this picture, but Jackson on the other hand was not having all that much fun. Poor guy.

Next year we're going to suggest that Santa bring Sis a bucket. She had more fun playing with a bucket on her head than she did with any of the toys she was given. Isn't that always the case?

We were glad to have had the chance to spend the holidays with our families despite the long drive. We're glad to have missed any major storms during our travels and maybe we'll come again in a few years...maybe.

Christmas Spirit

Aint no party like a ward Christmas party, or something like that. We got it done early and mostly painlessly. They had two photo opportunities. One room was set up with a backdrop for family pictures and then when Santa came the kids could get a picture with him. Right before it was our turn for family pictures Noelle disappeared into the pack of kids that run amuck at all ward party function. She was soon returned crying with report that she fell. As usual we underplayed it and told her she was fine, but I had to give Boo the "look" because she had a bloody lip and we didn't need wailing to ensue right before we had to take a picture. Crisis averted from underplaying the situation. Thank goodness.

We sang some Christmas carols, had a couple narrators and other musical numbers. By far my favorite was the twin 13 year old boys that played an awesome piano duet. I hope my kids play the piano some day. After the program the special guest arrived. I think Noelle may have gone through the line more than twice. I only know of two times, but it could have been more. Look at her posing with Santa. So funny.

We weren't sure how Sis would do, but she didn't mind Santa. She told him a few things that only magic Santa ears would be able to interpret.

She even did well sitting with Santa alone, until he started creeping her out. I really couldn't blame her.

Santa looks like he's handing her off because she stinks or something. So funny. Hope you all make it to see Santa. And I especially hope that Santa brings Noelle the AquaSand. She wanted it for her birthday and we mysteriously forgot to buy it, so we told her to ask Santa for it. That was in March. She's been holding out hope for a long time and has yet to divert from that gift idea.

Halloween 2010

It was a pretty spectacular Halloween around here. Bigger than we usually do. Noelle was Ariel from The Little Mermaid. During the three days of festivities she did her best to wear her new costume out. I predict that Sis will not be wearing that as a hand-me-down only because I really don't think it will last that long. Noelle's hair was courtesy of a neighbor-friend who's house I was at as a costume was being returned. I took one look in the bag and knew that was what we had been looking for the whole time. It was perfect. Noelle was pleased as punch with her Ariel attire.

Sis was a ladybug. She was a cute little, determined, ladybug. She gets a little more feisty each day and is learning to hold her own. The only problem is that she and Noelle fight already and Sis is a hair puller and a biter.

Look at the fear on Noelle's face as she has to hold on to Sis' hand for the picture. She's worried she's going to get bitten, because that's what usually happens when you grab onto this baby. All Sis wanted to do was run away. Such a stinker.

Noelle's preschool had a little Halloween day and for the last few minutes they put on a show for the parents. The little guy in white on the right was pretty darn funny.

I had to add this picture of the Captain Jack Sparrow. He was sitting next to Noelle and kept poking at her with is foam sword and dagger. He then said something to the fact that he's Jack Sparrow and he's allergic to mermaids. Too funny.

This picture of Noelle is a couple days before Halloween. She wasn't feeling too great at the beginning of the week and I was worried she wouldn't feel well enough for all the festivities. She pulled through and seems to be feeling better. Poor kid, just look at that pitiful look on her face.

Delighting in the Spooky Season

(scary face)
Noelle is getting ready for Halloween. She's been prancing around in her costume that I made by accident. I hadn't at all intended to make a costume for her and her mind was ever changing on what it was exactly that she was going to be for Halloween. First she was going to a spider, which is her go-to costume idea every year or so it seems. Then she got hooked on the idea of being a tiger. A tiger, what the? Where would I come up with a tiger costume that didn't look like she was trying to be sexy or cool. She's four, the cool factor has yet to fully set in and I'm not about to facilitate such things. I already have to put up with being told things aren't "rock n' roll" enough as it is, however I could figure out tiger if I had to. Needless to say we went to the fabric store, looking for something unrelated to Halloween costumes, and found this great green fish scale looking material. My mind went into dress-up mode and so we bought a yard.

(the wind on Halloween)

It sat in the bag until Noelle remembered we bought it and then it was turned into a skirt, cape and whipping toy for Reggie. I figured I'd better hop to it and make that dress-up mermaid fin. It was great for about two seconds until Noelle wouldn't wear the leotard with it and wanted her own set of seashells on top. So we went back to the fabric store and snatched up a few things and two Sis naps later we had a full on mermaid costume. The only problem was getting it off Noelle long enough for it not to be worn out by Halloween. Boo somehow managed to convince her to hang it in the closet until then.

In the meantime we're working on Reggie's costume and well Sis gets the hand-me-costumes that Noelle wore. Its either that or she can be a bag of jellybeans for the next five years of her life like I was.

To add to our spookiness we've done our best and adding bats to our walls and of course a ghost. This ghost project has been on my list of things to do for a couple years and I finally got around to buying all the supplies. I haven't figured out how I'm going to store Casper. Sure wish I had a basement for my junk.

October also marks the time of year for our annual family photo shoot. Stay tuned for more pics. Sis did a good job until it was time for her nap and Noelle just wanted to strike serious poses (if you can't tell from the above photos.) I might go for round two later today to see what we come up with. Happy haunting in the meantime.

Stinkin' Easter Bunny

That's me. The stinkin' Easter bunny. I thought I had it all done and then remembered that I said I'd get the candy later. By later I didn't think it would be at 9pm the Saturday before Easter. Wal-Mart was abuzz with all the other loser parents wandering aimlessly through the aisles. Seriously it was like watching apes. We were all scratching our heads wondering where all the jelly beans had gone and why there wasn't a decent piece of chocolate to be had. Such a sorry sight. Lesson learned: get the candy early.

Side note: I told Noelle we'd be going to a neighbor's house for an Easter egg hunt. She asked me if the Easter bunny would hide eggs around our house. I said he might. Then her eyes lit up and she said "There will be candy in them and toys!" Ugghhhhh why did I do that last year? Then there was the candy shortage and well I'm going to have to make up a lie and tell her that the Easter bunny must have hid them all at her friend's house.

Halloween Recap

We had a great, easy Halloween. Noelle had decided early on in October that she would be a black widow spider. Boo and I started discussing how we would go about making a spider costume that was really cool without being too expensive. We also looked at spider costumes online and decided they were to cheesy. Then a miracle happened. Like any other three year old, Noelle changed her mind. She was now going to be Cinderella and a spider. After many attempts at explaining that you can only be one or the other she decided on Cinderella with tap shoes. (curses on those tap shoes). I nixed the tap shoes for trick-or-treating, however for the school costume day she insisted. I figured why not let someone else suffer those tap shoes for a couple hours.

We started our Halloween week celebrations with some classic sugar cookies. I learned not to mess with a good thing. I altered the cookie recipe and was sorely disappointed. But as you can see, Noelle and her friend didn't mind.

Noelle's friend showed up ready to get her cookie on. She also brought an apron for Noelle.

Cinderella getting ready for school.

Watch out Miss America, Noelle's been practicing her wave.

This is the Riff-Raff. Captain America is my favorite and the giant fairy wings that nearly took out an eye.

This is the best picture for featuring the tap shoes and the static cling of Noelle's dress. She's going to need therapy for this picture.

This is Noelle's friend Dyllan L. She can't say his name without also saying his last name. Its pretty funny. She always tells me about him when I pick her up.

Halloween Night! Cinderella and a purple dragon.

Noelle was afraid of this house and she thought it had a stinky smell. (fog)

Happy Halloween

It was hard to decide which costume to use, but when it came down to deciding, Noelle went with WALL-E. I was kind of shocked at how many people knew what she was - despite it being all over the costume.

(She's such a big kid carrying her candy bag)

We had a fun Halloween with the Weeks. We ate yummy homemade chili and fried up some doughnuts then went out trick-or-treating for a couple of blocks. Even though they only live a few blocks away, their development knows how to rock Halloween. In their neighborhood for the most part the people come out and sit in their drive ways or on the porch and wait for the kids to come by. A lot of people decorated their front yards quite elaborately.

Boo and the Weeks' pet gorilla, who really liked to steal candy from unsuspecting kids

We tried to snap a self portrait and the first one was hideous, but by the second Noelle was done. So I'm dodging her Tootsie Pop while trying not to drop her.

Noelle's Papa got her a Halloween shirt and a pumpkin. Her shirt says "My magic power is being cute!" He made us promise to take a picture for Grammy of Noelle with her pumpkin. So this is for you Gram.

The video is so you can get the full effect of WALL-E's glowing eyes walking down the street. She was a very focused trick-or-treater.