Anna sings

Merry Christmas 2010

Twas the days before Christmas

Since there was no snow outside, we decided to make our own snowflakes to decorate the house. It was super easy and the kids spent a lot of time on this project.

Just coffee filters and watercolor paint and we had beautiful snowflakes.

Today was gingerbread houses.

The boys.


And the girls.

Then it did something here it hasn't done in 6 years. Snow on Christmas Eve. We haven't had a white Christmas in 6 years, so extra special conditions for Santa tonight!! And the perfect conditions to burn a little energy.

And of course posed pics before Christmas Eve church. Merry Christmas Eve.

It's starting to look a lot like Christmas....

It was a festive day around here with a big agenda, Santa. I took Anna and Carter to see him once a couple of weeks ago and they weren't very excited. Actually it was a just a step below terrified. But things are different when you have big brother and big sister along to be brave. So while we were getting all festive you know I had to take some pictures.

I have to mention in here that I made Callie's dress. Actually, my mom and I made Callie's dress. I got a sewing machine for Christmas (early) and we had a great time doing our first project. My mom knows how to sew beautifully but I've never sewn a thing. We did this without a pattern and I think it turned out cute. I love homemade things and hope to learn a lot more while my girls are still willing to wear what I make.

So we got to the mall and after a very long wait, we were next. This picture is one of my favorites. I love Anna's profile, it's so sweet. This was her looking at Santa from a far.

Thank goodness for Jack and Callie. The big scary man turned into someone magicical when Jack and Callie were so eager to be with him and talk to him.

Carter was much more timid than Anna and was very ready to just look at him from a distance.

Santa was wonderful and such a caring sweet man. He took a lot of time talking to each of the kids and really listening to them. He asked them one at a time what they wanted for Christmas. ( a bit of a scary question the week before!)

And this is my favorite picture of them all. This is one I will look at year after year and remember, my daughters first Christmas. I told Santa this was Anna's first Christmas and he asked a lot of questions and took a lot of time with her. Truly awesome.



After Santa we came home and the little one's napped. While they were napping I made these.

After nap time was cookie decorating time. Our friend Grace joined us for the fun.

So Grace broke a cookie and I told her to go ahead and eat it. Can you guess what happened next. Four more broken cookies, how did that happen????

Once we got over broken cookies, this was our finished product. The kids did a great job and we have some beautiful (and yummy) cookies.

I think we will watch Rudolph tonight to just to top off the day.

Thankful Thursday

Wordless Wednesday

Ohio Christmas 2010

We headed to Ohio this weekend to celebrate Christmas with the Ullery side of the family. We had a wonderful time and the kids enjoyed every minute of it. They got to play in the snow for the first time this year and had such a great time sledding. This was Anna's first Christmas celebration and she was smiles all around. She got into the Christmas spirit quickly and was not a single step behind the others in all the traditions this weekend... fudge, presents, playing with cousins. Anna spent some time with her great grandma and made her a very happy woman. Grandma B has a lot of affection for this little girl and Anna brightened her day. I think they have a special little relationship going! So fun was had by all and it was a very Merry Ohio Christmas. I have to mention our (12 hour) trip home though. We got caught in a blizzard, stuck for 4 hours on an interstate not moving even one inch, and turned our normally 6 hour trip to 12 hours. The kids were troopers and we made it home, just not quite the way to end such a wonderful weekend. BUT, we are home safe and in the holiday spirit. Enjoy the pictures.

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A Walk in the Woods

Two weekends ago, it was a Sunday morning and I was upstairs gathering church clothes for everyone when I had a thought. It was a beautiful day and I felt like we needed a big dose of outside time while it was still warm. So I asked the kids if they wanted to take a nature hike and knowing I might have mixed responses, I said they could each take a bag to collect things to make a collage at home. Everyone was excited and we headed to a park I knew with a long trail through the woods. It was the most wonderful morning. We spent time just enjoying the weather, walking along a trail. I wish I would have done this when it was the middle of fall and the leaves were all different colors but I will remember for next year. They called it their adventure and all in all we walked about 4 miles. The little ones pooped out toward the end and I knew their little legs were tired but I can't carry them both so they walked. We ended up with bags full of pine cones so we made peanut butter bird feeders later that afternoon. Now that it is 17 degrees outside, I am even more grateful we did this. Just a reminder to me that sometimes we just need to get away, take in a new setting, and be!!

And after napping for over 3 hours, I had to go and wake up this little sleeping beauty.

And this sweet prince too!

I guess all of that fresh air, oh and 4 miles of walking wore these little peanuts out!