Long time no blog!

This year we have stayed really busy during the holiday season. We tried to do as many holiday activities as possible. It was really fun. Here are some of the things we did with the girls.


Santa came to our neighborhood the Friday before Christmas. It was really cute and the kids loved it! They ate cookies and drank hot chocolate, played, and sat on Santa's lap. It was so darn cute!

We also took the girls to pick out toys for a local children's shelter. We brought them to the mall where if you brought toys you could take a gingerbread house home to make. It was really great. The girls got to meet some of the kids they bought presents for. It is defiantly something I would like to do every year with them if we are able.

We brought them to Crystal Court to a holiday craft table where Claire got to make a nutcracker. It is something I will keep forever. I love it!

We visited the holiday toddler train at the mall. MANY MANY MANY times. It was a big hit. We are sad it will be gone on the first until next year.

This was such a fun time with the girls. I am sad Christmas it over and look forward to it next year.

Christmas Tree

Last Saturday morning we got up early got the girls ready and headed out to get a Christmas tree. We were all really excited to decorate the house and get our tree. We thought that it would be a fun family day!

We picked out a 9 1/2 foot tree put it on our car and off we went. Once we got it home and put up it, and got light on it we were so tired but Claire was still so excited to decorate. We decided to put up about 20 decorations and the angle and put the girls to bed. This was not a job for two under three years of age.

Over all it was a fun but tiring day! Best of all our house looks beautiful and festive. I will take a picture of the front of the house this week to share with you. We went a bit overboard.

The Girls

Today Addy got her 3rd tooth. YEAH! She has four teeth coming in up top in front and it feels like it has taken forever. Finally one came through today. Just in time because she has decided she will no longer eat baby food. YEAH ADDY!!!

On a funny note.... Claire told me this morning that she needs to tell Santa one more thing she wants.... A sleigh like his. She was totally serious. I said," What about the scooter?" She replied, "I want both." She is so darn funny! I LOVE KIDS!

No pictures today. I just had to share some things about the girls.

Stay tuned!

A Visit With Santa

Today the girls and I went to visit Santa Clause and the Christmas train at Crystal Court. Claire was so excited to see Santa and was not scared at all. Addy on the other hand was not a big fan.

Claire asked Santa for a scooter and he said, "will you be careful while riding the scooter?" Claire replied, "yes, I will not run over my Addy!". She also asked Santa why he came all the way from the north pole to be at the mall? (smart kid) Some of the other quotes consisted of......"my cousin Carter will be at my house for Christmas will you remember that?", "I will leave you cookies...do you like chocolate milk or white milk?", "hey, don't come to my house until it is all decorated." , "will you bring something for my Addy? She does not want to sit will you or she will cry again."

This was the first time Claire visited Santa without screaming. It was so cute. I wish I would have video taped it. She would not stop talking. Santa finally had so say, "ok, I need to visit the other kids.

We will have to make another trip with Matt. He will be sad he missed it.




Addy not a big fan this year.

More holiday festivities to come! HAVE A GOOD DAY!

HOLIDAY BAKING take 1

Today Claire and I started our holiday baking. Claire loves to bake and loves Christmas. Needless to say she was thrilled to help make these cookies.

We made these yummy cookies called "melt aways". I got the recipe from my friend Catherine's friend. They are soooooo good and EASY. We made them red (or tried but Claire liked it more pink then red) and then used red sugar sprinkles. I think it looks better with other sprinkles but they are still really good. Every time I turned around Claire was eating another one.

It was a really fun activity. I am sure we will have much more holiday baking ahead.

HAPPY TUESDAY!

THANKSGIVING

We are back from our Thanksgiving trip to Northern California! The girls had a great time visiting with there cousins, Aunts and Uncles and Grampy Paul (my Dad).
We had a fun but busy weekend. Tuesday night before we left my brother Chris and his family came over for dinner before we left (they live in Oakland). They have a little boy Eric that is almost 2 so Claire had a great time playing with him. She keeps asking when he is coming back to play.

CLAIRE AND ERIC

Wednesday we left for Northern CA for a visit with my sisters family and my Dad. My sister, Dad and I made a yummy Thanksgiving dinner that we all enjoyed (even Addy). Friday we hit the malls for black Friday. Yes, we are crazy but we do it every year. It is a fun way to get into the Christmas Spirit. Saturday we went to Napa to meet Matt's parents and Aunt and Uncle for the day. Matt LOVES Napa so it was fun to fit it into this trip. Sunday we packed up the car and headed out. Apparently everyone else left that the same time we did because what should be a 6 hour trip took us 10 1/2 hours. Oh well!

ADDY AND CLAIRE SLEEPING IN THE CAR



CLAIRE AND ADDY AT THANKSGIVING WITH NATE BEHIND

We are now home and ready to decorate for Christmas. For those of you that don't know Matt turn into Chevy Chase (from Christmas Vacation) at Christmas. There is not a missing decoration. We are excited for the weeks to come and looking forward to another visit with cousins.