GETTING READY FOR CHRISTMAS, WITH TRADITIONS!

It's a tradition to go, and see Santa each year, so that the girls can give him their list!

The girls are always excited to see Santa!  (we only had to wait less then 10 min.  I was excited about that)

The kids top 5 list, for Christmas.  I have to remind the girls that Santa, will probably just choose one thing off the list.

ELLIE'S LIST

1.  A sewing machine

2.  rip stick

3.  knitting supplies

4.  New snow boots

5.  I pod

ADDISON'S LIST

1.  Cup cake maker

2.  Bead maker

3.  Bendaroos

4.  I pod

5.  violin

PAISLEY'S LIST

1.  A baby doll to love

2.  Anything to eat ( sounds like me!)

On one of the Mondays in December, each year.  We put together a ginger bread house for FHE.  This is one of our favorite activities for Christmas.  The girls are becoming experts at this.  Jeff and I do the icing,( because the girls are not quite strong enough) and the girls place all the candy.

It's just as fun to eat, all the left over candy and cookies!

Finished product!

CHRISTMAS DRESSES!

I know that many people have the Christmas tradition, to buy new Christmas outfits for the kids!  I think this is just an excuse to get new cloths. (Shh! I wont tell anyone.) 

 I love having little girls to dress up!  I take full advantage of matching dresses, bows, shoes, and dolling up these little girls. 

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Ellie is such a beautiful girl. 

 

What can I say Photogenic!

Cute! cute! cute!  She is taking lessons from her sisters.

Paisley 18 months,  Addison one month shy of  6, and Ellie 8 1/2 

The proud parents!

Daddy and his little girls!

SNOW DAY!

What is every kids dream?  Snow Day!  So Tuesday December 16, my kids had an official snow day.  They were so excited to stay home, and play in the snow.   I didn't think it was snowing that bad, but because they go to a privet school who has students from Eagle Mt., to Provo.  The storm was slamming some of the other students!  Lucky us!!

  No school means entertaining the kids all day.  So I asked the girls what they wanted to do.  We called some of the cousins over to play, and the kids had a blast in the snow!  This was also the first time Paisley has really played in the snow herself.  She didn't know what to think.

 

She was so surprised how cold the snow was on her hands.  She keep saying "coldie, coldie"

While the girls were waiting for their cousin to arrive they decided to give a little service to their neighbors by shoveling their sidewalk, and porch.  They definitely get that from their dad!

My snow angles!

Kennedi, and Addie playing.  These girls love each other!

I was laughing so hard after I got Paisley ready to go out.  She looked just like the little boy from "The Christmas Story"  she could hardly walk.

Nothing like a little hot coco in the Ba Ba, for the baby!

The best part of snow days, is the hot coco, and whipping cream!

We love snow days!

OUR CHRISTMAS TREE!

I love Christmas time, and especially the Christmas Trees.

Our upstairs tree! This is where Santa leaves all our Christmas gifts.

My sister Stephanie made me this cute jester, for my tree this year. I love how it made my tree more whimsical, and fun.

Our basement trees!

FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD!

This year we headed up to the Gardner's house for Thanksgiving.  We always have tons of fun, and never a lack of food.  We had lots of things to do such as; Christmas books to make for the adults, Turkey cupcakes to make for the kids, pillow fights, wrestling, dancing, head, hand, and pushup contests, and to top it off we all sleep over!   Jeff and I did decide this year, that we would never sleep over in the Rec Room again.  We got woke up from the roosters at 4:45 A.M., and it also didn't help that Paisley decided to run around for an hour at 3:00 A.M.,  because her uncles, and dad woke her up when they finally decided it was time for quits with the Rook games.  

I'm sure we will eventually forget the drama, and will do it again on Christmas!

Thanksgiving Family Picture 2008

Pillow fight anyone!

Ellie dancing with her cousins!

Addison having a pushup contest with her cousins.

My favorite part of dinner, dessert!  I always look forward to Aunt Suesann's famous carrot cake.  It is truly the best!

 

I think we had close to 55.  It was quite a nice spread!

The chefs in the kitchen, Aunt Suesann, and Grandma Gardner.

Addie and Emma making their cupcake turkeys.

Addison's final product.  So cute!

WHAT A GYMNAST!

Ellie had her first Gymnastics meet!   She was a little nervous, but pulled through, and did a great job.  She had a great time, and can't wait to start competing in the spring, with Addie.  Good job Ellie!   All your hard work is paying off!

What a star!  Ellies coaches said "She looks, and acts like a gymnast."

Ellie is incredibly strong, and fast.  Her best event was the vault.

It was fun to see Ellie's routines she has been practicing.

 

Ellie had great form on the beam.  She has no fear, which is great!

I caught Addie picking her nose while she was watching Ellies meet.  It was pretty funny!  The meet was actually fun, and not to long.

   Addison is finally back to practice at the gym, after her accident with her arm.  She is way excited to start meets herself!

SEXY MAMA!

Ellie has been begging me for a couple of months to cut her hair.  I keep putting her off making her wait for summer to be over, and then for school pictures to be taken.  I was hoping to distract her, but it was a no go.   Jeff and I both love her long hair, but she has always been terrible about doing it.  I keep warning her if she cut her hair, I would have to style it everyday, and she agreed to let me!  

Thank goodness we have Jeff's sister, Jenny around.  Ellie called her on Sunday, and Jenny came right over for Ellie's new makeover.   I have to admit that she looked darling after the cut.  It will be much better than the regular pony we do everyday except for Sunday, that's my day!

Ellie's last moments as a long blond!

Bye! Bye! No turning back now.

All sassy, and no place to go but bed!

We had to keep her hair long enough, so she can pull it back in a short pony tail for gymnastics.  It has been 3 days since the cut, and this morning's styling brought the first tears.  I knew it was to good to be true. (mornings without the drama)  I'm getting used to it after 8 years.  She is such a stinker, and anyone who has done Ellie's hair, will agree.  Maybe she will grow out of this by 12. 

SWEET STUFF!

We had a great Halloween celebration.  Lots of fun filled days!  We made Carmel apples, and pretzels two times this week, and gave them out to Ellie, and Addies class.  I'm one of the room moms for both of the girls classes at school.  It was fun to be at their class parties, to watch them participate in all of the games and activities.  They had a great time!  My girls had no school on Halloween day.  This made a great day, to make more yummy Carmel apples, and just hang out, and get ready for trick or treating!  Paisley was so cute this year, she was getting the whole idea of  holding her bag out for candy, by the end of the night.   We are all totally junked out!!   What can we say, we love our sweets! 

The girls were so excited to go out and trick or treat!  What a perfect night it turned out to be.  I cant remember Halloween ever being so warm.

ELLIE "THE MONSTER BRIDE!"

ADDIE "THE WOODLAND FAIRY!"

PAISLEY "THE LITTLE BUNNY!"

THE CAST IS OFF

Addison got her cast, and survived 4 weeks of plastic bags in the tub.  Its time for the cast to come off, and the pins to be pulled out.  Addison was a champ, she surprised me with how tough she was. 

Finally its coming off!

Last few minutes with the cast, she was so excited to get it off!

One of the pins that had to be removed.

She is finally done, her poor little arm was so dry and fragile.  Now we are on the road to recovery.  I am a little scared, that we don't have a cast to protect this wild child.