December Re-cap

December Re-Cap

Boy have we been busy! But not TOO busy... I made sure of it this year!!

We were decorated by Thanksgiving.

The new green paint made decorating easy!!

The girls decorated the tree and LOVED unwrapping each ornament and telling me the story behind the ornaments... YEAH... they DO enjoy getting a new one each year!!

I'm so glad my Mom started that tradition.

Though none of us really needed much, Mandy Meg & I met at the mall at 4am (with Brian and Morgan). I LOVE this new tradition!!! I love Black Friday!!

I made delicious candy cane hot chocolate for Meg & I.

It wasn't even winter and we got hit with some snow.

BOTH girls loved it!!

The built a snow man pretty much by themselves.

Then Jason helped them with a fort, which we destroyed when we had a snowball fight with them!

Little did we know that this snow was only a little snow...

We saw a couple free Christmas shows this year.

The girls really enjoyed the Irish dancing show...

they dance around the living room doing it.

Jaylee keeps telling me how "easy" it is and wants to take lessons.

I'm afraid to ask how much they cost!!!

Then we went to a local HS to see their Christmas Program...

we were happily surprised when it was about Jeses' birth!!!

Jenni loves to get dressed up for these things!!

CANDY MAKING
We decided that our 'baking' this year would include pre-made cookie dough and made-from-scratch Almond-Toffee-Crunch.
It was fun!!! (and exciting!)
I love when Jason and I cook together.
The girls love to help out in the kitchen too!!
Our first batch was not bad!!
BUT the second batch was delicious... perfect!!
So perfect, that Jason finished it off in 3 days!!!

our first batch....
alf of it's on it's way to Seattle for Christmas Eve dinner.


The girls helping with clean up.

(Just kidding...)

Just a picture of a present from the Stringham's last year.

Still makes me giggle!

We spent one afternoon at the North Museum.

Does everyone in Lancaster know you can get free passes at the Library?!?

Usually we spend an hour at the museum, but since we were the only ones there (playing hookie!!), we got everyone's attention. The girls got to pet snakes, lizards, turtles, scorpions, millipedes, cockroaches and more. Jenni was very braved and touched each one!!!!! Jaylee LOVES this kind of stuff!!

Jaylee got very into staging pictures when we were in the lower level.

I forced the girls to leave after 3 hours!!!

Jenni's Preschool Christmas Party

She was sooooo excited that I finally got to come to her class!!

She picked out her favorite Christmas Dress for the day.

She made edible Christmas Trees, we had snack and we all sang Happy Brirthday to Jesus.

She was soooo excited to give her teacher her present.

She was also sooo excited to give Jason and I our gifts, so we let her that night.

She made me a picture frame with puzzle pieces glued to it and it says "I love you to pieces".

She assembled and painted a snowman decoration for Jason.

Jenni has been very grown up regarding gifts this year.

She keeps telling us that she doesn't want to mess up again, like last year...

On Christmas Eve last year, Jason kissed her good night and she said "Daddy are you excited to open your Sham Wows tomorrow?!?"

It broke her heart b/c she had tried soooo hard not to spoil his surprise.

She is precious!!

Jenni and Morgan got to go see Santa...

Jenni gave her list to the Santa that came around on the Firetruck a few days before hand.

She's asking for a brother, play dough & Littlest Pet Shops.

The girls realize that this is not the real Santa, just Santa's helper.

Jaylee calls him a "Phony" and did not give him a list this year b/c she's really only asking for a Barbie House and says that he's always given her good gifts, and he doesn't need her help!!

Fine we me... saves me another hour long line at the Mall!!!

Our trip to Meg's Salon for the holidays

The Blizzard

let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

December 19th

2 feet of snow

I came down with a terrible cold and it was great timing...

I got to stay in bed all day, Jason shoveled, helped dig out neighbors, made dinner, reshoveled, took care of the girls, reshoveled again, dug a few more strangers out on Wabank rd, ran to Carrabbas to get me spicy chicken soup & reshoveled yet again.

Did I mention I got to lay in bed all day?!?

Usually, when we step out our back door, we step down, NOT up!!

The bright thing is our Christmas light dear.

he looked cool, lit up under the snow.

3 days later...

I guess we're having a White Christmas in 4 days!!

Jaylee loved the snow this time!

Jenni was still kind of sick and hung out inside with me.

Jaylee dug some tunnels, sledded and went with Jason to dig people out!

More pix to come wen Christmas arrives this week...

we are sooo excited.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!!