Christmas Morning

Christmas morning finally came after a long night of crying and throwing up. Mallory was up early listening to Jillian, begging to go out and see what Santa had brought. We made her wait until 8:00. That is so late for Christmas morning. I remember going out at 5:30 with my brother. Jillian was lying on the floor in the hallway being Jillian...saying "I already saw what I am getting." Here they are opening up their stockings. Santa brought them both new bikes.

Jillian started feeling better and better the more things she opened...funny how that happens.

Mallory was so so so excited for her BIG bike. She immediately called Gramma and Papa and wanted to tell them. She told Papa her bike was big enough for Gramma to ride...ha ha ha.
After Mallory saw her bike she looked out the window to see if Santa left her a trampoline. She did this without us really even knowing. We were gonna do a little game for them to find it, but that didn't work. I guess she didn't think a bike and a stocking full of prizes was enough from Santa. The trampoline is actually from all of the kids Grandparents and Nana. I just made Michael set it up the night before in the freezing cold. It got down to the 30s that night. A little too cold for us!

We didn't get the encloser put together the night before.

Mallory got a night mask in her stocking and Jillian was trying it on. Mallory has slept with it on every night...so funny!

Logan slept through all the commotion some how. Michael and I finally went to wake him up. We wanted him to see all of his loot! Santa left him this cute shopping cart with all sorts of balls in it. The first thing he said was "Ball" (Baaaa). He repeated that all morning long. He was the cutest little guy ever. He absolutely loved all of his balls he got. Such a boy! I love it!

We just watched Logan go crazy over his balls. I guess we don't really have many boy toys around the house. He is used to playing with polly's, barbies, and American Girl clothes.

After our Santa party, we had yummy homemade cinnamon rolls and then opened presents.

Logan wasn't too sure what to do. I was actually surprised he didn't try to open the presents before.

Our friends from Tucson mailed Logan this cute Hot Wheels truck. He loves it. He plays with it all the time.

They also sent him this cute webkins black bear. The girls were jealous. They love webkins.

Logan and Daddy...having some boy playtime. Logan was being so precious, sitting in Michaels lap and learning all about his truck. We love our BOY!!

The girls couldn't wait to go outside and try out their new bikes. I love living in the warm desert...where else can you do this?? Having a white Christmas is So overrated!

Mallory hasn't had a bike since we moved in February...so it took a few minutes to get used to riding a bike again. She is a pro at it now. I love having the kids play outside.

After all of the fun, Jillian passed out on the pillow of the couch..I don't know how she didn't fall.

We ended up having a great Christmas...a little tired, but we just got to rest and play with the kids. The girls got a cute table and chair set for their AG dolls. Logan tries to push it over since it is more his size. Michael gave me an ipod...I was so surprised. I am loving it! We are definatly enjoying not waking up early for school and the rat race that entails. I am sure I have saved $100 in gas so far!

Merry NOT Christmas To You!!!!

This was a Christmas Eve that will go down in the book of things to remember. We stayed home this year for Christmas and wanted to be home for Christmas Eve. We invited friends to come over and have dinner with us too. We had a typical Christmas Eve day...Mommy being busy and the kids being board driving me up a wall. We even took some treats around. We had a fun dinner with friends who the girls love to play with. I guess it all started with our friends coming over. Often, Jillian can't keep it together when there is too much excitement going one. She immediately found herself sitting in time out for some naughty behavior. We were finishing up dinner when we heard someone throwing up. Their little girl got sick, and that was the end of that. Jillian was still in time out when they left and got mad she didn't get to play very long.

So we tried to carry on the evening as usual...acting out the nativity, singing songs, reading the night before Christmas, and having yummy peppermint ice cream pie. Jillian threw us for a HUGE loop. She went into one of her tantrums...I would say it was the worst! After about 30 minutes of trying to get her to be the angel, her crying and saying "no," we put her in her room. Of course she quickly changed her mind and wanted to be an angel (quite ironic). Michael shut her door saying, "have a Merry Christmas." She yelled back the quote of the year.." A Merry NOT Christmas to you!" We started laughing so hard. They learn so much sass at such a young age.

Anyway, about 1 1/2 hours later, we had dessert and a story and saved Christmas Eve.

Jillian fell right to sleep after all the crying. Around 4:00 she woke up and spent the rest of the night in the bathroom crying, feeling like she was going to throw up. Yikes! She was up the rest of the morning. Needless to say, her parents were very tired.

It is great having crazy kids that keep things from being anything but boring!

Christmas Projects

I have been busy making things messier than cleaner. I decided to decorate some paint cans for a few gifts this year. We stuffed them full of our famous cracker jack caramel corn and some yummy homemade caramel.

Love using the vinyl!

The girls and I made these cute cupcake ornaments for their friends. They were so much fun to make...anything with glitter is fun! I think we made 30.

Things have been so crazy, I forgot about this darling picture. Nana bought the girls these adorable dresses (we are missing Sally baby in her dress). I think it is so hard to find cute dresses that still look like little girl clothes, and not teen-age looking TRASH!!! I am surprised we found time to take this picture while Ella was here. That was a whirlwind. Thinking about that makes my head hurt. I will have to say that I LOVE my Christmas tree. It smells oh so yummy.

Mallory and Ella are Best Friend Cousins. They are so funny together and play so good. I wish we lived closer to them, but happy we are close enough that I can drive to visit. Who really wants to visit here???

The Nutcracker

Mallory had the opportunity to dance in the Nutcracker Ballet held here in our WONDERFUL town. The company she takes ballet through puts on a huge performance ...and it is AWESOME. When I signed her up back in August, I had no idea how big it was going to be...and how involved it would be. She was an Angel...the cutest one in fact. It was the perfect part for her. She absolutely loved being part of a huge production, the make-up, the costume, and the prima ballerina attitude.

So last week was the biggest week ever. We had staging rehearsals a couple nights, and then dress rehearsals. We were gone every night last week. A bit too crazy for me (and for sure Michael). Then the big performances! My parents came down to watch her. They also kidnapped Ella (Mallory's cousin) on the way down. It was a busy 2 days while they were here. I think I saw Logan for 20 minutes each day. Poor little guy! I was very impressed by the ballerinas coming out of this retarded town. So I guess "it" has one good thing!

Here is Mallory backstage waiting to go on. I worked make-up, so it was fun to see her getting ready. I am very good at stage make-up now!!

Here is about half the group of Angels. They are so cute.

I got a few pictures during the performance. They looked so cute and sparkely on stage.

My mom and Ella got to see the show 3 times. I saw it all the way through once. Mallory was able to go see it too. She wanted to see what she was part of. (They had alternate casts for some of the parts) We now love the Nutcracker. We have been listening to the music and dancing around all week. Jillian pretends to be Clara and dance with her nutcracker. I guess I'll have to sign her up next year too.

Oh Christmas Tree

This year we decided it was time for a real tree...we have never had one. So off to the Christmas tree lot we went. The girls were crazy, running all over, hiding in the trees. There were too many bright lights around to get a good picture, and we were freezing cold...the 60s are the new 30s! brrrr

It was so hard to tell how big our tree was going to be. We got one that was bundled up, so we really couldn't see. When Michael brought it in and untied it, we were shocked. IT IS HUGE!!! I actually broke my new vacuum trying to pick up the pine needles. The next night we wanted to have our cookie party (decorating the tree with yummy Christmas cookies and hot chocolate). Mallory helped me string over 1,000 lights on our tree. I thought I had enough from last year...I was wrong. The tree is so fat. We had so much fun getting out all of our ornaments. We have so many cute ones. It was fun to watch the girls remember when they got each one (we celebrate St.Nicholas day...getting new ornaments in our shoes). It was a hallmark moment for sure!

I love taking pictures on Sunday by the tree. The girls have cute matching outfits.

Jillian's Birthday

I just cannot believe that my baby Jilli is 5. It seems like she has grown up without me knowing...where have I been? or what have I been doing for 5 years??? Next year is going to be a rude awakening for both of us as she starts Kindergarten. I can already hear the yelling and screaming. Jillian's favorite thing to do is watch movies. Bad, I know! When we ask her what her favorite thing she did for the day, she always says watch a movie. She has too big of a personality for one little girl. We love that about her though. She wanted donuts for her birthday breakfast, but she settled with "Daddy's eggs."

I have had way to much going on, so I took her to the local Walmart and let her pick out her favorite cake. I think this is suppose to be The princess and the Frog, which we get to go see next week! It is cute, and she loved it. She never did eat a piece though, too busy playing with her new toys.

Jillian cried at me all day to open her presents. I made her wait til Mallory came home.

This picture reminds me of...ME...what a cutie! She got to open this shirt for her morning present.

She chose to go to Panda Express for her Birthday dinner (I was hoping for In n Out, her original choice until we drove past the dang Panda sign).

Jillian was very intrigued by this awkward present. She opened it first...from Gramma and Papa!

It is a salon chair for Ruthie (American Girl). Mallory has one too. Now they can both play!

Singing Happy Birthday!

Mallory got Jillian a color changing swimming barbie.

She got a new polly pocket set, which she hasn't put down...the best part is, I got it for $6.

I found some silly dress ups discounted after Halloween. I think it is suppose to be a Chiquita banana girl. Whatever it is, she loves it.

Nana got her a trundle bed for Ruthie. It is the cutest thing ever. Jillian asked Mallory if Kit could spend the night with Ruthie. Then Jillian laid her sleeping bag out by her dollies and slept with them...One of the cutest things.

All the Birthdays are done...on to Christmas! Life never slows down, does it?