December 2016

Another year is over...wow time goes fast.  As promised here's two of my favorite shots from our Christmas card photo shoot.  So thankful for all my mom's hard work.

December is always a crazy busy month with church Christmas programs, parties, birthdays, and Christmas! But it was fun and I'm thankful for the time I got to spend with family and friends. The month started off with the kid's choir program.  The musical this year was Candy Cane Lane, a super cute story.  Hannah really enjoyed the music and the picked a craft class this semester which she LOVED.  The preschool choir actually joined the big kids on 3 songs this year so Abigail got to participate too.  All the preschoolers wore Christmas jammies....so adorable!! (Photo credit goes to Jack Hess)

The adult choir and orchestra did a program as well.  Hannah's choir sang a few songs and Nathan and I played in the orchestra.  It was a really good program.  No pictures of us playing, but here's good one of Hannah singing. (Photo credit goes to Jack Hess)

Abigail and I got to help at Hananh's Christmas party at school again this year.  I'm so thankful that I have the opportunity to volunteer.

Hannah's best friend in kindergarten was Mikayla and she was so sad that she moved about an hour away over the summer.  The girls have kept in touch on Facebook and mailing pictures.  Mikayla's mom contacted me a few days before Christmas to say that she was renting some reindeer to come to her house for a little while on Christmas Eve.  She wanted to invite us to come and see them.  The girls were so excited to see Mikayla and the meet reindeer.  The reindeer were so sweet and gentle.  Such a fun experience!!

Both girls got a doll as their big Christmas gift this year.  Hannah has taken really good care of Emily that she got last year and plays with her all the time.  So we decided she was ready for a real American Girl doll.  We really debated about getting one of the current ones or searching for an old discontinued one. In the end my mom ended up buying an original Molly off e-bay.  We had to do some work on her hair, but overall she was in really good condition.  And i think it's cool she's been loved and played with before.   Abigail will often play with Hannah's doll Emily while Hannah is a school.  So my sister got her a cheaper Target doll.  The girls were SO excited and have not stopped playing with their dolls.  They've dragged them all over the house.  It's so much fun to watch them play!

We still have another week of vacation before Hannah goes back to school.  We're going to look at Christmas lights one night, and maybe have a play date.  Otherwise we plan to hang out at home and relax.

Abigail is Four

This birthday right after Christmas always seems to get away from me.  Love the way these picture turned out this year. Abigail was super cooperative which definitely helped.  =)

Even Abigail is surprised she is already 4!  =)

Abigail has loved all things frog for quite a while.  So when I asked her if she wanted a frog on her birthday cake she immediately said yes.  SO CUTE!  My sister's friend does an awesome job.  We had a nice quiet celebration the week after her birthday with dinner and cake.

 Abigail's big present was a 12" bike.  She got a tricycle last year, but her legs just weren't long enough to pedal it.  Her feet are in a much better position on this new bike so hopefully she'll catch on quickly.

December 2014

Just one of the many cute photos my mom took for our Christmas cards.  I'll post them all to Facebook later this week so stay tuned.  =)

December was a busy month....as always.  We started off with our choir/orchestra Christmas concert at church.  We also got to play some song with Aaron Shust...very cool and LOUD!!!!  The girls were in childcare since Nathan and I were playing.  Then we celebrated Hannah (and my mom's birthday), see previous blog post.

I had my dad pull down all my classroom books from the attic right after Thanksgiving.  Both girls are big enough now not to rip them.  They LOVE having new books to read.  I also found about 10 Christmas books that we enjoyed reading this month.  We also made several Christmas crafts, baked treats for our neighbors, drove around looking at Christmas lights. and sang Christmas carols while mommy played the piano.  So much fun to do those things with the girls!

We also continued our tradition of taking a picture in our jammies with Grammy's Christmas tree.  LOVE how these came out!!

The girls came with us to the Christmas Eve church service again and were so good.  Hannah sat very quiet and still which is great since she'll start coming to "big church" in August once school starts.  And Abigail was much less wiggly than last year.  We love having them with us and they enjoy singing carols and watching the few musicians play their instruments.  During the children's story time they showed one of the cutest and sweetest videos I've ever seen.  Click here to check it out: http://vimeo.com/111114609

We spent Christmas day at my parents house.  We broke our IHOP breakfast tradition this year and made our own.  My mom made a sausage egg and cheese casserole and I made baked french toast (pioneer woman)....yummy!  We like to stretch out the gift opening process so we go around the room and watch each person open one present.  Hannah played "Santa" this year and passed out presents since she could read all the names.  She had lots of fun!  Both girls got a bike/trike this year along with helmets.  It was warm enough Christmas day they got to take them up to the school basketball court and try them out.  They enjoyed, but still need lots of practice.  I know they'll have lots of fun riding once it's warm again.  No bike pictures edited yet, but enjoy this cuteness instead.  =)  Thanks Grammy for the adorable matching Christmas outfits.



It was a great Christmas and we are thankful for our MANY blessings!

Christmas 2013

We went to the Christmas Eve service again this year and kept the girls with us.  They were a little wiggly, but did surprising well.  They enjoyed going up front to listen to the children's minister read a story and sing Away in the Manger.  Our music minister hired people to play violin and cello.  They girls really enjoyed listening to them play.

Christmas day begin with our traditional breakfast at IHOP.  Then we headed back to my parent's house.  We read the Christmas story from the Jesus Storybook Bible and then opened presents.  Most of what the girls got this year was puzzles and clothes.  Their big gift was a Fisher Price farm.  They each also got a small stuffed Minnie Mouse.  They love her and have not stopped carrying her around the house!

It was a good day.  We enjoyed spending time with family.  I have no pictures to share.  We did attempt a photo in front of the Christmas tree, but Abigail was not in the mood.  =-)

Christmas 2012

It was fun to have the girls with us for the Christmas Eve service this year.  Hannah has come with us every year, so we thought we'd try with Abigail too.  Our church has childcare for kids under 5, but the service is pretty family friendly. They both did really well...minimal wiggling a talking.  The service is mostly music which they both loved!  We talked to Hannah beforehand about being quiet and sitting still.  I brought paper and crayons but she was happy to hold her stuffed monkey.

We enjoyed spending Christmas Day with my parents and sister.  The day began by meeting for our traditional IHOP breakfast.  YUMMY!  Then we went back to my parents house so Abigail could nap while we opened gifts.  Sweet girl was still sound asleep when I went to wake her up...she even slept through opening the window shade and my mom taking a picture.  LOVE this photo though!!



Hannah definitely understood more about Christmas this year.  Nathan and I have chosen not to do the whole Santa thing, but she was super excited about opening presents.  She was even excited about passing out presents to everyone else.  The girls big gift this year was a play kitchen.  More on this in Hannah's post next month.  =) Abigail mostly got books and clothes, but she plays with all of Hannah's toys too.


We woke up to pouring rain Christmas morning, but by 1:30 or so it turned to snow.  They snow fell for several hours and was so pretty to watch.  After the girls naps we went out to play for a few minutes.  I didn't come prepared for snow so none of us were dressed warm enough.  G-Pa built a little snowman and put him on a plate for Hannah to hold.



All in all it was a really fun day.  We feel very blessed to be able to spend time with family and have them spoil our girls!

Birthday and Christmas

I know this is 2 months late, but December and January were very busy. We just had a small family birthday celebration. Thanks to my mom for making the cute cake. Hannah loved it and can still tell you who ate which cupcake! She also enjoyed blowing out the candles. If fact we had to light them 3 times. =)



Hannah was at a very fun age this year. She LOVED opening presents...even if they weren't for her. She helped carry packages to everyone Christmas day and then unwrapped the gift for them. =)

Christmas 2010

As promised a Christmas post...only 2 weeks late. =)

We began our celebration with a family breakfast at IHOP. YUM!! Then we went back to my parents house were the adults opened presents and Hannah took her morning nap. Hannah woke up about noon, ate lunch, and opened her presents. Hannah was a little overwhelmed at first by her books and shape sorter. Then she unwrapped the Laugh and Learn Puppy from Auntie Kara. It has a learning mode that says hand, foot, tummy, etc if you press the corresponding buttons. It also has a song mode where it sings things like, If You're Happy and You Know It, Itsy Bitsy Spider, and Head and Shoulders. As soon as Hannah made the puppy sing she started dancing and was very happy.


Grammy and G-Pa gave Hannah her first dolly. She's very soft and has lots of ribbons and things to pull on. Her one big gift was a red wagon. We let Hannah try it out were excited she seems to like it...got a smile. She even took a ride around the house. =) Can't wait for warmer weather so we can take a walk.

We spent the rest of the day spending time together and then had a yummy casserole for dinner. It was a fun Christmas!

Hannah's First Birthday

Sorry with the holiday and a trip out of town I didn't have time to post earlier.

We celebrated Hannah's birthday a week late due to Christmas schedules. A friend of my mine made Hannah an adorable outfit. Look at the little princess:

We decided to keep the celebration small so we just invited local family. Grammy and Auntie Kara made a super cute ladybug cake. It was YUMMY and semi healthy. Applesauce cake with real apples, whole wheat flour and cream cheese frosting. Hannah had her own cupcake, but she wasn't sure what to do with it. After feeding her a taste of frosting and breaking off small pieces she began to eat some.

Typical baby enjoyed the wrapping paper and ribbons more than the presents. She is enjoying her toys now though. =) She got a few books, a music cube, a Leap Frog caterpillar, and a special book Grammy made with pictures of the day Hannah was born. It was a fun birthday. Still can't believe my baby is one!!