Christmas 2019

We packed in a lot of fun over the course of a few days. The Saturday before Christmas we saw Santa Claus at Jax. There was no line, the pictures were free, and the Santa was decent enough. Maya said, "I don't care what you get me, but make sure it's something I will play with so my mom doesn't think it's junk." (she got a big toy horse she has been wanting); Brianna said, "I want an art set!" (she got it, but it was to share with Maya; she also got play-doh); Dallin said, "I want train tracks!" (he got it, as well as a trike); Lydia said, "Waaah!" (she got a new walker toy). In all honesty, Santa didn't even ask them what they wanted but that's what they were GOING to ask for. I did make sure Dallin got to tell Santa what he wanted (last picture in this set).

After the Christmas program at church we came home and snapped some family pictures. I love how they turned out! Thanks, Dad, for being the photographer!

Christmas Eve - the calendar is empty and the tree is full!

I always spend a lot of time in the kitchen on Christmas Eve. This year I made sugar cookies and a New York cheesecake that turned out superbly perfect. I also made a blueberry sauce to put on top and decorated it with whipped cream around the outer edge. It was so pretty and tasted amazing! *toot toot!* That's my own horn you heard there. I also made our traditional kaese spaetzle dinner with bratwursts and steamed cauliflower.

Christmas morning! Everyone was so happy with their gifts! I love that this hour of time is anticipated all month long. There is so much joy in the giving and receiving.

After a day of playing with their new things, we went to Brady and Erin's for Christmas dinner. The kids like to put on the nativity play. It gets really silly and is pretty chaotic, but they have fun. 

The big family gift was a new piano. I love having one, and Maya is enjoying taking lessons - although practice time is a different story.

When Grandma Cindy was here she gave out her gifts. The girls got new purses filled with lots of fun treasures! 

It was a very fun Christmas experience this year! Merry Christmas (a month late)!

December - What a month!

Every time Christmastime comes I think, "How is it Christmastime again already?!" Every year. Well, it happened again and now it's almost a month past. We love Christmastime!

Maya had her first school Christmas music program. We loved watching her perform. She did a great job!

Maya turned 7! Super last minute (as in, the day before), she reminded me that she was going to have a science birthday. We had not intended on doing a birthday party, but I thought, "What the heck. Let's throw something together." We invited a few friends over and did five simple science experiments, half of which (round up) didn't turn out the way they were "supposed" to. The one below was supposed to form a snake, but instead it formed little balls. You can just see the look of disappointment on all of their faces. 

Playing with one of the gifts from her birthday party. It was so nice of her friends to bring presents when I didn't even supply a cake. Like I said, super last minute!

On the morning of her birthday we let her open a couple of presents. We opened the rest and had cake after dinner.

She asked for a strawberry ice cream cake this year. I tend to feel sad yet relieved when they ask for a cake that I don't have to make.

Lydia was being a sweet doll one morning, and Dallin was being silly copying her. These two are such goofs and I love spending time with them while the big girls are at school.

This year we changed up our Christmas tree decor. In the past we have used a smorgasbord of ornaments and had no kind of theme. The main color was red - red ribbon and red tree skirt. This year we used silver, blue, purple, and white. We changed out the ribbon and tree skirt. I LOVE how it turned out!!! The 7 ft tree we got after we married was burnt out, so most of the lights on the tree were strings. Next year we will have a big beautiful flocked 9 foot tree and I cannot wait to see it up (after Christmas sale at Home Depot for the win!).

Our neighborhood is cursed with windy days on garbage day 75% of the time. It is so aggravating. The way our house faces, especially with the way the garage sticks out, it catches trash and recycling that blows all over tarnation. It's the pits.  

Had to snap a picture of this cutie in her pink coat!

We spent the day in Denver going to a German market and doing the Giving Machine. It was a fun day!

Lydia turned 9 months old. It's always crazy to me when they reach the age that is equal to how long I gestated them. It goes by so much faster when they're on the outside.

They let me style their hair for the Christmas program at church. Yay!

We met this fluffy fluff ball at a Christmas party we went to. Maya was loving the snuggles.

Snuggling and reading Christmas stories on Christmas Eve.

Squishy faces on the window! Ha! And Brianna looks beautiful and grown up in this picture.

Dallin got a book for Easter last year that has a lot of different things that go, and for some reason he called it his basketball car book. I thought it was fitting that he got a basketball car in the pack of 20 Hot Wheels he got for Christmas.

Costco shenanigans!