Hello 2013!!!!!!

We had a blast this year celebrating with some friends. They used to live in our neighborhood and recently moved a few neighborhoods over. Landyn is Bella's bff these days and they go to school together if you remember. We ended up staying over and the kids all did great! Landyn and Bella had a sleepover with sleeping bags and all. I took a bunch of pictures of the kids and not so many of the adults! (sorry guys!)

oreo balls we took over:

mustache straws...

Bella and Landyn are a lot like an old married couple actually..

This tells me we might be in trouble!

And sparklers...which were referred to as "sprinklers" all night:

Cheers!

Lazy Days

We spent a lot of time doing nothing after Christmas. We just enjoyed our time laying around and playing with the new toys. It was good to rest but it was so very hard getting back into the groove of things come January 2nd.

These are of all of us girls in our jammies on one of those lazy days:

Christmas Recap

We had a fantastic Christmas. It was very busy and we did not get much rest, but it was good. Very good.

We celebrated with my mom, grandma and uncle on the Saturday before with my sister and Will. That was the first of four :) (I unfortunately forgot my camera that night.)

Sunday we had dinner with my Dad and he came over for round two.

Monday, Christmas Eve, we ventured over to my aunts for our annual celebration with lots of cousins.

Christmas Day we hung out as a family of 4 until the afternoon when we headed to Jay & Lindsey's to celebrate with the cousins, GaYa and Pop Pop and Aunt Joanne and Uncle Dick.

ELEVEN MONTHS & COUNTING!!

Our baby is 11 months today(jan. 4th that is, just getting around to uploading the picture)! Cannot wait to celebrate her birthday next month.

As of today, she climbed one stair for the first time, walked holding my hands for the first time, and has another new tooth.

Merry Merry Christmas!

Some pictures from our Christmas card "photo shoot."

ICE SKATING!

Randy and I took Bella ice skating for the first time. It was actually our first time going together as well. She had fun but tired very fast!

Finishing up. Or Just starting?

I am behind on Advent documentation, but here it goes...

Day 12: We went to McAdenville to see the lights, Christmastown USA!

(Ava had her first cookie that night)

Day 13: We made ornaments that were supposed to be gifts but they didn't turn out :(
Day 14: We made marshmallow & peppermint hot chocolate stir sticks.

Day 15: We had a snow surprise! It was snow in a can.

Day 16: Bella and I made homemade apple butter in the crock pot.
Day 17: We made a special chocolate treat with caramel & peanut butter.
Day 18: We decorated jars for putting the treats in.
Day 19: Bella had a Christmas program at school & we had her go through toys to give away.

Day 20: We watched a Christmas movie (The Polar Express) and enjoyed hot chocolate!
Day 21: We visited the Billy Graham Library as our annual tradition.

(the goat kept jumping onto the fence!)

Day 22: We made reindeer pancakes.

Day 23: We made paper snowflakes out of coffee filters.
Day 24: We are currently baking Jesus's birthday cake & the girls will open their new Christmas pajamas to wear tonight!

So we are finishing up the Advent season, but that just means the BEGINNING of the celebration for our Savior's birth! Pray for me though because it has been very busy. I would love nothing more than to relax and enjoy this special time but right after Christmas I am back to work on a large paper and reading to be turned in on January 4th. My time off really happens come January 5th. My hope is to be fully present these next two days with the girls & family & put that work out of my mind.