Christmas 2011

Christmas Eve ....girls putting out cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer 

 My girls must have been so very good this year because Santa brought lots of special gifts!

 Bella showing off one of her favorite stocking stuffers

 Bella really enjoyed sitting back and having sissy help her open up her gifts

 Christmas dinner table....minus a few chairs

 I did manage to get one of her with her favorite Santa gift...Simba

 After the rest of the family arrives...let the present opening begin!

 The cousins all together at the end of the night...they had such a blast!!!

Bella adores Peyton and keeps trying to kiss him...he wasn't too crazy about that idea!

Christmas 2011 was an amazing time! Lots of good food, family, love, and laughter!  We are so grateful for so many things this year, what an amazing year!  We are looking forward to 2012!!!

Christmas Eve-Maddie's Birthday

 We followed our yearly tradition for Christmas Eve/Maddie's Birthday...started the evening off by going to her favorite Mongolian Grill restaurant in Gig Harbor.....

 Then back to Grandma's house for cake and presents!

 Cute new hat!

 New Vest

 AND...drum roll....tickets to go and see Mamma Mia in March with Grandma!  The two of them know this movie inside and out and sing at the top of their lungs while watching...SO they are both just a little excited!

 Auntie, Uncle, and baby Ronan

 Finally we headed to church for the Christmas Eve service......

Where Daddy, Bella, and Mama spent the entire service in the hallway outside the service...OH well, at least we could still hear the service and music, and Bella was as happy as a clam as long as she could run around!

Great night and Happy Happy Birthday to my first born baby girl!!!  We LOVE you so much

My my how you have changed....2 years old Miss Bella

Polar Express Train Ride

We had so much fun taking the Polar Express train ride in Chehalis, Wa. We went with our good friends Carly, Erik, and their daughter Leah. The girls all wore their jammies and we had a blast! We got hot cocoa, cookies, sang Christmas carols,listened to a reading of the Polar Express, stopped at the "North Pole," got a bell from Santa, and a picture with Santa too. This will be a new yearly tradition for sure!

My girls snuggled in their jammies

Bella and Leah were really excited to see each other! Hugs and kisses galore

We picked up Santa Claus from the "North Pole"

Bella was shocked, excited, and terrifieed all at the same time

There was no way she was sitting on his lap..,

What a fun night!

Gearing Up for a 2nd Birthday Party

I cannot believe our little Bella is going to be 2 in just a few days! Tomorrow we are having her birthday party to celebrate 2 amazing years with our little girl! The theme was Polar Express...which sort of morphed into more of a red/green Christmas theme party! This mama had grand ideas, and just not enough energy to follow through. Anyway...I love the way her birthday party invite ended up. Super simple and we put it on glittery green card stock...The back invited everyone to hop on to the Polar Express....

Departure Time:

1:00pm

Itinerary:

A "chili" bar..

A hot cocoa bar

Sweet winter treats

Gingerbread house decorating

Ronan Jameson Veh

What an amazing blessing this little bundle of joy is to our family! My sweet nephew Ronan Jameson Veh was born yesterday and is practically perfect in every way! I cannot express how happy we all are for Sherman and Elisabeth and their brand new family....they waited so long for this sweet little boy to come into their lives, and he was made special for them. We cannot get enough of him and cannot wait to watch him grow up and we all feel he is so very special in every kind of way!

Advent Calendar

I honestly can't believe I'm posting anything besides my brand new adorable nephew right now...but I am waiting until I get even better pics when I go back to the hospital tomorrow. However he is pretty perfect!

Anyway....I finally finished my advent calendar for the girls for this year. I am happy with how it turned out...simple. I was unsure if I could fit anything in the matchboxes so I just decided that I will put a little note inside each matchbox that the girls will open up...that will tell them their surprise for each day. Here are our list of activities:

Thursday December 1: Pair of cozy socks

Friday, December 2nd: Papa reads a special Christmas book with a special treat

Saturday, December 3rd: Go to Snowflake Lane in Bellevue or Seattle Center

Sunday, December 4th: Cut down and decorate Christmas tree

Monday, December 5th: New ornaments for each of the girls

Tuesday, December 6th: Write letters to Santa

Wednesday, December 7th: Lipgloss for girls

Thursday, December 8th: Sweet treat

Friday, December 9th: Drive around look at lights, listen to Christmas music, and drink hot cocoa

Saturday, December 10th: Shop for gifts for needy child

Sunday, December 11th: Cookies to neighbors

Monday, December 12th: Hairbows

Tuesday, December 13th: Bake cookies

Wednesday, December 14th: (Happy Birthday Bella) New pens and paper

Thursday, December 15th: Zoo Lights

Friday, December 16th: Make cookies in a jar for gifts

Saturday, December 17th: Watch Polar Express and have treats

Sunday, December 18th: Polar Express Train Ride in PJ's

Monday, December 19th: Make Gingerbread ornaments

Tuesday, December 20th: Craft with mom

Wednesday, December 21: Handprint Christmas Tree

Thursday, December 22: Make cinnamon rolls

Friday, December 23rd: Watch movie ELF and popcorn

Saturday, December 24th: (Happy Birthday Maddie) Christmas PJ's

We also have 24 holiday books wrapped for the girls to open one book a night so we can read a book together as a family. I am most excited for this! I LOVE children's books!

Moosehead Cabin

The Moosehead Cabin has become a family tradition over the years. This gorgeous and relaxing cabin out in Lakebay has been a great get away for family time. We spent this Thanksgiving there...my Dad and Barb drove up from San Diego, Grandma and Aunt Kathy came from San Francisco, and all of us kids came with our kids! Here are a few snapshots of the last few days....

Side note: We would have more pictures but poor Bella was really sick, so we missed the first couple days of pictures (and some sleep)...

Maddie with Aunt Kathy and Nanna

Kisses and loves


Thanksgiving Day

Too bad we weren't looking at our camera!

Grandma, Dad, and Aunt Kathy

Girls and Dad...seriously the worst pic of me ever!!! I guess my shirt was see through and I didn't realize it!!

Poor sick Bella in her moose pjs

Thanksgiving table

Saturday and finally feeling better! I can eat!!!

Cousins that just adore each other

Grammie and Bella