Gingerbread Cookies

Our friend, Brooke, was kind enough to host a PEPS gingerbread cookie decorating morning for the kiddos. Two kids, 8 months pregnant with the third and she is still doing stuff like this, thanks Brooke!

Rolling out the dough

Decorating!

Sassy Julia

Finished products, Julia made some to sample and some for Santa

Reese got into it also

Caught with cookie on her face :-)

Could not get these three girls to smile at the camera...well Grace and Julia wouldn't, Eva cooperated

Christmas Crafts

Julia and Reese's friends, Jayden and Dylan, gave them ornaments that you paint for Christmas. We received them yesterday at PEPS (moms group) and they were home no less than 3 minutes later painting them! Thanks Jayden and Dylan!

Yoder's Christmas Party

Every year our friends, the Yoder's, have a Christmas party. They are extremely generous with their time and their efforts. They adopt a family and everyone coming to the party pitches in to make Christmas a little special for them. Then we each bring a book for our own kids and they hire a Santa and have him come in and bring books to each of the kids at the party. Santa did an awesome job, he read to the kids and took time to talk to each child. I just wish I took more pictures of the actual party, oh well!

Julia and Santa

"I got Black Beauty!"

Reese never cried!!!!!

Opening Reese's book

Santa reading to all the kids

Carlsen Christmas Party

Yesterday was the big Carlsen Christmas party in Kingston, WA. We try to get together 2/year, summer and Christmas, but it still seems like not enough time to catch up with everyone. There are just too many of us!

Best part of the trip, the ferry ride!

Kate, Ellie and Julia

Reese finally surrendered at 4pm for a nap

Shot 1 of the family

Shot 2 of the family

Shot 3 of the family, wow!

Julia dancing with Santa

Cousin Joe dancing with Santa now

Julia getting her gift from Santa

Squinkies! There was a book also, just not unwrapped yet.

'Twas the Night..............

Every year my sister's and families go to a Christmas play. This year only us and the Holliway's were able to make it. Then as the date got closer Jim informed me he would be out of town.......doh! So I let Julia pick one friend to invite and she chose her school buddy, Jayden. It was a fun night, but tiring with three kids and myself (thankfully the Holliways were there to help out!). The girls loved the play, even Reese! One of my favorite holiday traditions, and I know it is one of Julia's and soon to be Reese's (when she starts remembering year to year).

Cameron

Danny and Ellie

Julia and Jayden

Despite the look on her face, she really did enjoy the play

Ellie, Julia, Jayden and Cameron

Snowflake Lane

My sisters and I have started a tradition of getting Santa pictures done, eating at Red Robin and going to Snowflake Lane at Bellevue Square each year. It is so fun to do and the cousins have a blast. Reese was so excited to see Santa and sit on his lap, but she wailed at picture time. Precious picture though, come by sometime to see it!

Reese giving her cousins knuckles

Too cute!

Mya, Ellie and Julia dancing with Rudolph

We could not get Reese to look at the camera!

Cousins (everyone except Julia and Reese, I was holding Reese and Julia was at Red Robin getting the cup she left)

Ken, Jenny, Kim, Turner and Jordan

Hugs for Rudolph!

Reindeer Festival

This past weekend we headed to the Cougar Mountain Zoo for the annual Reindeer Festival. We were lucky enough to meet up with some friends we have not seen since college and meet their daughter, Caroline, for the first time.

Reese, Julia and Caroline

Reese and Julia

Julia feeding "Rudolph"

Jim and his girls

The tigers playing, they put on quite and show for the girls to watch!

Stanley Family Picture

Grandma and Grandpa Stanley with 6 grandchildren - Arundhati, Solana, Jaxon, Wyatt, Julia and Reese

Where has my little girl gone?!

Reese is getting so big, it is making me a little sad :-(. Just a little though, I am happy to see her come into her own little person!

Two's a Crowd

The other day when Reese was napping I was right in the middle of something (forget now but most likely prepping dinner so I just wanted that next minute or so to finish). Anyway, she was wailing so I didn't want to make her wait so I asked Julia to go up and keep her company until I could get upstairs in about 2 minutes. Julia was more than happy to help out......and now I know why. She wanted to go in without me so that she could do this..............

They were having a BLAST

up to no good

my girls! gotta love 'em!

Trick-or-Treat

Another fun Halloween on the books! Our ladybug and Little Red Riding Hood had a blast! And the best thing of all, Julia has not even asked for any of her candy yet!!! I can't believe it either.

Prior to the nights festivities and trick-or-treating

Jim as the Big Bad Wolf, I know, I know, the picture says it all. He wore this to Julia's preschool event (Guy's Pumpkin Carving) on Friday night!

The girls before going out

Reese's first trick-or-treating, last year she was in the infant carrier all night!

Cinderella's Castle, one house goes all out!