Merry Christmas!

Christmas Dresses

Our church had our annual Christmas Dinner last weekend. The girls looked so pretty in their dresses, so we snapped a few pictures before we rushed out the door.

She wants to be just like her big sister.
Great smiles!
Silly faces!
Beautiful.
Perfect (except for that lamp in the background).

Gingerbread (Graham Cracker) Houses

My friend Heidi invited our playgroup to her house to decorate gingerbread houses. Last year, I helped Abby quite a bit on hers. This year she was on her own as I had to devote my entire attention on her sister.

Sarah had great fun and very specific ideas as to the placement of the candy. I squirted the icing and she put on the candy.
Why is it so hard to look AT the camera while you are giving your mother a cheesy-just-take-the-picture grin?
All the girls had fun with their houses.
Great fun with wonderful friends.

By the way, Sarah's house was smashed on the floor (by her own hand) before the week had passed.

Deck the Halls

Another first for Sarah -- CHRISTMAS! ...and all the festivities that go with it.

When Sarah got up from her nap one day, we had put the tree together and were stringing lights. She jumped right in and started helping Daddy light the tree.
Oooooh! The lights are pretty!
Next came the ornaments.
One of Abby's Chinese ornaments.
Look how well we did!
Now where are those presents?!

Party Post!

Last year, Abby had a "Barbie" cake and since she shares a birthday with her uncle, my sister bought "Ken" to stand next to the cake.

This year's party theme was determined in June during a bonfire at a friend's house. Abby and her uncle discussed different themes and came up with "Woody and Jessie" from Toy Story as the winner.

The very next day, our friends who had been at the bonfire, were out at garage sales and found a "Jessie" outfit complete with hat for $1. ONE DOLLAR!!! It was definitely a divine appointment!

Fast forward five months to the actual birthday party. We sent out invitations to her friends with a request to dress up as a character from the movie "Toy Story."

Here are the guests of honor.
The little kids played "Pin the tail on the donkey."
Even little Sarah got to play.
Playing another game.
Pinata time!
Gifts! Don't let the boots and the hat fool you: she is still very much a Princess!
Birthday cake made by "Grandmother."
46 candles for Uncle "Woody" and 6 candle for Abby.
Sarah likes the cake.
Niece and nephew came as "Slinky" the dog. Very clever!
Our family of characters: Stinky Pete the Prospector, One of Little Bo Peep's sheep, Jessie and Andy's mom. (some might say I cheated, but I say, I was smart!)
Abby's friends.
All the guests at the party who dressed as characters: Rex, Woody, Mrs. Potato Head, Sheep, Prospector, Al, Etch, Wheezy, Tour Guide Barbie, Sarge, Little Bo Peep, Slinky, Jessie, Hamm, Buzz, and Toy Soldier.
At the party, people were already asking what next year's theme should be. I can't think about that til at least JUNE!

I Guess We've Started A New Tradition

My baby is SIX!!! Where has the time gone?

Abigail is a beautiful girl, inside and out. Billy and I are so proud to be her parents. She is so kind to her sister and helpful to me. She is a deep thinker and asks good questions. She loves God and I love to listen to her prayers at bedtime. I usually learn what been going on for her during the day. And she is doing well at school. Her teacher has been impressed with her handwriting, especially.

OK. All the sappy stuff is over.

On the day before her birthday, as we were all snuggling in bed together, she asked if she could have breakfast in bed for her birthday. I shrugged if off by mumbling something about it being for older people.

The next morning, I got up early (on a Saturday! I know!) and made her favorite breakfast: cereal to start, egg and toast. We were out of bread, so I toasted a hamburger bun I had in the freezer. I also gave her a little pitcher of milk (for the cereal) and a glass of orange juice.

She was so happy to be honored!
Daddy helped Sarah with her cereal in the chair across the room.
After Abby was mostly done, she let Sarah come sit by her in the bed. (Believe me, if she had been there earlier the cereal and egg would have reached the far corners of her room with that wiggle queen!)
I love this picture!! Abby's shirt says it all.
Next up, Party Pictures!

Sarah's First Thanksgiving!

We had a happy Thanksgiving! How about you?

My sister and her family headed out of town for the holiday so we headed over to my Mom's for the day. The girls got to help Nana baste the turkey before she put it in the roaster.
Nana's helpers.
Later, she read them some books.
Love that cheesy grin.
Abby and I before eating turkey.
What it will look like after we eat the turkey.
We made a little craft project inspired by the Salsa Twins.
Abby said she wanted to eat one of the drumsticks.
We made hats for both the girls.
Side view of the drumsticks.
Abby took this picture of the family ready for dinner.
Sarah is ready for her first Thanksgiving dinner!
That turkey leg was delish! She made a pretty good dent in it, but couldn't quite finish it.
Sarah fed Papa some of her food. He was more than happy to eat it!
Since Abby was gnawing on her drumstick, Sarah wanted to try it too.
Papa and Nana modeling the drumstick hats.
It was a nice relaxing day. Great food, a couple of kid-friendly games, and good company. Just how we like it.

Road Trip!

At the end of October, my sister and I took a little trip to see her daughter at college. The original intent was to watch her last home soccer match. Billy was a great sport by keeping the girls all weekend! Thanks, Honey.

On our way down, we picked up our SIL at the airport and a friend of my niece at her college and then made the last leg of the trip to Marietta. We got there in time to watch "Belle" sit on the sidelines and then carry all the soccer balls back to the girls locker room at the end of the game. Oh well, the real fun was about to begin.

We went out for Mexican food (YUM!) and then drove to a friend's house to spend the night. The next day dawned with rain in the forecast but our spirits were still bright and sunny.

Belle gave us a tour of the campus and then the downtown shopping area.

Trying on hats. Let's not think about all the other people that have tried on these exact hats.
Cool walking bridge... we didn't go all the way across.
She really wanted to climb that tree.
We ate at the local brewery. The food was OK. Not nearly as good as the brewery by Union Station.
The look-out point where you can see the whole city... and all the people who are taking pictures!
All of us together.
Next, we all played some racquetball at her school rec center. My sister beamed me with a ball at point-blank range. Man! That hurt! But I think I got her back later. We played for two hours and I think all of us got hit at least once by the ball. Thankfully no one was hit with a racket!
After all that exercise, we went back to the friend's house and ate lots of ice cream and popcorn.

It was great fun to spend time with the big girls, but I was glad to get home to my little girls!