What a wonderful Christmas season we had! The girls had fun at their preschool Christmas parties, we had a great visit from Grandma and Grandpa and Kelly and Dan, we helped Grandpa celebrate his birthday and had a memorable Christmas Eve and Christmas Day!
I'll let the pictures from our crazy busy Christmas week do the talking! Enjoy!
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| The girls were so excited about their class Christmas parties at preschool! Mommy was a little stressed because I managed to volunteer to help with both of their class parties at the same time! I was the crazy "SuperMom" running from the Green Room to the Purple Room all morning long! |
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| The girls were very happy to see videos from Santa telling them that they were on his Nice list! What a relief! |
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| Now if only they all could have been just as excited to see him in person for our annual Mall Visit! |
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| The silly Elf made a wreath out of all of the handprints and footprints that Mommy made before I got carpal tunnel! My over ambitious self made and cut out 40 handprints and 12 footprints to make wreaths for Christmas gifts. Sadly, my swollen wrists and stiff fingers had other plans...At least the Elf got one done for me. |
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| Hailey was the cutest shepherd for her class Christmas play! |
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| They reenacted the Christmas story and sang sweet songs. |
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| Lainey loved having Mommy help out with the crafts for her class party. |
More Purple Room Pics from December.
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| The girls, snuggling in their Santa jammies on Sissy's bed. |
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| Helping Mommy make banana bread. |
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| Helping Grandpa blow out his birthday candles! |
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| "Helping" Grandpa open his birthday presents. |
We spent Christmas Eve at the Lynch's house in Williamsburg. Gigi, Babu, Kay, Ken, Grandma, Grandpa and Kelly and Dan were there too! We has lots of fun visiting, eating Lasagna and opening presents from Gigi, Babu and Poogie. Some of the girls favorite gifts were a Little People's racetrack, light up train set, Cabbage Patch doll and Ariel magnet set. Poogie picked out a new mermaid for Hailey, a singing Elmo for Lainey and a glowworm for Avery:) When we got home, we read "The Night before Christmas" and set out milk and cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer.
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| Christmas Eve 2013. Avery slept through all of the festivities, but we managed to get most of our family in front of the tree for a photo! |
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| Aunt Kay and Gigi working hard on lasagnas in the kitchen! |
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| The Christmas Eve table setting. |
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| The girls and I had a great time eating these delicious Christmas treats! |
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| Kay made party favor trees for everyone! |
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| The girls had their very own kiddie table. |
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| It didn't take them long to find their toys on their table! |
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| Mommy and Daddy's 13th Christmas Eve together! Each year keeps getting better! |
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| Uncle Dan and Aunt Kelly. |
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| Grandpa and Grandma. |
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| Grandpa and Daddy. |
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| Me and Poogie. |
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| Babu and Avery. |
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| Uncle Ken. |
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| Poogie and Avery. |
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| Getting ready to read "The Night Before Christmas" on our first Christmas Eve as a family of five and in our new home. |
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| The girls put out Christmas cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer. |
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| Santa came!! |
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| Daddy did a great job telling Santa what to stuff Mommy's stocking with! Booze and David Yurman jewelry!! |
Christmas Day 2013.
The girls woke up very early...4am early!...because Hailey thought she heard Santa's sleigh on our roof. After a few hours of playing quietly upstairs, we finally gave the girls the "green light" to go downstairs and see if Santa came. They both wanted to stop by the fireplace first to see if Santa ate his cookies and if the reindeer ate their carrots. Then they were off like a shot, into the living room to see what Santa brought them! After they checked out what Santa brought, we opened presents from Grandma and Grandpa and the rest of the family. The girls had so many presents that we had to take a break!! I guess they were very good girls this year! After present opening, it was time to get ready for Christmas lunch. Gigi, Babu, Poogie, Aunt Kay and Uncle Ken all came over to celebrate Christmas with us. It was a wonderful day and I'm sure the girls will remember it for a long time.
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| Waiting to see what Santa brought on Christmas morning. We had been up since 4am because Hailey thought she heard Santa's reindeer on the roof!! It was one of many very long days that week! |
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| And they're off to see their loot! |
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| Go Lainey, go! |
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| "Frozen" dolls, a Princess Castle and all things "Ariel" was what Hailey found on her couch! |
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| Callico critters, games and all things Peppa Pig is what Lainey found. Santa's elves even put together the racetrack that Gigi and Babu got her! |
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| More "Frozen" dolls! "Just what she always wanted!!" |
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| Lainey went straight to her Callico Critters house and stayed there for the rest of the day! |
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| This little 4 year old was one VERY happy girl on Christmas morning! |
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| Such a magical time! |
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| The girls spotted the Elf on his last morning before his great return to the North Pole until next Christmas (or Thanksgiving, or Halloween if Mommy needs him by then!) |
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| The girls loved their cardboard coloring house and loved putting Daddy inside! |
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| Silly Daddy! |
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| Now it was time to attack the massive pile of presents from Grandma and Grandpa!!! Some of the girls favorite gifts from Grandma and Grandpa were new LeapPads, Leapreaders, Callico Critters, books and lots and lots of Disney Princess stuff!!! Kelly and Dan got them an Easel for the playroom! |
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| Hailey HAD to put on all of her Princess Sofia gear from Grandma as soon as she opened it! |
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| And Lulu, my mini-me, HAD to put on her new snuggly jammies and ni-night blanket as soon as she opened it! (I love Grandma's face in the background of this picture;) |
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| During the crazy week of Christmas, Lainey decided that she wanted to start climbing out of her crib over and over again into the wee hours of the morning. So, we had to convert her crib to a toddler bed. Sadly, this probably means the end of naptime in our house. I'm so upset I could cry! |
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| She loves her new "big girl bed" and at least little "Houdini" can't injure herself getting out of her bed now. |
Gigi and Babu took the girls for a few days after Grandma and Grandpa left so that Mommy and Daddy could catch our breath and catch up on some much needed sleep!! It was the best Christmas gift they could have given us and I'm hoping that it becomes a Christmas tradition!! (hint hint!)
Now that the "Christmas Rush" is through, we've all been resting around the house and trying to get back to normal. The girls have been busy playing with all of their new toys and I've been busy catching up on all of the Bravo TV I've missed and Christmas goodies that people brought us!! Hello delicious Whips from Minonk, Il. Oh how I look forward to your arrival every Christmas season! Mmmm.
I'm sad to say goodbye to 2013. We moved into our new home, made great new friends and welcomed Avery Claire into the world this year. It will be a bittersweet New Years this year, but I'm excited to see what 2014 has in store for us!
Happy New Year Y'all!!!
