Hearts are Light and Spirits Merry and Bright!

Our stockings are hung, halls are decked, hearts are light and spirits are merry and bright. We're bursting with Christmas cheer and fully taking in this magical time of year!

Feeling Festive!

Deja Vu?

Hailey 2 years old

Avery 2 years

Our morning ritual.  Waving goodbye to Hailey as she leaves for school.  

Enjoying the beautiful December weather!

Bubble Dance Party!

Gigi and Babu taught the girls and important life skill.  How to TP.  Unfortunately, I was their first victim!

Hailey's Tree.

Lainey's Tree.

Avery's Tree. 

Even Daddy has a tree!

All three girls made chain calendars to count down the days until Christmas.

They love when it's their turn to put another ornament on our Advent Tree. 

And yet another calendar!

We all love playing with the Little People's Nativity.  

Hailey had fun kicking with the Rockettes on TV when she got to stay up late with Mommy to watch the tree lighting.  

One of my favorite traditions.  Ledo's pizza in the car while driving around looking at tacky lights!

Christmas sprinkles on their pancakes and waffles!

Decorating their letters to Santa before we mailed them to the North Pole. 

Painting their own Nativity.  

Ariel the Elf loved it so much, that she decided to snuggle with the baby Jesus.  

Decorating their gingerbread house.  

Ariel the Elf also liked that a lot too!

Making Christmas cookies out of playdoh.  

Christmas movies in bed. 

Christmas stories in bed. 

More Christmas stories. 

Playing the Gingerbread game Hailey brought home from school.  

Snowman cookie at Starbucks with Mommy!

Avery loves the decorations at the YMCA!

Santa row.  With another "traumatized child on santa's lap picture" added this year!

We even decorated their bathroom for Christmas!

And we couldn't leave Mommy's car out of the decorating fun!

Christmas Cookies!

The girls had fun helping Mommy make cookies this year.  Even Gigi joined in on the fun!

Avery had the most fun of all!

Date Nights!

Dinner with the Wilkey's in Williamsburg.  

My BFF's birthday dinner at Quirk Hotel in Richmond. 

Ariel the Elf Returns!

The girls were anticipating Ariel's return from the North Pole.  However, when Lainey first spotted her sitting on their tree in the bathroom she shrieked with terror, cried and went into hiding!

She is still unsure of this creepy elf that keeps lingering around her house, and I will occasionally find her staring at it with uncertainty.  

It's still exciting for them to wake up and see what silly antics Ariel's been up to.  Even if she is creepy.  

Ariel snuggled with the Lambie in the Nativity on the morning of Lainey's school recital.  Lainey was, of course, a Lambie!

Sharing the Christmas Spirit with Friends!

Hugs with the Luck boys after Sunday school. 

We all had a great time at Ella's birthday party!

Making ornaments with Aunt Kay. 

Elsa dressup with Kaitlyn. 

Gingerbread house painting with K.

Fun with Allie.  

Silly smooches under the mistletoe.

Playdate with Alexa. 

Frozen dance party. 

Fun with the flying faries. 

Fun with a new kindergarten friend.  

Poor K broke her arm at gymnastics.  The girls wanted to be the very first ones to sign her cast!

Getting some sillies out at the playground with Kaitlyn and Hope. 

Swinging sisters!

This girl...

Lainey and "Baby Doggy"

I wanted to document that for most of her toddlerhood, Avery was only referred to by her sisters as "Baby Doggy."  From the minute she wakes up its, "Good morning Doggy!" "Let's go downstairs Doggy."  Lainey loves being the Mommy to her Baby Doggy, and Baby Doggy loves the attention.  Hopefully this exchange won't cause any long term developmental damage.  

Snuggles with Doggy.  

Helping Doggy down the stairs.  

Clapping and whistling to get her baby Doggy to follow her.

Hey, if it makes them happy, I'm happy!

Lainey's Discovery Day at St. Catherine's

Lainey's been excited about starting the admission process for JK next year.  During her Discovery Day where she toured the school, the girls performed the Nutcracker for them. Lainey and her two best buds, Allie and Alexa were in awe.  They stood up, mouths open the whole time!

After the show, Lainey came with Mommy to visit Sissy and to help out as a lunch parent.  

The Nutcracker! 

We had a magical time taking the girls to see their first Nutcracker Ballet.  They loved it!

Holding their first Clara and Nutcracker ornaments from our first Nutcracker together.  I would love to make this a tradition each year :-)

We made a special spot for them on our tree. 

Watching the Nutcracker at home, while snuggling with her own Nutcracker.  

Dancing to the Nutcracker music with Kaitlyn. 

H and K with their Nutcrackers.  

Painting Nutcrackers with Kaitlyn. 

Choir/Church

Hailey has been practicing so hard for the Christmas Pageant on Christmas Eve.  Every Wednesday from 6:30-7:45pm (yes, PM!! when we would all normally be tucked tightly in bed for the night) and on Sunday afternoons, we've taken Hailey to choir practice so she can sing her hear out, and worship our Savior.  

It all payed off when we saw her sing on Sunday morning in front of the whole congregation.  

And I know on Christmas Eve this proud Mama will be ugly crying when I hear my sweet angel sing. 

This was also an important month for the man in our lives.  He was sworn in as a Trustee of our church.  We're all so proud of him and his commitment to serve the Lord. 

Picture of Mommy and Daddy, courtesy of Hailey!

Christmas Celebrations at School

St. Catherine's

I'm so thankful that the girls are able to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas with their classmates at school.  Hailey and her fellow kindergartners were angelic during their Christmas program.  They sang Silent Night in the school chapel and brought tears to everyone's eyes.  

Hailey was very busy this month.  Her class had a holiday workshop where they made gifts for loved ones. 

Hugs with Miss Hargis before Christmas break. 

St. Stephen's 

Lainey's class reenacted Jesus' birth and then sang Happy Birthday to Jesus. They chose their parts for the play and of course Lulu chose to be a Lambie!  

Proud sister hugs!

Mommy and Daddy and our Lambie.  

Hugs with Ms. Whitney before Christmas break. 

One of my favorite things about Christmas is seeing what wonderful treats my girls have made for me!  Hailey made these adorable coasters!

And Lainey made me this sweet canvas. 

Avery was hard at work too!

Fridge full of Christmas flare!

Hailey, with all of her presents from her Christmas Workshop at school.  

Lainey with a special bag under the tree for Mommy.  

The joy of giving!  Hailey couldn't wait and wanted her sisters to open their presents right away!

Christmas Town

Christmas Town, 2015
We had a great time at Christmas Town with Uncle Poogie this year!  

The girls were happy to ride the ballons again.  It's their favorite Busch Gardens ride!  

Bundled up on the tiny airplanes!

The lights and decorations were beautiful!

Waiting for the show to start in the Festhaus. 

Daddy and snuggly snowflakes. 

Looking at the lights from the sky lift. 

Catching a magical glimpse of Santa. 

Waiting with Anticipation!

There are only two days left until Santa's sleigh will land on our roof and jolly St. Nick himself will come sliding down our chimney.  These three are giddy with excitement and there is a magic in the air that I wish would last forever...