Post-Christmas in Portland 2011

We headed down to see everyone in Portland the day after Christmas. We had a great time as always spending time with one another. We also took Sadie and Connor to the Portland children's museum and had an outing to see "Jimmer" play the Portland Trailblazers. The morning we were leaving Eliza came down with the yucky stomach bug...I cleaned it up on the car ride home...and got it the following night! Good thing we left when we did before we spread it to everyone in the house!

Basketball Game

The latest Diary of a Wimpy kid for Connor!

Matching tutus for the girls from Sean and Brooke!

Eliza LOVES her Grandpa!

Love them...

Mario Baseball from Chad!

Sadie got "Prince Eric" from Uncle Lance

Christmas Morning 2011

We had a fun Christmas morning. I had planned on just opening stockings before going to 9am church. The kids got up early enough so that we were able to do it all before church. Connor woke up at 4am and went back to bed-of course and Sadie was up around 6am. Eliza missed the whole thing-and opened after church. The photos below are actually from another night because I had no pictures of her with presents! (I felt bad doing a Christmas post that didn't include pictures of her.)

Everyone was VERY happy with their presents. Connor's big Santa gift was an electric razor scooter. He also got nerf lazer tag, Taylor Swift live cd/dvd, and some Spy gear! Sadie was over the moon for her Barbie dollhouse, some music sound tracks, and a lady bug pillow pet. Eliza got some books and a baby doll. Cooper got some bones and new frisbees! As fun as it is to go totally overboard with gifts for the kids, this year we actually used some self control and stuck to just a few good ones. I think Santa, Ryan, and I did well!

After church we went to the Cammack's for a Christmas brunch which was wonderful (as always is from Cammack's) and festive. I just prayed that we wouldn't spread our sickness to them (and I believe those prayers were answered!) The rest of the family did get sick over the next couple of weeks, but I don't think we spread it to any friends!

Santa must have really enjoyed the Panera M&M cookie! Not a crumb left!

Our little Elf Joe had some fun with our gingerbread housed Christmas Eve! The kids thought it was sooo funny that he got the syrup out (just like Buddy from The Elf movie). They were sad to say good bye to Joe. Sadie actually shed some tears. I may have as well because he really seemed to help the kids remember to be good! We will look forward to seeing you next year Joe!

Christmas Eve 2011

Our Christmas break was plagued by a nasty stomach virus. Sadie was the first to get it while we were trying to enjoy the Bellevue Botanical Garden Lights. We invited the Beardsley family to come along and it was a total Griswald Christmas Vacation outing. There was traffic, crowds, dumb parades, Sadie puking, me chewing a guy out for giving us dirty looks because I had taken her into the roped off area to throw up. It was HORRIBLE. Poor Sadie kept throwing up all the way home (90 min. drive) and all night long.

This was the night before Christmas Eve, so needless to say our plans to have Christmas Eve with friends were sadly cancelled. Instead the 5 of us had Panera take out (nothing better on a sick tummy than chicken noodle soup)! We read scriptures, opened one present, and went to bed. It was a mellow evening, but special anyway because we enjoyed one another and the spirit of Christ.

Cute kiddos

Sadie insisted on sponge rollers!

Carrots for reindeer and Panera cookie for Santa!

Lazer tag and Just Dance!!!

Gingerbread Houses/Trains 2011

The Cammack's had us over to have some pizza and decorate gingerbread houses. A good time was had by all-of course! Ryan had gone to the store to get the candy and such to put on the houses and he got WAY too much, so it was a good excuse to have the Springer family over to do some gingerbread trains a few days later (they are easier to build than houses-and we all know how NOT crafty I am.)! I feel so thankful for good friends to do fun things with!

Daddy and his girls! (Notice Kit has been adopted as a new daughter.)

LOVE that face!

The masterpiece!

The girls had at work. They had a MUCH longer attention span than the boys.

American Girl Store

Following the preschool program, Connor, Grandpa, and Eliza headed home, and the girls took off to Seattle to go to the new American Girl store. An American girl has been on her Christmas list all year, so we thought it would be fun to make a day of it, and have her pick out her own. It was the BEST day! She just loved being center of attention for the day. She quickly chose Kit with just a tine bit of persuasion from me. I just didn't want her to chose one with super long hair that would look yucky after a while and Ryan asked me to have her not choose the hippie one. She and Kit were friends instantly! That is one thing I love about Sadie. She is very decisive and once she makes up her mind, she does not waver. Grandma kept adding accessories and Sadie had to tell her she had enough. (Disclaimer:Grandma had 4 sons and has waited MANY years to buy Dolls...) After buying Kit, we had "tea" at the little cafe inside the store. They had special little chairs for the dolls and even served them with tiny dishes. Sadie was in Heaven (and so were Grandma and I)!

Christmas Programs 2011

Grandma and Grandpa were able to make a special trip to Olympia to see Sadie and her Preschool program. I can't believe that this her last PRESCHOOL program!!! She will be in Kindergarten before I know it and I don't know if I am okay that. They sang lots of sweet songs with their sweet-as-pie teachers. Sadie was on cloud nine to have her favorite people there.

Best Friends!

So adorable...

Ryan took the day off to see Connor's "Winter Program" (love that they don't call it "Christmas" ). There were LOTS of Snowmen songs and poems and Connor got to introduce his class for a song. I think he was pretty happy to see that his dad was able to be there! He is getting so big- and a little "too cool" as well. When they first opened the curtains all of the kids were wearing Rudolph hats. After they finished singing "Rudolph" they were allowed to throw their hats behind the risers. Connor's was the very FIRST hat to be thrown...he was a little embarrassed, I think, to have to wear such a dorky hat!

Church Christmas Party 2011

I spent my WHOLE Saturday setting up and decorating for the church party. It turned out really nice, but I'm starting to think that a HUGE dinner is not needed. I wish the kids would just do a nativity and then have Santa and dessert maybe?? No one really asks me though so I just do what I'm told. :) The kids program was pretty cute and the Santa was adorable!

Classic!

Eliza had fun!

Evie, Sadie, and Laine