Christmas Present

This picture is for you Mom and Dad!  Thanks so much for the rocking chairs.  Bill got them assembled today!!!  We love them.  It makes our front porch look so much homier!!!

Thanks a bunch!


One of our Christmas presents from Mom and Dad!!!



Three Snowy Days of Sledding

We were blessed with three great days to sled over Christmas.  How Did Santa know it was going to snow?  He brought the girls sleds and they didn't even ask for them.  That Santa is one slick fellow!!  We went to my parents' house on Christmas Day and late that evening Bill got the girls out to sled for a while.  The ground was not completely covered with snow yet, but Lauren had a BLAST!!!!  Allison got cold and did not stay out as long as Lauren did, but she had fun while she was out there.  I had a hard time choosing which pictures to put on here, so beware, there are a bunch of sledding pictures below.
  

Lauren and Allison's first time sledding, Christmas Day 2010



Lauren & Allison



Funny little Allison face!!!




Sweet smilin' Lauren



Allison was lying down on the sled with her eyes closed because the snow flakes were falling in her eyes



Lauren



Allison heading back up the hill



Lauren loved the blue disc because it went faster and would spin around down the hill



Lauren lying down on the sled




Allison on the blue disc



Mommy, Lauren & Allison sledding together



Daddy and Lauren



Love the snow falling in this picture of Allison



Another sweet smilin' Lauren



Daddy and Allison



Daddy, Mommy, Allison and Lauren



Allison spinning down the hill



Allison on the sled



We are certainly praying for more snow this winter.  It was fun to see the girls sledding on the hill beside my parents' house.  It brought back fond memories of my brother and I sledding there are children.  I enjoyed seeing my girls sled there, too.  The hill was the perfect place for them.  By the third day of sledding, I had to stand down by Dad's barn to make sure no one ran into it while they were sledding.  We had a couple of close calls, but no collisions.

Christmas Eve

We have had a wonderful Christmas Eve today with Bill's family.  We had a relatively low key morning.  After breakfast, I was working in the kitchen preparing food for our get together and Lauren was sitting on the couch reading How the Grinch Stole Christmas to Allison.  I thoroughly enjoyed listening to her read (or I should say recite) the book.  I had to stop my food preparation long enough to video part of the story.  That's what this first clip is.

The girls loved getting to open their first presents of the season.  Here's Lauren showing off a huge coloring book she got along with an obscene amount of markers to go with it!!!

Here's Allison showing off her new Special Delivery Doggie that has babies in her belly!!!  That girl is so fascinated with any and all babies.  Aunt Jen and Uncle Dave are also in the picture.

Parker is giving Allison hugs when it was time to go home.

Parker giving Lauren hugs.  Love those sweet smiles.

A few of the favorite presents the girls got today were sleeping bags, an ironing board and iron, a microphone on a stand and the giant coloring books with markers.  They are looking forward to seeing what Santa brings them tomorrow and then heading up to Granny and Pawpaw's for MORE presents.

We are expecting a white Christmas, so that should be extra special.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch.......NOT!!!!

For the past two years, Lauren has absolutely LOVED the movie and the book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas.  I pretty much have the book memorized because I have read it so many times.  I bought the stuffed Grinch and Max at Kohl's this year.  Lauren has enjoyed sleeping with them the past few nights.  I love this picture of her and Max (who looks like a guard dog in this picture).

Lauren, Max and the Grinch sleeping peacefully.

The Grinch sleeping beside Lauren and Max



The Grinch, Max and Lauren



Cold Weather

We have had some reeeeallllly cold weather this week.  Lauren had snow days on Monday and Tuesday.  Unfortunately is was way to cold to play outside (well, too cold for me).  We did venture out Tuesday to go to the post office and I let the girls play out for just a few minutes.  Here are a couple of the pictures of the girls all bundled up.

Getting ready to go out in the cold



Allison in the snow




Lauren trying to keep her hat from blowing off



Lauren

Today the weather forecast was for freezing rain, sleet and snow tonight before warmer air moves in with rain for tomorrow.  Because of the threatening icy weather, our Candlelight Service at church was canceled for tonight.  The girls got an early bath and then watched How the Grinch Stole Christmas before dinner.  That is Lauren's all time favorite movie.  Allison is a little afraid of the Grinch at the beginning, but big sister was sitting close to keep her safe.  I love this picture of them holding their stuffed Grinch and Max while watching the movie!


Allison holding Max and Lauren holding the Grinch watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas

So thankful for our warm home on these cold winter days.



Father/Daughter Dance

Lauren's school had a Father/Daughter and Mother/Son Kindergarten dance tonight.  I remember the date of this big event was on the calendar all the way back at our Parent orientation night back in August.  Lauren has been looking forward to this night for a while now.  I think it was a wonderful idea for the kids to spend some special time with the parent of the opposite sex.  I love the first picture here of Lauren and Bill even though she has her eyes closed.  I love how she had her arms wrapped around her Daddy's neck.  I also must say, Daddy looked mighty fine, too! ;)

Father and Daughter

Sweet shot of Daddy and his big girl.



I think Lauren and Lilly are trying to break dance.....don't know where she learned that!



Lilly and Lauren dancing



Lauren and her classmates dancing with Mrs. Israel (her teacher).



I have some very strong emotions about tonight, but in order to preserve the special evening with Lauren and her Daddy, I'll write about those in another post.

Allison and I had a very special night together.  We got in our PJ's and snuggled up under a cozy blanket and watched Frosty and ate popcorn.  After the movie we baked cookies.  Allison loves to snuggle and Mommy enjoys every minute of that snuggle time.

Great Friday evening!