New Swing

One of the presents that Amelia and Luke got for Christmas was an indoor swing.  Honestly at first, I wasn't sure how this was going to turn out.  Dan secured it in the door way between the kitchen and the play room. Amelia was asking us to open it as soon as she got up the morning after we got home. She was so ready to swing!  She absolutely LOVES to swing and to see her face was just awesome. 

Luke enjoying his airplane swing

the bar hangs in the door way between the kitchen and the playroom- it's very easy to switch out from the big kid swing to the little airplane swing for Luke

Visiting cousins

After Christmas we headed down to Dan's brothers house on our way back home to spend a little time with Amelia and Luke's cousins.  Grammy and Papa were there too so it was special to have that whole side of the family together.

these girls LOVE princesses . . . can you tell?!

Abby and Amelia

My niece Abby put on a whole fashion show for me of all her costumes- mostly princesses

Nieces Abby and Ada- I just love how Abby poses

sweet Ada

an attempt to get a picture of the kids with Papa

3 generations

love how Luke leans into Papa here

one more attempt at all 4 kids together- we ended up with all "cheese" faces lol

Christmas morning

So excited about Christmas morning this year. Amelia finally was able to start to grasp the concept of celebrating Jesus' birthday and Santa coming.  It was so much fun just seeing her excitement and joy that morning.  Luke wasn't really into the opening presents thing- he just wanted to cruise around the coffee table and play.

Luke may seem interested, but it's only a brief moment . . .

and he's done; this is him trying to turn around so he can stand up

Amelia's gift to her Daddy-a picture of them in a frame that says "Dad's Little One".  Dan calls Amelia "little one"  :)

Doesn't he look surprised?!

No pictures of Mommy opening presents- Mommy's big gift was sitting at home.  No, it wasn't forgotten.  Mommy has always wanted a bigger aquarium so Daddy has been working for several months to get all the parts and necessary items for a new to us 30 gallon aquarium.  It's up and running- just waiting for the water to adjust so we can add fish.  Oh and we still need to get some decorations- Mommy's got her eye on a sunken pirate ship.  Amelia just wants the bright pink princess castle. Mommy did have some small gifts under the tree too. 

opening her princess castle

 Luke's favorite toy that morning- gears

 LOVES her new princess castle

 oh my she looks so big here

 enjoying some turkey

 yummy Christmas dinner

 Luke with Uncle Will

 Grandma and Grandpa with the kids

 Just realized we didn't get any pictures of the kids with us that morning . . . oh well.  We had such a fun day celebrating Jesus birthday and spending time with the people we love. 

Christmas travels

This year we packed up our little blue trailer and headed to Grandma and Grandpa's for Christmas.  They have moved back to the Raleigh, North Carolina area so I was able to go visit with my best friend and her family while we were in the area. 

Sabrina and I met in seminary and have seen our lives change so much in just a few short years.  Here are all of our kids (minus her new little Abigail who was sleeping).  I can't believe I didn't get a picture of Abigail too- she was wearing the most absolutely adorable Minnie mouse outfit.  I'm completely obsessed with Mickey and Minnie.  I admit it.  

Anyways, our visit was WAY to short- isn't that how it always is when friends and family do not live close by.

 Love this one of the kids all laughing . . .

Christmas cookies

Amelia loves helping me in the kitchen- she has gotten great at making cookies.  I will measure out the ingredients and she will help me pour them in the bowl.  She likes to help stir and she LOVES to eat the cookie dough!

she finally likes chocolate chip cookies :)

sweet Amelia

Playing with some features on my camera and working on how to get a more "natural" smile out of my big girl. 

Amelia has really been "getting" Christmas this year- we have been teaching her "Away in a Manger" and she can sing pretty much the whole song.  Most of the words are right- she got stuck for awhile on the part where Jesus had no crib and then she got focused on the cattle waking up baby Jesus.  But it's so much fun to see her excitement for Jesus' birthday.  She said baby Jesus should have a Mickey mouse birthday party and that he wants Mickey mouse for his birthday.  We have been trying to explain as best we can to a two year old that Jesus wants HER for Christmas.

Presents from Cousins

We let the kids open their presents from their cousins early since we were traveling for Christmas. 

Amelia loved her owl hooded towel

 Luke got a Little People batman car

Amelia LOVED her baby doll- her aunt Chrissie had made matching outfits for the baby and Amelia

 Luke checking out his car

 Amelia immediately had to try on the dress and have her baby wear the matching dress

 She put her baby on the couch and asked me to take her picture

Amelia and Luke's other cousins got them bean bag chairs- the bean bags were so FULL we ended up taking out some of the filling so they would be soft and easier to sit on

 Amelia wore this hooded towel all night and stayed in his outfit with her baby- she pitched a fit when we made her change for dinner so she wouldn't get food on the dress

 much softer bean bag now- she loves to jump into it

 lol- bean bag wipe out!