For the past three years on this blog I've done a few posts gathering up my favorite photos from posts throughout the year on New Years. This year I found a much cooler way to do it, with a little slideshow movie set to music. Unfortunately, it couldn't be done in just one video (way too many photos from posts). So, I'll have to do about four probably. Here are the first two. It was totally fun to do them and they both made me cry when I watched them. Of course, I am their mama!
Anyway, we had a realy, really good year around here. We had some very sad things happen right at the end that we are still coping with and that have forever changed us. But overall, we know how blessed and fortunate we are as a family. We hope to have more of the same (less the sad things) this coming year and hope you and yours have good blessings too.
They did get a bunch of other stuff they wanted however. It was a good one. I'm sad it's over. Went by so fast!
Dave wasn't home on Christmas Eve, but got here just in time for the girls to open their presents. They were very glad to see him.
Our new pet...not a puppy, but a toy dino named D Rex. Very cool toy!
My sister surprised the girls (and us) with a Wii!
Then we surprised my mother with a new puppy...actually Sarah surprised her, as you can see. Mom's dog of 11 years is dying of heart failure. She wanted a new little furry friend to try and ease the coming loss a bit. She didn't think my sister would get her the puppy...so she was shocked when she turned around to find Sarah holding the dog, as you can see.
Here's the puppy, Emma, showing us how she is a pro at pottying outside at only seven weeks, even dressed in pink plaid!
Emma was super adorable and the girls LOVED her. But her short visit made it clear we won't be getting a puppy any time soon, LOL.
Sorry I've been MIA the past few days. Lots of Christmas activity around here. I'm not gonna write much, just wanted to post a few Christmas related photos and wish everyone a happy holiday full of good cheer, time with family and wonderful blessings!
Sarah making snacks at her school party.
The beard Dave is growing for me for Christmas is coming along nicely!
He's been playing Christmas songs nearly every day. I love it, makes it feel really festive and homey.
Santa's little helpers.
Girls dressed in their Christmas dresses for our family party last weekend.
Sarah with the Martha Stewart holiday puppets she made all by herself (they are super easy and totally cute!).
And to get you even more into the spirit, watch this!
So, it's a running joke among friends that my house is the Christmas house...that I like a little bit of Christmas, or alot of Christmas, lol, pretty much in every corner and free spot during the month of December.
I won't deny it at all. I do LOVE this time of year and the more Christmas around me, the better. So, with that said, I took a couple more photos of some new additions to my collection and some just Christmasey ones for the fun of it today when I was avoiding doing stuff around the house. Nothing helps put stuff off than taking random photos of stuff around the house!
New vintage style Christmas house.
Vintagey Santas. I just realized these two on the right are basically the same Santa, lol. I got them both at the same store, go figures.
Vintage Santa store banner from the 1950s...I see his bottom corner is rolled up. It keeps doing that!
Every year Dave and I try and do several Christmas related things with the girls. Sometimes it's outings, sometimes just things here. This past weekend we had three different outings planned to celebrate the season. It was a busy weekend to say the least, but fun.
I posted about Friday night's outing...the lighting of the town Christmas tree and arrival of Santa (where Ruby went screaming to get away). Saturday was decorating a tree in front of our local water department with Sarah's Girl Scout troop. After we did that we drove to a nearby little town we like, unknowing that they were having Christmas activities. So who do you think just happened to be standing in the street when we arrived? Yup, old Santa himself. I was pretty sure Ruby would beg us to turn the car around, but instead she squealed and couldn't wait to see him. Huh?
When we got out she ran right up to him. Dave and I were both stunned. She usually clings to us and begs us not to let the man in red anywhere near her. This time, she sat on his knee, talked to him...and EVEN told him what she wanted for Christmas. In year's past she screamed at Santa to "leave her alone!". Sarah however, decided to be shy at first and hid behind a car instead of going to Santa...only to decide to try and be cute and sneak up behind him. He was all to aware she was there though and called her out in front of a very amused crowd...she got a big tickle out of that and sat on his knee then.
So we have our very first ever photo of not only each girl with Santa, but BOTH of them with him. And, they finally got to take a ride in a horse drawn carriage. We've missed the opportunity at least three other times, so this is a must do they can finally cross of their list.
They were difficult and sometimes totally annoying on Saturday...overly excited and not listening at times...but overall they were good and enjoyed themselves and we made wonderful memories and spent the day being a family, with all it's ups and downs.
On Sunday we attended a Christmas service at the little country church where David and I got married, and where our nephew who recently died is buried. The church is 200 years old and really charming, and it was a beautiful service with a brand new organ that sounded like one a grand cathedral (digital pipe organ). The girls were all dressed up in their Christmas dresses and were really good. It was a nice day spent with family.
Before we left, I got some shots of them being cute and playing with Christmas stuffed animals, along with some shots of Christmas decor around the house. So, this is gonna be a photo heavy post!
We kicked off a holiday activity packed weekend with our local county tree lighting this evening. We've never gone and hoped the kids would enjoy it. But, alas, taking two very tired children out, during their dinner time, in below freezing temps to wait for an hour in a crowd while listening to pretty bad caroling to see Santa for five seconds, could have been a bit more fun. It was nice to do, but we probably won't do it again, LOL. They were so miserable out in that cold and people were too rude and pushed when Santa came...big kids (like teens) in front of the little children. And then, of course, was Ruby screaming bloody murder the second she saw Santa and his helpers (two people dressed in a snowman and reindeer suit)...she nearly clawed Dave to death trying to get away.
After they lit the tree, which was beautiful, we booked it to one of our favorite local cafes and ate a quick bite. The kids seemed miserable and said as such, but said they had fun...go figure. Dave and I were a bit shell shocked by the whole thing...COLD, whiny kids, lack luster entertainment and HUGE lines for Santa and the free carriage rides, which we both vetoed in lieu of HEAT. But it was a family outing...a memory. We laughed alot on the way home about Ruby's freak fear of people dressed in costumes, Sarah running away from me and me nearly choking her by grabbing ahold of her scarf and the horrible singing done by these kids overly made up and animated. I'm sure we'll talk about it for years to come...remember that year you took us out in the cold for an hour and our snot froze and our toes got numb? Yeah, that was great.
More family fun tomorrow, LOL....tree decorating at the local Chamber of Commerce with Sarah's Girl Scout troop and a trip to a nearby town for some lunch and Christmas shoppin...maybe put up our outside decor if it's not frigid again...I hear sleet as I type this. Maybe cookies or a gingerbread house? I don't know, we have all glorious weekend together with Dave off. Can't wait.
Here's shots from tonight's funfest in the cold!
Gotta get this girl new mittens...these kept coming off!
Sarah has that odd expression because she said her eyes felt frozen, lol. She blinked and I took another of her that was normal...
He's growin me a beard for Christmas! This is just about a week and a half of growth...he hate it, but is sticking it out for me (thanks honey).
As I took this, Ruby was SCREAMING behind me that she wanted to get away!!
Town Christmas tree all lit up. I like how this turned out with the people in front. However, my first shot didn't turn out quite as good! It was a bit shocking...
