Christmas with Family!

We were so excited to have the Paynes fly over to celebrate Christmas with us!  Ryan had already met Phoebe, but the rest of us were anxiously waiting to snuggle with her for the first time (and see her parents too, of course!).  Sean, Jessica, and Phoebe arrived with smiles even after a very long day of traveling with a little girl who hardly slept on the flight.  We celebrated Gretchen's birthday in London and then headed home.  We did a little sight-seeing in Cambridge, Ely, and London while they were here.  And Christmas day was so special getting to be together!  Thank you for coming, Sean and Jessica, and for having fun with us even though you weren't getting much sleep!  We loved our time with all three of you! 

Grammy Deb and G-Daddy give the kids new pajamas each year to be opened on Christmas Eve.  Getting a photo of everyone by the tree wearing their new pjs is always entertaining!

Skyping with Grammy Deb and G-Daddy before bed

Christmas morning!  We let the kids open their stockings first thing . . .

Kaye K and Big Daddy came bright and early to spend the day with us

Bridgette was an angel all morning, crawling around and quietly exploring everything

Rooke really wanted a Batman costume and has worn it almost every day since the 25th! 

This was one of my favorite parts of the morning - I got to snuggle both girls while they shared a bowl of cheerios.

Precious Phoebe

Christmas dinner - a yummy end to a fun-filled day

Brothers.  Can you tell?! 

Our Pink and Purple Princess

Gretchen turned THREE on the 22nd!  On the Thursday morning before her birthday, we invited three of her sweet friends and their moms over for some pink and purple party fun.  It was the perfect way to celebrate Gretchen.  She said she wanted a pink and purple party.  I tried to make as much of the morning pink and purple as possible!  Rooke was at school, Daddy was working, and for half of the party Bridgette was asleep.  It worked out that no other siblings joined in, so it was just the moms and their girls.  I loved getting to focus on my big girl and enjoy her enjoying her party!

I made pink and purple cupcakes and we decorated them with anything pink and purple!

Each girl got to make a bead necklace, which included the option of pink and purple beads!

We painted our nails pink and/or purple.  Gretchen asked for a "mitch-match".

We asked everyone to wear pink and purple - such cute friends!

I love the birthday girl!  One of her gifts were new pajamas that she begged to change into immediately!  

We celebrated with family on her actual birthday.  Uncle Sean, Aunt Jessica and Phoebe flew in on that day - such a great birthday gift!  We were all together at my parents' house for a birthday lunch.  We had burgers with french fries and ketchup.  Gretchen puts her emphasis on the ketchup, which she will literally lick up with her fingers if we're not watching!

Big Daddy can do girly for his granddaughters!

She asked for a pink and purple birthday cake.  

No, Bridgette didn't get any cake, but whatever she was eating she wanted to share with Daddy!

A new bike from Kaye K and Big Daddy for our big girl!

Uncle Sean helped her put on the new Cinderella gown from Grammy Deb and G-Daddy.  It went nicely with the Cinderella doll from Sean and Jessica!  She was our pretty birthday princess for the day!

The Christmas Countdown

For several years, I've wanted to do a Christmas countdown calendar.  I bought one in 2008 that I really like (in Cambridge, of all places!), but each year December would come and go and the calendar hung on the wall empty.  It just seemed an impossible task to sort out the 24 daily activities before the month began.  But this year I decided to go for it.  I made my master list of ideas and stayed one day ahead, writing the night before what we would do the following day based on our schedule and what I thought I could make work.  More often than not, I forgot to write on the candy cane or christmas tree shape and had to sneak it while preparing breakfast before one of the kids drew the countdown paper out!  It's been so much fun and a great way to make this month more special as we celebrate Christ's birth. 

1. pick out our Christmas tree

2. Decorate the tree

3. make Marshmallow Snowmen

4. make peppermint pretzel bark

5. play nativity hide-n-seek - the kids loved this game!

6. make and deliver gingerbread party invitations to our neighbors

7. sing carols at the piano

8. family movie night with marshmallow popcorn (we watched A Muppet's Christmas Carol - lots of laughing out loud!)

9. make nativity characters out of salt dough

10. read our Bible story and books by the tree in pajamas before bed

11. make our own live-action nativity video

12. paint nativity characters - can you guess who only wanted to use pink and purple to paint with?!

13. host neighborhood gingerbread party - so much fun!

14. gather toys and clothes to give away

15. make Christmas cards

16. play the gingerbread man coloring game

17. read Legend of a Candy Cane and make candy cane cookies

18. host home group Christmas party

19. take Christmas treats to our librarians

20. read The King's Christmas List and pick out a "present for Jesus"

21. Christmas party at Kaye K and Big Daddy's

22. Uncle Sean, Aunt Jessica and Phoebe are here!

23. make gingerbread waffles for dinner

24. open Christmas Eve pajamas from Grammy Deb and G-Daddy with Cousin Phoebe

December 25th is here!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!