Top 12 Posts from 2011

January favorite post:


The rainbow birthday party!




February favorite post:


Surf and Sand adventure.




March favorite post:


Spring Posing with the girls.





April favorite post:


NYC Trip Day 3




May favorite post:

Lily's zebra 11th party




June favorite post:


5th Grade Graduation day






July favorite post:


Our precious new kitten Daisy






August favorite post:

The first day of 6th and 2nd grade.




September favorite post:


Shelly the cheerleader!





October favorite post:


Peace in Heaven






November favorite post:


Girls who love dolls





December favorite post:


Off to see The Nutcracker

Christmas Morn

On Christmas morning the girls open their stocking stuffers from Santa and then make their way on to their Santa gifts. After Santa's presents, we all open the remainder of our gifts. We enjoy a yummy breakfast of sticky buns, sausage casserole, and mimosas. It's always a morning of excitement.

Happy sisters fresh out of bed at 6:50

Ready for the gift opening fun

Santa gifts

Christmas Daisy ready for her new toys













It was all a blur when Lily opened up her new phone from granddaddy!



Those are tears of joy as she opens up the phone case to go with the new phone.


Shelly is thrilled about her new iPod Touch!!!  
Another lovely Christmas morning.

Eve

Getting ready for our trip across town. Posing in pajamas by granddaddy's tree.














On Christmas Eve, we go to John's family's for our celebration. The kids like to wear their festive pajamas. We have lots of great food, laughs, and game playing. 

Cookie Time

The last day of school was celebrated at our friends' home with a cookie decorating party. The kids all have lots of fun creating and eating their masterpieces.

Middle School Girls

Happy Decorator

Merry Merry

From our home to yours---
Have a Very Merry Christmas!!!!



Smile, Love, and Laugh this holiday!!!

Gifts

Here are some of the gifts that we gave the teachers, teacher assistants, specialist teachers, bus drivers, and office staff.

Lily's gifts (Nutty Nut Melts, an agenda calendar, and a snowman ornament)

Cinnamon Streusel Bread

Cookie Jars with ornaments

Shelly's gifts (Nutty Nut Melts, B&BB hand sanitizer, and an ornament)
I forgot to photograph the B&BW oil burners for the teachers, but they look like this:

Holiday Activity Fail

One of our fun Advent calendar activities was the making of a peppermint gingerbread house. Well, it was a fail! And, I just had to share it. 


We decorated all of the pieces and then attempted to put it together. Well, that wasn't happening. So, it now sits as a decorative centerpiece on the kitchen table in a big heap! But, we sure did have fun!

Cards, Cards, Cards

Cards ready to mail

I love the whole idea of Christmas cards. I enjoy getting them and I love the photos that accompany so many of the cards. I must admit that over the last several years I had lost a little of my Christmas card joy. But, this year, I tried to channel that joy again and I set up the girls for a few different holiday poses. The pose that won out was the one of the girls with our new kitty. She is 7 months old and this cat is no little thing. I loved that they were all looking at the camera when I snapped the picture. Once again, I chose to have the pictures/cards done at Costco. I am always pleased with their service and quality and you can't beat the price.

2011 Christmas Card

When the cards come in to the house, I let everyone read them and then they go up on the card wall. This started a few years back when I saw this idea on Becky Higgins' blog. I loved how simple it was, yet looked so festive. We keep the cards up on the wall for awhile. Sometimes it's late January before they come down. 

Do you spy your own card????