A gingerbread party

December 17 , 2009 - Here we are at yet another fun preschool party. This time we made a gingerbread house. Well, Cameron and I did. Reese was pretty sure that we were crazy not to be eating all the yummy stuff on the table like she was!

Becca turns 8 - for real!

December 16, 2009 - It makes me feel very sad and a little bit crazy to realize I have an 8-year-old! I can't believe Becca has gotten so big! She has honestly been a huge blessing in my life - she was born an oldest child. Obviously! But I mean that she has always been one to go the extra mile to try and help me when I need it, and show her little brothers and sister how to do things. She has been doing all of that since she was almost 2! So it is always fun when we get to celebrate just her and make her "queen for a day".

This is my attempt at making a huge "8" on the wall - she loved it. It's kind of one of our family traditions to decorate the house after the birthday kid is in bed, so they wake up to a birthday house!

Becca, with her "8" cake.

Opening gifts

Mewwy Chwistmas fwom Weese!

December 13, 2009 - Who doesn't love a big cheesy grin from a cute 2-year-old in a Santa Claus dress?

Becca's 8th Birthday Party at Skate City

December 12, 2009 - It's really kind of fun to celebrate your daughter's birthday where you once had a birthday party as a kid. Becca decided she really wanted to have a party at skate city this year, and she had a lot of fun. She got her own pair of skates and enjoyed racing around the rink with her friends and family.

Somtimes being a lazy mother leads to a really great picture!

December 10, 2009 - Here is my sweet little Reese, who never is super-excited for nap-time, but obviously still needs it. Nap time has always been a sacred time in my house - when else can you get anything done?? But occasionally, very stubborn little girls get their way and stay up to watch t.v. with their big sister, and end up falling asleep, exhausted on a Capri Sun wrapper! Priceless!

Gingerbread men

December 7, 2009 - How much fun is it to make little Gingerbread men?! A lot! Here are the kids with their creations - Thanks Grandma for supplying the cookie mix!

Attempting the Christmas letter picture

December 6, 2009 - This I had to share because it made me laugh to look through these pictures again! We tried, in vain, after church one day to take a nice family picture with all our nice church clothes on to send out to friends and family with our Christmas letter - here are the results:

squinting....

Tristan's head cut off...

Squinting and Tristan's head cut off! Perfect!