Missing.

What's missing from this picture???  Presley's first tooth!  After weeks of wiggling it finally cam out.  The tooth is now safe in the new Magic Tooth Box, waiting for the Tooth Fairy to come and get it.

Not sure if the look on her face is happy, worried, surprised, or a little scared.

I can't believe this is happening--she is still my little baby!

Early.

We don't get up that early--but we do have to be out the door to catch the bus by 8:15 AM.  This was the beautiful sunrise treat we got on the day school started back up.

Not too bad, even if you do have to get up early to catch it!

Brave.

Or maybe crazy.  But this year I decided to get the girls both season ski rentals and we plan on going to Sundance every Thursday after I pick up Presley from the bus stop (Fridays would work too).  After finally finding a store that still had rentals available for the season (thanks Shannon!), I took the girls skiing.

It was hard work and we didn't stay long--2 turns on the tow rope each.  It was an event.  From having to park in the upper lot, even with my pleading (a 3 and 5 year old--one of which has never been on skis), to nearly having to break my foot to fit in my ski boot (I am looking for bigger ones, if anyone has some), and ALL that walking.

Phone pics--because I am not going to haul my nice camera with all the other things I was carrying.

We were all exhausted and the girls took three hour naps when we got home.  I do have to say thank you to the gentleman who held Presley's hand walking up the slope to the tow rope--my hands were literally full with my skis, Stella's hand and a backpack with all our gear and the girls skis.  Could you imagine if we all had poles too?

Thank goodness for the suckers Sundance sells in the deli (the seven layer bars too).

From Our Family.

I hope you all got a card from our family this year--I know there are a couple of you that I didn't track down new addresses for (I will be getting in touch so that I have them).  My sister took this photo at one of our family's favorite places--Sundance, UT.

We have had such a fun and busy year and I know that this coming year things will get even busier and better--I guess that is how I like my life!

Mother-in-Law.

My mother in law's birthday is the day after Christmas and I can't imagine that is a good day for a birthday (especially as a kid).  But this year was a special birthday for Susan and we all helped plan a little bit of a surprise for her.  Dinner with several of her friends and her family!

I made this cake for Susan--the girls helped me pick out the purple candles that match the purple row of roses.  We all ate a lot of frosting today!

It was a lovely event and the "grown-ups" were having such a great time catching up that all the kids and grand kids left first--definitely the sign of a good time.  Happy birthday Susan!

Christmas Day.

What a big day!  Santa came during the night but before we could get to the gifts we went to church (well, Chris let each of the girls open one present before we left for church).



Presley's first gift, a Magic Tooth Box.  She has her fist loose tooth and she knows that the Tooth Fairy and Santa are good friends.

Stella LOVES to brush her hair--this was the perfect little set for her.

When we got home from church we all opened stockings and gifts from Santa.  The girls got variations of the same things and had so much fun ripping off paper and digging deep into their stockings for the little gifts (tic tacs, chapstick, sanitizer).

So, for the last three years every time Presley sits on Santa's lap she gets really quiet and asks for a rocking horse for Christmas--out of the blue, I could list a thousand dolls, crafts, things she has seen on commercials, that Presley could want but she wispers "rocking horse" every time.  This year Santa got the girls a version of a rocking horse.

 Now for more pictures--this is the only time I took pictures.  We had Chris's family up for lunch and gifts and I didn't once bring out the camera (tisk tisk).  But is does show what a good time I was having with everyone--too much fun to remember the camera.

 We are truly blessed--healthy, happy, close families.  We had such a wonderful time being together and celebrating this year.  About the only thing we could still think to ask for is SNOW.  I know what you are thinking, but yes, I like the snow--I just don't want winter to last until June.  This was the first non-white (it was brown) Christmas we have ever had.

Christmas Eve.

This year we had a small group at my mom and dad's for Christmas Eve.  Matt and Krista and the twins were in North Carolina (they are moving to Denver next month!) and Becka, Eric, and Lincoln were in Saint George.  We MISSED them all!

We had our traditional deli tray sandwiches and chocolate mouse (plus a party tray from Chick-fil-a) along with the Christmas story and gifts.  Presley and Stella had fun with their cousins Truman and Bodie.  My sister would be disappointed, I didn't take many pictures at all . . .

Sister love.  I decided not to post the picture of them kissing--it was a little much.

Truman 2, Stella 3, Bodie 10 months, Presley 5.  Thanks for the cute pajamas Grandma Lynn!

So cheesy with the smiles, but they were so excited and tired too.  Posing with our tree before bed.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Gingerbread Houses.

We bought the gingerbread house kits from Ikea to decorate the day after Thanksgiving with our extended family (the Hammonds) while they were in town.  However, we ended up having too much fun sitting around talking and eating to get around to the decorating.  I did pick up a great tip that I ended up using when we did get around to decorating--we hot glued the houses together, then we decorated them!  No holding the walls and roof while the icing dried, no sliding walls--perfectly square houses.

But that is where the fun ended (for Chris anyway).  It was Christmas Eve day and just as I opened the kits and saw that they only contained the gingerbread walls and roofs--no icing, no decorations--so I had to send Chris off to the store to buy meringue powder to make stiff icing.  After two stores, he found it and we got down to business decorating.  We raided our candy cupboard for decorating supplies.

Our hot-glued houses.

Stella's gingerbread house.  I piped the icing, she put all the candy in place.  Ok, I helped with the M&M's on the roof--it was taking so long the icing was drying out!

Presley's gingerbread house.  Again, I piped the icing but she really did do all the decorating herself.

My hands were too crusty and sticky from piping icing on the houses while the girls decorated that I didn't get to take any photos of the girls "in-action".  But Presley did say, "This is the most fun ever Mom!", so I know they were having a good time.

Clean up, a bath, naps--then off to Grandma and Grandpa Simons house for Christmas Eve!

Work Party.

It has been a long time since I have been to a "holiday work" party, so we were all pretty excited to go to Chris's BYU Athletic Department Christmas Party.  It was kid friendly and we all had fun decorating cookies, making gingerbread houses, eating pizza, playing games, and giving Cosmo high-fives.

Chris even won a bottle of Y BBQ sauce and a BYU apron (anyone need an apron?) and got to play a "Minute to Win It" game, which he lost--but Stella was happy about it because she ended up with the Oreo cookie that Chris was trying to get from his forehead to his mouth.

Stella--she thinks she can live on sugar alone.

Presley trying not to get green frosting all over herself.

 

At least Stella isn't afraid of Cosmo any more--but what is with Presley's face??

Stella and her Sprite.  Presley setting up the game that was wrapped as a present for the table decoration.  Pop-Up Pirate was tons of fun.

Arrgggg!

Chris and Stella just after the "Minute to Win It".  The winner is Stella with another treat.

What a fun way to start off the holiday season--more parties and yummy food coming our way!

Tiny Dancers.

Stella is now old enough to be in a Creative Movement class--and she is lucky enough to have the best teacher ever, Miss Trisha.  This year at the Christmas program Stella danced to a teddy bear song.  It was adorable and Stella even blew me a kiss during the performance.

Not even a smile--she seems so serious at dress rehearsal.

Stella gathered up all the teddy bears from her class.

So tender and sweet--although in class she was often swinging the bear by an appendage.

Presley is now in Children's Ballet and this year her group performed in the Nutcracker as Snow Angels.  She was great--and loves being on stage.  However, she is not into the makeup and hair that it requires.

Presley and her friend Gabrielle--they got to be partners.

Spin!

Presley and Gabrielle dancing.

She looks so peaceful--just like an an angel.

I love watching my girls dance!