Christmas, Christmas and more Christmas

Where to start, where to start?  We had a BUSY couple weeks leading up to Christmas.  All of it fun but we are loving our lazy week between Christmas hoopla and New Years.  The girls were so anxious to decorate gingerbread houses this year.  We teamed up with the Bryan ladies and made a morning of it.

Charlotte and Delaney will be Dragonflies together next year just like their big sisters!

Quinn got to watch and eat from a safe distance.

Meredith and Ava

Random shot of the week:

One morning last week we made gingerbread men.  We read a LOT of the Gingerbread Baby/Boy/Girl books this holiday season so the girls pretended one escaped from the oven.  They made a trap for the gingerbread baby.  Keep them entertained for 30 minutes!

The one picture we managed at the Winter Garden Aglow.  Tad bit cold and busy this year!

The one shot from Christmas Eve Mass.  We were in such a hurry we didn't even manage a picture of the girls all dressed up.

After Mass the Ramstads joined us for dinner. 

Pics courtesey once again of Brook!

Delaney always likes to sit in between our guests.

Quinn usually likes to goof off and not eat.

Not sure what is happening here...

Merediths special present for Jesse and I.  Gah - someone needs some self tanner and it's not Meredith

So proud of her special ornament.  Delaney, not impressed.

Quinn kept herself busy by dumping water on herself.

Bonus gift: bird feeder

Delaney made a cute ornament at school too.

The Ramstads with their new puppy (Meredith).

The girls got to open one present on Christmas Eve.

Busy town and Mermaid castle.  Thanks Nana and Papa Mike!

Setting out cookies for Santa.  Nice jammies Meredith.  Refused to wear her Christmas garb.

Quinn thinks she is super funny.

For some reason Meredith was convinced she was getting a big girl American Doll.
Here she was ceremoniously handing Bitty over to Quinn.

Ready for Santa.

Ready for Mom to hurry up and brush her teeth and for Quinn to get out of bed!

Santa brought a new tiger.

And some boots for Papa.  Convinient that we just turned the outside lights off and Papa and Grammie popped over for Christmas!

Big Time!

So so happy with her new Kanani doll.

She didn't get her Barbie house but she did get a new Barbie RV!

Happy with cereal in a cup and watching the excitement.

New Snow White dress or "Hi Ho, Hi Ho" as Quinn calls her.

Big hit of the day, Noahs Ark.

Only intersted in the old, ratty Rapunzel Barbie from last year.

Assembling toy #49857

Glad our neighbors are in Morocco enjoying Christmas.  We filled up our garbage and recycle bin as well as theirs.

New princess tent from Aunt Korntey!

Enjoying pre-Christmas dinner Krumcake.  Thanks Brooke!

New ride for the Barbies.

Quinns favorite gift?  A necklace that came with a book. 

We had a really great Christmas in Boise with the kids and Gene and Dana.  We got to do all the activities that we wanted and everyone was happy!  We even threw in a little Christmas day swim next door in the warm pool.

Santa Party!

Time for our annual Santa Party!  This year was one for the record books.  21 kids...

 The Big Guy.  Eva (in pink on left) was NOT happy that Santa snuck up on her.



Next year Jesse gets an elf costume

 Quinn usually won't go near a Santa.  She must have got a good vibe from this particular Santa.

 Patient Delaney was the last to get her gift.

 Jeremy needed a Santa fix.

 Meredith running through her list.  Someone needs a haircut.

 Finally Delaneys turn!

 She is 3 if you didn't know.

 Torturing Eva...

 Still not too sure.

 Must be nice if he hands out pink Jeeps!

We sure love our Santa party, thanks everyone for coming!

December 2011 - Week 3

We made our annual visit to Santa at the mall last week with Sam and Eli.  All the kids did great except for Quinn who wouldn't even look at Santa let alone get near him.  For some reason the Santa here won't hold screaming kids.  Kind of sad.  Meredith brought her official list with her and boy was it loooong.

 The kids get story time with Santa when the photo printer breaks down!

 This is our year 'off' from Christmas/New Years in McCall so we ventured up last weekend to see if there was any new snow.  Nada, zilch, none since Thanksgiving.  We went up to Brudage to see if there was any chance of skiing soon.  Outlook is not good, darn it!  We did throw in the sled at the last minute and hit the cat tracks.  For some reason Quinn lostherfreakingmind and screamed the entire time if Jesse wasn't holding her.  She is so weird about some things...I guess she isn't going to like the new sled Santa is bringing her in a few days.

 Sometime the stars align and we have a great family outing where all the kids are super happy and have a great time and Jesse and I cheers each other to being awesome parents and doing fun things.  This was not one of those times.  Lot of whining, lot of complaing, lot of screaming.

 Really, really mad that Jesse is not holding her.  She wanted nothing to do with me.

 Gave up on the hill and hit the steep cat track that leads down to the Centennial Chair.  I have to say it was pretty fun!  Delaney got to hitch rides on the way back up.  You can't tell but Quinn is again losingherfreakingmind in this picture.

 What a good Dad!  We'll make'em have fun dammit!

 Pretty ready to go home I think.

 Super ready to go home.

 "For the love of God just pick me up"

 Big girl in her cool new ski jacket.

 Getting to be a big girl too.

 More snow please.

 Maybe we'll ski in 2012?

 Throwing in the towel. 

 Time to go home.  It was a good effort!

 Ruby was there too.