Celebrating Christmas

We've had fun doing things as a family getting ready for Christmas and then there was the special morning, here's our recap of the Holiday.

Ward Christmas Party
This year's theme was the polar express, so we all wore pajamas, drank hot coco, got jingle bells and met Santa. By the time Santa came Ashley was already asleep and Rachel likes the idea of Santa but not actually being near him. Maybe next year.


Making Pizzelles
I made 5 batches of pizzelles this year! It wouldn't be Christmas without them.

Bellagio Gardens
We enjoy going down to the gardens at the Bellagio Casino through out the year because it's always changing. During Christmas it is beautiful with all different colored poinsettias.


Sugar Cookies
Ashley got to join us this time in making, decorating and eating sugar cookies.


Gingerbread House
Another of our yearly traditions is the gingerbread house. We cheat and buy the kit which makes doing this so much easier and quicker.


Christmas Morning
Wow, we had fun. It took 2 1/2 hours to open their presents which is about 2 hours longer than what I thought it would. Rachel came down stairs and was so disappointed because Santa didn't bring playdoh (last year it wasn't wrapped, this year it was). I thought she was going to cry and then she opened up the wrapped playdoh and was so excited. She brought her hands up to her head like she couldn't believe it. It was great! Then every present that was opened needed to be played with. Rachel wore her princess dress the entire time she opened presents. Ashley's "playdoh" was the bounce and spin zebra, she giggled knowing exactly what it was. She didn't even wait until it was put together before she was on it. The rest of the morning was spent playing with all the new toys and games. One of my highlights was being able to have my parents watching the girls enjoy their Christmas morning and then us watching them open their gifts thanks to skype. It's nice to have a way to spend holidays even if we're a half continent apart.

Fall you're a little late

I'm a little confused, I look out my bedroom window and see the tree across the street finally dressed in orange and red leaves. It is December which should be winter right? So why is that fall is finally making an appearance? Fall, I think you're a little late the snow beat you to the top of the mountains before you reached the trees. Try to do a little better next year.

Cookie Time

Yummy, our first batch of pizzelles have been made! This is of course the first of I'm sure many more to come. I think I made 3 batches last year but Mike recalls it being 4 or 5.

I love the winter baking season, we should bake like this all year long. On my list for this year: of course more pizzelles, peanut butter blossoms, mint chocolate chip cookies, rocky road fudge, sugar cookies, peanut butter balls, Amish Friendship Bread, and whatever else seems yummy ate the time. My little mixer always gets lots of good use this time of year. I LOVE BAKING! I'm excited if you can't tell.

The tree is up

The Unveiling

The day has come to see what's in the box. First I blew out the candle on my Carvel Ice Cream Cake, when I say "I" I mean Rachel and I.


Then the wrapping paper with Rachel's assistance has been torn, the big box revealed and what is in side?A new printer, but not just any printer, a wireless over sized printer meaning I can print on my 12X12 paper for scrapbooks! Yeah! Thank you, Mike!

What could it be? You decide.

This big box has been sitting in my closet for a week now, taunting me. So now you too can join in on the wait. Let me know what you think it is, because I'm at a complete loss.

Fruit Smoothies

At least once a week Rachel will ask for a smoothie. I have a hard time saying no to this request. You can even ask Rachel what you need to make a smoothie "Strawberries, Bananas, Milk and Yogurt" all healthy. So sure you want a smoothie you got it.

Today I let Ashley begin to help in the kitchen with the above lunch drink. She had fun dropping in the bananas and strawberries. Rachel was such a good big sis and was handing her the strawberries to put in, instead of doing it herself.

Who would say no when you get a result like this?

Martini glasses in our house are called Smoothie Cups

Halloween Night

One funny story that didn't get put into the scrapbook because I forgot to and I'm not going back and redoing it. But anyway... So Rachel and Ashley were up at a door, Rachel knocked and they waited patiently for the door to be opened. Rachel held out her princess bucket and said the standard, "Trick or Treat" and the man put a piece of candy in her bucket. Ashley follows Rachel's lead, holds up her pumpkin bucket and says, "Ahhh", while chuckling he places a piece of candy in her bucket too. Rachel took home a bucket and a half full of candy. Way too much.

Pumpkin Carving

After putting Ashley to bed we pulled out the pumpkin and carving tools and let Rachel help carve her first pumpkin. She was squeamish about touching the pumpkin guts, but enjoyed eating the toasted seeds. After I showed her how to blow out the candle she was no longer afraid of burning herself and wanted to do it again and again.

6th Annual Caramel Apple Party

I can't believe we had our 6th, time does fly. We had a lot of fun this, much better than last year.


We had pumpkin carving shown by the messypumpkin hands below and for the younger ones we let them make monster faces on their pumpkins.






Rachel really just stuck as many as possible all over the little pumpkin.


Elana won our guessing jar and took home a jar with a 176 m&m's.

The kids played pop the balloon and we could hardly get all the balloons outside before they were all popped. So we have no pictures. I do want to thank who ever cleaned up all the pieces. I went out the next morning to find them all, expecting the yard to be littered with them and found 3 pieces! Out of 40 balloons. So thank you very much.

We hid spiders in the sandbox and they found all but one. The adults played Sticker Stalker and David one by in my mind totally cheating but there was no rule against sticking the entire sheet of stickers as one sticker. Next year- new rule: One individual sticker at a time. :)

The kids got to decorate sugar cookies. And turn pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns with candy corn, m&m's and chocolate chips.

And of course there's the dipping of the apple. We had lots of toppings to choose from: gummy bears, M&M's, crushed Oreo's, peanuts, toffee, coconuts, crushed graham cracker, and mini chocolate chips. I think my favorite is the crushed Oreos.


For those who were at the party if you are missing a white pair of socks, we have them. Also these are all the pictures we took if you want one of your family just click to open it to full size then right click and save, or tell me which one you want and I'll email it to you.