December

Remember 5 months ago when it was December and I stopped blogging?  Well, I'm recommitting and plan on catching up again. 

My Aunt Jackie made these delicious cookies for us when we were kids and now she treats all of our kids to them.  I look forward to them every year. 

Where's Waldo Sunday

Hazie feeding herself and loving it.

Christmas Eve- We've adopted the Ditto's tradition of inviting a bunch of friends over and having everyone's favorites for a snacky/potluck supper.  Sage picked strawberries, Mila crackers and yummy cheeses, I picked veggies and dip, Ryan picked bean salsa & chips and Hazel picked grapes.

After eating, chatting and the kids making a royal mess in the toy room our friend organized all of the kids in the best, quick version of the Nativity puppet style.  Everyone was gone by 7 pm which was perfect leaving time for Christmas Eve traditions and bedtime.

Christmas Morn- The girls were up by 5 a.m. ecstatic reminding me perhaps the only benefit I see why my parents didn't raise us with Santa.... not as much anticipation. 

Santa brought Mila a vacuum.  It's all she wanted and was so excited.  Now I just wish the little elves made them to really work.  When we're cleaning the house she'll vacuum and is not only a bit offended by confused why I re-vacuum the rooms she's already done.

So glad I captured Sage's reaction when she opened her music box from Santa.  She had been DYING for a music box, talking about it non-stop.  It's been months now and she still talks about it all the time, shows every visitor and plays the music over and over. 

Hazel wasn't quite sure what to think of all the commotion.

She did however love her Santa gift of these stack-able bowls.

Part of being a parent is getting your the kids things you would've loved, right?  When I saw these personalized plates I had to get them.

Sage also got a Vet set from Baka and Pop Pop and both the girls have had so much fun playing with it.

Hazie quickly fell in love with her Zebra and now won't sleep without it.

For Christmas supper we had salmon, roasted broccoli and roasted potatoes.

Halloween

This year we celebrated Halloween on a few different nights and so ironically on Halloween we put the least amount of effort into their costumes, makeup and hair.  The girls switched up their costumes every night from princesses, kitties to fairies... the best thing about a nice variety in our dress up box. 

We trick-or-treated with our next door neighbors, the Harrwoods, the exact opposites of us.  Each of our kids are a few months apart from each other.

Halloween Party #1 at our friends.  We had a potluck supper and some fun old-fashioned games like bobbing for apples and donuts on a string.  The girls loved it.

Happy Easter

We enjoyed the Easter weekend in Yakima with the Ditto's.  Our days were spent going to a soccer game, eating yummy food, hours of playing outside, church, frozen yogurt date with Sara and Birch and lots of cousin play time. 

You might remember the dresses from 2 years ago?  I can't believe how our girls have grown and that Mila wore this dress when she was 9 months and Hazie is only about 3 months old.  Luckily I still had a lot of the sheet left and I quickly made a Sage a skirt hours before we took off for the weekend. 

Christmas Day

We had a nice relaxing few days together. Christmas Eve we had a few families over for an appetizer potluck, good conversation and a lot of playing and excitement from all of our kids. We spent most of Christmas together as a family and then in the afternoon went over to friends for a delicious meal and a good time talking.  Although we missed being with family we felt lucky having good friends to celebrate with.

Sage asked Santa for a daddy kitty to complete her family of kitties.  She was ecstatic and quickly named him Rudy.  Rudy however has spent the next few days being called Ruby, Rudy and Leena.  Yesterday she announced that she'd rather Rudy be a girl kitty so apparently we've got a 'liberal' family of kitties in our house.

Moments after opening up her gift she came out with the whole family.

Mila asked Santa for a dolly.  When we were at my parents home for Thanksgiving she fell in love with one of the cabbage patch dolls and that got us thinking....

Sage also asked Santa for make-up like Mommy's.  It doesn't look like it but she was excited.  She and Mila have had interesting stripes all over their faces the last few days.

So excited!  Mila is very nurturing and loves babies.

Santa teamed up with Ryan's mom, Tina, to make Mila's gift complete.  Years ago Tina sewed tons and tons and tons of outfits for her kids' cabbage patch dolls.  She sent up a big bag full of everything from homemade undies to sundresses, work-out clothes and even slippers.  She also made this adorable doll carrier.  

The amazing quilt Tina made for us.  It's amazing Ryan's thrilled it's big enough to cover him all up.  We love it.

What I found an hour later in the girls room.

The girls thought the day was the best when they went out and built their first snowlady with Daddy.

Preschool Christmas Party

One thing I've been so impressed about Sage's preschool is how much they include the families and younger siblings.  Their Christmas party was no exception- they decorated milk carton houses and performed songs they've been practicing. 

Sage continues to love preschool and we're all going to miss it these next few weeks while they are on break.