Christmas Eve PJ's

The girls got new pj's Christmas Eve. I picked some hot cocoa themed pj's from Gymboree. Beatrix loves hot cocoa, and I won't cringe at the site of Christmas pj's by spring.

We had just gotten back from the noon service at St. Paul's. Both girls managed to dirty their nice stockings in the hour and a half we were there. It's all good though. Now they have fresh clean pj's to put on and wait for the big man in red.

Gifts from Goosey & Popsey

Beatrix was ready to open gifts from Goosey as soon as they were given to her on the 23rd, but we convinced her to wait until Christmas Eve morning so that we could spread out the amount of gifts they were opening.

She was chomping at the bit as soon as she woke up. I just asked her to give me a second to get the camera ready.

She was so excited to get Emily's pj's and a matching set for herself.

She was also delighted in this box of Zhu Zhu pet coloring books.

Charlotte knew exactly what this was as soon as she saw the box. They have one at Omi's house that they enjoy playing with.

She was very eager to bring me the box to open it...

...and put it together. I had to go to the garage to get the pump for this one. I don't have the lung capacity apparently to blow this thing up. I tried...

Both girls enjoyed this Little People Birthday Party set.

Charlotte looking through the book that came with the birthday party set.

Thank you Goosey for the wonderful gifts. The girls love them!

It's All Part of the Experience

Bare with me here...I just have to post this whole series. The intention was to get a sweet photo of the girls in front of their Christmas tree, but this is how it played out.

And later that evening...

Fourth Week of Advent

The Advent Wreath has certainly made this December quite special. It really helped us to focus on what we were celebrating, and to prepare us for His birthday. Both girls are very familiar with the whole process now, and sing the song we sing while lighting the candles. Anytime Charlotte sees a candle, any candle, she starts singing our Advent song.

New friends

Hadley & Beatrix have become fast friends. They are so similar, it's scary. We are hoping to hang out with Hadley more often. It's nice having a girl in the neighborhood.

Middlebrook Family Christmas

This year, we celebrated Christmas with the Middlebrook Family a week before Christmas on December 19th at my brother's house. Nathan and Bella were only in town for a few days, and then Holly, Philip, and Thomas were heading to Costa Risca on December 23rd.

We made gingerbread houses. You can see the crack in Bea's house that Popsey had to fix. I gave up after the piece broke.

Hayley and Hannah take a break to give me a smile.

The finished houses.

Holly and I take a picture with Charlie.

Thomas and his "stash".

Bridgette and her sister, Heather.

Time for the kids to open their gifts. This year they did a Secret Santa exchange.

The kids and their gifts.

This year, Goosey got a gift. The kids were all so excited to watch her open her gift.  \

Goosey realizes in this photo that she got an American Girl Doll of her own.

Goosey and Felicity

The kids sang some carols on the front lawn before heading out to look at Christmas lights.

Teddy Bear Christmas Party & Gift Exchange

A classmate brought red noses for the class. They were such a hit, as the kids enjoyed wearing them and watching them blink.

They completed a fun craft, scratching the black surface to reveal many colors.

Apparently, making snowmen is a Christmas tradition at our house, in Houston, Texas, where we are lucky to get a sprinkle of snow. Who knew? Why she didn't mention the Advent candles, or the Advent calendar, or decorating the tree and house, or baking cookies, is beyond me. I think in her dreams, she would like making snowmen to be our Christmas tradition.

Yummy cupcakes

The class sang a very special "one of a kind" song: Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. The noses were quite fitting!

Not sure what Beatrix is doing here. Big exhale?

It's time for the gift exchange.

Getting excited!

Waiting for the gifts

Beatrix gets her gift.

She opens it to find...

The most perfect gift she could have received. A Hello Kitty doll. Very fitting!

A photo with one of her teachers, Ms. Blewer.

Merry Christmas!