Christmas Time

As in usual fashion I am running super behind and can't believe it is almost 1 month since Christmas.  How did that happen?!?!  I mean I finally just packed up the last ornament bin last Thursday.....and it was just a few days before that I finally put the other stuff away.  I remember Alexa was super sad that night when she realized the Christmas books were all packed away and she was going to have to read a regular book for story time.  She settled for a Christmas song instead and picked out a Valentine shirt to wear the next day....on to the next!  The other LASTS of Christmas have slowly made their way out in the last few days too.  My little poinsettia that was on the kitchen sink ledge decided that it was just not going to live any longer and my Fresh Balsam candle burned out two days ago.  Just a few Christmas soaps left at the sinks.  I love how I still catch Alexa singing Christmas songs all the time....I admit I will often still join in with her.  :)  My older one this year I definitely noticed a change.  So don't like that as we are only in 2nd grade.  Not that she does not love Christmas still, just not as excited of all the little traditions and decorating as she used to be.  Not as in to wearing Christmas shirts, pj's etc....only wore them a few times because I brought it up.  This is unusual for me coming from the girl who always loved wearing clothes and pj's for any holiday and would start wearing them for the next holiday the second the other one was over.....and then would be begging me to decorate for the next holiday too.  Suddenly we are really worried about what everyone will think.  I know those growing up times are coming I just did not think it would be starting as early as 2nd grade.  Mama's don't like that growing up stuff!  At least not this mama.  :(  Hopefully I still have a few more years with the excitement from Lex because I am sure Nolan will never have the same excitement with the clothes, books, and decor as the girls did.  :)  So to try and get something posted from Christmas Time here are some pictures from the month of December.

Christmas cookie baking

Winter Dance Show

Mid December the girls had their winter dance show.  So fun to watch and love that they are both loving dance this year!


We had our little Hawaiian girl do a jazz dance to: Malikiliki Maka....no clue if I spelled that correct??

We have a walker!!

Nolan started walking about a week and a half ago.  It was very gradual so I don't really know the exact day, and then all of a sudden he was walking!  Right at about 13 months he would take one or two steps and then go down to a crawl so I remember thinking he was not fully walking yet.  Then each day he seemed to add a step until he was going farther and farther across the room!  Yea Nolan!!  I love the little walk with his arms up.  Alexa did the same thing.....called the "Lex walk" back in the day.  :)

In n Out

Did I mention I was off my dairy free diet.....

This was one of the first things I wanted to sink my teeth into as soon as I could! Cheeseburger animal style.  Oh so good!
And now just about every day since I have been trying to convince myself to get back on the diet.  I realized how good I actually felt cutting out dairy.  No such luck yet....

Happy New Year 2014!!

It was me and the kids again ringing in the New Year.  I was thinking about it and I think Ryan has only been home with us 1 out of the last 4 years.  He is always paying a shift back either New Years Eve or New Years Day to the single guy so he can get Christmas or 4th of July off.  Then usually he would have worked one of those days anyway so that means he would now be gone both days.  :(  Earlier in the evening we hung out at my sisters.....which I am sad to say I took no pictures.  A certain 1 year old kept me too busy chasing him. :)  She was having a party but with baby we made it to about 8:30 and I had to get the little guy home.  The girls were troopers and hung in there until midnight.  I was amazed....even I wanted to go to bed.  :)  This was Alexa's first year to make it and Kaylee's second.  After Nolan was asleep we played a few good rounds of Guess Who and Zingo and then I brought them into my room to watch a movie in bed.....just until the ball was ready to drop I told them.....thinking that everyone would just fall asleep.  They proved me wrong and hung in there.  So it was back in the living room for the countdown....and Happy New Year 2014!  Our neighbors across the street did not disappoint again and we ran out front to watch them set off a few fire works.  Then it was back inside for bed....almost....the girls just HAD to turn the calendars in their rooms that they got for Christmas to say January....they had been looking forward to this.  :)  Then it was finally bedtime.  

Ready to ring in the New Year. Morning waffles. Happy New Year