Christmas Fun

What a GREAT Christmas holiday and New Year!  We feel so blessed!  Here are some pictures of our fun.

Paisley LOVES Sully from Monsters Inc.  Now she has 2!

Sugar Cookies on Christmas Eve.

 There wasn't very much snow around on Christmas Eve but we wanted to go sledding.  We found a trail with absolutely no one else on it and pulled sleds behind the truck.  What a blast!

 Zo was so excited to get scriptures with her name on them. 

 Happy girls playing with some new toys.

We enjoyed time with our families and our own little family too.  What a great time of year!

Zoey is 4!

Kids grow so fast!  Can't believe my baby girl is 4 already!

What a super fun birthday party we had!  Here are some of the highlights.

We had a Tangled Princess party.  Here is Zoey in her Rapunzel dress, Belle gloves and Tiana shoes.

 She loved getting flowers from Daddy.

We had the girls all wrap each other up to get "tangled".  They loved it. 

There was an impromptu Dog Pile on the Birthday Girl.

Zoey wanted Birthday Cookies instead of Birthday Cake. 

If you haven't seen Tangled then it is important to know that Rapunzel defends herself against the Thief Flynn Rider with a frying pan.  Flynn Rider wanted poster pinata with the girls wacking it with a frying pan.  Too fun. 

Dancing!

I did not take any pictures of this during the party.  This is Zoey adding more paint to hers later.  They painted their own lanterns with paints they got to keep.  I was surprised how into it they got.  

We also had a treasure hunt to "find Flynn's treasure".  That was a lot of fun too.  Girls are sweet and loving and tender and easy to smile.  What a fun time we had!

We spend the afternoon with Zoey's Grandpa, aunts and uncles and cousins at the new Disney movie Frozen.  What a great way for miss Zo to spend her birthday celebration!!  Love to see that girl smile!

Advent

I'm feeling much more in the spirit of Christmas this year than I have been in a long time.  And I owe it to my new Christmas Advent calendar that I made.  I love it!  I bought it raw from the Wood Connection.

I've never been an Advent calender person before but I found a sweet blog that explained it so beautifully it made me suddenly really like the idea.  So the Advent is the time leading up to Christmas or in the ancient days the anticipation of Christ's birth.  I gained a much deeper appreciation and understanding of that and why we do so much hubbub in preparation for Christmas.  Like we are recreating that waiting period for His birth.  I love it now. 

I don't have an organized itinerary for what I do each day when we put on a little decoration but I do have a list of things I can draw from, when we have time, to help us appreciate and enjoy this season more.  So far some of the simple and festive things we've done have been: making paper snowflakes, watching kid Christmas shows from my childhood, wrapping a present, making and sending cards to Zoey's grandparents.  The list continues.  My heart is so much more into the Christmas season because of this small and simple task.  It makes me happy.  

Fall

Looks like I missed Spring.  And Summer.  And Fall.  And I used to be such a consistent blogger (consistent meaning a few times a month).  Here's a few fall pictures for those of you still around to take a glimpse of my blog.  Hi Mom. 

In no particular order.  

I can't believe how big they are getting. 

 Playing in the leaves.  Love it.

 Little Giraffe Paisley for the cold trick or treating.

 Minnie Mouse and Rapunzel for our ward trunk or treat. This was before Paisley was walking on her own.  My cool Mom made both of these costumes!  She is so talented!

 These little sisters love each other so much.  It makes me happy. 

 We attend an annual murder mystery with some friends every Halloween.  Neil was assigned the King and I was a lady in waiting.  Thanks to my mom and brothers for hooking us up with the awesome costumes!  They were a hit.  We always have so much fun. 

 A quick four-wheeler trip just the 4 of us.  So fun! 

I'm hoping to post a little more frequent..... we'll see. 

Splash Mountain!

Here's a nifty video Neil put together of Splash Mountain from our trip to Disneyland last week.  It features our friends, Rob and Annie, Neil's Mom and Rick, Neil, me and Zoey.  Enjoy!

Catch Up

This has been the longest gap between posts since I started blogging.  I feel really behind.  Here's a quick glance through my camera, in no particular order, from the last few months.
 
 Can she really be 3 already?!?

 Zoey loves anything princess, beads, jewelry, and books.

 LOVES puzzles and is a pro.

This pictures really makes me laugh.  Yes, Zoey totally got herself dressed.  And yes, her shirt is on backwards with leggings that totally clash with everything else.  So, in 15 years when Zoey looks at this picture and says, "what were you thinking mom?!?"  I can totally say, "That was all you!"

 Gingerbread houses! (gluten free for Zo :)

 Neil had a birthday! Woot Woot!

 And boy was there a lot of smoke.

 Zoey may always have a cheesy smile.  Love that girl. 

 And she is an incredible sister.  Zoey loves Paisley so much.

 Don't you just wanna bite those cheeks?!  I totally do, and it makes Zoey upset :)

 Sledding at the Sand Dunes, or should I say Snow Dunes???  SO FUN!

 We've had a great New Year!  Truly very blessed!