We spent Christmas Eve & Day with Kyle's parents and really enjoyed our time with them. It was so nice to just relax and spend time together as a family. On Christmas Eve we read the story of Jesus' birth, talked about missionaries in Africa, and opened presents! Christmas morning we went to church with Grandma & Grandpa and then at a delicious meal with Kyle's parents, Aunt Donna, Uncle John, friends Lana & TJ. The meal was outstanding--my mom-in-love is truly super woman!
The girls loved playing the piano and being the center of attention! And they loved their pink gym mat and kitchen accessories! We all got so many wonderful gifts, including a Keurig for Kyle and a sewing machine for me....AWESOMENESS!
Grandma telling the girls about Africa!
Reading the bible with Grandpa
Talking about missionaries in Africa.
Kitchen stuff--yay!
Opening her goodies!
Kyle's present...it's kind of mine too! We love it!
I got a sewing machine! Super excited!
Their gym mat that they are in love with!
Grandpa & Grandma's house has so many neat things!
Like the awesome piano!
Rowynn was performing for us!
Everytime she puts on a crown she says, "I'm a fairy princess!"
We have a couple of traditions around here at Christmas time (and that list is growing each season). For example, the last few years we've always gone to the Gaylord Texan to walk around and experience all the Christmas magic! The year I was pregnant with Finley we went to the ICE exhibit with Kyle's parents and it was fun, but kind of pricey...and you know, kind of cold! The Gaylord is a fantastic hotel that is just so much more. It's so neat! The whole inside is designed to look like parts of Texas. There is even a Riverwalk! They have several restaurants, shops, a spa, and so much more. Every year at Christmas they have all kind of festivities. We just went and walked around and looked at everything...and we were there for almost two hours! We did get a smoothie and gingerbread cookie from one of the cafes. The girlies really enjoyed looking at all the lights and decorations. When we drove up and saw all of the lights Finley said, "Baby Jesus!" She's starting to associate all this Christmas madness with Jesus, so that's good!
We also enjoy going to the galleria to watch the ice skaters and look at the big tree! We took the girls one Tuesday afternoon, and although it was crowded like crazy, we had a lot of fun!
We also had our playgroup Christmas Cookie Decorating Party a couple of weeks ago. The cookies were a big hit with my girlies!
Looking all matchy-matchy at our playgroup party.
Decorating her cookie
Eating her cracker. Which by the way, is one of the words she says. "Cack-er"
On the way to the Gaylord. Finley wanted her Reindeer to help Dada drive.
Steak-n-Shake! Silly girl!
My girls are so crazy!
Davis Family, Gaylord 2011!
"Look Momma, we hold hands!"
Watching the ice skaters at the Galleria. "Momma, I ice skate too?"
Thursday morning Kyle, the girls and I celebrated an early Christmas. Since we're always out of town for Christmas we celebrate a few days early--just us four! I think it's important to create traditions and memories with our little family. As of now, (still mulling it over) we don't "do" Santa. And this isn't going to be a post about Santa, goodness knows they're are a lot out there! In fact, here are a couple of interesting ones here and here.
Anyway, back to our Christmas celebration! Wednesday night we let the girls open their stockings. We woke up Thursday morning and we snuggled the girls in our bed and then Kyle read the story of Jesus' birth. After that we opened gifts under the tree, surprised Finley with her dollhouse, and then let the girls have an early present from their Mimi & Papaw--a pretty pink play kitchen (that somehow we got roped into putting together...and by "we" I really mean Kyle). Then I made snowman milk and reindeer pancakes; cute ideas found on pinterest!
I do believe the apples and oranges were the biggest hit!
Although the M&M's were a close second!
Daddy showing the girls the fairy princess puppets!
A purple My Little Pony with an owl...um, perfect for Rowynn!
She said, "Hooray!" when she pulled out her toothbrush!
Using the wands as swords...
Our Christmas morning!
Reading the Christmas story in bed!
Christmas breakfast!
Snowman Milk!
I was so excited to give her her first dollhouse! I've been waiting and waiting and I'm so glad she loves it so much!
Present from Mimi & Papaw
They love books!
For the past several days she has played non-stop with this thing!
Last weekend we had our annual family Christmas with Kyle's extended family, the Boyett clan! It was so nice to spend some time with family that we don't see very often. Of course Kyle & I spent most of the day chasing after two little toddlers. But we did sneak in some conversation and socialization! (And by the way, Rowynn has been a full-fledged walker for about two weeks.) She no longer crawls. She is the cutest thing! She loves for us to chase her and she just takes off. So yea, needless to say our girls keep us busy and on the move!
So anyway, we ate, exchanged gifts via White Elephant, and listened to Uncle John read the Christmas story from the Bible. Well Finley & I only heard about half of it because she decided that she wanted to read Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (her new favorite and the sole reason she knows her lowercase letters) during the story. Since I didn't think everyone else wanted to hear, "And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them...Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, will there be enough room?" So she and I hung out upstairs for a bit! It was a fun day all in all!
Rowynn and her 2nd cousin Abbie...apparently they're chatting away!
Kyle's mom reading to the girls. (Finley & Abbie are three months apart)
Finley checking out her super cool spy kit!
Finley with her Grandma and Great-Grandma Gracie...and Edmund!
This morning I put together this cute little hot chocolate tray. OH.MY.WORD.....BEST.THING.EVER. They l-o-v-e-d it. I cleaned out an old cocoa container and filled it with cut-up brown construction paper, put some cotton balls (for marshmallows) in a zippie, dug out our espresso cups, and got a pot and play milk from our play kitchen and let the girls have at it. We talked about the steps involved for making hot chocolate and counted marshmallows. Finley was so cute, repeating the steps and it was great fine motor practice for her to scoop out the "chocolate" and put in the cup. And Rowynn was stinkin' adorable! She was taking pretend sips and loving every minute of it! They both spent most of the morning playing with it.
I found these bells at the dollar store...score! I love that place. I set up this little tray on our puzzle tray and we've been singing Jingle Bells all week! Both girlies love ringing the bells. There is also a cute song on the teach preschool website that we've been singing.
(To to tune of Jimmy Cracked Corn)
Ring those bells and turn around Ring those bells and turn around Ring those bells and turn around For Christmastime is near Ring those bells and stomp your feet Ring those bells and stomp your feet Ring those bells and stomp your feet For Christmastime is near
We listened to the different sounds the bells made and practiced ringing them softly and ringing them loudly (which surprisingly they both mastered rather quickly..ha!)
