Snowman time!

Today Olivia and Grandma Mary had a great time building a snowman out in the front yard. The snow is starting to melt and was perfect snowman building snow(we tried to build one in Montana but the snow was too dry) so we figured we better get out there and get a snowman made. They also built a reindeer and a baby snowman for Claire and did some snow angels. Gotta start with the base.

Putting on the head.

Got some good eyes.

Found the arms.

Grandma Mary and Olivia with their finished snowman.

Our house.

Making a reindeer.

Olivia's riding the reindeer!

Santa Baby

She was actually walking by herself in this picture she took 2 or 3 little steps.Yesterday on the 26th I dressed Claire up as our little Santa Baby. My mom had given us this cute outfit for her before we left so I just had to put it on her and we had the Santa hat from when Olivia was a baby. It was just too cute.

Olivia playing with her little princess figurines.
Claire playing on her new toy from Grandma and Grandpa Tolf.

On the 26th we opened our stockings that morning because the kids had gotten to tired of opening gifts the day before so we saved them until the next morning. Claire loved her candy cane and quickly broke into and was very mad when I then took it away. Sorry baby no candy cane for you. Olivia loved all the fun little things in her stocking especially the candy which she has been snacking on constantly for the last two days. Thanks Santa ;)
Mmmm...candy cane.

Cheesy grin.

"What could it be?"

A Family Filled Christmas Day

Christmas morning the girls woke up and Olivia was so excited to see that Santa had come to our house. The cookie, milk and carrot were gone and there were more presents and our stockings were filled. She could hardly wait to tear into her gifts. I loved this Christmas since Olivia just is so into things this year. It has really been fun. Claire even enjoyed all the gift opening and her new presents. Olivia's big gift this year was a little four wheeler. She has been talking for months about how she wants a car (she had seen them at Toys R Us and really wanted the black cadillac), but since we didn't want to spend that much money and she wouldn't be able to use it much till summer anyway we got her a little four wheeler which she has been super happy about. It was so fun to see her face light up at the end of the gift opening when we brought out the four wheeler and put it under the tree. We then had some cinamon rolls and got ready for the day. And of course played with all our new gifts. Daddy's got the girls on Christmas morning.

Olivia looking quite excited for Christmas morning!

More princess stuff.

Daddy and Claire.

Livy on her new four wheeler.

Around noon Grandma and Grandpa Tolf arrived along with the Chadwick clan. We had a great time playing games and relaxing all afternoon. Olivia rode her new four wheeler a lot and as always loved hanging out with Auntie Anna. Then we had dinner and opened gifts after dinner. It was so nice to be with family enjoying each others company. Unfortunately I still felt horrible the whole afternoon but thankfully Mary helped me out a ton with dinner.

Claire's first Christmas shirt.

Daddy was playing...Livy was building cakes.

Claire and Auntie Anna, riding Livy's new four wheeler.

Playing some trivial pursuit.

Peek-a-boo Grandma Mary.

Ready to eat our yummy dinner of ribs and shrimp.

Claire is pretty tough already, beating up daddy!

I love my four wheeler!

The cousins. Riley looks pretty happy to be hanging out with these girls :) I think he was pretty tired.

Riley's new present from us.

Claire loves her new toy from Grandma and Grandpa Tolf.

I love this picture! Olivia tearing into her gift from Kevin and Anna.

A princess back pack with games. Thanks Auntie Anna and Uncle Kevin.

Riley on his new gift from Grandma and Grandpa Tolf.

A White Christmas Eve

A beautiful white Christmas!

This year was our first year to be in Washington for Christmas. Every other year we have been in Montana for Christmas. So this was a special year since we were able to be at our home by ourselves, our little family of four, to make some of our own traditions. Since we were gone to Montana before Christmas I knew Christmas eve would be busy with unpacking, grocery shopping and preparing for family to come on Christmas day so I made a lasagna before I left for the freezer. And sure enough we had a busy Christmas eve day...Hans did the grocery shopping, and I unpacked and did laundry. I was also suffering from a major headache with chills and sore throat, not quite how I had planned Christmas eve but I was able to muddle through even though I felt aweful. For dinner we had lasagna, salad and bread and it was yummy and most importantly easy to put together. We were going to go to Christmas eve service at our church but it was cancelled(due to weather) which was fine since I still felt aweful. We instead stayed home and opened our one Christmas eve present of new pajamas for everyone. Olivia was so cute saying, "Is this all I am going to get, I thought I was going to get a car or something." We then set out cookies and milk for Santa and a carrot for the reindeer and got the kiddos off to bed. Unfortunately as you can see we didn't get any pictures of us in our new jammies, the picture below shows them in the pajamas that they wore all day since I was feeling so bad I never got around to getting them dressed for the day. So they went from one pair of jammies to another pair of jammies.

This was pretty much the only picture we took of them opening their Christmas jammies.

The plane ride home

On Tuesday the 23rd we all flew back home to WA. Unfortunately because of all the snow storms and bad weather our flight was delayed about 2 1/2 hours. Which isn't too bad, and was still way better than driving with 2 kids. When we got back to WA there is as much snow here as there was when we left MT. It was like we had flown to the wrong place. But I was so excited that we had a white Christmas WA our first Christmas at home here and it was white. SO COOL!

Another funny story. While we were at the airport Olivia had her new camera out and started taking picture of the people around us waiting in the airport. She kept taking pictures of this one lady right behind Hans who was asleep. I was laughing so hard because she thought it was so great to take pictures of these people we didn't know. Once I get her pictures downloaded on the computer I will have to post them they are quite funny.
Hanging out in the airport.

Olivia was hiding and wouldn't let me take her picture.

Claire is starting to get tired of hanging out in the airport.

Olivia was so tired that she fell asleep listening to veggie tales as we flew. Too cute!

Claire as getting fussy at this point too and fell asleep shortly after.

Greg and Sarah's Wedding

On December 22nd, my cousin Greg married a wonderful woman Sarah. The wedding was beautiful and a blast to attend. I was glad that we were able to make it. We had a lot of fun dancing at the party afterward and the desserts were delicious. What a great time. Congrats Greg and Sarah we wish you all the best in your new life together.

Olivia's photography skills.

We are all flushed it was warm in there.

Sarah looked so beautiful!

Olivia, Michael and the flower girl dancing.

What are you doing up there Greg?

Michael-you are such a cutie!