We started off Christmas break with a sleepover with Naomi's school buddies. I have a confession: I pretty much hate making gingerbread creations. Such a disaster and they don't taste good. Fortunately these girls were more interested in eating the candy and icing than they were the finished product, so it all turned out well.
There was also much chugging of hot chocolate with marshmallows. Which is my Lesson Number One to be used at future sleepovers: lots of candy and frosting and chocolate at 8pm will push bedtime back until at least 11pm. Maybe later if your daughter tells her friends that there is a tarantula named Rosie that roams the basement uncontained. When they are sleeping in the basement.
Saturday night we went to a Nuggets game where we got to sit in a box and eat good food and drink wine thanks to Covidien (and my family who watched the kids). We need more rich friends who buy boxes for the season because that was fun. Now, to get tickets to the Broncos box...
Sunday was Amelia's birthday party at a pottery place. Can't believe she's eight already!!
Jeremy and Annika had fun too. And we are now the owners of more "art" for our shelves.
Oma and Opa were here for the holidays and some of our best moments were ones like this.
Sarah wanted nothing to do with our Christmas Eve photo before church.
We have a kid-friendly service in the afternoon which we attended. The children can all pick a role in the Christmas story if they so choose. This is the first year the girls wanted to do it. And they (of course) wanted to be angels. There was no sparkle on the shepherds' robes. Though the wise men *did* carry gold. Maybe next year.
Entering the church. It's a high-five-your-angel kind of service.
So sweet...
One of the best parts of this service is not having to wonder which of our kids will burn down the church with their candle. (Of course it would be Sarah. I love her, but the girl's a little reckless.) They do glowsticks for the kids and they love it.
Of course it's not entirely that easy. There was the year Naomi bent the glowstick back and forth enough that the radioactive glowing goo spilled out of the glowstick onto her face and hands and dress. But she lived to tell about it and hasn't grown any mutant body parts, so no harm done. That was the year Sarah was Baby Jesus. I mean, how can you ever live up to that role?
Pretty awesome group of angels.
Sarah will do the after church picture, but only if you let her hold her beanie boo.
Such an improvement over last year's picture.
Remember?
Pretty cute other than Annika's new pained expression for photos.
On Christmas Eve we made holiday pizzas for dinner (Sarah mooching toppings as fast as you could put them on)...
...and opened stockings...
...and snuggled in cozy pajamas...
...and drove around to look at lights.
I didn't take too many Christmas morning pics, but I did manage to get this one of the girls with their new dolls and matching outfits.
After we opened presents we hung out with the Parsons for a brunch.
And Christmas evening we went to Dave and Val's for dinner and a fun sing-along. I'm guessing this was Away in a Manger by Timothy and Sarah's poses. Or maybe they are just really tired.
Cousins at Christmas.
Sarah and Naomi snuggling. They seem to love each other again lately. It's nice.
Oma got some serious awesome points when she played in the dark with the girls as they put on a show using Naomi's Frozen figures.
And she made pillows and blankets for the girls' new dolls.
And she read to them. Lots. My poor dad missed out on most of the fun when he came down with influenza. His awful daughter made him go to the ER because she was worried about him. He's recovering but unfortunately was knocked out for most of the trip. (PSA: go get your flu shot. Even if you *never* get the flu. Or if you always get the flu when you get the shot. Or if you think the shot is worse than the flu. It isn't.)
We got snow and bitter cold temps which the kids don't seem to mind. This photo has a glare because it was taken through the window. I don't go out in that.
Sarah doesn't even need a snow suit for it. What is it with kids and their complete disregard for outside temperatures?
Naomi and Clifton's creation. Clifton = way better sport than me.
Eating Olie Bollen on New Years Eve!
After eating way too much and putting kids to bed, the adults took each other on in various physical challenges on a wii.
The next day the kids got a go at it. This is the only way Sarah could do that hula hoop. Thanks, Uncle Dave!
Many thank you notes were written.
More fun sisterly love.
I kindof can't get enough of it. This reminds me of when Sarah was a baby and Naomi wanted to hold her All. The. Time.
Remember? Awwwww. Quick! Talk me out of wanting another baby!
Some of the best parts of the break were the time we spent snuggling. How lucky am I?
Oh, and look what we found over break....
Kid yoga. So cute. So we are all ready and warmed up to hit 2015 running!
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