Christmastime 2012

The view from the Redlands Temple. Just lovely. I love the palm trees, snow-capped mountains, & the distant moon  in the blue sky.

Marie was kind enough to take us around town so Keira could see all the Christmas lights. The highlight was the entire block in one neighborhood that was all lit up & had them all flashing to music. Lights + technology = awesomeness! It sort of reminds me of the digital music meter bars that rise and fall with varying levels of intensity, except put to Christmas lights instead. None of my photos turned out very well, so I just played around with them. I like this shot. I look at it & pretend there's snow! Keira had fun walking under the light tunnel. 

There was also our Christmas Amaryllis. I love the way the petals shimmer in the sunlight. Keira was so intrigued with the pollen, probably because she loves learning about bees. She kept wanting to touch the pollen, and even tasted it. 

And fun Christmas play dates! Donna had some errands to run, so we got to spend a couple hours with Dalton. Keira was so excited to have him over a while!

I had a bad headcold for the several days leading up to Christmas. We even missed church on Sunday, but the Dahlke's were kind enough to drop off some much needed relief, as I was having a hard time getting much sleep. I actually didn't end up taking it, but Bob sure took advantage of it once the headcold hit him the day after Christmas. Ugh! Needless to say, Keira & I still haven't gotten around to doing any holiday baking.  Perhaps for the new year. 

Another early Christmas gift, this time from Donna. This play-doh set is a big hit with Keira for sure!

Our Christmas dinner was fairly simple this year. It included ribeye roast, mashed potatoes, corn, spinach cranberry salad, & sparkling apple cranberry cider. mmm!

Keira was so excited to open up her new pajamas from Grannie on Christmas eve! She was jumping around so much, I couldn't even get a picture of her until I told her to freeze! 

We told the Christmas story & unwrapped the corresponding pieces to the nativity as we told it. {You can see the wrapped pieces in the photo above.} After unwrapping, Keira set up the pieces for the nativity. She loved this activity so much, that she had us wrap the pieces up once more so we could do it all over again. 

This nativity is made by Melissa & Doug. I think this will definitely be a new tradition for our family. We still have it set out for Keira to play with.

Christmas morning! A play cash register & one happy little cashier! {or "orderer", as Keira would say.}

One toy semi truck from Auntie Stel {another big hit} & some little sparkly nail polishes from Marie {I've only had to paint Keira's nails twice already!}. She also received a fashionista Barbie doll from the Dahlke's that she is enjoying a lot.

Learning the ins & outs of the art studio program with a little guidance from daddy.

Playing the Sneaky Snacky Squirrel Game! {Yet another big hit! We sure were blessed this Christmas!}

Trying out some new paints! {Chita gave her the easel over a year ago.} Keira also received some fingerpaints, dry erase markers, & a few other art supplies to use with her easel.

I've just been a Project Lifer since I received the supplies to get started on Keira's baby book! It's about time! Sheesh! {Only 3 years late!}

I also received a great new charm for my bracelet from my sis! {I still haven't any pics of it though. I'll get to it next year, I promise!} Bob got some cool tools from the Dahlke's, & some good eats from Stel & Jeff, & myself. We had a wonderful Christmastime, in spite of our colds! I hope everyone else out there, who happens to celebrate Christmas, had a wonderful time with loved ones as well, & made lots of cherished memories.

Happy New Year!

A Peek at Our Week {& a half}

In front of the nativity scene on the Redlands Temple grounds. Keira knows she can always ask & get Marie to stop by the temple on our way home from just about anywhere!

We figured we would let Keira get a head start on the gift opening as she had more than a handful! I picked up this little board game at Target for $5, score! And she likes it!

Bob picked up this amaryllis at Trader Joes back in November. A little water & lots of love, & she bloomed just in time!

I set Keira up on the sofa with the big cow pillow folded in half. She was sandwiched in there all snug & comfy with her blanket & The Princess & The Frog. So cute.

Yes, we really did have Christmas dinner at nearly midnight on Christmas Eve! I believe it was a late afternoon nap that delayed the start of dinner. That, and the roast beast took a little longer than expected. Keira was mostly excited for the roast beast, as we had just read the Grinch together the previous evening.

Daddy & Keira, skyping with Gaby in Montana. Daddy was doing all the talking though, as Keira was being shy. 

The birthday message Keira & I left as a surprise for Daddy.

I've been busy since Christmas, working on Keira's baby album. It's amazing all the photos I didn't take of our life at this time! Luckily, Bob was behind the camera at the hospital. If only I had discovered Project Life 20 years ago! 

Just whipping up some dinner. Bob likes burritos, I like tacos, & Keira prefers quesedillas! So we have all three.

Getting accustomed to her Leappad, a generous gift from our ward family. So grateful.

Elf on the Shelf

We decided to get a little Elf on the Shelf for Keira this year. She simply seems to be at that point in the midst of her wonder years, where everything is intriguing & somewhat magical, & we thought she would really enjoy it.

You're supposed to give the elf a name & go online to register her & finalize the adoption. Really? Yes, really. The elf also comes with a story book that tells the story of Santa & his naughty & nice lists. His scout elves are to watch for the naughty or nice behavior of the children & report back to Santa each night. Then it's a game to find the new position the elf took upon her arrival in the morning. The only rule, no touching the elf, or it's magic will disappear, & they will not be able to report good deeds to Santa on your behalf. Personally, the only parts I like for Keira are the name & the game. No adoption, no book, no spying, no guilt trips or punitive measures, no listing of gifts for Santa to bring, & last but certainly not least...no rules. That's our version of Elf on the Shelf anyway.

We named her Penelope.

The first couple days we just had her hanging around the Christmas tree & helped Keira find her. I simply told Keira that Penelope is a little elf from the North Pole, who has come to spend the holiday with us; that she likes to play in the house at night & we look for her in the morning to see what she's been up to; that it's a game we play. I let Keira touch her & play with her in between. Even moving Penelope around in the tree or putting her up in our wreath bewildered Keira a bit, so we decided to place her more out in the open.

By this day, Keira was positively bright-eyed & giddy! She is so inquisitive. She wants to know how Penelope got there! I tell her it's magic. She doesn't buy it.

So I tell her that actually I moved Penelope there. She exclaims, "Nu-uh! Daddy moved her there!"

Then she will claim responsibility herself, "It was me! I put her there!" This particular day, Keira was so excited that Penelope likes honey as much as she does! She insisted on honey toast for breakfast, only after getting a sip of that honey for herself, of course. {p.s. it's hard getting honey through a skinny straw! Penelope definitely has magical powers!}

Here's Penelope, climbing the garlands. Keira says, "But mama, how did she get up there? She doesn't have any fingers, so she can't just grab things!" I remind her, there's magic in the air.

Here's Penelope, skiing the slopes with Frosty. Keira pushed the button to watch Penelope ride Frosty for the Jingle Bells tune, but Frosty got a little too crazy on the chorus & threw Penelope, who ended up face down in a snack bowl of honey nut cheerios {sans milk, thank goodness!}. Keira was in absolute hysterics!

Yes, this is the name of the game, folks.

A Peek at Our Week {& a half}

I figure we will probably be busy next week, enjoying our Christmastime together as a family, so I thought I'd share a week & a half's worth of snippets this go around, & another week & a half next time to finish out the year. Yikes! It goes by so fast, doesn't it?

Blue skies & fall/winter leaves on a sunny afternoon.

These two always look so cute, walking together.

The Triple F. {french fry fix}

The most white we'll see near the ground all winter, most likely.

Another bloom from the corner of the yard.

Pretty roses by the front door.

Bob brought home this really nice faucet from work & installed it in our run down little bathroom. Now we feel like royalty!

At the ward Christmas party, which was sooo nice! As are Sharla & John Dahlke...such lovely people they are!

Speaking of which, we were waiting for them to pick us up for church in this photo.

I absolutely adore this sweet-faced little gem of a girl! {when she's not driving me insane, that is!:-)} By the way, it has been approximately a month since her fall & her scars are barely visible! Yay!

Putting her feet up for a minute or two, between the dance numbers & craziness.

Sunday Dresses

Here is Keira, in the sweet, velvet Christmas dress she received last year from the Dahlke's. Yes, it still fits!

Twirling around in the yard. I like how her little "po-nee-nees", with the little red ribbons, swing out just like her dress.

Here she is standing just outside the doors to the church & chapel, in typical fashion. I have so many shots of her back, or blurs as she runs away from me. 

It's just a game she likes to play with her click-happy mama!

Mid-twirls, after church. What a cutie pie!

A Peek at Our Week

A bit delayed, but here we are. Week 49 for the year. 

I had cooked up a pot of homemade chili & chuckled to myself when I came upon this sight in the kitchen. Apparently, my dear husband was eager to eat it, but it was still piping hot. So to cool it down, he topped it with crushed saltines & ice cubes. Nice. :-)

One evening, I put one of my night shirts on Keira & she exclaimed, "I feel just like Jesus!"

Keira had asked for a piece of tape to fix the chipped edge of the pot, so Daddy was kind enough to oblige. We were quite impressed, however, that she also incorporated a chopstick to shore up that weak spot!

Bob has been gathering fallen maple leaves, tying them into bunches, & hanging them from the overhang in the front. As far as I can remember, he has always liked hanging things. Gotta always keep some string or twine handy, that's for sure! It's one of the little things I love about him.

We finally got the tree up this week, much to Keira's amazement & delight. She's such a great help at it, too! The Dahlke's were kind enough to let us borrow their small tree again this year, along with the bulbs. Our friend, Marie, provided the little blue lights, & we adorned it with a few of our ceramic angel ornaments, fabric garlands, & topped it with our homemade angel of old.

The Dahlke's also gave Keira this little snowman. When she pushes the button, he skis down the hill to the tune of Jingle Bells.  

She loves it, & enjoys dancing around while it plays.

I did Keira's hair with festive red ribbons in her twists, aka "po-nee-nee's", for Donna & Randy's Christmas party. We stayed a few hours, until Keira was tired & grumpy from having run herself ragged chasing Dalton around & playing with the other kids! {By the way, I really like that wedding photo in the background, of Randy & Donna's hands & rings from when they were married.}