Playing in the Falling Snow

We had a couple hours of snow at our house yesterday, so I decided to let Anna play a little bit.  I think this is the first time she's been in snow.  She thought it was funny.  We wandered around a bit and tried to catch some in our mouths, but then Anna didn't want to keep her hood on, so that was it for snow play!  It was fun while it lasted!

Christmas Afternoon and Evening

Here's Uncle Mark & Daniel

And Daniel and Cousin Juan

Nathan, Anna & Daniel having Christmas dinner.

Stephen helping put together the lego house.

Playing with the lego house.

Mark's new bear claw slippers.

Another round of presents... Anna's new stroller and her trying to push it with one hand cause her sucker is in the other.

Anna and Papa are worn out!

Daniel's new spaceship from Aunt Sarah!

The destroyed living room...

JuJu reading a bedtime story to her grandbabies.

Christmas Morning at JuJu & Papa's!

Luckily Santa found Anna at JuJu & Papa's house.  That's her loot on the right.

Luke and Anna both got something in their stockings.

A book!

Fridge Phonics!

A pretty purse!

Mini Magna doodle!

Lego Duplo House!

Hugging Minnie & Mickey in her stocking

Papa helping with her stocking

It's hard to open presents with a sucker in your mouth!

Luke's stocking presents!

And after opening everything and playing a little, she spontaneously got up and gave me a big hug... Mark caught it on video.   Then she went over and gave her Daddy a big hug.  It was sweet!

A Morning with Old Friends

This morning, some of my high school friends and kids met at Grammastine's house to party a bit.  We decorated a few cookies... and ate a few!

And exchanged a few presents... Anna loved her new mittens!

And played with friends...

Group shot!

And I just thought this one was funny.  Anna was worn out and fell asleep on the short drive home afterwards.  We had much fun!!

A Few Days Before Christmas

Yesterday Anna started her morning just after 4:30.  Oh me!  JuJu got up with her and I went back to bed for awhile.  After I was up again, we did one of our morning activities... a gingerbread tree!  Here's Anna in her tutu and jammies 'helping' with the tree.  She kept trying to eat the cookies, so she didn't get to help much.  ha

 Last night we had Cousin Nathan and some family over for Christmas story and nativity.  The players were quite humorous and couldn't sit still, but were entertaining.  Here it looks like Mary has spilled Jesus on the floor, but really he just rolled over and was completely happy.

This was the closest I could get to a group shot!

Joseph really wanted to play with the Fisher Price barn, so we added that to the nativity.

Here's a video of the action.  Stephen is reading the Christmas story while the wildness occurs.  Joseph is rolling on the floor, Mary is wandering around and Baby Jesus needs some comforting from the angel.

 Then we sang a little Away in a Manger.  Mary had motions she'd learned when we went caroling the other night. :)

I believe it was the most entertaining nativity I've seen!  And much fun with family!

Fun with Cousin Nathan

Today looked like it was going to be the warmest day this week, so we invited cousin Nathan over to play on the swingset.  We had much fun!

Nathan forgot his gloves, so he borrowed Anna's mismatched ones.  He didn't seem to mind :)

And here's Nathan as Joseph... playing the piano.  He LOVES the piano!!

Anna in her new Tutu

JuJu made Anna a little tutu and she loves it and all her dancing moves seem to come out when she puts it on.  She can even dance to Papa practicing the bowed dulcimer.

The Jefferson Rail of Lights

Tonight we went to Jefferson to ride the Rail of Lights.  Here we are waiting to ride.  It was Anna, me, Mark, JuJu, Granny & Grammastine.

Anna did pretty good... she was just a bit squirmy and she enjoyed trying out everyone's laps.

Anna likes her gloves... even though they don't match.  We lost one of each, so had to go with this look.

We still got home before bedtime... had a nice bath and then posed in our jammies with PaPa.

Then they completed the look with Santa hats.

Wipes Galore!!

So while Mark and I were distracted the other day, Anna thought it would be fun to unpack her bag... AND her nearly full container of wipes.  She was so proud!  But we stuffed them all back in the package and are going to use every one! :D