Asleep

Christmas Memories

Here are the memories of our Christmas Eve that went by way too fastAmelia loves the love that Aunt Jody gives
and she loved playing with Garrett every minute that she was awake!

the girls thought Garrett was amazing in everything he could do...even peeling a pomegranate

Dinner was amazingly deelicious (b/c Jody made it & I helped)

The cheese ball got a lot of attention, Jody posed b/c she thought this picture might qualify for the cover of America's Test Kitchen magazine...we'll see.

We began our Christmas Eve by following a program that Director Bryn Harrell printed out for us (she practiced with the girls every day for a week!)

(THIS PICTURE WAS MESSED UP B/C I TRIED TO CROP IT, SORRY BRYNIE)

Everyone took their part very seriously...

Our little wise man

the angel with her star

okay, so maybe not too serious

It was a success

then we had the polar express song sung by Bryn & Summer (it made me cry b/c Bryn spent so much time teaching Summer, it was too cute)



next on her schedule was red light, green light. Then a little white elephant exchange (it was pretty extreme...itunes gift card or toilet paper...Dave won!)

Christmas morning comes so fast!!!

Amelia was trying to figure out how she was going to get to that tricycle

and she found a little help from her cousin of course.

lots of unwrapping, lots

this is why we are so sad that Christmas day came so fast...

we had to give out lots of hugs, kisses and squeezes before they rolled out of town

when they were gone, truly gone, the truth finally settled in that they weren't coming right back...

we all put our head in our hands & stared at the wall.

The MOM song...just play it!

Now that I have Bryn & Garrett here, I realize that everything I repeat to my little girls now...will not change as they grow bigger
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMhuAtyFCrw

A few smiles

Summer loves the camera & I love this shot of her.This one makes me excited for Christmas morning!

When Grandma Bowen comes to town...

we warm her up to a nice fire

before sending her out on a freeeeeezing Sunday morning

then she gives all her attention to the kids (yes, that's why James is in the picture)

and wonders how a train going in a circle can keep them entertained for so long

she's there to do homework (and even as a retired teacher she agrees that directions given on a homework sheet are always more complicated than the homework itself!)

but of course their favorite activity when Grandma comes to town... decorating cookies!

she's not even done with her visit & she passed out while Summer pretended to read a book.

(we have a tendency to do that to our guests...Grandpa Bowen knows all about that...right Bruce?)

for the love of Bread

So while James was focused on what he thought was the best part of Thanksgiving (stuffing, turkey, etc) I was totally focused on the best part of the meal...

Perfectly fluffy, buttery, deelicious (and still warm when they arrived to the table)

rolls!!!

I'm looking forward to our Christmas company just so I can make these over and over again b/c these rolls are the bread of life!

(I'm selling Maren's recipe for some extra christmas cash, leave a message with my secretary)

Once upon a time there were two sleepyheads...

First night...Amelia cried out with outstretched arms from her crib...'yIza'

Second night...Liza cried out with outstretched arms...'Amelia'

and they both slept happily ever after.

Dancing Queens

If only we had mini Abba costumes...then they'd really know how to dance!

Amelia actually sings along to the song Mama Mia

Who needs dance lessons when you already feel like a pro in your own living room?

I asked Summer today why she fell asleep with the ear warmers over her eyes last night..."b/c Tessa always turns on the light in the night & I didn't want her to wake me" (This girl knows how to be prepared to not lose your beauty sleep) She also told me she went to bed with her clothes on under her jammies so she wouldn't have to get dressed in the morning. That's a good tip for all Moms.

Is it too early for Christmas?

So James went a little over board on our Christmas lights this year...

What can I say, the boy loves christmas. Is it a little much? Well...if it were our house, our girls would be in heaven!!!

Hooray for Uncle Dave!

Waiting, waiting, waiting & finally Uncle Dave shows up! After all the high pitch squeels & hugging, the girls decide to let him in the house while constantly repeating his name & telling him all sorts of important information but then...they are silent while watching their company eat dinner...(this is their favorite past time)
He really came to celebrate James' birday...b/c he's a natural at making a party appear more partyish. When James left for work Eliza said "big people birthdays are a lot more boring than kids birthdays huh mom?" Can't argue with the girl, notice he opened one gift & it wasn't even a toy! I promise to my husband that in 7 years on his 40th we'll make it a bash! (I need those years to plan, I don't like to pressure myself)

They were looking forward to the evening b/c they (all 4 girls) made his birthday cake all by themselves, I really tried hard to hold myself back from wanting to stir & frost but with the encouragement of a friend who was taking their pictures throughout the whole process, it was more fun letting them do it all!

I warned the boys that this cake had been licked, slobbered & sneezed on but they still wanted a slice (okay, maybe I didn't tell them it was sneezed on, oh well) Summer was very proud of all the Frinkles they piled on the top of it so it did look pretty yummy!
I think James will get his wish..."I wish to get more than one present next year"

While Uncle Dave had to leave during the day to take care of business & was busy working (something to do with the mafia)

the kids kept themselves busy playing with friends in the leaves. The cold weather has finally come, so sad. I had to hide Liza's favorite shorts & flip flops b/c she thinks that weather should not determine what you should wear.

Then Saturday morning comes & the crazy Uncle has a crazy idea to go for a walk with the girls. He didn't believe us when we said that it was reeeeally cold...until he got home.

Tessa was freaking out b/c she had a runny nose & no tissue so guess what Dave does? He wipes her nose with his own fingers...I know, I know your cringing as your reading but it's pretty funny to me b/c it just proves what you'll do to get a 5 year old to chill out.

Now he's pooped out with the rest of them!

Now he's home. glad for him, sad for us.

This morning...the day after, I was making scrambled eggs & Summer & Tessa both claimed to have uncle dave's recipe to make his yummy eggs, here it is...

"just get some of that frosting stuff & stir it in like this & that's it mom, okay?"

He used some of my leftover caramel frosting & obviously scrambled eggs will never be the same!

BOO-NANZA!

We (moms) have to actually work for this candyIt is easier to share when you have a lot of it

For our ward trunk or treat I actually dressed up but I had to tell everyone what I was...can you guess? I was the evil Ursula ruling over her 4 little mermaids...it was a black short hair wig (can't you see the Ursula in their a teeny, weeny bit?)


Then the next week we dress up for preschool...

I tried downloading the halloween song they sang (how do you do that Amie??)

Here's Summer, she chose purple b/c since she was 2 years old Liza has been telling her that purple is her favorite color

And Tessa who wanted to wear purple suddenly but she was told by a short little person that she can't change her favorite color...pink.

Then comes Halloween night...finally. Summer stayed true to her desire to be a mermaid but the others changed their minds b/c it was just too hard to run in.

Liza turned into a witch, thanks to our neighbors stash of costumes

I'm so glad it's over b/c I am tired of being mean from eating too much candy.

Argh.