December Fun!

These first pictures are of our annual cookie day. Paul and Marolynn came to help, and that was great. The girls loved participating. 

Evie in the flour and sugar drawer

Evie and some of the decorating supplies

Marolynn and the girls cutting out some cookies

Nora rolling out dough

After a while Evie got her own piece of dough. Paul would roll it out for her, and she would punch shapes into it, then he would roll it out again...she loved it.

Mom and Mike with some baked cookies

Nora's special cookie that she got to decorate by herself

Bucket-head Evie. She tried putting this little bucket on her head, and walked around the kitchen for a long time. She thought it was hilarious.

She would lift it up and peek every once in a while

After Christmas we had a girls' morning - we tried this nice foot soak that Beth had given us, and we watched "Julie and Julia". 

Evie trying on a cute headband that Kate made

Grammy did some really fun crafts with the girls. Here they are making some snowman pictures.

We displayed the artwork on the kitchen cupboards. Very festive!

Christmas Eve and Christmas Morning!

We had a very fun Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It is great being around little kids who are so excited about everything. We were together with my side of the family for Christmas this year.

The kids wanted to help decorate the dinner table

Christmas Eve dinner

Evie dragged over a little stool so she could "help" Grandpop serve the dessert

Evie loves the peek-a-books

After dinner we decorated gingerbread houses

Nora got very into it

Our finished house

Then we played several rounds of "catch the bells", then sang carols before going to bed.

Fun with cousins!

Evie and Kate

A family shot on Christmas morning - gotta love Evie's face

Sock monkey Jack-in-the-box

Evie loved unwrapping presents

More present unwrapping...

Mike with his Dharma shirt that Beth made for him. He's excited to wear it when we watch the LOST season premiere (Feb. 2!!)

Nora in her new dress-up dress with her pink kitty she named "Dubie"

Evie and the corn popper

I hope everyone had a very, merry Christmas!

Catch Up Post

Here is a post of the things we have been doing for the past little while since I did a "real" blog update. I have hardly taken any pictures, but luckily my mom has, so these are all from her.

Nora relaxing with kitties

Celebrating Kate and Grandpop's birthdays

Having fun with the silks

Evie loves looking at catalogs. Maybe I'll let her do the Christmas shopping this year...

Celebrating my birthday

Evie looking very pleased with herself for getting out of her high chair

One of Nora's favorite activities is "washing the dishes"

She also loves to dress up

A little while later...

No matter the time of year, the Halloween house seems to be the favorite toy

On Thanksgiving morning, we made some turkey cookies while watching the Macy's Parade

The fam and the Turkey

In the evening we played a game called "Imanginiff". It was really fun.

A couple days after Thanksgiving, we got the Christmas tree set up. The girls had a blast putting on ornaments. They put most of theirs all on one branch.

Celebrating Beth's birthday

Nora liked the wreathes by the door

Ewww - Evie's favorite thing in the world right now is a wet dish cloth. We try to give her clean ones, but we have to get them wet first or she won't take it. Silly bug!