S IS FOR SANTA!!!

It was 67 degrees Christmas Eve...67!!! Christmas day...56...Crazy I tell you. I begin with the weather because it is definitely something I have to say I will NOT miss next Christmas! No white Christmas for us this year...but Kristian made a very good point...at least if you get a "big girl bike" from Santa you can ride it that day!! And ride she did!! We could hardly keep up as you will see in the pictures. The picture above was taken a few days before Christmas when we went to see the lights and rode a trolley around a neighborhood called Winterhaven where they decorate just about every house quite elaborately...it was really fun. I also included when the girls helped mom make Christmas cookies...they had too much fun in the flour...Finley kept eating it...There are pictures of Christmas Eve and Christmas day and a couple of aftermath pictures...and of course many of the big girl on her bike...She had asked Santa for one two times and even wrote a little letter to him. The first thing on her list was a bike, second some tools, and third some diapers for her baby. She also kept mentioning a jeep...you know the power wheels ones...I told her Santa really only has room in his sleigh for one big present for each kid and she thankfully said that if that was the case she wanted a bike! We were fortunate to have Carol come over from California, Adriane and her new husband Tiago down from Portland and Uncle Dell down from Phoenix. They all stayed the night and it was so great to have family around and to spend time together. Kristian also invited his friend Rohid a fellow PhD student. Kristian and I made a German dinner complete with Roulade, Rottkohl, Spatzle (I'm sure I spelled those terribly), rolls, salad, and after making that, we bought stollen to enjoy. The food was tasty if I do say so myself and we had fun making and eating it! So we hope everyone had a great Christmas too and we love and miss you all especially this time of year. Oh...I meant to do a Christmas letter...even attempted it...sorry...wasn't meant to be this year...hopefully next year! Love to all! *******************************************************************************

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Here we go again...

I guess now I have resorted to updating monthly. Actually next week is finals and hopefully after that I will be better at posting. Here is a little recap. ******************************************************************************* We had Sarah and her boyfriend Isaac, and Aaron here for Thanksgiving. It was fun to have so much family around cause Kaci is of course living here now too. We tried to have fun together. We went to the zoo one day and they all took Avery to a paint your own pottery place for her birthday. Carol came over from California to have Thanksgiving and to celebrate Avery's birthday with us. We had ice cream cake on Thanksgiving and she got to open a few presents that day also. Her actual birthday fell on the day after Thanksgiving, so to make sure the majority of her little friends could come, we had a party for her the following week. She told me back in August after Finley's caterpillar party that she wanted a crayon party with a crayon cake. I did my best. There are definitely things I would do different next time, but all in all the kids had fun and that is what ultimately matters. It was interesting though, we were suppose to have it outside in our backyard and the weather men had all said it would rain the next day not the day of the party, and yet we woke up to rain. The weather in Arizona is so unpredictable. So the morning of, we had to scramble to get the garage somewhat set up so we could accommodate everyone. It turned out just fine, although with 10 little 2-3 year olds, almost as many siblings and all of their moms, it was a little cramped. We overflowed as much as possible inside. Anyway, they got to paint on the wall, play a version of musical chairs with color wonder markers, draw and paint like crazy, and break a pinata. (Avery and I attempted to make the first pinata together, which fell apart while it was drying, so I had to construct a new one that worked a little too well...they couldn't break it, I had to cut it open. They were not too sad though when they saw the candy!) They all got deliciously messy and had a good time! So here are the pics. I will do the party first and then a slide show of Thanksgiving. We miss you all and hope all is well...

Happy Halloween Everyone!!

We had a great Halloween and hope that everyone else did also! Avery has wanted to be a fireman forever now...and the day finally came. She kept asking me if she could fill up the fire extinguisher though and squirt people...we never quite got around to that. I originally was going to have Finley be a butterfly...I even have the costume still, but I toyed with the Dalmatian fire dog idea and Grandma O found this dalmatian outfit...with a little doctoring, our dalmatian doggie was born...it actually turned out pretty cute though at times it was a little toasty in the Arizona heat...she really loved it. Every time she saw it in the closet she would do the doggie sign frantically and chant "dag dag". It really fits her personality more than a butterfly anyway. She's our little chief hound:)

Daddy was able to stick around and help get the girls into their costumes... So...we mean to ween Finley of her binkey...funny thing is she wouldn't even take one for the first 6 months of her life...now I usually limit it to bedtime, but she sneaks in and takes it from her crib all the time...so here she is with it in her mouth...and then we took it out...bad idea!

After getting ready we headed out to a little Halloween carnival. It was fun, but hot...the girls just wanted to hang out and eat some snacks and then leave. We went parading around the grocery store for a bit then headed home for naps before the big evening.

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That night before trick-or-treating we went to a great party at Kristian's friends house. It was really fun!! The kids got to ride a little train, there was a hay maze, a graveyard and lots of yummy food and candy of course. We let Avery eat all she wanted and boy did she have fun! Check out these great "fingers"...the party was amazing with so many fun and creative things I wish I could post it all, but I thought these captured it well.

Finley loves, loves, loves, four things...bunny of course, trains, doggies, and sticks! Anything she can carry all around that have sticks she adores. So suckers...what better stick is there? Don't worry...she didn't actually eat them...her sister on the other hand opened just about every one at the party and took a lick...

Avery heads out with dad and aunt Kaci to do some trick or treating!

Pre Halloween!!

So here are a few pictures of the week before Halloween...just catching up again:)

We went to the pumpkin patch outside of town before Halloween with one of our playgroups. It was challenging to find some pumpkins, but we had success as you can see!

I found one mom!!

Whew! That was heavy!

Waiting for the wagon

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The girls dressed up as princesses a few days before Halloween...Avery is really into dress up and imagination play these days. She is so creative! It is really fun...

ALL ABOARD!!!

On Saturday Kristian suprised the girls and I by taking us to the train station! Every time Finley hears or sees a train she does the sign and says "ohhh, ohhh" she just loves them! And Avery thinks they are pretty cool too! So we went downtown where they have a little museum and an old engine. A retired conductor escorts you around and tells lots and lots of stories about when he rode the trains...the girls had fun!

********************************************************************************** We went to the zoo last week with some friends. The Zoo is always fun...especially the train that takes you around the park! This is on the sign outside the zoo...hold on tight girls! Avery got to feed a giraffe! She was thrilled! **************************************************************************

Uncle Drew had a game in Phoenix last week and we all went up to see him...this is about the only pic we got though...Drew and Stormi are going to have a baby boy in March!! Hooray!!