Play Time

The girls were given so many new toys for Christmas this year. Most of the fun toys are in Ryleigh's room because she has more space in there so we go in there a lot and sit on the floor and play. The girls are really good about sitting together and playing with one thing at a time. Emma tries to show Ryleigh exactly what to do with each one. I love seeing them together because they are so sweet to each other. 

 

Our Christmas

This year we had a pretty good Christmas. It seemed to go by so fast, as it does every year though. We started our celebrating this past Friday. Usually we see Josh's family on Christmas night but this year Josh's brother was not going to be here on Sunday so we changed it to Friday but also had planned to see his parents Christmas night. We spent Friday night at Josh's parents house and we were able to spend time with Sam and Lyndsey and also Josh's grandparents. We had a nice dinner and then let the girls open up their gifts from Sam and Lyndsey and also GiGi and Papa. Ryleigh wasn't really into opening up gifts much this year. Once she had one thing, she didn't realize there was more stuff. Emma was a pro at opening her gifts and some of Ryleigh's too. Emma got a little T-Ball set and a TAG reader book from Sam and Lyndsey. GiGi and Papa also gave her 2 TAG reader books and a puzzle. Ryleigh got a  Peek-A-Shoe Octopus and also a Little People Noahs Ark. These little girls were so spoiled and they were just getting started. 

Sam helped both girls open up the gifts they had gotten them.

On Christmas Eve we went to my mom and dads house for dinner. The past couple of years it has just been us and my mom and dad, but Katie got to come this year. We were so excited to have her there because she has worked Christmas eve night the past several years. While we were there my mom and dad gave Emma one of her gifts so that the girls could play with it. Emma got a Princess Tea Cart. It is the cutest thing ever. My mom sat on the floor and put crackers and water(tea) in it so she and Emma could have a tea party. I didn't get any pictures but I have it all on video. Emma really loves it and has played with it a lot since then. 

Once we got home from mom and dads house it was time to put out cookies and milk for Santa. We put Ryleigh to bed first because if not, Santa didn't stand a chance. Emma was so excited when she went to bed. She is finally at the age where she sort of understands Christmas but I don't think she quite knew what to expect in the morning. I'm sure next year will be even more fun. 

Christmas morning the girls got up and Emma came to see what Santa had left. She got a princess sleeping bag and also a Cinderella dress. She was so excited and she has worn that Cinderella dress most of the time we have been at home now. When Ryleigh came out of her room I tried to direct her to the tree but she went straight to the refrigerator. She is a creature of habit and she HAD to have her milk before doing anything else. After her milk, I brought her over to the tree and she got a Whacky Ball from Santa. She LOVED it. She played it most the time we were opening presents. 

This year Emma got dress up shoes, puzzles, an Innotab, and a princess game for her Innotab. Ryleigh got a Mrs. Potato Head Silly Suitcase, a shape sorter, and a Weeble tree house. We try really hard to stick to the 3 gifts rule every year. The girls did really well this year with opening gifts. Emma was very respectful and waited her turn. She also said thank you for everything she received. It is so important for them to learn to be appreciative and also to know that it really isn't about all the new toys. 

Once we were done at home we headed to my mom and dads house again. We got there really early so we went ahead and started opening more gifts. Josh and I received our gift from my mom and dad a couple of weeks ago. We got an HD Flip video camera. They gave it to us early so that we could record Emma's parade and also Christmas. We love our new camera and it is going to capture so many memories with our girls. Mom and dad gave Ryleigh the cuuuuutest baby stroller and cabbage patch doll. Emma got a princess piano.

Ryleigh loves getting kisses from Papa. She has been in such a lovey mood lately. She is giving TONS of kisses to everyone and will come hug you all day long. When I say "I love you Ryleigh" she climbs up on me and gives me at least 10 kisses. She is in such a sweet stage right now. 

Aunt Katie really spoiled the girls too. She helped Emma open up some dress up clothes that she got her. 

Nana and Papa gave Cheyenne a guitar for Christmas and it was very popular with the girls. Emma LOVED playing it. I see her wanting one in the near future.  :)

We left mom and dads around 11:30 and came home for lunch and to let the girls nap. We had plans to see Josh's parents that night but we found out at lunch that his mom's dog had been having seizure since Christmas eve night and they had to go to the emergency vet. We ended up spending the rest of the day at home and playing with all the new toys. 

We got to see Josh's parents on Monday afternoon to exchange gifts. The girls got some really cool stuff from them also. Emma got an Innotab game, puzzles, some kitchen supplies, a sticker book, and another game. Ryleigh got a ball popper and a Laugh and Learn Picnic Basket. 

I took the Christmas tree and all the decorations down first thing Monday morning. I do that every year because once Christmas is over I am ready to move forward to the coming year. I am so excited about starting 2010 and can't wait to see what is in store for our little family. 

We really had a wonderful Christmas and we are so blessed to have amazing family to spend it with. I hope you all had a great Christmas also. 

Just as a little side note....please don't take this as me listing out every single thing that the girls got for Christmas because that is not my intention. I use this blog to document everything and I like to look back and see what the girls were interested in and what they got for Christmas.

catching up.....again

Once again I am playing catch up. I always say I'm going to blog more but time gets away from me. I am sad to say I haven't gotten my camera out all week. But that will change this week for sure. I can't believe Christmas is less than a week away now. I finally went shopping this past Friday and got the things that I wanted to get. Josh and I decided on Emma's 1st Christmas that our kids will get 3 gifts each from us and Santa will (hopefully if they are good) bring one also. I am really happy with that decision because in all honesty, it keeps me from going overboard and it helps me to really focus on things I really want to get them as opposed to things they probably won't really play with. I am so thankful that we are going to be able to give our girls a great Christmas. There are so many people out there that don't have that, and I have thought about them a lot lately. I hope that no matter what my girls will grow up knowing that too. Christmas is giving, not receiving. I still need to wrap a few gifts and get a few gifts, but I'm almost done. 

I finished up my semester of school this week. I am excited to be done and have a few weeks off. I have already registered for my spring classes and I'm looking forward to starting those. I am really enjoying school and feel like I am doing a good job so far.

I am really enjoying spending this holiday season with my girls. Ryleigh is just still so young to really understand but Emma is starting to understand some things. She loves to look at the Christmas lights. She points out all of them and says "oh my goodness." It's the sweetest thing ever. I can't wait to see her face Christmas morning. I have put so much thought this year about what I want my girls to learn and understand about Christmas. Every family has to make decisions for themselves about things like Santa, gifts, and all the other "unnecessary" things that come with Christmas but I hope that they will always know the reason we celebrate.

I am so excited for this week. Josh is planning to be off a couple of days at the end of the week and I'm really looking forward to spending time as a family.

Here a few pictures taken last Sunday at my mom and dad's house on Josh's phone. Emma and I tried really hard to decorate a gingerbread house. It wasn't as easy as I thought. Emma had a blast though, ya know....in between eating all the candy. 

Stokesdale Christmas Parade

The Stokesdale Christmas parade was today and it was so much fun. Emma and Cheyenne got to be in it with their dance class. It was really hard to see the next thing coming so by the time the dancers got to us we could barely find Emma and snap a picture before she was gone. She was dancing her little heart out though. It was the sweetest thing ever. I am so proud of her Maghan gave them sweatshirts to wear for the parade and Emma did not want to take hers off tonight to put on her pj's. I had to promise to wash it and she could wear it tomorrow. Ryleigh wasn't too interested in the parade. She just really liked looking around at all the people. 

Waiting for the parade to start!

 Love seeing all the cool cars.

 Bumblebee!!!

Here come out dancers!! Really wish I had some better pictures.   :(

Just because she is so cute. 

 Ry bear loved spending time with Papa.

Cheyenne and Emma after the parade. 

I have a really short clip on the video camera of them dancing and I will get that posted tomorrow (hopefully).

Rainy Day

Today was a nasty rainy day. I know that I should be thankful for the rain but after today, I never want to see rain again. I had a couple of errands that I had to get done this morning and then Emma had dance class this afternoon. While the girls are in dance class Autumn and I take Ryleigh and Hailey to Nana's house. Right before we had to leave to go get Emma and Chey it started pouring. It was raining so hard and the wind was blowing so much that our shoes that were right at the back door were soaked. Ryleigh was terrified to be outside but we had to sprint to the car....and still ended up soaking. After dance class I had to get diapers, so out in the rain we go again. By the time I get both kids out of their carseats, I'm drenched anyway. I think I stayed wet all day long. So needless to day, I wasn't very thankful for the rain today.

This morning when Emma woke up I noticed that her left eye was tiny bit red. I thought that it was just a little irritated and I just kept any eye on it throughout the day. After I picked her up from dance class it was 10x worse and she also had some green gunky stuff developing. So I called the doctor and they said it sounded like the beginning stages of pink eye. They gave me some prescription eye drops and I picked them up on the way home. Emma did very well with them. She gets 2 drops 4 times a day. Right before bed I was putting her drops in when I noticed that the right eye is also doing the same thing now. I hope that we have caught this early enough that it will clear up fast. All night long Emma acted like she didn't feel good, so I'm hoping she wakes up feeling better. She is supposed to be in the Christmas parade on Saturday so I really want her to be able to do that. Josh is out of town again tonight.(hopefully for the last time this year), so after the girls ate dinner we sat down and watched How the Grinch Stole Christmas. I LOVE this movie. 

In other news, Monday we converted Ryleigh's crib to a toddler bed. We moved Emma into one when she was 18 months old because Ryleigh was born then and needed the crib. We waited a little longer with Ryleigh but she is doing great. From the very first night, she never tried to get out of the bed and fell asleep and slept all night. She loved being able to climb up in it. 

Ryleigh and Emma got those cute little tie blankets last year for Christmas from the Hollifields and they love them.They have used them every night this winter. You can see in the picture Ryleigh's little glow worm. She LOVES that thing. When she goes to bed she will lay there and keep pushing the button every time it goes off until she falls asleep.

Lately....

I have been having blogger's block really bad lately. There just hasn't been too much going on. Every time I sit down to write something, I can't think of what to say, so I'm just going to update a few things that have happened through the week. 

We finally heard from the insurance company on Tuesday. Since I got hit before Thanksgiving, the holidays apparently slowed everything down. But...we finally got a rental car yesterday. We picked up Josh's moms car last Sunday night and I drove it from Sunday-Wednesday. We are very appreciated of her but I was glad to give it back so that she could have her car back. They wanted to give me a little tiny car to drive but I argued and we got this.

It's a fully loaded 2012 GMC Terrain. It's a little small, especially for the girls. Both of their feet touch the seat in front of them but we are just thankful not to be in a tiny car. The girls are so close together that they can touch each other and yesterday I looked back and saw this. 

Aren't they so sweet?!

We also dropped our car off at the Ford dealership yesterday and they called today to let us know what they are going to fix. My husband is currently fighting with the insurance company because they don't want to fix everything the accident caused and because they want to use after market parts instead of Ford parts. I know you all don't care about all this, but for the past week it has consumed our lives. Trying to get all this handled has been difficult and we are just ready to have our car back.

Last night I took Emma to Disney on Ice. It was her Christmas present from The Hollifields. We are so grateful to them for such a wonderful gift. We wanted to take Emma this year but the funds just weren't there so we were going to wait till next year, but I'm glad that she got to experience this. Josh stayed home with Ryleigh so it was a mommy and Emma date. This year's theme was "Dare to Dream."

When we got there I got Emma one of those ridiculously overpriced twirly light up toys and some popcorn. First they did the Princess and the Frog but Emma has never seen that movie so she wasn't too interested, but once Cinderealla came out her face lit up. I will never forget her face. She told me "thank you mommy" at least 20 times. We had great seats where she could stand up and watch. It was definitely something I will treasure and never froget. These pictures are not great. There were taken with my phone and because of all the lights it is almost impossible to get a good picture. 

Finally, we want to introduce you to Mrs. Elf. (we haven't come up with a good name for her yet) 

I really wanted to get the girls (mainly Emma) an Elf on the Shelf this year but after seeing the $30 price tag I just couldn't do it. So we went to Target on the hunt for a stuffed Elf and found this one. It is an actual Elf on the Shelf plush pal. Less than half the price of the other. It is a little bigger and softer but it works. She visits different parts of the house and Emma finds her every morning. I can't say that it has made a big difference in her behavior or anything but it is still fun. Maybe once the girls are bigger and can really understand the concept we will get a real one. 

I think I have finally finished my Christmas lists so I'm hoping to start shopping soon. Emma and I are also going to make some cookies soon to take to some local fire departments or something. I want to start teaching her to give during Christmas and I think that is a good way to start. 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I promise to have something more interesting and also to get out my camera this weekend.  :)