Christmas Eve 2011

We had a great Christmas Eve.  

This year we started our holiday earlier than usual so we could not feel so rushed to get everything done.  

We got to my parents around 1:00, had some appetizers and started off with pictures to get them out of the way.

It was great to have everyone here this year.

After pictures, we opened presents!  It was fun to get right to the good stuff!

The kids were SO excited!

Aunt Jill got all the girls matching gifts.  PINK BOOTS!

They all looked so cute in them.

Thanks Aunt Jill!

Nana and Grandpa gave all the girls these cute backpacks for their 

American Girl Dolls and pink boots for the dolls too!

Frankie got some new cute red high top shoes and his first BYU sweat shirt.

Cole got Just Dance 3.  He loves that game.  Nana told him that he can take it to his friends house to play it since we don't have a Wii. ;) 

 My mom got all the girls these darling necklaces from The Vintage Pearl.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT!!!!!!

Thanks mom!

After presents we enjoyed a yummy Christmas dinner.

Aunt Jill gave Kate and Sadie these feather clips and they loved them!!!

The kids decorated cookies for Santa.

Mmmm.  Santa loves those cookies!!!

 I didn't get very good pictures of the Nativity.

My kids love doing this every year.

I always love my brothers donkey ears.

Cole was a Wise Man, Sadie was a sheep, MaryJane was an Angel 

and Frankie was baby Jesus.

The kids came in as Nana played Silent Night and Grandpa read the story of the Savior's birth.

It was such a fun filled evening with no stress of time.  I loved how we did things this year.

Then the stockings were hung...

on the buffet because we don't have a fireplace.

(The ONE time of year that I wish we had one) 

Santa got creative with hanging mine and Kevin's stockings.

He sure LOVED those yummy sugar cookies and milk!

Our awesome skinny tree with colored lights!  I couldn't be happier.  

What a wonderful day it was to spend with family!

Pictures and more Baking

Where is all the snow this year?!

After church I found Cole teaching MaryJane how to shovel the bits of snow.  

It was so cute to watch him talk sweet to her and be so patient.  

These moments are the best because sometimes they are too few and far between.

Getting a pic in Sunday clothes.

Frankie's eye is still healing here.  

I love his crooked little pointer finger!

Goodies for friends and neighbors.

We found our selves baking and making again.

The kitchen was a disaster...but we had fun!

Sadie making a check list and count of friends to give her cookies to.

She loves this kind of stuff.

Cole quickly dipped and decorated his cookies and then took off. 

Chocolate covered Oreos for their friends.

All wrapped and ready to go.

For neighbor gifts I made a few of my favs.  Peanut Brittle, Shortbread cookies and Mint Brownies. 

Finally, Eye Surgery

Well we made it!  No illness!

I've learned from some of the mommies in my DS group to double up on procedures when we have Frankie go under.  What a great idea!

So Frankie had his Eye Muscle surgery from an Opthamologist and the 

ENT retrieved Frankie's old tubes, put in new ones and did a scope on his narrow airway.

Remember how the old ENT pushed a tube through Frankie's ear drum a year ago?

Looking back, I guess I didn't post about it.  Our old doc had such a hard time getting in the small tubes and in doing so accidentally pushed the tube through the ear drum.  Telling me he'd have to wait to retrieve it.  So Frankie had 2 tubes in one ear and 1 in the other.

Our new doc was able to get then all out for us.  :)

What a cute boy all dressed up for surgery.  

Can you believe he is 19 MONTHS OLD?!!!!!

He gives the best kisses!

Reading with daddy to help with any pre-surgery jitters :).

Frankie's ENT came out to have a chat with us before the procedure and Frankie just leaped into his arms.  It was so cute.  

Post op.  Frankie was pretty sad waking up (before they came and got me).  Once he heard my voice he calmed right down, I picked him up and his body just melted onto mine and we just snuggled and rocked.  

That was the fun part.  

Cole thought Frankie would enjoy a soothing back rub.  Which he did.  

Tummy time is Frankie's favorite position!  Arms tucked under tummy as he slowly moves his hips up and down.  It's quite interesting actually. :)

The white of his eye was all bloody and red for a few weeks.

Each day it got better and less swollen.

I love how the doc gave us his old tubes!

I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW TINY THEY ARE!

Not at all what I thought tubes looked like.

They're metal.

The only after pics I have:

His alignment is much better.  Right on.

Before I used to have TONS of photos with his eyes crossed. 

Now I can hardly find any.

His eyes are in sync with each other as he moves them around and looks at things.

I'm so grateful that things went well and these procedures are behind us now.

Yay for another good surgery experience!

MaryJane's 4 Part one

Since MaryJane has a December birthday, we celebrated with family on her day.

We'll have her first friend party in January after all the holiday craziness.

She awoke to he room all decorated with balloons and streamers and gifts on the table.

The best way to begin a birthday.

She finally got a scooter with bigger wheels like her siblings.  

The bigger wheels go over bumps on the sidewalk much better.

She wanted Blue.  

The best was Frankie's first encounter with a balloon. 

He was first afraid of it.  But then the loved it. 

Watching him trying to catch it was hysterical!

He screamed of excitement once he caught it.

Funny, funny boy!

MaryJane pretty much wanted everything Barbie for her birthday and Christmas.  

This is her new smile.  Sweet.

She stares at the camera and gets a glossy-I'm-in-a-dream-world look on her face and this new smile.

Pretty funny.  But cute!

What a cute princess.  I loved the raised eyebrows here.

One of her gifts.

My first attempt at making Chocolate Buttercream frosting.  It was delish!!!

I love this picture of MaryJane's 1st birthday!

The moment she's been waiting for!

Loving being sung to by her all her family, cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles.

I feel bad I didn't get a pic of everyone.

So happy to get Barbie everything and her favorite "Pink Lellonade".

This girls loves some crystal light lemonade.

We have to wean her!

Frankie loved the cake.

Oh how we love this little girl!  She is such a delight!  

Always happy and has the BEST expressions to everything!

Happy Birthday MaryJane!  We love you!