Merry Christmas!

We hope all of you had a very merry Christmas! We had a great holiday, and are looking forward to an awesome new year. Here are a few pictures we took on Christmas eve and Christmas day:

Isabelle wrote a note to leave for Santa, just in case she fell asleep on the way home from Fred and Kelly's. We thought both kids would be fast asleep and we'd just carry them into bed, but no such luck. They were wired the entire day. There were a couple times that we were quite sure Dylan was going to spontaneously combust.

We always get together with Fred and Kelly on Christmas eve for dinner, and with my parents the week before Christmas. We love both of these traditions, because it gives us quality time with everyone, as well as leaving Christmas day open for us to just relax and enjoy. Before we could open gifts, the horses needed fed, so the kids went out to the barn to help out.

Jake and Emily gave Dylan these darling chaps. I told him to pose for a picture, and he threw his leg up on the table and gave me his best 'real live cowboy' look. I almost peed my pants!

Here's Izzy and Dylan with Uncle Jake and Aunt Em and their awesome presents!

My favorite Christmas tradition so far (I'm sure we'll add more as time goes on) is our fire. Luke gets to go out to the family room and check to see if Santa came, as well as start a fire so everything gets warm and cozy. This year, while Luke got the family room ready, the kids snuggled into bed with me and we read Luke 2:1-20. It was a really nice way to start the day.

Isabelle got a new jacket that says "TAC Dance" on the back and has her name on the front. She said it was the best Christmas gift ever. Santa does nice work, if I do say so myself.

Dylan got the spiderman robe he was hoping for, but he hasn't worn it yet. I think he has been too busy playing with all the games he got from his Grandma Ruthie and Grandpa Erv. His favorite so far is the "Flippin Frogs". Notice Izzy's frantic face in the background--you can just see her looking for something else to open.

We gave Dylan and Isabelle pajama pants, and had t-shirts made with their nicknames printed on them. It was a really fun gift, and I think the kids have enjoyed them. I hope Dylan likes his, because at the rate he is growing, he might be wearing his to Junior High!

Thank you to everyone who made our Christmas wonderful. We have such an incredible family, as well as great friends surrounding us, and we know we are truly blessed!

Happy birthday, Dylan!

Friday was Dylan's birthday. It's hard to believe he is four years old. He opened his presents from Izzy, Luke, and I as soon as he got up. Isabelle got him a Webkin, and it's just the one he had been hoping for. It's a darling little chihuahua that he named Lucky. Luke and I made him a treasure hunt, and at the end was a new red bike. Next, he went to visit to Dr. Lei's office. He had his eyes checked, and he got weighed and measured. He has gained 3 lbs. since his last visit, so he is up to 28 lbs! I have a feeling he's going to be a lot like his Grandpa Erv! In the afternoon, he went to Fat Cat's with two of his very best friends for pizza and bowling. His friend Ashton gave him a dinosaur that he has been wanting really bad. He has been telling every Santa he has seen that he wants this particular dinosaur, but I had a crazy feeling that Santa just wasn't going to come through. So, my awesome friend Amy saved the day and let Ashton give it to him--thanks, Am! His friend Cooper gave him an electric guitar. This was a perfect gift, because he has somehow gotten it into his head that he is a rock star. You can see by the picture that he has the rocker look perfected! He had such a great time with his friends, and by the end of the day, he was spent! It ended up being a great day for a great little boy.

Happy birthday, Dylan! We love you!

Inspiration

Here's a little inspiration for your Wednesday morning. It doesn't matter how many times I watch this video. I tear up every time!

Surprise!

Last night, right before dinner, the doorbell rang. The kids ran for the door yelling- "I'll get it! I'll get it!" This usually ends up with someone running into a wall, or tripping over the dog. Luckily for us, there weren't any casualties. Isabelle got to the door first, and when she opened it, she jumped about five feet up and back. Dylan's mouth dropped open, and then all he could do was smile. What a special visitor!

Isabelle told Santa she wants a Teeniest Tiniest Littlest Pet Shop toy, and Dylan asked for some Polly Pocket dogs. Luke was proud.

Monkey Bread (A post for Hope and Sam. Ha ha!)

This recipe is the perfect thing to have for Christmas breakfast (besides my mom's danish). It is warm, sticky, sweet...like I said, perfect. You can make it the night before Christmas, let it rise in the fridge overnight, and throw it in the oven before the present-opening frenzy begins. It only bakes for 30 minutes, so by the time everything is unwrapped, breakfast will be ready! I got this recipe from Kelly (my mother-in-law), and it is the best!

You'll need:
20 frozen rhodes rolls
1 (3 oz.) package vanilla instant pudding
1 C butter
1 C brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
nuts

Cut all the rolls in half (sometimes I cut mine into thirds--it just depends on how big you want the pieces to be). Grease a bundt pan and put half of the rolls in the bottom. Sprinkle half of the instant pudding (powder) on the rolls. Melt the butter on the stove and mix in the brown sugar and cinnamon. Drizzle half of this mixture over the rolls and pudding mix. Sprinkle with your choice of nuts. Add the second half of the rolls, the rest of the pudding mix, the rest of the butter mixture, and finish with another layer of nuts. Let it rise in the fridge overnight. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Yummy!

Obuba!

I got together with some of my girlfriends for lunch today. Some of us haven't seen each other for a while, so it was great to catch up! I found out my friend, Mary, has a blog. Wahoo! So, you know me...I started stalking as soon as I got home. I found out that she and her husband started a business making stylish cover-ups for nursing moms. And since I swear everyone I know is expecting a baby, I thought I'd pass on the info. Click here to check them out. They are really great!
I also added a link to her darling blog on my list of 'good places to visit'. It was great to see you today, Mary!

Let It Snow!

It's been too long since I last posted! I promise I won't go so long next time. I'm sure all five of you who read my blog are breathing a sigh of relief...
Anyway, here are some pictures of the kids enjoying the big snowstorm: