Ice Skating

One of the things that the girls really wanted to do over the Christmas break was to go ice skating.  They had been practicing on Nellie's roller skates and were dying to go.  We found a rink down in the ghetto that was really inexpensive so we went.  Who knew we would have so much fun!  It was a blast!

They thought they would need to get all bundled up but it wasn't that cold and almost immediately they took off their gear.

Lizzy wanted to skate with us at the beginning but then went off with Jacob soon after.

Nellie was very independent.  She did SO good I am so proud of her.  She became such a great little ice skater.  She would get going so fast and even when she would fall down she would get right back up.  It was really cute how she would skate.  She would keep one leg in place and just use the other one to get moving, kind of like pushing a scooter.  It was really cute.

Lizzy spent a lot of time with Jakey just messing around.  They had so much fun together on this trip.

Kevy was so cute out there skating.  He had never been ice skating before but it isn't too much different than rollerblading and he did just great.

The kids had so much fun going.  We are going to have to go again soon.

Janie didn't do very well.  She would  just sag and you had to hold her up to skate with her. It was really hard to do.  She is just a little too young I think

Mr. Russ did so good just hanging out in his seat and watching everyone.  Of course a lot of people came up and told me what a cute baby he is.  One little girl kept coming up and grabbing his hands and getting in his face, I didn't want to be rude but I really didn't want her touching him.

Christmas Day

We had another really great Christmas this year.  But seriously how can you not when you get to spend it with loved ones.  I just love the Christmas season and I am always very sad when it is over.  Watching your kids and all the wonder and excitement really is the greatest thing ever.  I think it gets more fun ever year with the girls.  Next year Russell will be getting in on the action too.  I think we can officially call Christmas 2011 our Hello Kitty/Dora Christmas.  Pretty much everything that Nellie got was Hello Kitty and everything that Jane got was Dora. Lizzy is getting grown up and is starting to ask for bigger kid stuff, which is fun but weird to see her getting so big.

Jane asked for Dora skates and Santa delivered.  She was pretty excited about them, but will not wear them with shoes like you are supposed to.  They are too slippery for her as well, so who know if she will wear them very often

Nellie asked for Hello Kitty roller skates, and when I told her they didn't exist she just said, "But Santa and the elves can make them. They can make anything."  I had to explain that sometimes they can't make some stuff and they buy some stuff.  She was very happy with the roller skates and has used them nonstop since.  She is almost always wearing them around the house, and when she isn't Lizzy is.

Lizzy got an ipod for her birthday, actually not a real one just a cheap mp3 player, but she thinks it is as good as an ipod so that is all that counts. She wanted a speaker for it so she could listen to her music with her sisters in her room.  Santa managed to find a barbie one that Lizzy was just thrilled with.  And I am thrilled with too because it doesn't go up very loud.

Jane was so funny because she had to unwrap a present all the way before she would even look at what it was.  She was almost done unwrapping one and I said "Jane what is it?" and she said "I don't know it isn't unwrapped yet!"

Nellie loved her Hello Kitty jacket we got her.  Like I said pretty much everything she got was Hello Kitty.

Lizzy's favorite gift she says were these boot we got her.  I found some cute inexpensive ones at Old Navy and I bought them kind of last minute.  She loves them.  We thought this really fancy dress we got her would be her favorite but I guess not.  It is funny how you never can tell with kids.

Lizzy a really pretty watch from Grammie and Papi and she loves it.

Russell wasn't too excited about Christmas, but we are so glad he joined our family this year.

Jane loved her Dora stuff she got from Grammie and Papi.

And Nellie loved her Hello Kitty stuff she got from Grammie and Papi.  After opening stuff at home we went to my parents for breakfast, I had made muffins and my mom made a breakfast casserole.  It was yummy!

Janie was thrilled about more Dora stuff from Grandma and Grandpa.

Uncle Joe did quite an amazing job with getting presents for the girls.  He got Janie a whole bunch of puzzles and  Nellie some movies about Jaguars and Lizzy he got these friendship bracelets to make.  He sure knows the little gals.  Plus he got Kevy and I a gift card to Cheesecake Factory (my favorite!) it was so super nice of him.

Brett took quite a liking to Russell and vice-verse.  They both were just so tired that morning.  After breakfast and presents at my parents we went to church for a lovely Sacrament Meeting, and then came back for dinner at my parents.  I really love having a big dinner on Christmas day because then it doesn't feel like you open presents and then that is it, Christmas is over.

Look at that spread!  We had such amazing food this year.  My mom made Prime Rib (my favorite!) and it was sooo good.

Christmas is over now, it makes me so sad every year when it is.  I just love this time of year and spending it with  my little family.

Christmas Eve

We had such a neat Christmas Eve this year.  My sister Janae and her family were here and it was so fun to have additional family to do things with.  We went to my parent's house for dinner and a program.  We had a great shepherd's dinner of sandwiches and soup.  Then we had a program.  I did a little puppet show with the kids that Chanelle had made for me.  It was a huge hit, we had songs with it and I read about the first christmas.  Then we watched a video and then the kids sang a beautiful song about Jesus, that Janae taught them.  The spirit was so strong and it really helped us to remember the true meaning of Christmas.  Afterward the kids opened a present and of course it was pajamas.  They were store bought, I wasn't about to attempt making pjs on top of everything else going on.  I am really trying to not stress myself out with trying to do too much.  And Lizzy got feet jammies and Nellie got Hello Kitty and Janie got Dora.  they certainly wouldn't have liked ones I made more than those. 

I like Janie's gangsta pants.

The girls had so much fun with their cousins.  It is always so exciting when we have cousins come and visit.  I am so glad that my kids love their cousins so much, what a blessing.

Jane was so excited to get a Dora nightgown, her last one was basically a shirt, it had gotten so small her little buns were practically hanging out. This one is so cute it hangs all the way to the ground.  She calls it her "long Dora nightgown" and I have to make sure that it is clean at night or there is hell to pay. She actually will not wear any other pajamas now.

Lizzy loves feet pajamas so we got her some cute penguin ones.

Nellie was over the moon with her new obsession Hello kitty pajamas.  When Nellie likes something she goes all out obsession mode.  I forgot to get one of Russell that night but he got some cute polar bear and penguin jammies from my sister Erica and so we gave him those for Christmas.