Merry Christmas!

Christmas Train

Both kids were out of school today - first day of Christmas break so Mommy decided to get tickets for the Christmas train that we went on last year!  Different than last year though, we brought Sophia and our new friend Tori (who recently moved here from AZ) and her two boys Cole and Lewis!  Can't believe we didn't get a group picture, Mommy is usually so good at that!!  Perfect way to start the day before the Holts headed out for South Dakota and the Hillins headed to MN that afternoon!

Ashley's Christmas Program

For Ashley's Christmas program at school we were told that the kids should wear Christmas jammies. Ashley declared it the best day ever whereas Mommy was wishing she could wear any of the fancy dresses hanging in her closet but she did look adorable!

Our girl definitely does not have a bit of stage fright.  

Pretty sure she actually loves performing!

'Happy birthday Jesus, I'm so glad it's Christmas'  - such cute songs!

We will miss these cute little preschool programs next year when Ashley goes to kindergarten.  

Santa Comes Early!

Growing up Mommy's family had the tradition of having a special Christmas weekend with just her, Nana, Papa Steve and Uncle Jim.  They would write a letter to Santa asking if he would come early and then bring their stocking presents to Grandma Kelly's.  He always said yes and it ended up being one of Mommy's favorite memories.  Pretty sure it made Nana and Papa's heart happy too and they didn't need to haul gifts back from Lakefield.  Plus it spread out the present fun!  So when it was decided that we would go to Minnesota for Christmas we thought it was a great time to try out asking Santa to come early!  He said yes!  When Trevor left cookies out for Santa and veggies for the reindeer he also asked Santa to leave a selfie!

Well imagine the surprise on Trevor's face when he woke up (at 5:30AM!!) and discovered that Santa did indeed leave a selfie of himself in our living room!!!  

Once Ashley woke up the present opening began!

Fingerling - all the rage right now!

An Echo Dot for Ashley's room!

Of course one for Trevor's too!

Books

A coding robot!

A new big girl scooter for Ashley just like her friend Siena's!

A Barbie food truck!

A fingerling for T!

And what is this huge present?!?

A hovercraft for Trevor!!!!

Of course he had to go right outside and try it out - jammies and all!

And after a while the kids noticed that Santa left a present out on the play set.  It's the dream swing that they had been eyeing for a bit.  Trevor's reaction says it all!  Our little family Christmas time was just perfect.  Highly recommend for anyone traveling over the 25th :)

Ashley Loses Her 1st Tooth!

4 days after getting her ears pierced our little princess announced today was the day her loose tooth was coming out.  WHAT!??!!  Too much for this Mommy's heart!!!  At least Mommy thought to take a before picture because her smile will never be the same.  Tear.  

Daddy wiggled and wiggled...

...she wasn't so sure...

...there were some tears because she said it hurt...

...she wanted to sit on Mommy's lap and watch it on her phone...

It is SO ready to come out.  Eek!

And then just like that out it came!  And Mommy just happened to capture it!

She didn't believe Daddy that it was out so she was feeling around with her tongue!

Oh!  There it is on the kleenex!

YAY!!!!

All she wants for Christmas is her one front tooth ;) 

Before and after, side by side!  She looks so grown up between the earrings and missing tooth!  What a week!

Ashley Gets Her Ears Pierced!!!

Ashley had been saying for a few days that she wanted to get her ears pierced and after the Santa Brunch she was bound and determined to get them done!  Before pic:

Picking out which earrings she wanted - the big pink ones of course!

Getting prepped:

They had two people working so they were able to do both her ears at the same time thankfully!

She was ready!  She had been pinching her ear lobes in preparation!  She blinked as it happened but that was it.  No tears, no nothing!

All smiles for our brave girl!

Why do earrings make her look so different??!!

After that she picked out a bunch of earrings to wear when she can change them out, a singing Rudolph and went to get some tea!  Big day for our big girl!  Proud of you Ashley!