Winter Break

We had a wonderful winter break from school and work. We are not sure if we are ready to get back to real life since we enjoyed the lazy mornings, doing whatever we wanted as a family, and lots of time with cousins and friends. 

I often took McCall outside since she can get a little stir crazy before lunch and this particular day it was lightly raining so I just went in the backyard and she looked way too cute in her jean jacket and pink beanie. She even enjoyed her own little umbrella!

She is just so so so cute!!!

We did some fun simple things the week before Christmas. Paige, Baylor, and Paige's friend, Emily, came over one afternoon to decorate sugar cookies.

Then we made homemade hot cocoa bombs another afternoon. We got a kit from the thrift store and it was a little challenging since the chocolate melted so quick, but we made a few that turned out great.

Then another evening we painted some Christmas rocks and then the next day we went and hid them in the trails at Covington Community Park.

I have some very cute girls! They are the best!

We drove through Tahoma National Cemetery to see all the Christmas wreaths.

Paige did "school" one afternoon for Baylor.

We went with Nona and Pops and had dinner with them and then went and drove around to see Christmas lights. It was so magical to hear McCall. It was these constant little "wows"! It was so cute!

There was almost daily walks to Nona and Pop's house.

After Christmas it was a week spent with family and cousins. On the 26th we all got to witness Eliza get baptized which was so sweet. I wish I had some pictures from that but it didn't happen. Then it was a sunny afternoon so a bunch of us went to Dash Point State Park. The tide was super high so there wasn't much beach, but the little girls had fun climbing over trees and looking for shells.

We went on a 1/2 mile hike that I always thought about going on and it was pretty nice and had some cool bridges to cross.

On Wednesday evening all the girl grandkids were at our house and the boys at Nona and Pops while the adults went to the temple for Peyton who was going through for the first time in preparation for his upcoming mission. It was another sweet experience! I haven't gone to the temple since before McCall was born and they made a few changes that I love. 

Night time shenanigans. :)

Friday we drove down to Hillsboro and stayed overnight at Mike and Christy's house. We enjoyed dinner with them and had fun visiting. It was a very long night with McCall, but it was worth it to be there for Myla's baptism. It was another sweet day celebrating this sweet girl!

After this cute girl's rough night, she slept for pretty much the entire 3 hour trip home. 

It was a great 2 weeks and now onto a new year!

Christmas Time is Here

We started our Christmas Eve with a beautiful Sunday sacrament meeting. The music was incredible and Paige got to sing in her very last primary musical number. The girls looked very festive in their Sunday clothes though McCall's dress was a little big so she kept slipping her arm out the top. :)

Getting pictures of this busy little one is no joke. Most of the pictures were either blurry because she was running away or serious because whenever we get the camera out the smiles fade away.

This was our attempt to get a good picture- a chair so she wouldn't run away and a puppy to try and make her smile with her sisters in the background playing peek-a-boo. :)

Traditional Sunday before Christmas family picture.

Then our afternoon was a stressful Seahawks game but they pulled off the win and making some cookies for Santa.

Then time for the nightly fun Christmas Eve traditions.

Lighting the Santa candle.

Then sandwich making!

These cute girls waiting for the sandwich to be ready to carry around the house.

Always a kid crying in the traditional cousins sandwich picture. :) McCall's turn this year.

Ding Ding Dong! Six feet long! It's our Christmas song!

Time to eat.

Then time for the mismatch Nativity and Pop's little helpers handing out gifts.

Eggnog toast! To the nog!

Baylor was so excited to get home to open Christmas jammies!

Getting ready for Santa- putting out his cookies, saying goodbye to Mr. Elf, and sprinkling magic reindeer dust on the front lawn.

Christmas morning- Baylor was up at 6:45 but just watched shows while the rest of us slept in until almost 9. I guess Paige snuck out in the wee morning hours and peeked out to see what Santa had brought. Christmas with kids is so magical!

Christmas fun! McCall was mostly into finding any candy she could eat. Towards the end she was more into unwrapping gifts. I love her little wows and smiles of glee when seeing a gift. Baylor was always ready for it to be her turn again and was very impatient. She had lots of excitement and expressions with gifts she liked and gave frowny faces for the pants she got from Santa. :) Paige was always grateful and happy for whatever she got. They both gave the sweetest gifts. Paige was thoughtful and has been looking for months for the best gifts and Baylor finds things that she has or candy she hasn't eaten and regifts it and then makes the cutest homemade cards with drawings. I love that they are both gift givers and love to give and love to watch people open presents from them. 

Got to to the end of the wick on our candle.

Nona and Pops came over to our house for a nice Christmas dinner and we watched some football and then I put together a DIY trifle bar for dessert. It was a wonderful day!

Merry Christmas!