Christmas this year was wonderful!!
Christmas Eve morning started out with a special treat: my parents and two of my siblings (Richard and Andrea) came to celebrate Christmas with us in our home! It was so fun having Christmas at home and being able to share it with them!
After eating a Christmas Eve dinner, we headed to downtown Denver to enjoy the Christmas lights ….we got out of the car at the City Council Building (I think it was that building, but I’m not sure..) and looked at the lights there and then drove around neighborhoods enjoying the lights.
When we returned home, we enjoyed a Christmas Eve Program. Everyone shared a talent (Carolyn and Angela did a beautiful dance together which included plies, somersaults, headstands, turns and twirls, and much more!) After that, we acted out the manger scene – which was fun and something we’
ve been working on as a family for the past month. Carolyn did a wonderful job as Mary – she loved having this role. Angela was a wonderful Baby Jesus and Inn Keeper. My personal favorite part of the play was watching Angela as the Inn Keeper close the door on Mary (Angela would smile so big as she closed the door on all of us – she was really good at her part:). After that, we sang Christmas songs around the tree, left out cookies for Santa and a carrot for his reindeer, and opened a gift! It was wonderful!
Angela and Grandpa tuning up the keyboard for our Christmas carols.
My mom brought me a WONDERFUL, wonderful surprise when she first came in the door! She made stockings for our family!! YAY! I've been wanting these for a long time and have even attempted making them myself (although the attempt didn't last long because I knew I couldn't make them as cute as my mom's the moment I started the task)...Anyways, I am so grateful for these stockings my mom made for us!! I LOVE THEM!
"Uhhh, Mom....who is this guy?" Just kidding! Although Angela looks weary in this picture, Angela and Carolyn had a blast with Uncle Richy!! He is such a fun uncle and it's amazing how he can keep up with the girls' energy! Come back soon, Richard!
Aunt Andrea also was a blast to be with!!! I always wonder how I function without her when she's around...she is SOOOO helpful and cute with the girls...they love her so much and she's such a sweety to help out so much.
Carolyn and Angela made these books for Santa. Carolyn was VERY particular about what to leave out for Santa and the reindeer. Carolyn had frosted this yellow Christmas tree particularly for Santa...and this is the carrot she picked out for the reindeer!
Christmas day was wonderful! Santa was good to Carolyn and brought her dream necklace...
Angela's Christmas mostly consisted of dolls! She is 100% obsessed with babies so she was one happy girl....
My parents got these great dolls for the girls! They LOVE them!
Some of Angela's silly faces while eating lunch :)
My dad got the girls some fish - which they are excited about. When he first showed the girls the fish, he said, "What are their names?" Without ANY hesitation, Carolyn said, "Dane and Frol." No idea where those names came from, but she was confident that those were their names :)
Nana and Ponka also spoiled the girls :) They got Angela a doll set (a crib, highchair, and accessories for dolls) - which she loves!! And they got Caroyln a Princess Bike.
Carolyn loves riding her bike around in the basement.
Angela likes giving the bike a try, too :)
The day after Christmas, my dad treated us all to the Children's' Museum. The girls had a blast there.
I think Andrea and Richard got a little bored there....I found a whole bunch of random pictures on my camera of them :)
After all the fun and wonderful presents they got, Carolyn and Angela figured they better paint some "thank you" pics for some of the presents they received! 
A couple of days after Christmas, my family left and Andrew's family came to visit us! Another great week!! We had sooo much fun with them!
On New Year's Eve, Andrew's family makes a TON of good food! I couldn't believe it!! It was delicious! Here are Chantal and Carolyn making homemade icecream.
One of the days his family was in town, we went bowling! The girls had a lot of fun :)
More pictures of us with Nana and Ponka to come :)
Last week we actually got to go sit on real bleachers and watch a basketball game! Andrew's parents gave us some Nuggets tickets for Christmas! It was a lot of fun! Going to sporting events is so much easier now that the girls are older! Carolyn is actually interested in the game and asks a lot of questions...and Angela has a blast trying to locate the mascot! It was a fun family event :)
The people in front of us were laughing because the girls were munching on celery while watching the game...I really lucked out with having two very healthy eaters :)
This past weekend was a special one for Angela...she went on her first date with Daddy!!! For their date, Andrew took her to a toy store so she could look at all the baby dolls (one of her very favorite things to do!) and then the two of them got some ice cream:) Angela had such a blast on her special date with Dad!
Carolyn continues to love her dates with her dad as well! She looks forward to her special time with Andrew and talks about their dates all of the time. Last month, Andrew took Carolyn to "The Princess and the Frog." Carolyn has been awaiting the release of the new princess movie for a long time so he took her right when it came out :) She had so much fun on the date! 
.JPG)
