Author: Andi

Ok everyone! Be thankful this is the last Christmas post! This one was with my dad, stepmom, brother and sister-in-law.

My brother came over in horrible footed pajamas. He was so proud! Such a goofball….and I was so glad he changed after the picture! He thinks it’s amusing to see a look of horror on my face when he walks in wearing this! 🙂

My Gwen and Katie got some snuggle time with Dannie!

Dannie spent her time awake staring at the fan. I think realizing a fan was on the ceiling was her favorite Christmas gift this year!

Maddie had fun opening MORE presents!

My dad and Gwen got her a dollhouse. We got her the house stuff to go inside it. You can tell by her face how excited she was. And the one of her with an angry face is really a determined face while she tries to pick it up!

She spends a ton of time playing with her house. She puts the furniture in there in very deliberate places and has quite the conversation with herself while playing. It’s really cute to watch!

Overall, we had a fantastic Christmas. It was so fun to see Maddie so involved with the gifts and so excited about her toys. Christmas certainly is different than it used to be without kids…and I wouldn’t want it any other way!

This Christmas was with my mom, stepdad, stepdad’s parents, brothers and sister-in-law. Here’s a look at all the presents under the tree! Which is impressive since we don’t do adult gifts. (My mom still breaks the rules and gets everyone a little something!)

Before we ate and opened gifts, my brother, Charlie, got an iPad for Christmas and spent time playing with that. He’s 15, so he isn’t the most talkative. 🙂

My mom, Adam and Katie spent time in the playroom with the girls.

And Chuck and Dave cooked!

After we ate, Dave’s parents showed up and we opened gifts. My goodness were my girls spoiled! Maddie had fun opening gifts and brought everything to my brother to get out of the packaging. It was cute!

The living room was a disaster, but Maddie had so much fun! Plus, my mom got her cleaning stuff, so she helped clean up. 🙂

Her two favorite toys had to be Elmo and a harmonica. I can’t stand harmonicas, but my mom didn’t know this. The noise just bothers me in my soul! Chuck wants to give it to her in bed so she plays a sad harmonica song in her crib in the morning. 🙂

She loved the harmonica…and so did Elmo! She liked making Elmo play it and started blowing when it was in Elmo’s mouth…to show him how to do it. 🙂

Dannie had a great time watching all the commotion! Christmas will be so fun next year with the two of them opening gifts!

Finally, here’s a little family photo. 🙂

…only one more Xmas to go. 🙂

On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, we were invited to two big extended family events. We decided to pass them up this year to avoid the risk of getting Dannie sick. Just too big of a risk when she is so young.

Instead, we decided to have our Christmas at home in the evening when Maddie got up from her nap. First we made some popcorn for a snack. She loves popcorn!

Then we got to present opening. Maddie got some Elmo stuff and helped open Dannie’s presents.

Maddie liked bringing Dannie her gifts. It was really sweet.

Dannie played happily while we opened gifts.

I got a food saver (to vacuum seal food) a non-stick pan (because we got a stainless steel pans recently) and a gorgeous necklace to represent Chuck, me, Maddie and Dannie. You can see a picture of it here. And if we have more kids, we can add on to it. And no, they aren’t our birthstones…we have an unattractive combination of birthstones. 🙂

Overall we had a great Christmas at home with the girls! It’s going to be so fun in the years to come when we can leave Santa cookies and sing Christmas music together! Maddie already loves “Jingle Bells!”

…only two more Christmases to write about! 🙂

Today is my dear hubby’s birthday! That’s right….he was born New Year’s Day! What a fun birthday! (He thinks my birthday is cool, too…election day!) We celebrated by going to see The Hobbit at the IMAX then had dinner. Neither of us remember when we saw a movie last, but we think it was before we had kids! It was a nice evening of getting out of the house!

Chuck:

Happy birthday to my dear hubby! You’re the most wonderful, caring, thoughtful, loving person I know. I’m truly blessed to have you in my life and be your wife. No one could so for a better best friend! And you are such a great dad! You’re a hard worker and never cease to amaze and impress me with all you do!

I love you!

I hope you have a wonderful 2013, Chuck! I know mine will be memorable…because I get to spend it with you. Here’s to a year filled with happiness, joy, love, laughter, adventures and fun!

Happy New Year everyone! May you have the most wonderful 2013 possible!

We usually make a trip to Omaha for the holidays to visit Chuck’s grandparents. But with a toddler and newborn, that just wasn’t in the cards this year. Thankfully one set came to Austin, MN to stay with relatives, so we made the hour and a half drive there instead. It was great to see his grandparents and visit with family.

Here’s a picture of Chuck’s grandma and grandpa with all their great-granddaughters….and Paige and me. 🙂

We had our first Christmas celebration way back by Thanksgiving when Chuck’s mom was in town for Dannie’s arrival. We had Chuck’s sister, brother-in-law and daughter over too. Here’s Paige and I with my girls.

Chuck’s mom (Linda) made the coolest gift! She made Maddie a play mat for cars and decorated some matchbox cars to be girly! It is so much fun to play with!

Dannie wasn’t much of a participant at this Christmas since she was only about a week old! 🙂

Our niece, Amira, had fun with her new toys!

And Maddie had fun playing with Amira.

Maddie’s other big gift was an art easel. She loved it! Linda also made a big drop cloth to go under it and a reversible at smock for her.

Maddie had a great time playing with her easel with grandma!

Linda also made matching aprons for me, Maddie and Dannie in three sizes! So adorable! I can’t wait for us to use them!

Our first Christmas was great! And we had many more to come! You’ll be good and sick of hearing about our Christmases by the time I’m done! 🙂

I thought I would share our Christmas card with those of you I don’t know….granted, that may not apply to any of my readers, but I’m posting it anyway. 🙂

I know it isn’t a great picture, but I wasn’t able to save the image when I made it. I think it turned out really cute this year. And I loved that it could double as Dannie’s birth announcement!

I wanted to quickly say that I am so blessed. We have wonderful family and friends, two happy and healthy little girls and so many other things to be thankful for. Please take a minute to look around and reflect on all the good in our lives this year.

I hope you have a very merry Christmas and wonderful rest of the holiday season.