Life's adventures with Matt, Amanda and the girls... Makenzie and Madison!

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Merry Christmas 2014

Christmas Eve was such a fun day.  The girls and I spent the morning making about 6 dozen more cookies then we packaged them up for Matt and Makenzie to go deliver!  We had a quick lunch, put Madison down for a nap and had a relaxing afternoon before we headed to my mom's for another gathering.

We had a COMPLETELY nontraditional meal and it was SOOO good!!  Grilled 1/2 pound (no we don't mess around) hamburgers along with some yummy sides.  That just may be a new tradition for us :-)  After dinner was cleaned up we settled down for some gifts.  We wrapped the evening up with some yummy apple pie Makenzie and I made.



My Mom reading The Christmas Story.

Family!

As usual we lose track of time and rushed home so the girls could open a new pair of matching Christmas jammies!  Madison wasn't feeling all that well and was really cranky at my parents so we put her right to bed while Makenzie and Daddy picked out a couple of special cookies to leave out for Santa.

Makenzie gave us a warning on the way home instructing us exactly what we needed to do when we got home!  Ha.  Get pj's on, go potty, go to sleep!!  Santa won't come unless we go to sleep!  After about 5 mins of her in bed she YELLED at Matt and I to go to bed.  :-)  Last year she was afraid to go to bed because Santa, a stranger, would be coming to our house.

Madison has been getting up between 5:30 and 6 not feeling well, so I expected a very early start to our Christmas morning.  Surprisingly Madison slept till almost 8... Makenzie didn't dare get out of bed until she heard us up and gave her the thumbs up!  LOL.


Makenzie and Daddy starting a fire.



Matt started a fire and then we watched the girls open their gifts from Santa and their stockings.  Madison wasn't really interested.  She just wanted to sit on our laps and cuddle!




Our little tree with Santa's gifts!



What a relaxing perfect morning!!
After the gifts opened Matt made some stellar omelets for breakfast and then we opened the gifts under the tree.  

Madison wanted a little playtime with Makenzie's "Ula Oop"
before we opened gifts!  Makenzie is eyeing another present.

To: Dad     From: MKZ

Not so happy on Christmas day... still just out of sorts.

Makenzie's very own Cd Player!  She was SOOO excited to get this and a mood ring!

Thank you Santa!


Christmas Evening we headed to Matt's parents for our gathering.  This party can get a little out of control with 7 little ones all wanting a gift!!  Haha!

Natalie, Makenzie & Claire Pile Up!!

All the grand GIRLS but Madison.
They are Happy Happy Happy!! 
Picture turned out so blurry but Caleb and Makenzie were having
a hoot doing whatever it is they were doing!  Ha!
 We had a yummy ham dinner and then started the gifts one by one.

This girl LOVES playing cars.  So... road rug and cars it was!


All eyes on Madison's new ride!

The family "babies" making sure each button works!

We certainly had a FUN night!
Here's the loot that the girls came home with over the past few days!!
Makenzie's stuff on the left, Madi on the right.
Thank you ALL so much!  Makenzie has been happily playing, Madison just started getting into it today.  Madison went back to the Dr yesterday for a little checkup on the ears and all is looking good.  She was still being very fussy and clingy, but today has gotten into the toys.


Elf Antics

We don't have pictures of every day and I forgot what Elf did a few days :-)  But here's the rest of Elf's Antics...

/Day 11/
Rollin' round in a roll a TP!  Between Elf and Makenzie we go thru LOTS of TP.


/Day 12/
Elf found some lipstick!  'Ho Ho Ho!  Merry Christmas!  Love, Elf '




/Day 13/
Our little Elf snuck into bed with Matt & I!  Makenzie found him curled up on Daddy's pillow!

/Day 14/
What a sweet little Elf we have, he wrote such nice letters to the girls!




/Day 15/
Elf was playing with the cat!  He was found seated on the top of the Christmas tree dangling Boogity's mouse from some yarn.

/Day 16/
Someone was playing hide and seek!!  And must have needed a little cooling off.  Elf was found sitting in our fridge.

/Day 17/
Elf visited our little North Pole Village!  He certainly didn't look like an elf in our mini village.

/Day 19/
All in for limbo under the snowman ladder!!  Elf and Cuddles (her birthday build a bear dog) joined in on the fun.


/Day 21/
Oh boy!!  Curiosity killed the cat, Elf!


/Day 23/
Swinging on the Potty Chain!  (Poop chain just doesn't sound nice, but really, that's what it is.  When we were potty training a year and a half- two years ago she wouldn't poo on the potty.  She got a loop to add to the chain each time she went and it's been in her room ever since!  She's proud!)



/Day 24/
Elf's last day here!!  Have to admit, it was a good idea for him to take a bubble bath and get nice and clean for his trip back to the North Pole.  I'm a little jealous of a bubble bath, good book and some cocoa.


Makenzie said her goodbye and set him down in a chair by the fireplace.  See you next year!!


Friday, December 26, 2014

Merry Christmas 2014

Another Christmas season has come and gone.  It goes so fast.  Every year I think of how I could have made it last longer with a little more relaxing and simplifying... so far I haven't figured that out yet.  Wisdom with age right ;-)

We had a fabulous Christmas!!  I am thrilled!!  After spending the last two Christmas' sick I was beyond excited to go thru the season healthy!!! I know that sounds kind of petty, but you have NO IDEA how happy I was!!  The past two years were honestly pretty un-enjoyable and it just sucks the fun out of the season.  Last year ALL of us were sick over Christmas... this year just Madison with a cold turned into an ear infection & bottom molars bursting thru.  SHE was not thrilled about anything.  Third Christmas is a charm for her right!!  Next year little Madison, next year is your year!

Our first party was a few weeks ago with Matt's Mom's side of the family.

Miss Makenzie hanging with cousin Joshua & Caleb!  She LOVES those boys!

As we listened to the Christmas Story, this little girl stole the attention
prancing around while everyone else was seated.
Little girls in Christmas Dresses.... L-O-V-E!

Cousin Jonathan checking on Miss Madison after a fall!

Our second party was at my parents house with my Mom's side of the family.  Yummy turkey dinner followed by gifts and finalied with Grandma's Famous Cake Roll, which Makenzie and I made.  (I just finished eating another slice!  Yum, yum! Very thankful we had leftovers.)

This is our second Christmas that we took up a collection for a local ministry that provides lunch/ breakfast/ dinner in backpacks for children over the weekends.  Love this ministry and was so happy to do it again this year.  Last year there were 17 children from a local elementary school that didn't have enough to eat over the weekend that this ministry fed.  This year it has grown to 3 local schools and 52 children!!
Fuzzy, but such a good pic!


Love Uncle Jim's face!

Auntie Kelli testing Madison's gifts!

Auntie Katie and Makenzie helping Madi open pj's!

We collected all of this food and $80 to donate (the $80 can cover 13 children's backpacks.)  So proud!

That's all for tonight!  More Christmas to come later.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

It's 2 More Days Till Christmas!

It's two mornings before Christmas,  and all thru the house most creatures aren't stirring, not even our cat.  Miss Madison and I am.  Madison whimpering trying to get back to sleep as I dose out medicine so we don't here a peep.  Madison laying in bed dealing with a nasty ear ache and I on the computer trying to update my take.

The stockings have been hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nick will soon be here!  Matthew and Makenzie are nesteled all snug in their beds, visions of Christmas cookies dance in their heads.  Our tree is all trimmed presents laid out below. Now if we could just have it snow.  The Christmas cards have been sent!  I have pictures in there so I hope they don't get bent!


It's now 9 pm at night... Madison interrupted my early morning rhyming.  Poor baby had another rough day.  Last Thursday she got a cold, led to a fever, nasty snotty, stuffy, coughy cold that has led to an ear infection (possible double).  No nap on Sunday led to a not so fun Monday.  She took okay naps but had to be held all day.  Today she was up just after 6 and we spent almost an hour on the couch snuggling with the Christmas lights on!  LOVED it!!  Definitely gotten lots of snuggles as she has had to be held non stop!  (Ouch my arms!!) Didn't get good naps today... one one hour nap.  Keeping my fingers crossed for tomorrow!


I love this time of year.... I just love it.  LOVE IT!  There are so many memories and traditions that I can't get enough of!  The past two Christmas's I've been sick and cranky, so I'm totally loving really being able to enjoy the season.  Here are some of my favorite things about Christmas...

Our tree!  Our REAL Blue Spruce Christmas tree, that is so delicious smelling, sits in the corner of our room displaying years of family memories.  As a child my Grandparents (both sides) and my parents gave me an ornament each year.  Some are just cute!  Some show what I was interested in at the time.  Some are homemade, like many little treasures of my late Grandma.  My first Christmas ornament sits on there as well as "Our First Christmas Together" star, as we celebrated our first Christmas married.  Madison and Makenzie's 1st Christmas ornaments hang along with 2 sets of snowman families, one from 2011 as a family of three and one from last year as a family of 4.  On top of our tree is a homemade Angel, that's pattern has been passed down generations, watching over.

I can sit and stare at our tree all lit up for hours!!
 
I love writing Christmas cards.  I know the latest trend is to send out photo cards.  I'm just traditional and love to use an old fashioned Christmas Card where I spend all that time writing To's and From's and a special message in each one :-)  We also love getting cards and decorate with them.


Quick Visit with Santa downtown!  Never goes well but puts a smile on my face :-D
Very intent stares while waiting in line!!

This is it folks!



Christmas Dresses on little girls!!  Makenzie got a new one that she will be styling in tomorrow!!



Baking Christmas Cookies!!  We make dozens of cookies each year and share with friends and family!!
Madison's FIRST time baking cookies at the counter with us!!  Typically she
sits next to us in the high chair.  She giggled and smiled THE WHOLE TIME!!

One Happy Girl!

The faces I get after saying 'No More DOUGH girls!'
Makenzie's unhappy face and Madison doesn't care and
goes for more.

Love that sweet little hand.
(FYI... the cookie dough was made before sickness hit!  Ha! No need to worry!)

We are looking forward to the next couple days of festivities.  We hope you all enjoy the time spent with family and have a joyous Christmas in celebrating the birth of Our Savior!  

Merry Christmas!!

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