Happy Holidays

Well, how to recap practically the whole last month?  Sigh.  There have been many funny stories and even more fun people.  I had a women's gift exchange and then we hosted both for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day- our house is not big, but we enjoy it anyway.  We counted in 8 days that 47 party-ers had come to our house and that is subtracting our own family from the fun.  I am really enjoying the break from school, once we found a rhythm, the days have not been bad at all.  The girls have said some funny things lately.  Odessa is always calling things "e-dorable".  We had fruit salad with some pomegranate seeds and Ada said "I love pomegramma seeds!"  There have been countless others, but those will have to suffice it for now.

Next year maybe we will have a real Christmas card to send out . . . 

Christmas Eve revelers

Oh, the food!

A few willing participants in the Nativity

Matching babies

Matching Christmas Eve pajamas (totally unplanned)

AGAIN matching Christmas Eve pajamas, (starting to get freaky)

Yakkity yak, I could gab for hours with these 2

Here is what I wanted- a picture of Mandy and her necklace I made her  when Grayson was born.  I never craft!

Santa found us afterall

Christmas dresses from the grandparents- ready for church!

Then I looked down the hall and someone else had gotten ready for church too!  I sewed the bottom of a onesie to his dress shirt so it would stay tucked in.  See HERE for a tutorial.  I did not cut off the ends of his dress shirt.

love the hat and scarf!

Adorable homemade skirts from Aunt Beth!

Excited about his first present

It's a glowworm baby

Note he is chewing on the wrapping paper, not the new rattles

Stephen's new rice heat pads

9 of the 12 kids we had Christmas Day- they were so well behaved!

A few of the rabble rousers- E. Rowley played guitar most of the time as Mark did the night before- live music makes a party!!

Yes, those are press-on Hello Kitty nails- they lasted about 3 hours

clear back on her birthday in Nov- the Mathew family was here to celebrate and took our pic

It's a packing box, with a baby!

No, it's a carriage with 2 princesses being pulled by a Unicorn

Complete with decorations on the sides

I wear my sunglasses at night

One weekend we went up to Leavenworth for the nightly village lighting.  Pure madness, but gorgeous.

So, we had some Victoria Clipper refund to use and we took their charter bus up to Leavenworth.  Sure beats driving yourself, although they don't tell you that you will have to listen to a "tour guide" talk the whole way.  Anyway, we made friends with a couple of people sitting next to us.  I asked where they were from, they asked where we were from. 

Me:  We are both from Boise

Andy (girl):  Oh, I know some people in Boise.

Me:  (oh brother, like we are going to know these people, Boise is not as small as people think!)

Andy:  (continuing)  They are veterinarians. 

Me:  (looking at Stephen and laughing)  Well, we know 3 vets in Boise.

Andy:  Are they the Hunts?

Me:  No way, Chad and Julie Hunt???  Chad is his (pointing to Stephen) twin brother!!!

Andy:  Julie is one of my BEST FRIENDS!  I just went to Chile with her for (their other best friend)'s wedding!!!  I am getting light headed.  

As you can imagine, many exclamations ensued and we quickly became best bus friends.  JK- too funny though.

The weekend before Leavenworth, we went up and got our tree.  Best $10 tree permit experience so far and best tree so far.

His first car toy- given to him by an older couple at church, he loves it!!

Getting caught up in photos

These pictures posted in reverse order, so you should really start at the bottom and go up.  LOL

 Our camera ran out of battery on Odessa's birthday.  She had friends over for cake, it was a fun Sunday.

 SO EXCITED to get some birthday money!

 Cute 6 month old fashion shoot, sorry- there are lots

 Laughing at Ada

 He's rolling all over now- immobility has come to an end, I hate that . . . 

For her birthday, we took Odessa and 2 of her best friends (who are twins) to the Zoo for a day of fun

 The penguins follow your finger, they were very playful that day

 Riding the carousel

 Danica

 The hippos were active- they didn't like the click of my camera though!  Blew water at me and ducked under water

 I have never seen this lion from this spot, that was cool

He found his toes on the changing table a while ago

 I let the girls use some play makeup sometimes after church- Ada did great with no instructions!  She has always been very naturally good with clothes and makeup, girly things.

But on her second try, things got a little scary . . .  .

 Our chickens who we thought were pretty dumb are actually quite smart at times.  When it gets to be dusk and they can't get back into the chicken run to coop up for the night, they come pecking at the door to remind us to open the gate and let them in.  If the light is off, they find a window with a light on and jump up and bang against the glass.  It's hilarious, they have scared us more than once.

 Sitting up in my overalls

 This is the tree outside our living room window, it was so pretty to see the colors

 I twisted the girl's hair into knots- but it's so straight, it didn't work very well . .. 

 This is how Stephen gets Franklin to sleep.  I fall asleep too when he reads that book to me . . . zzzzzzzzz

 On the ferry to Whidbey Island

 Skipping in the rain in Coupeville- cute little town!!

 on the wharf

 cold and drizzly, but we managed!

 This is their little public radio station, what a space and what a view!

 Deception Pass state park for a little hike, the wind was INSANE, the water was gorgeous

 Almost blown away

 Much better on the hike- the Deception Pass bridge behind them

 Lots of pretty drop offs and views

 baby doll

 in mouth

 Debonair in the hand me downs- even a little clip on tie

 Pike place with the Deweys in October!

Seattle Center fountain

 Halloween with the Deweys- Raine and Carter

They wanted to be fairies this year even though they know virtually nothing about Tinkerbell and her friends. Even with underthings, they were cold and so I have convinced them to be firemen next year with big heavy coats and Franklin will be the Dalmatian.  LOL