Thursday, December 31, 2009

December fun-leading up to Christmas

December was full of fun events that kept us extremely busy fulfilling all of those traditions that we started and didn't want to miss out on doing this year! Our girls are really bonding and the minute Amelia hears her sis's voice she whips her head around to see her and flashes a smile from ear to ear at her. She adores her big sis and watches her like a hawk. She does love to pull hair but Amanda has shown her grace since she is just a baby!











We had a huge snow storm arrive in December and it was the very first time daddy was home to play in the snow. The snow arrived on Saturday and they didn't plow our street until 10 pm on Monday night so we were thrilled to have daddy home with us, some others were not so thrilled with the lack of plowing so the news crews came out and did a story and within minutes the plow arrived and they did a FABULOUS job on our street and we were very thankful! Shocking what makes news today!





This was the first year that I was prepared with everything we needed to play in the snow. We didn't have a sled one year, boots another, snow pants another, so this year I was determined to be ready early for that first snow with a sled, boots, hats, mittens, snow pants, and I am happy to say I pulled it off! To think it has taken me FOUR short years to have my daughter ready to play in the snow but at least Amelia can have all the hand-me-downs:) So at least I can say I am ready for Amelia to play in the snow!





Amanda wasn't happy about wearing the snow pants................














What a beautiful snow! It was as if God was getting us ready to celebrate his son's birth by cleansing the world around us and making it so white and beautiful and giving us time to just stay put and enjoy his creation!



















Amanda enjoyed playing the part of an angel in a play at cubbies.






















Amanda enjoyed decorating the house for Christmas this year! We enjoyed advent season by doing a calendar, and opening the daily present from mammaw and pappaw, opening the boxes from kit called "What God wants for Christmas" and working on a count down chain of service to others.


Amanda enjoyed making a gingerbread man, she loves projects but likes to do them without a lot of help from me! We did plant a Christmas flower together!



























We put all of our winter/Christmas books in a bin on our coffee table this year so we could read them all throughout the season. I love this pic of daddy reading to his girls. Both of the girls love to be read to. We spend many afternoons and mornings just reading and then look at the clock and wonder where the time went?









Amelia went to her first LIVE NATIVITY and loved it with exception of wearing the bundle me outfit.







Amanda loved having Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus in her front yard up until the snow storm....then we had to take them in.











Amanda and I made a potholder together! Considering I can't sew or anything, I was surprised with how easy it was.















I did 95% of my Christmas shopping online and Amelia was a great help. She loved going through magazines and playing with the paper.













Amanda loves showing off her baby sis to her friends. She had a fun time going to the birthday party for baby Jesus another one of our favorite traditions.





We also went to a Tiny Tots concert and to lunch out with our friends but forgot to bring our camera:) We had a great time and Amelia really loved the music. We are thinking we are going to have 2 singing, music loving girls at our house.





Amelia play the part of baby Jesus in the play at cubbies with her sister.

























Amelia enjoyed her first Bethlehem walk another fun tradition for us.












Amanda hosted her annual Gingerbread house making party with a few of her friends.


















It was so much fun watching the girls make their houses.














Amanda fixed her hair that morning and had several barrettes in it and it was a little messy but she was sooo proud that she did it herself I didn't dare tell her it was messy.







Gingerbread fun!



























When the girls finished decorating the houses we went downstairs for some yummy pizza.







































The girls had fun bouncing in the house
























































































The girls had fun playing in this cardboard house we got for a winter time project. We figure we can work on coloring it all winter since the predictions are it is going to be a cold, cold, winter, I am predicting we will be inside a lot!






Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Trip to Bethlehem



On Sunday night we continued another tradition that we have had for four years with Amanda, The Bethlehem Walk.

A church transforms their halls into Bethlehem to show us what it was like for Mary and Joseph to walk to Bethlehem and show us what it was like for them. Amanda told me this year, " I really liked that Bethlehem it was fun."











The women at the well were so funny.







We saw some families playing the dreidel, they asked Amanda if she wanted to play but she was too shy for them.












Amelia's first Bethlehem walk

























They had a Jewish school set up and the children were learning































Amanda loved the market place they had set up






The walk led us outside to a stable where there were animals to pet but Amanda didn't want to pet them. She just wanted to see Jesus. They used a real baby to play the part of baby Jesus.







After the play we went to a reception they have there to listen to live Christmas music and eat yummy cookies. We think Amelia enjoyed her first Bethlehem walk and we know Amanda sure did!