Merry Christmas 2o1o

From my family to yours.... Merry Christmas!

Enjoy the holiday season with friends, family and fun!

Santa Has Arrived

We tried and tried and tried but just couldn't, in Dawson's words, "GET USED to SANTA." She kept telling me she wanted to talk to Santa and see him when she got used to him. Well, last night she decided she wanted to see him as long as Tommy and I held her hand! No such luck! She did wave a few times and blew a kiss in return from Santa blowing a kiss. This is the best picture of Santa for 2010! I still love it!!

How To Make Cut Out Cookies

Dawson has been making cookies with her Grammy for a long time so I thought she could share with the rest of us her step by step process. She really does have this process down and can do it without anyone's help! I didn't get any pictures of the finished product because I was helping ice and decorate. The finished products had some sprinkles and decorations on them! These will be the cookies we will be leaving out for Santa on Xmas Eve. The excitement is building around this house!!!

Step 1 - Pick your cookie cutters.

Step 2 - Find just the right size rolling pin.

Step 3 - Roll out the dough.

Keep rolling until the dough gets thin enough to cut out.

Step 4 - Pat the dough. (Not sure why she likes to do this?)

Step 5 - Cut out the dough with your favorite cookie cutter.

Step 6 - Remove the dough around the shape.

Step 7 - Cook them while you nap.

Step 8 - Ice them.

Step 9 - Always taste what you make!!! YUM!!

The first gifts of Christmas

This weekend we opened our first gifts of Christmas. We went over to Lynn's house to play, eat lunch and exchange presents. The girls were really sweet this year. They helped each other open their gifts and were working together so well. This was the first present Dawson has opened this year and she really showed a lot of excitement. I can't wait until Santa comes. Which leads me to a funny conversation we had last night. I was reminding her that Santa was not coming for a few more days. Her response to me was..."I know mom! He's still seeing all those kids at the mall!" Well, I guess she's right.

Lynn and I were in the kitchen visiting while the girls were upstairs. After a little while, the two came down dressed up wearing tutus, crowns and carrying wands. Notice Dawson's crown...that's what Lynn wore for Halloween! Doesn't Dawson look completely different with no bangs?

Check out their outfits!

Thank you Grace and Lynn for our new shark puppet. We love it so much that it slept with us last night and occasionally, it bits us! Yikes!!!!

(thanks for these pics Lynn...I forgot to bring my camera)

SNOW DAY for BOTH of US!

More snow left us both home for the day and more time to be outside. Guess what? I did it!!! I finally got the picture I wanted for my Christmas card. Thank goodness because it was driving me crazy just trying to get the perfect picture. Check that off my list!!! (None of these will be on our card. I want to surprise everyone.)

Digging and digging. Dawson said she was looking for the grass.

Look how deep the snow is here?

And finally, Dawson put the finishing touches on her Christmas tree that is in her room. Can you tell she did it all by herself? It's killing me not to fix it but, I'm going to stay strong!!

From green grass to SNOW......

Lots of snow came down last night and covered the green grass that we just saw a few days ago. When I say a lot, I mean a lot....about 12 inches and more is on the way! We dressed up warm and headed outside for a snowball fight. It was dark and snowy at 6:00 so my pictures are not the greatest and they have snow spots but, you can get the idea of all the fun we had!

Throwing snowballs!

A snow angel.

She just couldn't stop smiling.

Making a snowball and throwing it at mommy! This was lots of fun!!!

We love playing in the snow!

Trying to get a picture!!

Wish me luck on getting a good Christmas card picture this year. We have been dressed up TWICE and ready to get a picture but, Miss Dawson will not cooperate! She wants to run, jump, skip and just smell the pine trees! Every time we do this, we do have a good time but, no good pictures! Look at how happy she is in these pictures!

Smelling the pine tree!

Skipping down the sidewalk. I think most of my pictures this day were of the back of her. Since she has learned to skip, that's all she does when we go for a walk!

And another picture in movement! Never fear, I am not giving up yet! I will keep snapping away until I'm happy with my picture! (I do have a great backup from Fall just in case I can't get what I want!)