December

December involved seeing sheep at the Live Nativity at Heritage Park

and being a sheep at the Nativity at church (while all the other girls were angels).

 

We've been to Once Upon a Christmas the last few years. 

But this was MaryAnn's first time visiting Santa. 

We were happy to have Grandpa and Wanda join us this year.

We went on the hay ride, bought cheese buns at the bakery,

Aria got to buy things at the Kids Only Store.  A very fun day for everyone.

Aria had her very first school Christmas concert.  

It was 50's themed so I made her a poodle skirt - with a reindeer instead! 

She also lost her first tooth! (And cut a chunk out of her bangs.)

Lots of playing out in the snow too.

And we made COOKIES!  Sugar cookies, fairy bites (shortbread), candy cane fudge,

cookie dough fudge, pumpkin molasses cookies, peppermint snowballs and rice krispie squares.

We also painted our sugar cookies before baking them this year - they turned out great!

A low-key evening at Grandpa and Wanda's with dinner and gifts.

The biggest present of the night - tickets to see Weird Al for Aaron and his Dad!

Even though it was -20 outside, we went to see our favorite lights on Christmas Eve.

They added a section of projection lights shining on a grove of trees - it was magical!

Merry Christmas!  We spent Christmas morning at Nana and Papa's (as usual).

Another ribbon trail for Papa to follow to get his Klondike Bars.

Another scavenger hunt for Aaron's gifts (all Darkwing Duck themed).  

Aria got games, Papa got granddaughter hugs in scarf-form, 

and MaryAnn wanted nothing more than to eat everyone's Mandarin oranges. 

Nathan joined us with Tegan and Logan, 

making it an even merrier Christmas. 

Except when MaryAnn kept stealing Logan's soother, over and over. 

Christmas Day and I tried cross-country skiing for the first time!

I fell a bunch, but it was fun to try something new - even at -25 degrees!

MaryAnn turned 11 months old, and is as mischievous as ever.

She gets into everything, especially things that make a mess.

If there is any bowl left near the edge of the table she will find it!

The two pictures below were taken the same day - the same HOUR!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!