Monday, January 3, 2011

Christmas Blessings 2010

Hope all of you had a blessed Christmas! We certainly did. Life with two sweet little girls brings so many smiles and blessings! I think I appreciate being a mother more each day and am trying to savor each moment with my girls as they are passing by so very quickly. Anna is so grown up and wants to help me with everything (including being a little mother to Emma). Thankfully, most of the time, she is very loving and sweet to her little sister (although sharing her new toys from Christmas is not something she does easily). Emma is talking and learning new words each day--I guess Anna probably talked this much at 18 months as well but it's amazing what you forget! Emma is also our little cuddle bug. She loves to be held and cuddle which of course just melts our heart. I hope this never ends!

We went to our parent's houses the week before Christmas to celebrate with my mom, brother and grandparents; Jonathan's brother and parents; and then my Dad and Marty. We are blessed to have lots of family who love us and I'm so thankful that my girls are even getting to know their great grandparents. We came back home on Christmas Eve so we can have our own traditions with our girls and let them be in their own home on Christmas morning. Church on Christmas Eve was supposed to be one of these but we had a sick baby so we missed this year. The girls played with toys from Santa on Christmas morning, big breakfast, birthday celebration for Jesus, and then lots of playtime. My favorite part was going to look at lights Christmas night...it started snowing while we were driving around with the Christmas music playing and all the pretty lights outside. Great way to end a special day with our sweet little family! Here are just a few pictures from our Christmas.
 
Our biggest blessings this Christmas-Anna (4) Emma (18 months)

Happy Birthday Jesus! Anna decorated the cake; she was quite pleased :) it was purple, pink, turquoise and green with all of those colors of sprinkles. She picked 3 candles for Jesus :)
Christmas at mom's was a little crazy. We were supposed to celebrate with her on Thursday but Anna got strep so we post-poned to Christmas Eve morning (Fri). Emma woke up that morning with a head to toe rash and I had to take her to the doctor before we were able to head to mom's. We got there around lunch time and all of the kids were ready for a nap by then. We tried for pictures with everyone but that didn't go well! Here's one with she and my brother and I after the presents were open.
Christmas with Dad and Marty. Dad was decked out in his tacky sweater from a work contest. I should have posted another picture I have--he had lights all through the front of the sweater that lit up in the shape of a tree (battery operated of course). Very creative Dad; he won the contest at work.
The Norton family. We had fun posing for pictures on my mother in laws steps. Rachel arranged us for this picture and we used Ursula's camera with a timer to get everyone in. My neices are also growing up too fast as you can see. Rachel is 14 and Sarah is 12 (but both have birthdays coming soon). My girls loved playing with their cousins!