Polar Express

Merry Christmas Everyone! I hope you all had a great day yesterday. We had so much fun watching our three little girls enjoying their presents and extended family. Christmas as a parent is even better than as a child. I love being able to see their faces light up when they see the cookies and carrots eaten by Santa and the reighndeer.

So, to begin our Christmas posts, I wanted to share our pictures from the Polar Express. I'm sure most of you know what this is, but here is a quick explanation for those of you that don't. The Grand Canyon Railroad does a train ride to the North Pole during November and December every year. They try to recreate the book and take the kids on about an hour and half train ride to the North Pole. While there, Santa boards the train and gives each child their own Christmas bell. If you haven't had the chance to do, and you can be around the Flagstaff area, it was soooo worth it! Our kids had the best time. Here are tons of pics from that night.

Crafts at the train station

The chef serving hot chocolate

Eating dinner before the train ride (kind of out of order)

Mrs. Claus visited with the kids at the train station

SANTA! He told Abbie and Lillie that they were on the good list, so they were very excited.

Looking out the window as we pass the town at the North Pole. We even passed Santa's sleigh filled with a HUGE bag of toys

The whole fam minus Lucy...she stayed at home with Nana

Only one more word to describe our time.....

MAGICAL

Ward Christmas Party

We had our ward Christmas Party Friday night. The primary kids put on a cute little nativity musical. Abbie and Lillie were angels...you can kind of see them in the middle.

Happy Thanksgiving

Hope everyone had a fun and RELAXING Thanksgiving. I am so grateful for wonderful friends and family!

New Moon--pics not suitable for non-Twilight fans eyes!

VS

Loved the movie! I unfortunately was trying to get over a cold that night, so took some DayQuil and was a little drugged I think, because I can't remember some parts of the movie. So, can't wait to see it again!

I am a true Team Edward member and have never wavered until Thursday night. This movie does a really good job of making you fall in love with Jacob (better than the book because you can actually SEE him). BUT, not enough to "change" me. My fictional heart still belongs to the vampire.

2 more days and counting...

Only 2 more days until the advanced showing on Thursday night. Thanks to my friend Kimmy, Brad and I will be there, loving Edward. Well, maybe just me on that second part.

Happy Happy Birthday to the BIG GIRLS!

We celebrated Abbie and Lillie's Birthday's together again this year. They are 2 years and 6 days apart, so it works out great. Abbie turned 7 and Lillie 5. So terrible, where does time go? I can't believe Abbie will be baptized next year. We had a family party (so fun to be back in AZ by family) at a park and it ended up being great weather. I love this first pic of Lillie being so excited about a present.

Unfortunately, about halfway through the party, Lucy took a tumble down the ladder of the playground equiptment. It was pretty nasty and her forehead immediately swelled like a golf ball. It's hard to tell in the pictures, but we tried to capture the damage as best we could. The only thing that made her happy after that: Papa and Food...of course.

Pre-accident, chowing on the cheetos with Brecken. These two didn't leave this spot until all those Cheetos were gone.

Their candle were sparklers that wouldn't go out. They thought it was fun.

The morning of Abbie's actual birthday. It was October Break so her cousin Sarah had a sleepover. We always make the girls breakfast in bed on their birthday. Abbie chose Mickey Mouse pancakes and Lillie wanted waffles.

End of the school year in Utah

So, here is a blast from the past (well, just 6 months ago). These pics are from Abbie and Lillie's end of the year school performances. Abbie's school does a dance festival every year and it is really cute. Each grade puts together a fun dance performance with costumes and performs it for all the parents about a week before school lets out. It was pretty fun seeing how much the teachers get into it. The Kindergarten's dance theme was Hawaiian.

Lillie enjoying the show

Sorry, this picture wouldn't stay turned...it was being weird

Here is Lillie and her cute little friends at her end of the year preschool program. They did some cute songs with actions.

Lillie loves these girls!

(from left) Haley, Peyton, Lillie & Riley

Lucy just along for the ride

Lucy's 1 year old pictures

Here are Lucy's one year old pictures that my friend in Utah was kind enough to take for me...thanks Amy! I decided I needed to do a little catch up of our life the past little while. Lucy was pretty good for this little photo shoot, only a little crying.