Christmas Eve 2013

We have had a full day!  I'm not even really sure I have the energy to spit this post out...but I'm afraid if I don't, I might never.  Just so many memories here and I don't want to lose these pictures in the thousands of other pictures we have.

The girls woke up excited this morning because they already knew some of the things planned for the day.  Geoff and I needed a few minutes to get breakfast together and a few other things done...so to keep the girls busy....we sat them at the dining table to work on a My Little Pony puzzle that my mom got them for Christmas.  Parker did most of it....but she did so well putting it together.

Next up...the girls and I made the cookie dough...while Nolan hung out in his high chair, and Geoff made breakfast.

Grace is really our silly girl!  She'll makes silly faces almost every time we ask her to take a picture.

 We were going to do presents next, but Parker really really wanted to decorate the gingerbread house.  Which was fine by me and worked out a little better, I think.  I thought for a while we might not get this done this year, but so glad we did.

This girl helped decorate a little....but she mostly ate the icing!

Since we were already at the table....I went ahead and had them use the cookie cutters to make the cookies.  I made the dough from scratch this year...spread it out...and put in the freezer for about 10 minutes to make the dough more firm for handling.

I had to get a close up of those Christmas colored nails.

I think these cookies turned out the best we've ever done....up to this point.  Ha!  :)

While the cookies baked...the girls played and I made the icing.  I was going all out this year!

While the cookies cooled....we opened presents.  (I don't think I mentioned....but Geoff will be missing Christmas morning this year, so we let the girls open the presents from us today.)

We tried a new thing this year....we took each girl shopping at different times and had the them pick out a gift for the other.  Grace was so so sweet and was just beside herself excited to give Parker her gift.  She said while we were wrapping the present together, "I can't WAIT for Parker to open her present!"  Just the sweetest heart.  Needless to say...Parker was very excited.

And I think she was just excited to see her open it.  But isn't that what it's all about....better to give than to receive.

Grace wasn't quite as excited about her gift....Parker had a little trouble picking one out (I think because it was hard for her to decide what she was ok with Grace having that she knew she wouldn't have....but we're working on this.  :)   Geoff picked this out for her and she didn't seem too excited at first, but she really played with it the most the rest of the day.

They both got a Sofia the First amulet.

Such a pretty girl! (with her Elsa nightgown and Elsa hair)

We all got new slippers.

Nolan was napping during the cookie making and the gingerbread house decorating and the gift opening...but when he woke up...he got to open his gift.

Then we all just kind of played around for a bit before afternoon nap time/quiet time.

We got the girls a couple new games this year that I'm excited about.   Operation...and Don't Break the Ice.  They seem to be a hit so far,

And Nolan loves his new start stacker.

I love this sweet boy so much.  I don't know exactly what my 'favorite' age is....but I'm really loving him at this age.

Just so curious....yet still immobile (but I'm afraid for not much longer)....and just so stinking cute.

that one dimple...

And then there was the cookie decorating.  Which didn't go quite as planned, which is ok.

I had made icing...but didn't do a good job with it...and not really age appropriate for the girls.  And so that explained these...

So then we went for the canned icing and lots and lots of sprinkles!

But it was fun.

Love love this one.  Geoff reading one of their new books to Parker.

Parker wanted to write a letter to leave for Santa tonight.  It says, "from Parker....I love Santa...what I really want to have is a merry Christmas."

Dressed in their Christmas jammies before bed.  Love these 3.  Just really loving this time to soak them up.

Then the girls settled in to watch "How the Grinch Stole Christmas".  Parker remembered this from years' past...but we also read the book a few days ago....and we all enjoyed watching.

The girls are very excited....but I know they are so tired from all of this excitement and the past 3 nights of late bedtimes.  We had a little glitch in getting to bed 'on time' because we couldn't find Lovey {gasp}.  She went to sleep anyways {thankfully}, but surely we will find it tomorrow because I don't think it left the house today.

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas.

I know we are so very blessed.