New Sleds

On the day after Christmas, the girls wanted to try out their new sleds. So we went to the little hill across the street. 

It was the perfect size for them. Big enough to be fun, but little enough for them to carry their own sleds back up the hill.

Vienna would have so much fun, but get cold because she wouldn't keep her hat or gloves on and go inside. She'd watch from inside and decide that it was more fun outside and come back out. This happened twice.

Cambry insisted that she ride alone in her new purple sled...

which resulted in a lot of this, but she was such a good sport about it. Just got right up and tired again after crashing.

Myla: 4 months

Myla Avolene, what an absolute gem!! She is the happiest, most relaxed baby I've ever known. She sleeps well, which Heavenly Father knew if he wanted our family to be sane, the mom needed a little rest. When I hold her, she holds me back by squeezing her little arms around my neck and shoulders. She smiles at almost anyone, and when she's fed and rested, she'll laugh at everyone too. She gets this focused face every once in awhile and gets kicking her legs so fast, and does what Cambry calls hammer hand (making a fist and "hammering" the air super fast). Cambry can get her laughing harder than anyone else can. Both Cambry and Vienna love her and like it when she's on the floor or couch and they can each hold her hand, and hover over her face. When she's woken up from a nap, or has to miss a nap, she just sleeps longer at night, without making a big deal! (who is this angel?!?).  She loves her hands and is frequently staring at them or nibbling on them. She doesn't love tummy time, but politely tolerates it. She rolled over once, just after her 4 month mark, but I think she was the most surprised, and hasn't done it again since. She's 40th percentile in weight, height and head. 

We love you dearly Myla!

Christmas Clean-Up

Here are some pics disconnected pics during December.

Vienna is mastering the art of sharing with her little sister.

A present came through the mail in this tube, and the girls had a blast with the tube.

Cambry and I built a snowman in our front yard. Each accessory was her idea. She was so proud of it.

The view out our front picture window... I think we're obsessed with this tree.

Christmas dresses. All I could get out of these kids was goofy faces.

Cambry's comfort/reset spot during December was by her giant present under the tree.

More Christmas dresses

Our happy place

"Hey mom, look at my... ear mugglers."

Myla snuggled up with her great, great Aunt Rose.

We drove through Christmas Street one evening, and saw all the Christmas lights. It was a huge hit with Cambry and Vienna

This house was the winner with this fire breathing dragon.

Leaving church one Sunday, these goof balls put their coats on backwards. Its all fun and games until somebody bounces off the wall and topples over. Note: you can't comfort someone when you're uncontrollably laughing at them. Somehow even 2 year olds can pick up and the insincerity. 

Christmas

Christmas morning was so great. We all woke up feeling a million times better. Devin and I actually got up before the girls and had to wait a really long time for them to come out of their room! Cambry and Vienna were so excited though when they finally woke up. Myla slept in until 10. 

After they played with their Santa gifts for 10 minutes, Cambry wanted to complete her princess puzzle before doing anything else, and Vienna wanted to eat breakfast, so we took our sweet time getting to gifts under the tree. It was a perfect morning.

We went to Devin's sister Angela's house for a Rappleye Christmas brunch and gift exchange. Angela just had a baby, so she's amazing and brave to have us all over. Here's Myla with her newest cousin Noelle, born on her 3 month mark, December 11th

Our cousins in Australia made these darling shirts with their hand prints on them for our girls. They love them!

Cute Sterling got more penguin paraphernalia. 

Christmas night we went to my parents yoga studio where we had dinner in the basement. It was so beautiful with so much room for the kids to play. Sad this is the only picture we have from that! 

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve, Vienna woke me up at 3 AM covered in her own vomit, poor girl (I should probably add poor me too, cause I'm quite self centered at that time of day/night). Later that morning,Cambry joined in too, afraid of being left out. Devin and I felt queasy, but managed to keep it together (physically, heaven knows that we're definitely crazy). So, we took it easy all day. We missed our family events for the day and evening which was sad, but it was nice to have this sickness to remind us of how much the Lord has blessed us, and to solely focus on Christ. A little stomach bug really isn't that bad.

In the evening, after our elaborate meal of saltines, applesauce and sprite, we drove around and saw amazing light displays in different neigborhoods. Then we did a reenactment of the nativity. Veena bug was our wise (wo)man. 

Cambry, of course, was our little Shepherd.

Myla was our angel.

Here she is appearing to the Shepherd. (Please excuse our messy house. Remember we're sick.)

Here's the shepherd bringing her sheep (cougar) to adore Jesus. (Cambry and Vienna worked really hard all month to make sure baby Jesus' bed would be very soft for this moment. Each piece of straw represents an act of service or kindness from them).

Now, the wise man coming out of the east bearing gifts.

Here they are all adoring Jesus. They brought all their stuffed animals up because Jesus was born in a stable full of animals.

The whole cast.

Then the girls got to open their Christmas jammies.

They wrote a little note to Santa and left out some cookies. Bedtime was the easiest ever that night because they didn't want Santa to pass them by because they weren't sleeping.

Santa left a few crumbs!

Sledding

After our first big snow storm in December I took the girls sledding at Grandma Beck's house. I got C and V all ready and sent them out with Aunt Jess and Rylee, while I got this cute bundle of goodness ready... Her snow suit is HUGE!! Her extremities barely made it out of the body part of the suit. 

Cambry loved sledding (although she just tolerated sharing a sled)

haha I didn't even know Myla couldn't see! What a good sport.

Kids are so dang cute all bundled up. Oh I should probably mention Vienna was already back inside before I got out there with Myla. She only likes being out for a couple of minutes. We'll have to fix that if we want to enjoyable survive the winter.

When it was time to go inside, Cambry climbed on the big mountain of snow Grandpa Greg shoveled off the driveway, and got her boot stuck. I set down Myla in the snow to rescue Cambers, and when I came back, this gentle lamb was asleep. This girl adds a whole new definition to the term snow angel.

Devin's Birthday

Devin's Birthday was on the 17th of December. The girls and I went to his lab at the U of U to surprise him with donuts and hugs and kisses. It was great checking out all the fancy equipment that Devin has been telling me about, and seeing Devin in his element (eating donuts and saving the world with his experiments).

We topped the visit off with a little human merry-go-round. Happy Birthday Mr. Rappleye. All 4 of your girls LOVE YOU!!