Christmas cleanup

Here are some random pics from the holiday season:

Making bread with some neighborhood friends

Beautiful sunrise on a morning walk. Some days were so warm in December.

The past month or so, Myla has developed a fetish for squeezing into containers

15 month check-up

Myla wakes up before anybody else. After breakfast, she would sneak downstairs, read books and point at the Christmas tree and say "Ooooo"

She loves candy canes so much munching on the box is tasty. (Side Note: While munching on the box, Cambry asked: "Do boogers have skeletons?") 

Joslyn's parents moved into the basement of their Yoga studio which has tons of room for the kids to play in. They put up this piece of dry wall to keep the kids down stairs and for a drawing canvas.

More fun with cousins in the basement.

Getting ready to sleep in their "sleeping bags" on Grandma Beck's bed.

Our best attempt at Christmas Sunday pics. Thanks mom for the cute dresses.

Some less than best pics:

Myla tried to escape from Kohls, but tripped and smacked her eye on the tiled floor. Poor thing. She had a black eye for more than a week. You'd think she'd learn her lesson about running away from parents in the store, but she still takes off at her first chance!

Joslyn and her sister, Jess, helped grandma Ber make chocolates for our family on her death day (the day that doctors gave her to live 'till). Hence the dying faces... Doesn't Joslyn look good for dying? :)

The girls had a lot of fun at baby Noelle's 1st birthday party.

Christmas Day

Christmas Eve Cambry drew a picture of Santa and left him milk and cookies on a present under the tree (where he'll find it easier- naturally). 

Christmas morning Vienna slept in until 8, so finally we opened presents without Myla (who slept in until 9! Why can't they do this on other days?!). 

This was such a fun year where the girls were so excited for Santa to come, and so giddy to unwrap their goodness.

Myla finally joined the party- and was so excited to be apart of the party.

Veena helping Myla

We all could've stayed down here and played all day...

Except that it finally snowed early Christmas morning! What a miracle!!

I can't get over this happy snowpuff

Oh to be a kid again!! I wish every child could have this experience in their childhood at least once. 

What a beautiful winter wonderland! 

Our slow morning came to an end with a delicious Brunch with the Rappleyes and gift exchange.

These girls got Elsa and Anna hats (Frozen) and love them! 

Christmas night we were back over with the Airharts celebrating together with lasagna and trifle. We also got to celebrate Andrew's 1st birthday... didn't take any pics!! What a fun Christmas!! 

Nativities

This is the manger of straw that Cambry and Vienna worked so hard to make sure baby Jesus had a soft bed when he came. When they acted like Jesus, they got to place a piece of straw in the manger. This is one of my favorite traditions in our home. I love hearing the girls say to each other- "You're being like Jesus." 

We acted out the Nativity a few times. This story and message never gets old. We are so grateful for God's gift of his divine Son to us. Christ is central to all human history, and it is such an honor to celebrate his birth several times. 

First we acted it out with our friends the Markarians this year. 

Cambry was so happy to be the angel bringing glad tidings of great joy.

Our humble manger and all the peeps. (Vienna didn't want to participate, the little sass.)

Christmas Eve we acted it out again with the Airharts. Cambry got to be an angel again, and Vienna decided to participate since she could carry the giant candy cane around. hahaha. 

A little pre nativity posing. Devin and I got to be Mary and Joseph.

Wiseman Myla came to adore the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes.

Christmas Eve night we got to do the Nativity with puppets and lots of singing. The kids loved their puppets. (Vienna opted out of this one too, except when we sang Angels We have Heard on High- then she stood up on the bench and sang from the top of her lungs).

Ugly Sweater Party

Devin and I threw an ugly sweater party for friends and siblings at the Beck and Greg's Yoga Studio. We had so much fun making this night happen. We forgot to take pics until the very end, darn it! 

Here's a group shot of some of the great peeps that came. That's a lot of ugliness! Jess found a big heap of old trophies and handed out awards to everyone. It was so funny.

Jess made this great fire place. She's pretty fantastic.

couple shots:

Jess and Mert

Britton and Aubrey

Jamey and Michelle- check out Jamey's light up sweater! Michelle is wearing the vest Beck made for herself and all her sisters in the 90's. 

The VanLeuweens : Chris and Melissa

We laughed so hard at Bethany and Shaun Sorenson as they maneuvered themselves to be the most awkward.

Steph and Braden Andersen- real deal tree skirt! 

Jess and I tried to pose the same way as we posed in the 2006 ugly sweater party pic that is located just over my shoulder. 

What a fun night we had!  I love this goofy man of mine