Painting Nails & Almond Bark Pretzels

On the 27th, we painted our fingernails and made almond bark covered pretzels.  For the first year, I let the girls do a tray all by themselves.  Then I did the rest of the pretzels by myself when they got bored.  Mena was very excited to wear her new chef hat, apron, and oven mitts that she received from Jake for Christmas.  I cautioned them not to touch the crock pot because it can get really hot.  She was very safe.

The Star

On the morning of the 26th, I took the girls to Omaha to see "The Star."  It was a cute animated movie telling the story of Jesus' birth from the point of view of the animals.

Christmas Afternoon

We went to Yutan for lunch and presents.  Mom, Dad, Beth, Peyton, Tyler, Peg, Jon, and Jake were there.  The kids had fun together.  Our own Santa (Papa) was so excited for his gifts that he opened them before everyone had a gift to open.  I didn't get a picture of Mom opening her gift and we forgot to get pictures of the kids together.

The girls and I spent the night while everyone else went home.

Chistmas Morning

Christmas morning Mena woke up first at 5 am.  I told her she could be on her tablet.  Normally, I would just fall back to sleep, but I couldn't so at 6 am, I got up and did aerobics.  At 6:30 am, Maggie woke up and I let the girls open presents.

I got Maggie a Furreal Cat.  When Mena saw it and heard it, she asked, "Is that what was in the basement?!?"  Earlier in the month, I'd hidden it on top of the upright freezer downstairs.  Every time I turned on the lights, the cat would make a sound.  I tried closing the box, covering the box with a bag, turning the box, but nothing worked.  Maggie went downstairs to get her laundry out of the dryer and came running upstairs with big eyes telling me there was a cat in our basement.  I tried to say it was a cat outside, but she wasn't buying it.  Then Maggie decided that it was the toy cat she bought at Build a Bear.  She found the cat upstairs and pushed the button.  Yep, it sounded the same.  She then announced that our elf was pushing the cat's button and making the sound.  I went right along with it and declared that elf was ornery!  On Christmas morning they figured out it was the toy making the sound downstairs :) 

Christmas Eve

 

The girls were supposed to come to me at 8 pm, but I received a text from their dad at 5 pm asking if I would take them to a Christmas Eve service.  I picked the girls up at 6:30 so we could go to the 7 pm service.  A friend took our picture in the front of the sanctuary by the poinsettias.  At home I let them open one present with a new shirt for Christmas day and a Thirty-One bag to carry stuff to Grandma and Papa's house.

Mena's First Piano Recital

Mena did a great job at her first piano recital!  Grandma, Grandpa, Maggie, Dad and Mom were there to watch.

Gingerbread Houses

Mena was sick all weekend so we had to cancel our plans with family and friends.  One of the activities was making gingerbread houses so when Mena was feeling a little better we did those on Saturday.  I knew she was sick when she ate little to no candy compared to previous years.  Maggie ate her usual amount :)

Gutter Covers

The girls are too young to appreciate that Papa put gutter covers on the house, but I am very, very glad that project is done for years to come!

Rosemont Christmas Program

Mena had been sick, but thank goodness her fever broke so we could go to their daycare Christmas program.  Mena had a reading part and we could understand everything she said.  I'm sad that the picture wasn't clear, but wanted to keep it to remember her part.  Maggie was one of the angels.  We went to Pizza Ranch after the program to celebrate Papa's birthday.

Let's Go Camping!

Well, we're not actually camping right now, but we bought a used pop-up camper for next summer!  Grandma and Papa came early for the Christmas program so Papa could pull it home for us.

Maggie's Art

Maggie created this artwork with cardboard, foil, puzzle pieces, yarn and paint.

Bob, the Elf

Mena is now in charge of the elf.  He made a mess with lotion the first morning and left the following note, "I will be a better elf this year.  I will answer all your letters.  from Bob"  She sent an email to her dad, step-mom, aunts, and grandma declaring "I get to move the elf now because my mom last year didn't do a good job moving it."  "Good deal for me," was my thought!

The next day I got off work early and created the annual letter from Santa that the elf brings each year.  Maggie was super excited!  Mena later gave me a hug and said, "Thanks for the letter, Mom!"