new year's

new year's eve started with a dance party of course!

before we snuggled up on the couch....got beaded up....

and started our traditional photo shoot...

cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese....

silly....

mad....

sad....

surprised....

clearly this year's shoot did not include bucket loads of champagne, like usual....it ended much earlier with a sleepover in the living room....

j and i did ring in the new year while our wee ones slept....the next morning the girls got to playing and elena learned to braid hair!

got some more relax time and we needed it from our late night....

and one last photo shoot in front of the tree before i took it down....

here we go 2013.....bring it!!!!!  we're ready!!!!!

"I think in terms of the day's resolutions, not the year's." ~Henry Moore

our christmas...

christmas eve....getting the milk and cookies ready for santa....

and carrots for the reindeer too of course....

CHRISTMAS MORNING......easily the best day of the year.....our elf, lucy lotlo, wanted a good seat!

here they come.....

checking it out.....

reading santa's note he left for us....

excitement!!

let's start with the stockings....

magnetic earrings....

baby doll gymnast leo....

not happy at all.....haha.

lilo and stitch.....one of her favs....

electronic math game....

books!

keyboard....

guitar....

a mannequin where they can do her hair and makeup....

united states puzzle....

and....drumroll please.....

a tumbling barrel....

santa even brought daddy a super caddy for his shower.  it's all daddy has wanted for months now.  haha.

and a new tv for the master.  i musta been good!

we got right to playing.....

look and find book...

santa always goes crazy at our house for christmas! maybe a little too crazy! but oh boy, do we love it!! time seems to stand still for a few moments while we watch the girls tear into their gifts!


"One of the most glorious messes in the world is the mess created in the living room on Christmas day. Don't clean it up too quickly." ~Andy Rooney

christmas treats

all of our annual christmas treats....one of the favorites about this time of year...mmmmm - eating!!!

the gingerbread house...

getting serious...



yummmmm....

the finished project....





now let's dig in...

our ice cream snowmen...

and of course christmas cookies....



getting crazy....

and getting serious....with tags sticking out of our hat....

and you know i love my stealing santa's cookies shoot....









dear santa, forgive us!  love, elena and adelyn



For the spirit of Christmas fulfils the greatest hunger of mankind. ~Loring A. Schuler