Monday, December 28, 2015

Callista is 9!!!!

The great thing about having your birthday on a Sunday is that you actually get to celebrate it for 2 days since we don't go out places on Sundays.  As soon as Callista found out the release date for the new Star Wars movie....she knew exactly what she wanted to do for her birthday activity and so here she is....and she LOVED it.  Towards the end she was sitting on my lap and she whispers in my ear...."I am not leaving this theater until I see Luke Skywalker"!  Thank goodness...he appeared.
 After the movie, she chose Fadi's Mediterranean Grill as her going out to dinner choice...as usual...it was delicious!
Her actual birthday started just perfect with her orange rolls for breakfast...nothing ambitious...she just likes the Pillsbury pop up ones.
After church she opened her first present which was her outfit for the day and I was just so excited to find these panda bear shoes...thankfully they fit, and even better, she loves them!
 Here is her whole panda ensemble.
 Chloe came up with the idea that she should open one present every hour so she wouldn't have to wait till nightime when there wouldn't be any time to play with them anyhow.  Good call Chloe!
She loves her shopkins!
 She had been asking for a "giant" stuffed monkey but this will have to do because there is just no more room for another giant stuffed animal.
 Then her Dad painted a panda face on her toe nails...that is one awesome Dad!

 The next hour was a panda bear from Ryan which she promptly named "Bamboozle".
 
 The next hour was a book series called "Survivors" about a group of dogs.
 For dinner she wanted crepes...actually it's more like she wanted syrup and powdered sugar, with a little bit of crepe to go with it.
 Her request, as usual, was a lemon cake with lemon icing.
Callista...we pray every wish you made on these candles come true and wish a healthy and happy year!

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Merry Christmas 2015

Santa never disappoints!  I just don't know how he does it every year?
 
 There were some very happy kids here on Christmas morning.
 
 
 Paul even got "Handerpants" in his stocking!
 
 
 Nutmeg was extremely happy about his apple sticks.
 
 There was this joke last summer about how my Mom loved to swipe my tervis cup, so Chloe made sure she had one of her own this Christmas.
 
 Ryan has been asking for a drone for 2 years now...apparently Santa thought this year he was mature enough to get it.
 
 Chloe had been asking for Uggs and for the "Giver" book series.
 
 Callista in her cute outfit her Dad picked out for her.  You can't see it right now...but there's a fox on it....one of her favorite animals.
 
 Each of the kids got fancy coloring books and the girls spent many hours that day coloring in them.
Callista asked Santa for a bike...she must have been good this year.
Here's the drone....
Here's the drone being learned how to fly...

Here's the drone in the tree!
 It was a very relaxing Christmas playing with our gifts we received and remembering the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.
Merry Christmas!

Friday, December 25, 2015

Christmas Eve

We enjoyed an awesome Christmas Eve with our great friends the Stangers, and my cousin Peter Larsen and his family.
Here is the beautiful Stanger Family:  Julie, Andrew, Jack, and Emma.
 These are the Beautiful Larsen Gals: Arielle, Tiffani, Kelly (their niece) and Francisca.
 Here's my Mom and Peter...he is her oldest brother Don's son who lives here is Houston as well.
 
 Besides playing, the kids decorated cookies for Santa!
 After reading the Nativity Story from the Bible, Eli, our elf left his usual bag of wares on our doorstep.  The favorites this year were silly socks for everyone, sneaker balls for the men so their shoes wouldn't stink, light up necklaces for the girls, and light sabers for the boys.
 After our guests left, the kids were ready for bed...but not without opening their Christmas PJ's.
 Ryan wasn't sure what he thought of them.  He often accuses me of buying him girls' pj's and then I have to go on-line and show him it's actually the girls wearing boy's pj's.
This guy was excited to open his pj's as well!
 
Are they pants...or a headdress?  I guess he can't tell!
 Merry Christmas Eve....can't wait to see what Santa leaves under our tree.

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Christmas Sunday

My favorite Sunday of the year...full of music and joy, and oh yes....new Christmas dresses, and even a new suit for Ryan.  It's about 3 inches too long, but I'm positive within three months it will fit perfectly.


 So now for the truth.....Callista hates this dress...she claims it's itchy, however, she claims most clothing items are itchy.  Lucky for her...she only had to wear it for the picture since she'd been running a fever for a few days and wasn't even going to church, so I get to take it back and this time let her pick a dress (that isn't itchy---haha...good luck with that) that she will wear more than 10 minutes for a picture.