Christmas

This year we realized that we went a little overboard! I started Christmas shopping in October. The purpose of this was so that we wouldn't be stressed about money in the month of December. I had stretched our purchased out over a few months, so in theory we should have plenty of extra cash denero. But in reality I think it just left more money to be spent on other things, like Christmas Light! Because, like all the years past by the end of the month we were low on funds just like normal! I think that is just part of the spirit of Christmas! Buy Buy Buy until you can't buy anymore. Which is why they came up with New Year resolutions, so that we can make resolution to be better next year. Like maybe next year I won't eat all those holiday treats and gain 5 pounds or purchase to many presents for Addie. There is always next year to look forward to.

Once Addie saw her Bike, she had to have the helmet and the knee pads on! She was going to be ready for whatever else Santa might have brought her!

Yup it is a good thing Santa brought her an umbrella, because now Addie is ready for anything. She has her dwarfs to help her, her bike to get her there, her helmet and knee pads to protect her and her umbrella to keep her dry! I would say she is ready to be a Girl Scout!

Honestly we had a wonderful Christmas, It was our first Christmas to stay home and not have to worry about Holiday travel. And of course it was perfectly clear and would have been smooth skies. But, after last year we didn't want to risk it! We missed our Families, but enjoyed our low key relaxed Holiday.

Christmas Eve

This year we started a new tradition. We thought that it would be fun to make sugar cookies and decorate them for Santa. So on Christmas eve we invited Dave & Jody's family over.

So after dinner was all cleaned up we rolled out the cookie dough and let the kids take turns in rolling out and cutting cookies!

Jody was the one in charge. She made sure all the cookies made it into the oven and cooked to perfection.

Sydney is always ready to strike a pose for the camera! Never mind the cookies she wants to look cute!

The Boys were not so patiently waiting for their cookies! They were ready to start decorating! But with the help of Egg Nog and some cinnamon rolls we were able to keep them happy. We had a great time and enjoyed watching the kids as they anxiously awaited Santa. We tracked Santa on Norad and were barely able to get the other Hannants home and in bed before it was too late. Everyone made it to bed and were fast asleep just in time for Santa to come!

Addie in the Snow

This is what happens when you have a two year old! She never ceases to amaze me with what she wants to wear! After helping Dad clear the driveway and the sidewalk she thought she still needed the leg warmers!

Addie was having a blast, just running around examining everything, I guess when it is covered in snow it becomes amazing!

See she won't even take her eyes off the snow to look at the camera!

I know that it looks like it is late, but no, it is really 6pm. After Dinner Paul went out to work on the snow removal project and Addie would barely wait long enough for me to put her coat and gloves on! She LOVES the snow!

Playdate with Cousins!

Hi Mommy! Am I close enough, can you see me! It isn't too often that Addie is smiling and looking at the camera, and sadly when she is it is usually because she is charging the photographer! A.K.A. ME!

On this beautiful snowy day sometime in December before Christmas break. Like that, I know I'm so on top of details! But, anyway, Abigail and Sydney came over to play and I couldn't keep them out of the snow! That played until they were frozen little Popsicles!

I can't say that Abigail thought that is was all that much fun. She was ready to come in almost immediately. I think it took more time to bundle her up that she actually spent outside!

But Sydney and Addie, now that is a different story. I had to bribe them to come in with hot chocolate and cookies. They would have played until they were frozen solid! They loved the slippery tramp. Their cute little fingers and legs were bright red, I guess the cotton pants and the socks for gloves weren't quiet enough. Sydney didn't bring snow clothes and I didn't have any that would fit her so we just had to make it work!

See Sydney didn't mind she was having a blast! But what you aren't seeing is the outfit I had to send her home in! Since her pants were all wet, I had t find something for her to wear while they were drying. So we wore one of Addie's skirts that was to big and a pair of Baby legs, which were more like leg warmers. They best part was that she loved the outfit and wouldn't take it off once her clothes were dry! You Gotta love the fashion sense of a 4 year old!

Sking with Addie!

By the end of the day Addie was so grumpy. We skied through her nap and that proved to make for a moody little munchkin! She insisted to wear her hood!

She Love Love Loved to "Dough". Whenever we would slow down or stop she would get excited and chant "Dough, lets dough, Mommy dough"

She wasn't even afraid of the lift. If anything her parents were more afraid than she was! She is a wiggly little one and fearless!

Dad takes good care of our little Burt. He got her all bundled up and ready to hit the slopes. Addie was not a big fan of the ski boots I might add. The nice guy who rented them to us even made sure to get her some pink ones, but she wanted nothing to do with them! she wanted to wear her boots, My little fashionista!

A few Days Late!

Okay I know that it has been a few days since I said I would be back, but I can only do so much. So after about an hour of organizing pictures and putting them in the right folders I think I''m ready to get caught up! So this year for Thanksgiving we went to Utah. We made it just in time to meet Lucy, Mark and Emilee's new baby. It was an exciting time. Lots of cousins, a new cousin and more food than any human should ever be allowed to eat. Oh and did I metion COUSINS! We had cousins cousins and cousins. It was a lot of fun to have everyone together again.Oh and on top of all the normal cousins we had a get together of all of Paul's cousin and their families. Let me tell you if the house wasn't already full it was bursting at the seams with people and fun memories. It was a wonderful trip. All the kids wrestled Uncle Scott, we all went skiing one afternoon, and we ate and we ate and we ate somemore! Sounds like a fantastic trip to me!

Not so good Snow Day!

When I woke up this morning I thought that it was going to be the bestimest coziest snow day of the season. I slept in, well to most of America I sleep in everyday, but that is not the point,today I really slept in. I stayed in bed and read a good book. Then when Addie finally woke up at 10 am we turned on the fire and cuddle in a blanket on the couch and watched Bolt. So far so good, right! Well about now Addie starts whining that she wants more than grapes for breakfast, so the great Mom that I am, gets up and finds her sippy cup, so that I can put milk in it. Sounds like a great breakfast to me! And that is when I find that her Sippy cup already had milk in it! Yikes, milk + headed bed = GROSS! Evidently last night when I decided that I was to tired to be a mom I guess I sent Addie to bed with a milk sippy and didn't know it, so this morning when I was expecting water I got cottage cheese! Now that that is all cleaned up and I have had enough lounging around the house I decided that a nice hot bubble bath would be fantastic! Not remembering that anytime Addie sees a bubble bath she has to join in. So much for relaxing, you try shaving your legs while Addie attempts to play London Bridge, not so easy, I promise! Not forgetting the water that has been splashed everywhere and the crying and the soap in the eyes we made it out clean and alive. After we get dressed and ready for a lazy day around the house I realize that it is after Noon. Guess I better find something to make for lunch. Popcorn! Better yet Kettle Corn, Addie thought it was a great plan and I didn't mind, whatever mess we make Ellie dog cleans up! So we cuddle on the couch and watch 102 Dalmatians and enjoy our popcorn. Next comes nap time! So I put Addie down and I decided to make some yummy cookies! An hour later my kitchen is a mess Addie is still not asleep and I think I'm the next Betty Crocker. I purchased an eggplant last week so I thought eggplant parmigiana would be great for dinner! Turns out that I suck at picking produce and on top of that I totally burned it and now I still don't have dinner, my kitchen is a disaster, not mention that I have loads and loads of laundry to do, Addie destroyed her room, my bathroom and my closet! Looks like my lazy morning has turned into an afternoon of cleaning! It always works out like this. Whenever I decide that I want to be lazy and let my duties as Mom, Wife, maid and chef take a break I end up with more work than ever! I guess my duties are calling maybe I will make it back tomorrow to post about our Thanksgiving trip to Utah!