Beauty And The Beast

Bryan really spoiled me! One of my Christmas gifts was 4 tickets to the musical of Beauty And The Beast. I was so surprised and just thrilled! I love musicals and going to Broadway shows. Bryan stayed home with Peyton while Maddie, my sister Caitie, my Mom and I went to the show. We headed to down town Portland and drove in circles for a while looking for parking...every spot was for 1hour time limit. Finally we found a parking garage, found a spot and headed on over to the show. Maddie loves plays, like I do, so she was all excited and dressed in her Belle dress. The show was WONDERFUL and I really enjoyed it. The seats were on the first balcony in the first row. Which made it so nice we could see just perfectly. The music from Beauty and the Beast is so good. I just wanted to sing along with every song. :) It was fun to spend time with my Mom, Sister and Maddie. Thanks for joining me girls! What a great Christmas present...Thank you Bry!

Christmas Night

On Christmas evening we went to my Sisters house to meet up with all of my family. I never seem to get too many pictures of Christmas with my side of the family. I think it is because there is so many people and so much going on that I just get caught up in the socializing. We had an nontraditional Italian dinner of lasagna, spaghetti, and pizza. We opened gifts and also did our annual white elephant gift exchange. The white elephant exchange is always so funny. You really never know what you are going to get. Here are a few pictures that were taken. It was a fun and whirlwind evening. Maddie and Peyton with Great Grandma Sargent. They received a cute plate with a picture of baby Jesus on it.

Elmo "hot tomato" game

Maddie and her own digital camera. O-boy is she going to have fun with this!

Christmas Morning

Santa came on Christmas Eve night and the girls were so excited to get up in the morning and see what he had brought. I did have a little problem with the morning time and Maddie...she thought that 2am was a great time to get up and open gifts. I told her to go back to bed. She had already gone downstairs and was letting me know that Santa had come and ate some of the cookies, and drank the milk, and she just couldn't wait any longer. Well, I tucked her back into bed and she continued to get up every hour to check in and see if it was time to get up yet. I told her that 7am was the earliest I was going to get up. I told her what her clock would look like when it said 7:00. She continued to get up every hour to let me know that her clock still did not say 7 yet. O-boy was I chipper when 7:00 did roll around. Needless to say the girls were very happy with what Santa brought them. Maddie received a black horse and a Barbie Doll that she had asked Santa for. Peyton received a new baby doll stroller...she was thrilled and would have been happy with just the stroller. My sister Caitie spent the night here and joined us for the morning fun. I love how the kids bring the excitement to Christmas morning.

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve we went over to Bruce and Jan's house (Grandma and Grandpa MacKender's...to the girls). We had some yummy appetizers, played Santa Bingo and opened gifts. Peyton really took a liking to Great Grandpa Mac and enjoyed sharing all of her gifts with him. It was pretty cute. We had a great time visiting and enjoying each others company.

Making Cookies With Grandma

I made the title of this blog and realized that Grandma is not in any of the pictures. Gee, that is silly. But...Maddie did go over to Grandma and Grandpa MacKender's house for the afternoon to make sugar cookies. Peyton and I joined them after Peyton's nap. It was fun to see all of the different shapes that were made and ready to decorate when we arrived. Maddie loves to bake, so...baking with Grandma was so fun for her. And of course they had to eat a couple of their yummy SUGAR creations!

Who Knew?

Who knew a chocolate covered pretzel could make such a mess?

SELF!!

My little independent 2 year old was very proud to put her hat on her head all by her "SELF!". The word "SELF!" has become the word of the day....everyday! Here are the main things she yells "SELF!" about: wanting to climb into and buckle her own car seat, putting her shoes on, walking up and down the stairs, brushing her teeth, getting her coat on, climbing into her high chair .... OK I could make a list a mile long. Let's just say the word "SELF!" is pretty much said about everything these days. :) I have to have patients and remember all of these things are helping her to learn and grow....but man, sometimes it is really hard. Especially when we have a time limit, need to be somewhere, and the "SELF" shoes are not on yet or are on the wrong feet.
I do love the proud look on her little face in this picture. She tried and tried over and over to get this too small hat on her head her "SELF!". Then when it was accomplished she wanted me to take her picture. My sweet little independent girl! Gotta love her! :)

A Visit With Santa

Bryan took Maddie and Peyton one afternoon to see Santa... hoping the lines would be a little shorter in the middle of the day. I guess they still had to wait in line behind about 10 people. He told Peyton all about how she was going to get to visit with Santa and kind of "pep talked" her while they waited in line. Peyton seemed fine until the moment arrived. So, in the end, Maddie was the only one to sit on Santa's lap. Peyton wanted nothing to do with the man in the red suit until they were walking away and she cried and said over and over "Santa's Lap, Santa's Lap". She continues to talk about her experience everyday. Often, out of the blue, she will say "no Santa's lap, no Santa's lap". Maybe next year!

Here is a pretty good picture of Maddie and Santa. I am told she asked him for a Barbie.

Peyton The Little Cheerleader

I was in the kitchen and Peyton was in the living room. I could hear her saying " H...fight,fight, fight" over and over again. I continued to listen and finally figured out why she was saying this. This was part of a cheer from the football games that her Cousin Jordyn would cheer at. The actual cheer is C - H - S, CHS, fight, fight, fight. Peyton remembered part of it. It has been a while since we have been to a football game. It made me giggle to hear her practice her own version of the cheer. Jo-Jo (this is what the girls call their Cousin Jordyn) you have really made an impression on your little cousin!

Here is Peyton trying to be like her Cousin Jo-Jo!

Maddie's Music Program

Maddie wanted to participate in the children's choir at church this year. She was one of the youngest participants in the choir and did very well. There were 4 programs that she performed at. We took turns taking her to the show so that we could each see it one time. Once I took her, once Bryan and his parents, once my parents, and then Aunt Caitie and Bryan. It made it nice to see the show one time each and Maddie was proud to perform for different family members each night. It was a dessert theater, with the church choir performing many classic Christmas songs and a little story/play to go along with them. The children's choir was the half time entertainment while dessert was being served. Maddie was especially excited to have dessert each night....o, the important things. :)

Zoo Lights

Every year we head on over to the Oregon Zoo to enjoy what they call Zoo Lights. If you have never been, you really should go! It is pretty amazing, all of the lights and light sculptures. The girls love it (and so do I)! It is beautiful and there is just so much to see. Jan (Bryan's Mom) joined us for her first zoo lights experience. It was cold but fun!

One Fish, Two Fish...

Peyton loves fish. Even as a baby, she was always fascinated and enjoyed watching fish when we would see them in a store, mall, or Dr's office. She loves to see Dorthy (Elmo's fish) on Sesame Street. So... for her 2nd birthday we bought her a little 5 gallon fish tank. She picked out 5 little Neon Tetras to start out, and we will be adding more little fish and maybe a frog soon. She loves to feed them and push her face right against the glass and watch them swim in their little school. Every morning she wants me to turn the light on in the fish tank so she can say "morning fish". She loves her fish.

Another One Gone...

Tooth number 2 was lost and has once again changed this little ladies smile.