Christmas Eve

       Christmas Eve Daryl's brother and sister came over for some Christmas festivities.  The kids had a great time hanging with their cousins, and we even remembered to attempt to get a picture of all the cousins together with mixed results.  We had a great night.

Avery, Tyler, and Harper

Avery holding Luke, Tyler, Emery, and Harper.  Those are some great faces. 

All the cousins together.  Avery holding Luke, Tyler holding Ayva, Harper, and and I guess we lost Emery in this one.

Avery was super excited to get this make up kit from Aimee and Karl.

Tyler was very happy about the the Star Wars Legos Avery and Harper picked out for him for Christmas.

Emery loved her finger puppets.

Luke giving his new toy a test spin.

Ashley and baby Ayva.

The Week Before Christmas

  The week before Christmas felt jammed pack.  Avery had a winter concert that week, we made sugar cookies, our nephew Logan had his first birthday party on Saturday, and we had the Olson family Christmas party on Saturday too.  Since we had two things going on Saturday we went to our Christmas party with the Olson's, and visited Logan afterwards.  It was nice to see all the Olson cousins.  Get ready for a lot of pictures.

Playing our white elephant gift exchange game.  I'm not sure what was so funny that Addie had to show to Tyler and Harper.  

Emery was feeding the army men to that toy dinosaur.

Emery playing with the dinosaur again.

Harper liked the game she got in the gift exchange.

Luke playing with the army men.

I got a baby from Amazon! Luke crawled in there all by himself.

Avery made a gingerbread house at school that week.

Harper and Emery rolling out sugar cookies.

Logan and Luke hanging out celebrating Logan's first birthday.

Angie with a calm Logan.

Angie tickled Logan for a less sober face.

A Plain Weekend

   Daryl and I both felt like we wanted to go stay up in a cabin and let the girls experience some snow, so we found a place just north of Leavenworth in a town called Plain.  We say cabin, but it basically was a small house with electricity and running water.  We stayed two nights and our friends Christie and Ben stayed one night as well with their baby Zander.  The girls had a great time playing in the snow, which we got plenty of Saturday night.  We even briefly lost power for about five minutes during the snowfall.  Everyone was relieved when it came right back on.  We spent the rest of the night playing board games.

The cabin came with a fresh Christmas tree.

Baby Zander ready for the great outdoors.

Daryl teaching Avery and Harper how to play Ticket to Ride.

Avery was super excited to sleep in the loft above the family room.

Avery, Emery, and myself sledding down the driveway.

Luke had spaghetti for the first time and loved it.

The Night the Lights Went Out in Bellevue

  Yesterday we lost power at 2;30 in the morning.  We know this because Harper came into our bedroom shortly after we lost power crying because her room was dark.  She snuggled in with Daryl and no one went to sleep for a long time.  Morning came and there was still no power, and our bed was wet.  Avery and Harper decided it was a great day to wake up at 6;30 too, so we fed them cold cereal down in our dark kitchen.  Fortunately I have a whole bunch of battery operated led Christmas lights, so I set them on our kitchen island.  Our power came back on around ten, and then I had the special joy of washing all of my bedding.

Christmas lights saved the day.

This is the same picture but with the flashlight in it.

Emery hates getting out of the car after we drop Harper at school, so usually I remind her we are going to watch some shows when we come in.  Since that wasn't option I told her I would give her a bowl of chocolate chips.

Here's Luke saying hi!

Harper's Preschool Winter Party

   Last week Harper's preschool had a little winter party where they made gingerbread houses and crafts.  It was at the elementary school, so Avery was very excited to show us the wall art that she helped make outside her classroom.  Avery and Harper had a great time making gingerbread houses and a craft.  Emery spent the entire time we were at the party playing with play doh though.  She wouldn't budge from the stuff.  

Harper's gingerbread house.

This was up outside Avery's classroom.  It's what she is thankful for. I think the yellow leaf up top is hers.

Avery's gingerbread house.

Emery playing with play doh.

November Wrap Up

  Saturday after Thanksgiving Daryl and I threw the kids into the car and drove to Portland to see Brad and DeAnna in their new home.  They're so awesome that they watched our kids for us while we did some tax free shopping.  Well there might have been some child labor involved.  The kids saw the leaves and the backyard and wanted to rake them.  Brad was able to find a rake for each one of them and they went to town.  I think they ended up raking a pretty good chunk, and Avery mentioned that she needed to go back outside and do some more work at one point.  The rest of these pictures are just from different times this month.

Avery, Harper, and Emery raking the leaves.

Luke standing on a receiver so he can play with the dvd player.  Also that doll in the toy basket looks super creepy.

One day Emery indicated that she would like some chocolate whip cream, and I was more than happy to appease her that day. 

Luke hanging out in a box!

Emery is such a ham.  

Sisko and Dax are enjoying having the whole run of the house now.

One last picture of this little ham.

Hello Baby Ayva

  November 17th Daryl's sister Ashley had her sweet baby girl Ayva.  This last Friday after Thanksgiving we were finally able to meet her.  Ashley and Thomas were gracious enough to let our whole gang invade their apartment.  Avery did a great job not giving octopus kisses to Ayva and trying to get into every photo humanly possible.  Emery and Harper wanted to play with their old baby swing. Ayva is such a sweet little chub with a ridiculous head of beautiful hair.  We were so glad that we were able to meet Ayva, and that she and her parents are doing well!

Ayva is clearly in awe of her amazing uncle.  Nice pose Avery.

Avery wanted to pose with Ayva.

Luke and Ayva side by side.  Ayva's cheeks are so big!  

Thanksgiving 2015

  It was the Thanksgiving of meats.  Karl roasted a turkey for his first time ever, and it came out pretty much perfect.  Aimee made a ham, and Daryl made some ribs.  There was also a lot of pie and cinnamon rolls just as there should be.  My parents were also in attendance along with Aimee, Karl, and Tyler.  We had a great time and good food.

Karl's turkey

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A sweet potato dish that Aimee made.

This is low carb stuffing, or other words even more meat.

I'm pouring root beer.

Tyler and Avery would have happily ate nothing but the watermelon and the rolls of course.

Silly, silly Emery.

A random picture of my dad.

Harper bringing in the soda from outside.  She also sliced all the eggs up for the salad.

Avery asked me why I put seaweed in the salad in the foreground.  Thanks kiddo!