Goin' on a tree hunt

We got our tree! We got our tree! Last weekend was COLD but dry, so we hit the tree farm (now a mere 5 minutes from our new house) and searched and searched for the perfect tree. Camryn spent most of the time searching for "flowers" (dead weeds, I think), as Aubrey stumbled along slowly, begging to be carried. It ended up being our longest hunt ever (1 1/2 hours), but we finally settled on an 8 foot Noble that was just right.

Afterward, we were so chilled, we headed to Starbucks for some cocoa to warm up, where the girls got a quick sugar rush and became super silly. Camryn even discovered a new talent...

Santa through the years

Want a good laugh? Get a load of these!!!

Christmas 2006 (1 1/2 years old)


Christmas 2007 (2 1/2 years old)

Christmas 2008 (3 1/2 years and 9 months old)

Christmas 2009 (4 1/2 and 1 1/2 years old)

Christmas 2010 (5 1/2 and 2 1/2 years old)

Santa! 2010

We tried our luck with the "weeknight = no lines" theory on a Friday night, and our winning streak hit the skids. We might as well have shown up at 2 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon, for as long as we had to wait. Luckily, we had already had dinner, and the girls were in good spirits (although tired), so we settled in for the long haul.

Aubrey was exceptionally rowdy, mostly because I think this is the first year she really "gets it." She was literally jumping up and down, and exclaiming, "It's Santa! It's Santa!" and there was no hesitation on her face when it was time to hop into his lap.

When their turn finally came, Aubrey asked for "yots of Barbie dolls to fill up my woom," and Camryn reminded the big guy that she had already sent her wish list to him via our personal elf. ;) Smart girl!

(Camryn showing off her newly "loose" tooth. I use the term "loose" very loosely---pun intended. It's just barely, slightly, almost, kind of starting to be loose.) :)

Twinkle the elf

Recently, a new little visitor joined our household. His name is 'Twinkle,' and he is one of Santa's special elves. He arrived at our home just after Thanksgiving, and magically appeared atop the mantle, bringing with him a special book explaining his story.

You see, he is a magical elf. He observes the goings-on in our household, and reports to Santa each and every night. He listens carefully when spoken to, but never replies, and can never be touched. Each morning, while the girls are still sleeping, he magically reappears from his nightly trip to the North Pole, and finds a new cozy spot in the house from which to spy on the girls. This makes for a quite a game of hide-and-seek every morning, unless of course he inadvertently "chooses" (ahem) the same spot as the day before. (Oops!)

One thing is for sure, though. The power of his magic is real. This, I truly believe.

Haircut!

Though her golden hair was admittedly beautiful, Aubrey (and therefore Brian and myself) have recently grown weary of the brushing, tangles, and general upkeep of her long, luscious locks. All three of us came to dread the morning brush-out of her bedhead, and the evening conditioner fight with her never-ending tangles after bath time.

So this weekend, we took the plunge, and asked the girls' hairstylist, Chelsea, for a 4-inch "trim" of her beautiful strands. The result (to me, anyway) was a little bittersweet. I think she looks absolutely adorable, but decidedly more grown up, which I kind of have mixed feelings about. My baby girl has lost her traditional toddler hairstyle, and gained a short, sassy 'do. Should I feel proud? Guilty? Sentimental? I'm just not sure...

Dance photos Fall 2010

Thanksgiving in Bend

We spent this Thanksgiving in Bend, after a slow, snowy, icy, very long (5 hour) trip "over the river and through the woods" Wednesday night. Thank goodness we had invested in a new portable DVD player for the girls, and they were (mostly) happy to chill out and watch movies all the way there.

The best part of the weather was playing in the snow on Thanksgiving morning, with Uncle Rob's dog, Jack. The girls had fun inspecting icicles, creating snow angels, and throwing snowballs at Daddy. :)

Thanks, Mimi and Papa for a weekend we can be thankful for!