White Christmas!

We had such a wonderful Christmas this year!  We spent Christmas eve with my family at my parent's house.  Jared's mother spent the night with us on Christmas eve, and then we went to his aunt's house to visit with his family.  We started a family tradition of having a birthday party for Jesus on Christmas morning.  We ate cupcakes for breakfast and sang "Happy Birthday" to Jesus.  We talked so much about Jesus's birthday this year, and I think Emma really got it.  As much as a 2 year old can understand it, anyway.  We would ask her "Who's birthday is it?", and she would raise her hands and say "Baby Jesus!".

Emma was pretty excited when she found out we were having chocolate cupcakes for breakfast!

 Emma's big present was a kitchen!  She has been playing with it nonstop every day.  It took me and Jared hours to put it together the night before.  So worth it!

 Emma got lots of dress-up clothes from my aunt and uncle on Christmas eve.  She squealed when she saw the tutu and wanted to wear everything right then! :)

 "Open, open De-De!"

 "Isa" got Emma a Cinderella book!

 Meme brought Emma a beautiful highchair for her dolls, and lots of other goodies.

Granny with the twins

 Emma was chasing her cousin Colin around the house.

 My boys :)

 These were the snow flurries at our house on Christmas morning.  Not much, but still fun to see some snow!

 When we got into Trussville/Pinson where Jared's aunt lives, there was snow everywhere!  Beautiful!

 These pics are from the day after Christmas.  We got a good dusting that day, and we went out for a little bit, but Emma got wet quickly and had to come inside to change.  She wanted to stay outside and play, though!

 JOY!

 "Childern are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him.  Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are children born in one's youth.  Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them." Psalm 127:5

zoolight safari

Back in the beginning of December, we took Emma to zoolight safari!  We went last year also, but Emma had so much fun this year looking at the lights and riding the train.  She still talks about riding the "choo-choo at the zoo".  She asked me to go back just about every day after that.

 She started talking about the animals as soon as we got there, so we went to the barn first to she the sheep and goats.

The only thing that was more exciting than the train was the snow!  This has definitely become a family tradition for us.

Gingerbread houses!

Ok, well really "graham cracker" houses.  But, really the same thing, right?!  I was really trying to be intentional about planning fun and meaningful activities for Emma this Christmas season- especially since we are at home, inside, for most of our days right now.  I remember making little "gingerbread" houses when I was young, and it is just so fun to create with candy.  She had the BEST time!  Aunt "Isa" came over and really did all the work with her while I fed and tended to the boys.  Emma loooves "Isa"!  Actually it's "Isa and Todd", because she can't seem to say one without the other :)

Emma really only wanted to put gumdrops on the houses.  She wanted to hold on to the candy canes, and she discovered that the mini marshmallows tasted pretty good, so not many of them made it on there.  We will definitely do this again next year!  We might even attempt to bake our own gingerbread.  We shall see.  (See the cut on her poor little chin from the cookie cutter!)

Christmas Baking

I had so much fun baking with Emma this Christmas!  Even though she can't help me very much, she still loved watching me make the goodies.  She would help "stir" and cut out cookies, but she had the most fun decorating the cookies with sprinkles (well, and eating them of course!).  We made lots of sugar cookies, peanut butter balls, and brownies.  I usually go all out with Christmas cookies- experimenting with new recipes, and sending the goodies off to the neighbors and Jared's co-workers.  But, as you know, my time is a little limited now :)

We had a little drama in the midst of all the merry making.  One day when we were getting ready to decorate cookies, Emma was sitting on a chair and playing with the cookie cutters on the kitchen table.  I was trying to get everything together...I turned around and the next thing I know she is screaming on the floor holding cookie cutters in her hands.  When I get a good look at her face, I discover that the edge of a cookie cutter put a deep gash in her chin.  Sooooo, I put everyone in the car and we head to the pediatrican to get it looked at and probably get stiches.  Thankfully Dr. Brian thinks he can just "glue" it back together!  I don't know why exactly I thought it would be okay for her to play with cookie cutters by herself.  Where was my brain???  Ohh.  Right- it is being sucked out by two precious babies! :)  I think I'll be investing in some good plastic cookie cutters. Although I think they would still do some damage if she fell on one.

I am so glad that Emma likes helping me cook.  Some of my most precious childhood memories are times spent in the kitchen with my mom and my grandma.  I remember making sugar cookies and cinnamon rolls with my mom when I was probably 3 or 4.  She showed me how to cut the cinnamon rolls with dental floss and I thought it was the coolest thing ever.  I even had my own little rolling pin and cookie cutters for making sugar cookies!  My grandma was an amazing cook also, and I remember helping her bake cakes (always something southern, like carrot cake or red velvet), and watch her put them together.  I hope that Emma one day looks back on these moments as some of her favorite memories.