Merry Christmas From Our Home To Yours

It's Beginning to Look A lot Like Christmas

My absolute favorite time of the year.  I love Christmas.  Mark and I go way over the top for the girls and for each other, but we love it! This past weekend it snowed (and iced) and we stayed in all weekend watching movies (some Christmas, some not) played games, and ate junk.  It was wonderful!

We finally broke down and bought a new tree last year after Christmas and I love it.  It is soooo pretty all light up at night. 

We went and saw Santa a few weeks ago.  I love keeping the magic alive.  

Both girls had several requests for Santa...

Their smiles are just precious.  

They both wrote a letter to Santa.  

Lauren agreed to pose for several pictures for me (the girl that will never cooperate for pictures unless it is a selfie...lol)  I love this one.  She is growing up way too fast.  

Oh, and we can't forget Ginger.  She is almost one year old (January 4th) and we love her dearly.  She has been an incredible dog to our family this past year.  

Christmas is less than one week away and we are all very excited. Stay warm and Merry Christmas everyone! 

All About Lauren

I finally sat down and pulled pictures off my big fancy camera.  Lately, I have not been taking as many pictures with that camera since the I-phone takes such great pictures and I can throw that in my back pocket.

Lauren spent all fall playing soccer.  She has practice twice a week and games on the weekend.  She played in a few tournaments as well.  So, I am officially a soccer Mom driving a minivan...sigh...

Lauren loves her new team and she has made lots of new friends.  Her soccer skills have improved tremendously as well.  We are so excited for her. 

We even had a few games under the lights at a few of the local soccer fields (well not exactly local to Lee's Summit, but in the KC Metro area.)  We definitely traveled a lot more this past soccer season, but we wouldn't change it for anything.  We have had some great family time...Addison has tolerated being drug to soccer game after soccer game very well!  

We went to the pumpkin patch sometime in the fall when it was apparently warm enough to be in shorts!  Lauren is such a beautiful little girl.  

With a lot of energy!

Lauren is also an amazing sister.  We started a new tradition of going down to the Plaza lights the night of Thanksgiving.  The weather was prefect this year and the Plaza was packed.  We were right in the middle of it all and seemed to love it. 

Lauren started playing the violin this fall and we had our own special concert at home one night.  Too bad Lauren was sick and missed the school concert.  She has learned so much about music and the violin.  We are so proud of her! 

Oh, and one more soccer picture where Lauren took the girl out...but didn't get caught!  Lauren definitely developed some more confidence and fight out on the soccer field this past season.  I can't wait to see what Winter and Spring soccer bring!  

Lauren also joined the choir this year.  A big thank you to my Mom who picks her up every Tuesday after choir practice to Lauren can have this opportunity to participate in choir.  

We also enjoyed the 5th grade musical this week.  Lauren was a swan (from the 12 days of Christmas.)  

She loved it!  I mean, look at that smile in that picture.  She had one line in the musical, a dance that the 7 swans performed, and several songs that the entire 5 grade and choir sang.  We really enjoyed watching her class perform.  

She had a blast as well. 

This is Lauren's new soccer buddy, Paityn.  They are on the same competitive soccer team since they were both born in 2006.  However, Lauren is in 5th grade and Paityn is in 4th grade.  And as an added bonus...Paityn and her awesome family live right down the street from us.  We are very excited to have met them and that we have new family friends.  Paityn has a brother in 5th grade and a brother in 2nd grade.  These 2 adore each other!  Can't wait for Spring soccer when we get to see them more often!  

Christmas Traditions

For the past several years we have gone to see The Nutcracker.  It has been a fun Christmas tradition for our little family.  

This year we changed it up and went to see Trans Siberian Orchestra at the Sprint Center.  It was quite the show!  Mark enjoyed it the most, but us girls liked it too.  

We had fun talking selfies waiting for the show to start.  

Then we headed down to the Plaza to have dinner at The Cheesecake Factory.  We waited...and waited...and waited for 2 1/2 hours to be seated.  Lauren insisted that we stay and wait.  It's tradition.  

It was a gorgeous night, so we walked around for about an hour.  We went to the Russell Stover store and got some chocolate to snack on until dinner.  We browsed through Way Fair and then Barnes and Noble.  

Still waiting...LOL.  Finally at 8:30 we were seated...and starving.  We got a bread basket and an appetizer and we were good! 

Last night I took the girls to Christmas in the Park at Longview Lake.  The girls were sad we missed it last year, but apparently were a little bored this year...so maybe this was the last year?  Who knows! 

Then we stopped at the Magic Tree.

But I told the girls they did not need to bring coats...they were freezing...So we left! 

I love the Magic Tree.  Maybe next year we will bring coats.  

November Happenings

We have done a whole lot more....but these are the pictures from the camera on my phone so here you go! 

We refinished Addison's dresser.  She wanted white furniture for her room, so we made it happen.  She loves her new room.  It has come together very nicely.  

Lauren joined the school choir this year.  Her first concert was last week.  It was a lot of fun seeing her and her friends and several friends from other schools as well.  Can you find Lauren in this picture? 

Addison had a birthday party with her BFF Jenna.  

Mark took Lauren shopping and she found a Christmas dress and some new pants!  Yea Lauren, and Yea Daddy! 

My Girl Scout troop volunteered and put together Thanksgiving bags for families that are unable to purchase a Thanksgiving meal for themselves.  

Lauren was in charge of picture taking....

Remember, she takes the best selfies :)  

The girls painted murals about what they love about Girl Scouts.  Most of them love the field trips, snacks and their friends.  Such a great group of girls.  

The girls got fresh new haircuts. Don't they look great?  

Addison has spent a lot of time this fall preparing for her first Reconciliation.  Last night these three girls did an amazing job.  We are so proud of all of them!  

Soon, I will get pictures off my big camera of a few events, including Lauren's wrap up of fall soccer.  She is still playing through the winter months, and practicing once a week rather than twice a week.  We are definitely enjoying the break from games on the weekend, but our weekends seem to fill up fast with lots of other things.    

Halloween Fun

Mark and I were both able to take the day off to attend the girls parties!

I love seeing Addison and her friends!

Lauren and her friend Osa (and one of the few pictures of Lauren she let me take!) 

There were several games set up in the gym.  This one was trying tying to get the spider to the web!

Then it was time for the parade of all the kids around the school!  This is Addison with the triplet cats!  Sage and Sierra.  

Lauren would not look at the camera and smile...oh well.  I still love this picture! 

Then it was time for Trunk or Treat at the school. We live so close to the school we just walked up there! 

Lauren and her friend Lindsay.  I love this picture of Lauren. 

These girls went to all of the cars probably 6 times.  They had tons of candy. 

We also carved pumpkins after school that day.  Mark is now the official carver of our house.  The girls and I can clean out and prep the pumpkin.  Mark is super carver (I think you can probably tell which two he did!)

Sunday afternoon the neighborhood had a Halloween party.  We had food catered from a local Mexican restaurant.  It was so yummy.  There were games, candy and a parade 

Then finally it was Halloween night! 

We enjoyed some chili with the neighbors before heading out for the night to trick or treat. 

We started out with this crew but ran into so many friends and neighbors throughout the night.  Legacy Wood is an amazing neighborhood to trick or treat in.  Houses are decorated to a tee.  We even have a haunted house in a garage that all the kids loved. 

The girls ended up with way too much candy as always, but we had a fun night with all of our friends!