SGFD Christmas Party

The SGFD had their family Christmas party again this year.  It's pretty low key, but very nice.  They cater dinner, have a craft for the kids and Santa comes to give each child a small present (see Emma's reaction below)

You want me to do what?!!!!

Still not liking Santa

Daddy SAVE ME!!!!

Misc Pictures

These boots are made for walking

The biggest snowman!!!

Coloring quietly

Christmas Cookies

Emma helped me make cookies this year.  We made sugar, molasses, peppermint fudge, chocolate chip with PB cups, faux turtles and snickerdoodles.  Whew that was a lot!  Emma really enjoyed eating the cookie dough from the paddle and decorating the sugar cookies.  She was a really good helper.

The cooks!

Unwrapping Rolos (I went to FIVE stores to find them!)

Making the Faux Turtles

Cleaning the paddle

Having some fun

Done!

Polar Express Train Ride

With Emma's PE obsession we thought she would really enjoy taking her first train ride on the "PE". Emma loved the train ride, playing games and opening her goodie bag. What she didn't like was Santa. And when I say didn't like, I mean REALLY didn't like. The minute Santa walked into our train car Emma shut her eyes and wouldn't open them for anything! So the last 20 minutes of the ride she sat there with her eyes closed burying her face into Andrew. It was pretty comical. Other than that we had a great time on the ride and it even snowed that day for us to make it even more festive.

Waiting for the PE!

The PE pulling up!



So excited that the PE has finally arrived!



Goodie bag

Reading PE on The PE!

Singing Twelve Days of Christmas

Santa has arrived!



Trying not to open her eyes while trying to eat a candy cane



Big Girl Bedroom

Emma had outgrown her toddler bed some time ago and had been sleeping in our guest room in the big bed. So we decided it was time to upgrade her furniture. My original intention was to convert her crib into a full bed and she would use the matching dressers for years to come, but things didn't quite work out that way. First her crib got recalled, and the one that we found as a replacement was a similar color but wasn't an exact match. In addition to that the dresser that we used as her changing table and "main" dresser got pretty beat up. It was obvious that this furniture was not meant to last for 30 years, like I had hoped. So that brings us to Emma's new furniture, she loves it and we love it. We got her a new mattress and bedspread to go with it and everything looks great!

Christmas Tree 2010

After our disappointing experience last year at Marmion, we said that we weren't going to go back this year.  It sounds like we made a good choice because I heard that this year at Marmion was even worse than last year.  So we have been on a hunt to find a new cut your own tree farm, one of our neighbors told us about a place they went to, so we decided to check it out.  We got to go on a hay ride out to the trees, which was fun and Emma liked it, but it was COLD!  We were a little disappointed with the tree selection and I don't think that we'll go back there next year, but we were able to find a tree.  Andrew was pretty excited that they bagged the tree for free and they also had free hot chocolate and a fire to warm up at.  After finding the perfect tree we headed over to Starbucks to get really warmed up.  Emma had her first Starbucks treat (hot chocolate) and she loved it!



Hay ride



The perfect one!

Daddy's little helper

Getting the tree cut down

Warming up with some hot chocolate

Emma helping put ornaments on the tree. 

Helping Mommy

All decorated!!!

Thanksgiving on the farm

We went to my Aunt Twila's dairy farm again this year for early Thanksgiving.  My parents were able to come in for the weekend to go with us.  This year Emma wanted to check out the cows in the barn and feed the calfs.  I didn't know how she would be around them but she did great.  She really LOVED all the kittens that were out in the barn.  It was great to get together with my extended family and catch up with everyone.

Daddy and Emma in the barn

Emma feeding the calf

My kitty lover is in heaven!

Graham, Emma and Payton

Beth reading to Emma and Payton...they're loving it!

Bike Riding

Emma finally learned how to pedal her bike that she got last year from Santa.  She's pretty darn proud of herself.  Unfortunetely she learned a little too late in the year and she only had a few semi-nice days left of the fall.  I can't wait for next year to see her go all the way around the block

Biker Girl

She's off!

Halloween 2010



Emma took this picture of Andrew and me



Found the perfect pumpkins with Daddy



Pumpkin girl at Honey Hill Orchards



Tinkerbell

Bundled up Tinkerbell

Tinkerbell the speed demon

Jack o' Lanterns

The Loot