Hello, 2011!

As we bid adieu to 2010, we are so blessed for all our great memories from the year. We are most especially looking forward to expanding our family as we welcome our baby girl!

Big Braddah, Little Sista

One of my favorite Christmas presents this year was the cute little shirts my godmother sent from Hawaii for Daniel and our baby girl due in May! Can't wait to see them on my little cuties!

Advent Jesse Tree

One of our new family traditions we started this year was to have a Jesse Tree. A Jesse Tree is similar to an advent calendar but in addition to a countdown to Christmas, each day you go through a short family bible devotion starting with creation and ending with Jesus' birth. After Brian would read us the devotion each night Daniel got to open an ornament that corresponded to the reading and hang it on the tree.

A bunch of other ladies that wanted to start this tradition with their families and I got together in November for a Jesse Tree ornament exchange. A few weeks prior, we had divided up the 24 ornaments needed for the Jesse Tree so each gal was responsible for making 14 copies each of two ornaments. Over dessert, we passed out the ornaments and left with a full set of beautiful, unique ornaments for our tree.

Initially I wasn't too sure how much Daniel would like participating in this new tradition but he LOVED it. Each night before getting ready for bed he would run to the couch for the devotion and excitedly open the little gift bag that held that day's ornament. He loved the little advent tree more than our big tree and when he would get other ornaments from people he would hang them up on the advent tree too. On the day after Christmas, he was so disappointed that we were all finished with advent. We explained to him that we would get to do it again next year and I am so excited about our new tradition!

Merry Christmas!

Brian and I woke up to a chilly, rainy Christmas morning which made for a cozy atmosphere. After brewing our tea and anxiously waiting for Daniel to wake up, we went ahead and woke up our little sleepyhead. Daniel wanted to stay in his bed and sleep until we told him that Santa Claus had been to the house. Then he quickly jumped out of bed with a "Ho Ho!" (his name for the big guy). One of his favorite presents- Brian's old electric train that magically turns up every Christmas morn.

On our way to my parents' house. Daniel is showing off his mittens he got in his stocking.

Trying out Grandpa's Christmas present- electronic drums!

Later that evening, we all headed over to Uncle Randy and Auntie Mary's place for a fabulous Christmas dinner.

My parents sporting the "apres ski" style.

My little GQ guy. No look is complete without the yellow rain boots. Daniel enjoys his Christmas tie so much that he paired it with a t-shirt a different day. Who knew it would be the all occasion tie?

Snacking on brie cheese and crackers- a recent favorite hors d'oevres of Daniel's. He's even been known to forgo the crackers and just eat chunks of brie!

My cousins Brian and Melissa modeling the latest in "Young 20 something" fashion.

Daniel's favorite part of the evening: running around with Uncle Randy's headlamp. I guess I should have shopped for his presents at REI this year.

The requisite Christmas Day family photo.

Another favorite of Daniel's that evening was his new alligator sleeping bag from Brian and Melissa. He made Grandma get inside the bag while he jumped on top of her.

Twas the Night Before Christmas...

We enjoyed Christmas Eve dinner with Brian's family, a roaring fire, Christmas music, and hot cider.

Daniel got to open his present from Granny and Gramps.

Signing "thank-you" to the grandparents.

I think he likes it!

Later that evening, Santa visited our house to fill our stockings and leave some gifts for a good little boy.

Here Comes the Rain

The rain has hit!

 

Baking Cookies with Annie and Caleb

We had the best time baking Christmas spritz cookies with the Gupta's. Daniel loved borrowing the Santa hat to wear, using the mixer, decorating the cookies, EATING the cookies, and just having fun with his buddy Caleb.

Christmas Trains

Watching the Christmas train display at the library.

Holiday at the Ranch

My mom and I took Daniel to Stow House's Holiday at the Ranch event. There were rein-goats to pet, tractors to ride, ornaments to decorate, the jolly old elf himself, and cookies to bake.

Telling Santa Claus he wants a train for Christmas!

Santa's special helper.

Enamoured by the train going around the tree.

Rolling the gingerbread.

Using the gingerbread man cookie cutter.

Carefully decorating.

The final product- now off to the oven to bake! Yummy!

Our Tree

Some days, okay, A LOT of days if I am being honest, Daniel refuses to pose for photos. The day we picked out our Christmas tree was one such day. And so I present (drumroll please...) the annual Christmas tree photos minus a smiling toddler!

I snuck this photo while Daniel's back was to the camera.

Daniel (eyes closed, of course) showing off our tree's "special drink".

Thigh High Boots- The latest in toddler trends!

Santa Claus came to Town

My dad once again made a cameo as jolly old St. Nick at the CS Department holiday party. Daniel and his buddies enjoyed the visit (and getting candy canes, of course!)

Christmas Card Photos

I know it's not December yet, but the end of Thanksgiving signifies the beginning of the Christmas season for me. Last year we had such an amazing Christmas season, largely due to Daniel's excitement for everything. There is nothing like Christmas through the eyes of a child. I needed to get the annual family photo done so I could get started on Christmas cards. Getting photos from our friends and family is one of the highlights of the season for me. We decided not to attempt to include Charley Boy in the photo this year (it's too hard to get a toddler and an 80 pound Golden Retriever to cooperate for photos)- sorry buddy, we still love you! Here are a few Christmas photos we won't be using- you will have to wait to get the real deal in the mail.