Disneyland with my girls

Last week we got to go to Disneyland with some friends.  It's so fun hanging out with my girls.  It was a crazy crowded day (Utah/AZ spring breakers!) and we had a run in with a crazy woman on the carousel but still such a fun day.  Nora was good at hanging out in her stroller while Ami walked/rode.  Nora had her first taste of a sucker (through plastic covering) and was very angry when I took it away from her.  Amelie is full of so much personality these days and is becoming quite the big girl.  She however had zero interest in going on Splash Mountain with her bestie Juliette.  She was more interested in making out with the horse statues.  This girl:)  I have to say 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 was a little rough with this one, but she is breaking out of that funk and is so fun to have around.  We made sure to bring Ollie a delish treat home because he was at school.  I still have yet to decide if I really want to get passes.  It's just so exhausting!  We will see...

Nativity and Christmas

We had a wonderful Christmas at Nana and Papa's house.  We went caroling and had a nativity.  Amelie loved being Mary, can't you tell?  We left treats out for Santa and his reindeer.  Luckily our kids are pretty easy to please so all the presents were a hit and we felt so much Christmas cheer as we thought about our Saviors birth.  It was Nora's first Christmas and she loved trying to eat the wrapping paper:) 

OCMCO Concert Dec. 6

Oliver and my Dad were in the last Orange County Millennial Choir and Orchestra performance.  I really can't believe how good that choir is!  Oliver is in the young singers chorus which is four to six years old!   I just think it's amazing that they can teach these kids to be so disciplined and sing their hearts out on stage in front of all those people.  My little Ollie boy was so proud and so excited.  He did so well!  This will be something we do for a long time.  I believe so strongly in the power of music and the discipline that comes from learning at a young age.  I love this choir and am so proud of my Dad and Ollie for all their hard work!  Makes me miss choir! 

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving this year was so nice.  We had about half the family in town.  Chelsea, Patrick and Laura came home from Provo and Leah and Steve came with their boys and brand new baby Kendall.  My mom made some of the best food ever and we had a great time with family.  My mom had also invited a few sisters from her ward and their kids which always makes you grateful you have so much to share.  Everyone got to hit up DreamWorks for lunch the day before which was so fun.  Any day I get to see Ryan for lunch is a good day!  We had some wonderful beach weather and some of the most amazing sunsets I have ever seen.  Blessings all around.  All that is good comes from Him. 

Sunday best

The kids looked so cute at church on Sunday I thought it would be fun to snap a few shots.  Amelie was having a hard day so she wasn't in the mood but we still got a few:)

Christmas tree decorating!

We decorated a little early this year.  We just couldn't help it.  When it starts to feel like Christmas, you must embrace the season, even if that happens to be before Thanksgiving.  I've always thought of the two holidays so intermingled anyways so it's never bothered me.  We had fun decorating our tree this year with music playing, hot cocoa and sugar cookies.  My mom brought over some soup and I made some rolls and Andrea and her family came over and we watched Elf.  It was perfect and I love filling my home with family and friends and feeling so much love.  Nora gets to have her first Christmas and we couldn't be more excited to show her what it's all about.  I love having a chubby new baby to share Christmas time with.  Ryan and I keep saying who needs presents with a baby like Nora around!  She is the best present of all! 

Ollie's first tooth!

These pics were taken Nov. 4, doing a little catch up as usual:)  Ollie came home from school with an extremely loose tooth.  So I had to document the last picture of his baby teeth before he lost his first.  What a big moment for our Ollie boy!  So Ryan actually tried to pull it out that night and it ended up hurting too much so we decided to give it another day and see if Ollie could wiggle it even looser.  Well wouldn't you know that when Ollie came home from school, he had his pulled tooth neatly in a bag to proudly show us all!  He was so excited!  He just lost his second tooth on Friday night so now we are on a roll.  We keep telling him soon he'll look like toothless Nora:)