Christmas at the Wilsons

Our Christmas started on the 24th with a nice family service at 4:30 (perfect for our little ones) and then we shared a nice raclette dinner with our Germans, Marcel and Andy. I was going to take a picture of the spread, but by the time I remembered it was all gone.
Off to the Christmas tree we go.

I got this cute Snowman candle holder that the guys filled with Lindor chocolate balls, as you can see the girls were really into this gift too.

Both girls got a really cute stuffed animal. Katie's dog is Gordie, so now we have two Gordies at our house.

A tradition that Jeff grew up with is that each year the children get an ornament. Our tree was full of Jeff's whimsical ornaments, and now he has fun buying more for his girls (that is the one assigned gift that Jeff is responsible for buying)

The two guys and Jeff all received a ticket to see the Kitchener Rangers vs. the Guelph Storm hockey teams.

The girls were both quite willing to help Marcel and Andy empty their stockings.

Daddy with the girls in their Christmas PJs (another tradition we picked up from Jeff's sister) New pijamas on Christmas Eve, to get all ready for Christmas morning.

Having fun before bedtime, showing off their matching outfits

It won't be long before I can't buy matching PJs for them anymore, b/c that just wouldn't be cool.

CHRISTMAS MORNING

The getting up early part the girls don't quite get yet, so we actually had a normal (7a.m.) wake up call. And off we go. Maya was more interested in picking ornaments off the tree, but she got into the whole gift thing quickly enough.

Daddy helping Maya.

Katie is a big girl and is doing all by herself

A lovely family of bedheads.

Daddy is demonstrating the Playdo press. Thank you Aunt Mel for all the playdo to go with it. We were talking that we should get some more and some cookie cutters etc, it's like you've been reading our minds, about 3 months before we even thought it ;)

My gift: a new apron (3 second rule in effect) is what is says. Perfect gift, Jeff!!! Working hard over our Christmas breakfast. Cinnamon rolls straight from the Pillsbury doughboy

More fun with Playdo.

Katie practiced lots and is getting quite the pro. Since I'm not at all creative with playdo stuff, I love the press that keeps her busy and entertained and I don't have to make a fool out of myself trying to make doggies and horses, etc. (I can make stars and a pretty sad looking sun and that's about it.)

I have a games date, so I'll sign off for now.

Christmas with Grandma and Grandpa

After a quiet Christmas at home, we went to P-ville on Boxing Day and a couple of days with Grandma and Grandpa. After going to the service at our old Church, we enjoyed a simple lunch (we enjoyed a wonderful Turkey dinner for supper) and after an attempted naptime (both kids didn't really sleep) we got to open more presents
Katie loved the Aquadoodle from our family in California.

I loved to help Maya to open her gifts. Even though she didn't really need a lot of help, she understood the ripping paper very quickly.

Katie and Grandma are looking at the photobook I made about Maya's first year. (I've booked a couple of days of babysitting to finish my 2010 photobook)

Grandma and Grandpa made 2 awesome cribs for the girls. Grandpa did the crib, and
Grandma did the bedding and quilt for the girls. Katie and Maya loved them, and Maya's first reaction was to go and climb into both of them. The cribs are perfect, big enough for the kids to climb into them, and steady and low enough that even if they do tumble, it won't be a big fall.
Grandma and Grandpa, thank you so much for all your work and love that went into making them.

On Monday we spent some time in the snow. Just behind the house there is a little hill that is just perfect for our size of kids. Both girls had lots of fun!

They did really awesome sharing the toboggan, better than I would have thought, so I was quite happy about that.

I got to sled a bit too. Katie and I also had fun rolling down the hill, but the pics didn't really turn out.

Grandma enjoying her time with the kids, reading stories and playing with them. (This pose lasted only for 3 pics and then Maya was off to bigger and better things, she doesn't sit still very long for anything)

Katie and Grandma's Christmas tradition. Decorating a ginger bread house.

I got to help too, but I can see that as Katie gets bigger, it will be a strictly Katie and Grandma thing.

On Tuesday we went to Vaugh Mills Mall shopping. We arrived just as the mall opened and left again around 2:30. By that time the place was just ridiculously busy and some stores had line ups to get in since only a certain amount of people were allowed at any one time. We had a great time and got some great deals. My favorite a new (and first ever) leather coat. I love it.

Now we're home for a couple of days, doing some local visiting, and then New Year's eve we're off to see Grosi, Grosvati and Uncle Marc for a few days.

I probably won't post until we get back early next week.

Wishing all of you a great New Year and a wonderful and blessed 2011!!

Catching Up

I haven't posted anything the last few days, so today I was playing catch up. This is the 3rd post, and it's just a collection of little bits and pieces

Away with the manger - that was the theme of our Sunday school pagent.
It started with reporters coming upon the scene in the stable, Mom and Dad with their brand new baby, along with some barn animals. Then you add the shepherds, the wisemen, the angels, then for some good measure and political correctness you add Santa Claus and some carolers (Katie's role) and before you know it the stage (and our lives) are getting so crowded that the easiest way to deal with it is to just take that manger out of the way, stick it in a corner and then we have some more room.
How often is that exactly what Christmas looks like in our lives. Work Parties, cookie exchanges, sending out Christmas cards, shopping, shopping, extra visiting, additional church services. There is hardly any time left for quiet anticipation of the joyful celebration that Jesus Christ came to earth to save us, you, me. It's worth some quiet contemplation!

Katie being a very cute caroler. Being hugged by "Mary"

Katie doing the slither and slide dance with Dora.

Maya had her first real hairdo. Two little piggy tales with cute flower barrets. She looked like such a big little girl.

Hanging out with Daddy. Maya loves to put on hats, not necessarily to wear hats, but definitely to put them on. Jeff's hunter orange ball cap with her hot pink camo pants. Beautiful!!

Visit from Grosi and Grosvati and B-day Party

We had our Liebenzeller Christmas on Saturday and since both sets of grandparents and uncle Marc were also invited, we ended up having Katie's party at lunchtime. Grosi and Grosvati arrived Friday afternoon and we had a nice evenin with them playing our new favorite game "Carcasonne" unfortunately we had to give it back, but it made it onto our Christmas wishlist.
Both girls always have lots of fun with Grosi reading stories to them. With all kinds of special effects and different voices.

Maya wanted to join the fun too, but didn't want to sit still so she lost interest quickly.

Maya was once again helping me make Katie's birthday cake.

THE PARTY
So on Saturday at lunch everyone was there for the party. We just had soup for lunch since the Liebenzeller Christmas included turkey dinner at 5 p.m. so I didn't want to cook a big lunch.

Katie still wanted a smartie cake, and a smartie cake she got!!

Her presents were Dora dominated, a DVD, stickers, a book, and her favorite: A Dora piggy bank. Now she "earns" money by cleaning up the living room. A few coins can go a long way.

This pic was taken Sunday morning, fresh out of bed (can you tell???) and all she wanted was more moneys for her Dora bank. Well gotta start saving early, right? Especially if it's other people's money;)

Outdoor Fun

Right off the bat I must admit that it was "forced" fun for me and I'm not sure that I did get out of my funk until a while after we got back inside, but the girls definitely did have fun. I won't go into the details, but instead just share some fun pics
Katie and I made some snow angels, but she had more fun trying to make snowballs and trow them at me. However, the white stuff was too powdery so she didn't succeed much with those balls

Maya was just hanging out with Daddy in the wagon. Jeff was working with Gordie in pulling the wagon for the girls.

Katie wanted to be part of the "i don't even have to walk" kind of fun and snuggled in with Maya. Well, the snuggling didn't last very long, but both did get some time being pulled.

On the way home, Katie had to walk, but she didn't want to, so I suggested that we just roll down the hill. She loved the idea. The down side - she wanted to roll all the way home (about a 10 min walk) Needless to say, she didn't get to roll it her way and eventually we did catch up with Daddy and she got to ride a bit more.

Christmas in the air

Just a very quick post. As usual we had a busy week with appointments, meetings, visiting, cleaning, and organizing and getting ready for our Liebenzeller Staff Christmas tomorrow. I did want to put up a few pics of our Christmasy home. We finally have enough snow that the outside feels like Christmas as well.

It doesn't show well, but I have a little Snowmen collection. I didn't actually plan to start collecting, but over the years they showed up in gifts etc. so now I have my little snowmen winterland to start my seasonal decorating

Some lights, a nice sign that Jeff bought for me a few years ago and so we get a little quiet evening atmosphere (after 10 p.m. when we can be sure that the kids are actually in bed and sleeping - it's been a struggle the last couple of weeks, but that's a different story)

Our Christmas tree went up Tuesday night. Yes, it is fake, but until the kids are old enough to come hunt for a real tree, this will do.

This is the view from the livingroom

and this is my favorite aspect of our Christmas tree. I can put it behind bars - or more truthfully, keep the girls from climbing it and stealing all the ornaments. I know, it may be lazy of me, but the only place we can put up a tree is where the kids always play, and I just cannot be with them constantly. We do have it open when we are right with them and can teach them not to touch and only to look, but for some reason that lesson doesn't seem to sink in with either one of them very much. So behind bars goes the tree and Mommy will keep the thread of sanity I still have.

Mueti and Vati are here overnight and tomorrow we have a little B-day lunch party for Katie with all the relatives that are in the province/country. (Both sets of grandparents and Uncle Marc). In the afternoon is our Liebenzeller party, lots of fun and activity for the kids. Hopefully not too much.

Diva Girl

So while Jeff and I were in our staff meeting this morning, Andy and Marcel were looking after the girls. Maya had her morning nap for most of the time, but Katie kept the two busy. First they played outside for a bit, but once they got inside Katie played with her FisherPrice salon.Working with sticky rollers Katie came up with a lovely hairdo. I have a feeling that this one is going to be an odd mix of tomboy and princess. So glad the guys thought to take pictures while we were gone.

IKEA SHELF
I'm not quite sure yet if I like this shelf. Yes, the bins are nice to just toss the toys in at the end of the day, BUT they dump out even more easily. And they also work well as stairs, or that's what the girls seem to think anyway. Even Maya will climb up, and if I put a toy or something on the bottom "step" they just pull it down, make a mess and climb anyway.Maya is much more a climber than Katie was, but in this case the older is learning from the little one and both are getting into trouble climbing onto and into things. (I have no idea how I got the last sencence to underline and bold, or how to remove it, so there's no significance to it)
Jeff, caught the girls playing side by side quite nicely. Maybe the separating wall between them is the trick. Whatever works at the time I guess.

I'm off to straighten out my house now that Maya is down for her nap. Wish me luck.