Our Bird Friends

My dad made us a bird feeder earlier this year and we finally put it up this summer. We took a break from putting seed in after I saw two HUGE mice eating food that was on the ground. I about flipped my lid when I saw them.  I figured out how they were getting into the yard so I put a brick there. Haven't seen any since.  I'm sure they still come in, but out of sight means out of mind.

In lat November, we put the seed back out and after a few days the birds started coming back.  The girls and I love watching them each day.  Sometimes there are seven dove at once sitting on the fence. We have even found them sleeping under the small tree and on our porch.  I don't mind at all.  Recently some finches have come too.  

Christmas Morning - Santa

Mallory was the first one to wake up (as usual. We woke Matt up and then went and got Maggie. Both of the girls were so excited to see what Santa had brought them.  Mallory was so cute because her first priority was to see if Santa ate his cookies AND to make sure the reindeer had eaten their carrots she put on the back patio.  Santa and the reindeer both had only left crumbs. Mallory was so happy!

Matt told the girls he wanted to take a picture of them with their gifts. Mallory was the first to strike a pose and Maggie quickly followed.

Mallory received the number one gift on her wish list - Sofia the First Royal Bed Set.  She also received a Strawberry Shortcake Berry Bitty Market. She loved both!

Maggie received a Dora the Explorer Backpack Toy Set and a Dora doll.

Their stockings were filled with Strawberry Shortcake toothbrushes, new containers of hand soap, field journals to scribble in and some other little random fun items.

Christmas Eve

Our tradition is to open our family Christmas gifts on Christmas Eve. We do this to allow more time and not be so rushed on Christmas morning since we will always go to McKinney or Greenville for Christmas Day.  Mallory and Maggie had so much fun opening their gifts from us and from each other.  Matt and I started a new tradition this year of only giving the girls six gifts.  They get something to read, something to wear, something they want, and something they need.  We also allow the girls to give each other one gift and of course Harold gives them a little something.

Mallory received the following this year- 

read - Strawberry Shortcake book with multiple stories include

need- London double decker bus long sleeve shirt 

want- Cinderella snap dress doll and extra snap dresses

wear- purple peacock dress

from Maggie- Max and Ruby coloring books, snack container, and bag

from Harold - Disney Princess water bottle

Maggie received the following this year- 

read - Dora the Explorer book with multiple stories include

need- paint set

want- Little People Disney Princess dolls to go with her new castle

wear- purple peacock dress

from Mallory - Dora the Explorer purse

from Harold - Minnie Mouse water bottle

Neighborhood Train and Santa

Today was the day of the annual Christmas even that the HOA puts on for the neighborhood children.  Mallory and I enjoyed the train ride.  Last year the train ran out of gas so Maggie and I ran to Target, while Mallory waited around with Amy and Ethan Berry.  This year I was able to ride it with Mallory and it was a lot of fun.  We both enjoyed ourselves. (Maggie was at home taking a much needed nap)

After the train ride, Mallory enjoyed a cupcake and played with Annalise who is in her pre-k class.  My ticket was actually drawn during a raffle and I won a $10 gift card to TGI Fridays.  Mallory and I will use that for a special lunch date when Maggie has her last day of Mother's Day Out this fall semester.

When we were leaving Mallory actually stood next to Santa AND didn't get scared. This is a HUGE milestone for her.  She even told Santa that she really wanted a Sofia the First Royal Bed set.  I was so proud of her for being so brave.

Icemaggedon

This is our only picture from Icemageddon. We stayed inside during most of the ice storm. I had no desire to go outside and risk falling and hurting myself. The girls don't need two parents that can't walk! Mallory and I went out for a few minutes today. It was cold!!!!

Trimming the Christmas Tree

We typically trim the Christmas the day after Thanksgiving, but that didn't happen since Matt went to the ER. Papa Nick helped me get the tree down from the attic and then a couple of days later I put it up all by myself. I was quite impressed with myself because that tree is very heavy. With everything that had happened in the past few days I just wasn't in the spirit to decorate the entire house this year. I also knew the girls wouldn't keep their hands off the tree so we just put up their ornaments this year.

Each year, we give the girls an ornament that represents something that special meaning to them that particular year.  This year we chose to give them an ornament that we purchased in London.  Matt and I bought these princess ornaments at the Windsor Castle gift shop.  Mallory and Maggie both loved them.  Mallory wanted to play with hers so we had to have several discussions of fragile they are and they are not to be played with.  I want them to be enjoyed for many years.

After we decorated the tree, we had our traditional Little Debbie Christmas tree cakes.   This has been a tradition in my family for as long as I can remember.  This year, Little Debbie came out with red velvet cakes and they were terrific.  

Here are the girls and Matt enjoying their treats.

Making a Gingerbread House

Last year, Mallory and I decorated our first ever gingerbread house and I decided to make it a yearly tradition.  This year, we let Maggie help.  I wasn't able to take pictures while making the house because I was constantly having to tell the girls to stop eating the candies.  Needless to say, I'm very impressed with our work since many candies WERE eaten!

This is the side of the roof that Mallory decorated.

The right side of the roof is what Maggie decorated. They both decorated the front.  I was in charge of the icing.

The picture describes what happened most days the house was out.  Maggie's little hand going towards the spearmint bushes wanting to eat them.  She just couldn't grasp that they weren't for eating and that they would not be good even if she could get hold of them.