santa comes to our home

christmas eve

I did a terrible job of taking pictures this Christmas! It was a good night though, not exactly what we had planned but a comfy, cozy night for the four of us. We didn't make it to church like we had planned because Addie started to come down with something (and woke up throughout the night throwing up; poor thing). But we ate my family's traditional mac and cheese, in our new Christmas pjs and opened presents from loved ones.

Thankfully, Kevin set up the tripod and took video of our Christmas Eve. I warn your though, it is long and probably very boring to most viewers but I wanted to put it here so that our kids could watch it for years to come.

christmas eve day photo shoot

I couldn't resist throwing a Cousin Eddie hat on him and grabbing my camera...what a merry christmas we are having!

zoo lights with the linnets

I can't believe how months pass by before we make plans to get Addie together with her buddy Skylar. So we were thrilled to get a playdate in before Christmas! And thanks to Auntie Pam who sent us another awesome Christmas gift, we are now members of the Oakland Zoo!!! It worked out perfect to use our passes for discounts to the Oakland Zoo Lights with the Linnets! 

addie's letter to santa

Here's Addie's official letter to Santa for Christmas 2013. I think Santa was able to check everything off her list! 

Some of you may have read what I wrote on Facebook about being Santa, but I've learned it is so incredibly hard to stick to a budget and not be consumed with consumerism. One night I was feeling particularly anxious, thinking about all of the things we hadn't bought our kids and that's when Kevin reminded me that the best gift we can give our kids is to teach them that they can't have everything they want and to be grateful for what they do have. He is a smart man and in many ways the ying to my yang. I love him. 

She had just had her preschool program, thus the redolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer look.

Translation: Dear Santa, I want a scooter, a sewing machine (I know crazy, right?! She came up with that one all on her own.) and doll. I was a good girl this year. Love, Addie

preschool christmas recital

Last year we had to miss this event because our girl was sick but we made it this year!

There she is third one in from the top left!

And here she is running down the aisle to us with our Christmas gift!

Santa even made an appearance!

Although Liam didn't cry he seemed a little weirded out by this whole sit-on-Santa's-lap thing. 

And here's a little video of one of their songs!

speech therapy for liam

We've officially started speech therapy for Liam and I love our speech therapist, Nicole! The second she walks through the door Liam is absolutely glued to her. He is attentive for the full 45 minutes and seems sad when it's time for her to pack up and leave. I'm looking forward to lots of growth in Liam and thankful for this resource.

a christmas dinner

The other night Addie asked me at least two times during the day, "Mom can you make a Christmas dinner?" I wasn't quite sure what she was asking for but I knew what groceries I had and what was planned for dinner, so I improvised. Here's a chicken pot pie with a Christmas twist (prior to going into the oven).

One of my friends asked me for the recipe so while I sat down to type it up for her, I thought maybe others would like the recipe too. It was taken from a magazine but I've made quite a few of alterations to it. It's become one of our favs!

2 tbsp. olive oil

3 cups of chopped yukon potatoes

1/2 large onion

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cup of dry white wine

2 cups of chicken broth

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup peas (I use frozen)

meat from rotisserie chicken (I usually pick one up from Costco)

1 package/box of pie dough (I'm sure you could find a pie dough recipe if you wanted to make it "from scratch.")

1 egg beaten

1. Heat oven to 375. Then spray your bake ware with olive oil. (I usually spray a large family corning ware bowl with olive oil or I've also used individual ramekins too.)

2. Heat the oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add the potatoes, onion and salt and pepper to your liking. Cook covered, stirring occasionally until tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

3. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually stir in the wine and broth and bring to a boil.

4. Add chicken, carrots, peas and let boil a few minutes longer. Then simmer and start to prepare your pie crusts.

5. Once you've placed the mixture in your pie and made your top, (I just used cookie cutters for the stars, but you could use whatever you want or even do a lattice) then lightly brush with beaten egg and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. 

candy cane lane with friends

This year we met up with the Gapols and their neighbors to take a stroll down Candy Cane Lane. It was a nice little festive evening!

Making funny faces! Addie was so enamored by the "big girls" she forgot to look at the camera.  

Baby boy taking in the sights.

Quentin and Addie held hands most of the way. So sweet.

winter recital

This year Addie's dance school had their first winter recital. It was a pretty low key production and I think Addie enjoyed hanging backstage with friends more than anything. As usual, I waited to put on her makeup until we got there, so she wouldn't smear it. But even with lots of warning that she would have to sit down and let me put it on when we got there, she still was itching to get up and play with friends. At one point she even said that I was just "bothering" her. Hmm...lovely moment. Can't wait till 13!

Aside from that nice mother-daughter moment, I was so proud of her for going right on stage and doing her thing! She seems to be thrilled to go to dance and absolutely loved her pinkalicious costume!

All lined up and ready to go on stage with friends, McKinley and Paige! (not sure of the other girls' names) 

Such cute girls!

Doing a little coloring while the girls waited for their turn on stage.

There were two performances one at noon and one at six. Kevin and Liam came to watch the later one, then headed backstage to give her flowers and in a sea full of little girls Liam picked her out and came running to her to give her a hug. Needless to say, that melted my heart.

This girl loves getting flowers!

Great job punkin! We love you!

liam goes pee-pee!

For months now Liam loves to come in when we are using the restroom and hands us toilet paper or even attempts to help wipe us. Yikes! So we decided it was time we make a potty chair ready and available if his interests should happen to peak. And they have! I got this adorable picture one night from Kevin, while out doing some Christmas errands. Yay Liam! We are so proud of you! (And good job Daddy!)

2013 advent calendar

Our advent calendar went so well last year that we continued the tradition of putting little notes in each of the boxes and making it about doing something together rather than what-do-I-get. Sometimes, it's extra work thinking of or squeezing in an activity when I'm swamped with all the other hustle and bustle of the holidays but I love this and hope to continue it for years to come.
So every morning in our house Addie and Liam eagerly look for their elf and then get to open a box to read a new message with the day's activity. Here's what we've been up to this December as we count down to Christmas! (We got started a little late since Thanksgiving ran so late and we were up in Oregon.)

silveyville field trip

Addie's preschool had a great little field trip to a local tree farm! We loved it! All this time, we had no idea we lived so close to this little gem of a tree farm! Here's some pics from our day!

Three of us moms all piled in with our preschoolers and made our way to Silveyville Tree Farm!

All lined up ready to learn about the life cycle of the Christmas tree!

Such attentive preschoolers! 

Our girl ready to ride around the farm and sing Christmas carols!

It was an extra ordinarily cold day! Don't they just look cold?

The kids got to play in a barn full of hay trampolines and slides!

Two little goof balls waiting for their snack!

our 2013 christmas tree

We didn't bring a tree home from Oregon this year because we've discovered one of our local fruit stands, Larry's, sells them cheaper than we could find one in Oregon! The kids were so excited to bring a tree home and decorate it! I think we had this done even before we finished unpacking our bags from Oregon.