Ho Ho Ho- What A Merry Christmas!



I really, really, really loved Christmas this year! I mean, it's always a great holiday but this year Isabel was old enough to understand the concept and it just made it all so much more fun. Although she was terrified of seeing Santa (would not even go near him for one single picture) she loved him in theory---talking about him and Rudolph almost every single day for a month straight. It was also really neat this year because Bel started to understand the Christmas story and the idea that Christmas is really about celebrating Jesus' birthday. We had a little picture book that explained how Jesus was born and why his birth was so special. We read that book about a zillion times and it was a pretty nice reminder for her mom too- it can be easy to lose perspective during this busy season and forget what we should really be focusing on. Below are just some of the pics from our holiday (I took a lot).... Enjoy!

Cookie Making!   (or in our case..... Frosting Eating!)

Enjoying the lights on Juniper Lane

Dressed up for Christmas Eve church- Isabel almost made it through the whole service.. she got a little rowdy towards the end

Isabel loves her cousin Payton! Don't these girls look serious?

 The Kerruish family celebrating Paytee's first Christmas

 Happy Grandma

 My cousin Shannon and her little guy Marcus stopped by on Christmas Eve for a visit too

 Isabel was excited for Santa to arrive... so excited she did NOT want to go to bed

 Aww... Santa brought me a gift too!

Santa came!!

 Daddy gets to help put everything together... (in the future we will probably do that the night before :)

Christmas Brunch at Grandpa and YaYa's house!

Art supplies from Aunt Mimi and Uncle Zack

Tag Jr from Grandpa and YaYa

Paytee is pooped- Christmas is hard work

We were totally spoiled this year! Lots of yummy food, fun, and time spent with our families.  We know that everything we have is a gift that has been given to us from our savior and lord Jesus Christ and for that we are truly blessed and thankful. I hope you all had as Merry a Christmas as we did! 

This is a Dairy Queen chocolate vanilla ice cream cake (you know you want a big slice!) We celebrated my sweet hubby's 30-something birthday this past weekend at his parent's house in Dwight. We also celebrated our Christmas with them early this year. (We will miss seeing them next weekend but this will actually work out well because we won't have to do so much driving on Christmas morning andt hat means Bel will wake up in her own bed and get to see what Santa left her under the tree. Awesome!)
Here are some pics from our celebrations... (unfortunately I ran out of battery in my camera during our Dwight Christmas. So here is what I was able to get)

Daddy putting together the train. This belonged to HIS grandparents.

Grandpa Leppin showing Bel his model trains - she is suddenly fascinated by "choo choos"

What a nut!

 Out to dinner at "Jurin"- Jason loves the sushi and Isabel loves watching the chef cook her meal at the table.

My family was able to join us for the celebration.

She is saying "Oh my gosh.. oh my gosh" as she watches

Cool new running shoes! (Jason officially has more shoes than I do, in case anyone is counting)

I love you sweetheart! Happy Birthday! I hope it was a good one :)

It's been a LONG week....

Why is it that the week BEFORE you are on vacation always feels the longest? Now, I know that non-teachers always gripe about all the breaks and vacations we teachers get off during the year. And yes... we do get get a lot of time off compared to some other professions. But let me tell you- it is MUCH needed. Without it - we might actually go crazy and lock your children in a supply closet. (I'm kidding............................... sort of)
This past week has been full of countless hours of grading, planning and assorted non- classroom school requirements- and after today's "Ancient Roman Celebration" complete with games, crafts, togas, and a feast as well as my student's production of "A Christmas Carol" in the afternoon- I felt like I was ready to pass out from sheer exhaustion. So.. I am enjoying an adult beverage with my hubby tonight, watching a lame movie and my baby girl is sound asleep. Ahhhh............... I LOVE Christmas vacation. Let the two weeks off begin!

Oh yes... and today was Isabel's Christmas Party at Goddard School. She ate sweets, danced with her (boy) friends and even made a gift or mommy and daddy. Sweet!

It came with this cute little poem on the back-

Sometimes you get discouraged

Because I am so small

And always leave my fingerprints

On furniture and walls.

But every day I'm growing -

I'll be grown up some day

And all those tiny hand prints

Will surely fade away.

So here's a little hand print

Just so you can recall

Exactly how my fingers looked

When I was very small.

This adorable gift ALMOST made me forget what a little beast our Bel has been being this week (Biting a fellow classmate, throwing fits at dinner every night, and just basically being a stubborn little boss.) Wasn't I just posting about how much I love and adore this toddler phase?!!!       Ahhh... well. Some days are easier than others.

Like I said- This teacher mom is ready for her break! Bring it on :)

She's Got Personality....

Our little Isabel is 21 months old now, crazy huh? She is bossy, throws tantrums when she doesn't get things her way, and pretty much pushes boundaries at every opportunity. She picks out her own clothes now, knows how to change the channel on the t.v. and seems to have constantly changing taste buds (What else would explain the fact that one day she LOVES a banana or a chicken nugget and the next she won't have anything to do with it?) So  having a toddler can exhaust your patience at times.

BUT I wouldn't change it for the world. I actually love this phase because along with her bossiness- comes her utter sweetness. She says adorable things like "Miss Daddy" when he is at work or "Sorry Mommy" when she spills something on me. She sings, dances, counts, and jibber-jabbers all the times. She gives big bear hugs and kisses and curls up in my lap when I read to her. I swear she has the best memory too. She will remind me of things that happened three days earlier and can pretty much name anyone she has ever met in a photo. In fact, she is going to be moved up to the next classroom at her school in just a few weeks.They do a lot of the same things as her "Kitty Cats" room- but they will have even more instruction and independence. The kids in that room are older- there are more of them- and she won't be such a "big fish in a little pond". I think she will adjust just fine though.

Bel still usually resists my picture taking but every once in a while she will let me catch her antics. Here are some new pics- Check out this girl's personality!

Is she one fun chick or what?! Looking forward to two weeks off to hang out with my best girl!

TONS of Snow....

But I guess it is not too bad when it doesn't start until Saturday and you don't have to wake up and go to work. (Well... Jason did. Poor guy- but not us girls!) Out to play in the snow in the first snow of the year. Or as Isabel calls it the "Schone!"

Somehow I don't think this will seem half as entertaining come February....