Christmas

We started our Christmas festivities on Sunday Dec 23.  That's when Jeremy's family held their annual Christmas party.  It always starts with a talent show.  I love that this year we had a variety of things rather than just singing.

We then get to exchange gifts.  Joe got a brightly colored bug toy that he loves.

Clara received a lacing activity, which she was ecstatic about because now she can sew like her mom.  She also received new LaLaLoopsys.

Jeremy and I received a new Wii game.

This will most likely by John and Sharon's last Christmas with their family for a few years.  They have decided to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  Their papers are in and are waiting for their call to come.  We will miss you guys next year, but are so proud of your willingness to serve the Lord.

Joseph also got to spend some play time with his cousin who is just a few weeks older.  I love how they both have drool dripping from their mouth to the ground!

Christmas Eve was spent at my sister's house.  We again exchanged a few gifts with my brother and his family.

We also got to spend some time with my grandmother who came from Montana to stay with us for Christmas.

And then came the day that Clara has been waiting for.  Christmas!  We had a wonderful Christmas filled with a lot of immediate family time as well as time with my side of the family.  We feel so blessed.  I was impressed how well Clara understands the true meaning of Christmas.  She demonstrated it by asking me to write this note for her:

Sorry the handwriting is so sloppy.  I was trying to juggle a crying baby while writing it for Clara.  But those are all the words dictated by Clara.  We are also very grateful that Santa could bring Joseph a hat and mittens to keep him warm:

Hope your Christmas was as wonderful as ours.

Gingerbread Houses

Clara got to make some a gingerbread  house this week.  It was her first one and she couldn't wait it build it.  We were invited a few days before it happened, and Clara would wake up each morning hoping that today would be the day she got to go.  When the day finally arrived, she got dressed right after breakfast (something that I usually have to fight her to do,) and then couldn't wait for it to start.
Here are all the kids making their gingerbread houses.

 Here is Clara putting on her frosting, she was truly one happy kid.

And the finished project:

Now Clara refuses to let anyone eat it, so I'll probable end up throwing it away when I'm cleaning up all my Christmas decorations.
The people who invited us over to make the gingerbread houses have a cute little dog.  It's a pretty hyper little dog, so this is Clara protecting Joe from the dog.  I thought it was pretty cute how she wrapped herself around Joe.

And last but not least, I have a video.  I love how as soon as Joe sees himself in the mirror he laughs, and then quits as soon as he looks away.

Parties

We had our ward Christmas Party this week.  A cute couple in our ward dressed as Mary and Joseph for a live nativity.  As soon as Clara saw them, she insisted that I take a picture so that she can always remember it.

Jeremy read Twas the Night Before Christmas to all the kids.

Here's Clara sitting with some of her best friends from our ward, listening to the story.

When the story was done, Santa came.  Clara was one of the lucky few who got her picture taken with him.

My nephew also had a birthday party this week.  He was so fun to watch open gifts.  He loved everything he got!

 He couldn't wait to head out.  He's wearing his new coat, gloves, and hat.  He also packed all his gifts into the one Pooh bag and was all ready to go!

Hair Cut

Clara asked to get a hair cut when I chopped my hair off last month.  She had been wanting hair as long as Rapunzel's, so I asked her if she really wanted a hair cut.  She declined.  But ever since then, has kept asking for one.  When she asked for one 3 days in a row, I figured she really meant it.  So I took some before pictures:

20 minutes later, I had cut 9 inches off her hair and had a very messy floor:

I was so worried that she would cry when she saw how short it was.  But she ended up loving it!

She couldn't wait to show everyone.
Joe got a new onsie this week too, and I thought it was pretty cute:

He's a Mover

Our little Joseph rolled over for the first time this week.  He rolled over about 4 times in a row, and then stopped.  It's now a hit and miss thing.  Sometimes he rolls and sometimes he doesn't.  At least I was able to catch one of the first times on video!

Joe has also grown a lot, so he's now in the next size clothes.  I've been waiting for him to fit into a froggie suit that Clara used to wear.  My kids do look similar, but they have very different eyes.  Here's Clara with her very dark brown eyes and curly eye lashes:

And here's Joe in the same outfit:

He also now fits into the cutest little sweater:

I also want to say how grateful I am that Jeremy has such a wonderful cousin.  Jeremy LOVES to attend concerts, and I'm not such a big fan of them.  I don't know why anyone would want to stay up way too late, sit with way too many loud and crazy people, just to listen to songs you can hear in your own home.  But like I said, for some reason, Jeremy finds that wonderful.  So every once in a while Jeremy and his cousin, Brian, attend a concert together.  They bought these tickets months ago and finally the big night came.  They got to see The Killers live at UVU.  Jeremy took well over a hundred pictures, along with several videos.  Here's what I think are the best ones:

We also got to attend the baptism of our neighbor.  I'm so proud of Paisley and her decisions!

I also keep forgetting to mention that Jeremy has a 3/4 time job.  He got to start it the Monday after Thanksgiving.  Since it's not full time, he doesn't get any benefits, but he gets paid enough for us to pay our bills.  We are so grateful for this job to keep us afloat until he finds something with benefits!