Hello 2021!

 We were ready to ring in the new year big time. We took a train ride around town and then hunkered down for the night.  2020 was a great year full of family time and lots of giggles. While it didn't look like anything I had ever seen before, it certainly was full of blessings. 

Every year I get to spend with these guys is a great year! Here's to 2021 and the hope that it can't possibly get any cazier than 2020. 

2020 Gingerbread Tradition

 

Every year the girls and I create a gingerbread house to serve as our centerpiece for the Christmas season. This year Guga got to help us. We headed out to the Dollar Store for supplies, and then we set out to work. The girls are very opinionated about how they wanna decorate their portion of the house. Lucy spelled out “elf” on the roof of her side and created a hot cocoa stand. Vera chose the more subtle approach of using  absolutely every candy. No matter what approach, it was our best gingerbread house yet. I love spending time giggling with the girls and creating Christmas memories together. 

 

December Outtakes

When you recieve gift cards to your favorite place, Barnes and Nobel, you spend the day there agonizing over waht books to get. Seriously, two hours to decided between four books and I love evey minute of it. 

We started a new tradition of painting and decorated Christmas houses. The tuned out great and were a fun way to slow down and send some much needed time together.

 We made Borax Christmas ornaments

We pretended to be super heroes at Hollywood Studios. 

Vera's super power was creating a force field 

Disney at Christmas time is magical, but this year it just seemed a little less so. With all the masks, social distancing, no Santa, and limited decorations, it was different. We still loved it, but I can't wait for next year when we return to normal. 

Lucy inherited Vera's gold coat. 

There were some seriously large Christmas trees

Sweet dreaming Goose

Family walks to check out the neighborhood decorations

Cookies!

Oh deer!

Yearly Nutcrackers from Guga

More cookies! 

December was fabulous and filled with lots of joy and wonder as we prepared for the birth of our Jesus. It is truly the most wonderful time of the year. 

Rollin' Into Cousin Time

After Christmas we headed to South Carolina to visit with family. It was so great to hear all the girls giggling and laughing. We even headed to the roller rink for an afternoon on wheels. 

We broke the rules and took off the masks for the picture and I'm not even a little sorry. 

This is the best that I could get of them because they whized by so quickly. 

 

10 Years Blessed

 

Happy Baptism Birthday Vera! What a privilege it has been to watch you grow in Jesus. May He guide you in all you do and be a light to your path always. We love you so much, but He loves you the most! May you always have Jesus in your heart and follow Him all the days of your life. 

Christmas Day 2020

The girls got up at 5 in the morning this year. I think they were just so excited they couldn't sleep any longer. They rushed downstairs and were amazed at all the goodies under the tree. 

Ver's face is everything. She was so excited to unwrap each gift 

Santa brought her a special snow globe from his personal collection. It was of the nativity. In the letter he wrote, he reminded Vera that this was the true meaning of friendship. 

Lucy got a letter from Santa too. He gave her his two favorite books...her own special copy of the Bible and a dictionary. 

There were LOL dolls galore

Santa brought the girls Christmas Squishmallows. Vera got a sweet little gnome. 

The girls have to buy each other their gifts, and Lucy had been waiting forever to give Vera hers. It was special pair of Mickey ears and a gem necklace. I loved watching how happy she was to give to Vera. 

A quick photo before all the unwrapping 

Goose with her Santa book 

Vera loved her new ears from Goose. 

The girls were o excited to give Matthew his gifts. 

Lucy with her much longed for LOL band member

Lucy was so thankful for the gift from Vera. Vera made me go to five different stores to find the LOL doll that Lucy wanted. Five. But this picture made it all worth it. 

Santa brought Lucy an car for her American Girl dolls. She was over the moon. 

This is pure joy and excitement. 

Matthew's big gift...the hammock for the backyard

And Matthew was there to help unwrap it all. It was so much fun. We spent the entire day slowly opening gifts and playing as we went. 

Christmas this year was just perfect.  I will always cherish these days because they are the best.