Getting the tree

We like to get our tree a week or so after Thanksgiving. I would love to get it right after but it's hard to keep it alive all the way to Christmas and then you have pine needles all over and it's messy. So we waited until a week after Thanksgiving but as you know Thanksgiving was late this year which means it felt super late for getting our tree. We were all more than ready to set up the tree, we needed it to officially feel like Christmas around here.

 We went to Helvetia Tree Farms like we have the past 2 years and there was still snow on the ground from the night before. We bundled the girls up in their snow gear and headed out.

 The girls were troopers, they had to walk all over with us trying to find the perfect tree: tall, but not wide at the base. They happily trudged along in the snow.
We finally found it (believe it or not Brian was the picky one) and Daddy got to work sawing it down.

The orange coat is Brian

 Once we got the tree we went and saw Santa to make sure he knew what we wanted for Christmas. Well, Bria made sure he knew. Reese made sure he knew this was very awkward and glared at me for putting her so close to a stranger.

Reese: "Not cool Mom, not cool."
Bria: "I want a Merida with her arms out."

Then we headed to the fire pit where they have marshmallows to roast. This might be my favorite part of this tree farm.

I know it's the girls' favorite part.

Once we were thoroughly warmed up, smelled of fire, and full from marshmallows we headed home to put the tree up.

 And of course, in true 2 year old fashion, Reese stripped off her clothes and decorated in her underwear. Because ya know, 20 degrees is a little warm.

Bria got to place the star on top of the tree and then we stood back and looked at it's beauty.

NOW it feels like Christmas.

We went sledding

We were anxious to get out and take the girls sledding this season. For Christmas last year Grandpa David (Brian's dad) got Bria a bitchin' sled. It's basically like a mini snow mobile without the engine. I didn't get a good picture of it but I will next time we go. 

Here it is in the background standing up.

Anyway, a couple weeks ago we headed to the mountain.

With her new sled Bria was the talk of the sledding hill :) We kept getting asked where we got it and all the kids were pretty envious of Bria. It also has brakes and we taught Bria how to stomp both her feet on them to slow her down. She did awesome and by the end of winter I think she'll be a pro.

 It was freezing. Obviously. But it definitely called for hot chocolate and good thing we packed some. We sat on the back of the car and warmed up a bit.

 There wasn't a ton of snow yet, but enough to sled on and have a good time.

Afterwards we went to the lodge and enjoyed a good lunch then packed up and headed home. Bria was hoping for more snow time but Reese was more than tired so we promised Bria we would come back multiple times.
And the good news is that this morning we woke up to a little snow outside! Probably not quite an inch, but it's pretty and white. Praying for a white Christmas!

The Holidays are upon us

I am so excited that the Holidays are finally here, it means we get to see all our family and we get to see them often. It's just my absolute favorite. For Thanksgiving we headed down to Albany and had a big Thanksgiving with my side. We stayed at Jenny and Kyle's and it is always so much fun seeing the girls and Jax play together.

 Bria loves baby Jax and I think he likes all the attention and entertainment she provides for him. Reese and Jax will play adorably one minute and then one will do something the other is not fond of and then there's screaming. Usually Reese is the culprit, I tried to tell her that before she knows it he will be stronger and bigger than her but she doesn't quite get it yet.

Who doesn't love spinning in a computer chair?

 Thanksgiving morning the guys did their traditional shooting trip. Brian looks forward to it and we had been saving milk jugs for weeks to use as targets, amongst all their other stuff they shoot at. After they got home and cleaned up we all met at my Mom's for fantastic food.

Kyle and Brian in deep conversations

Kayla and Lance listening intently

 The nice thing is that since my parents get along and everyone is all cool,  we have Thanksgiving as one big family...both sets of parents. I do not take for granted how wonderful it is that they all get along and we are able to have big Holidays together and family vacations too.
My step-sister Alyssa and her husband, Eric, also came by for a little bit which was fun. They just had their baby girl, Isla, in September. She is ADORABLE. I might have stolen her before they even stepped foot in the door.
Funny story about Eric, I worked with him at OSU Federal Credit Union back in college. We worked the drive through together and became good friends. So fun that he married Alyssa and is now in the family!

Bria loves babies as much as I do

Proud Papa with his granddaughter

 Reese was in heaven with all her cousins around. She started going around and hugging all of them. It was really sweet.

My Mom and baby Isla, look at her little smile!!

Proud Daddy, Eric, with his little girl

I think I say it every time we get together with the family, but I just love it. It means so much to get to spend time with them and watch the cousins play together. Looking forward to Christmas!

Family picture time!

Wow, it's been a long time since I've blogged. I've just kind of been out of it and not in the mood to blog. But I will try and get better about that.
So my amazing family got me a fabulous present for my birthday (yes, 5 months ago) and I finally cashed it in.
Family pictures by the amazingly talented, Marissa. I have been a huge fan of her work, I love the moments she captures, the lighting, everything. Jenny and Kyle get their pictures done by her and they are always amazing.
Anyway, a week ago we drove up to Washington and had our family session. It was suppose to be a mini session but it turned into a full session and Marissa never made me feel stressed or guilty. Quite the opposite, she was a calming presence and fabulous to work with.
The day started out fine despite the fact that the night before Reese succumbed to the cold that is going around and kept us up nearly all night. On the ride up she was fine, I should have realized it was the calm before the storm. For the first 10 minutes of the session she was fine, a little shy but not bad. And then she turned into a screaming, fit-throwing toddler. She was screaming at pitches Brian and I have never heard come out of her. And we were helpless. She was shy and emotional and we couldn't do anything to make her feel better.
I left feeling defeated and all the sudden I couldn't even remember if we did family pictures. It was like the whole thing was a blur. A toddler tantrum blur.
And then Marissa showed me these:

 I was in shock. How did she capture moments like that when I felt like they were all like this:

Because she is a magician/miracle worker. And I love her. And I forever will cherish them and the memories along with them.

This week

Reese has made the transition from crib to bed very smooth. She is still very willing to go to bed and sleeps great, I am very thankful for that. Today was the first day that instead of napping she just played in her room the whole time. She is waaaay too young to do that, but we'll let it slide this once.

This week has been sunny and freezing. It means we get to play outside and we love it.

Chillin' at the park

My girls love their baby dolls

 We also celebrated Presleigh's birthday by a little play time at Chuck E. Cheese:

Argh matey!!

She kind of likes cupcakes

Bria and Kenzie

 The girls had so much fun and Randi was smart and did it during the week at lunch time so we had the place almost to ourselves. The kids ran around the whole time and had a blast. Two days before was Presleigh's actual birthday so we helped celebrate it with bowling, PF Chang's and ice cream.

Using good manners 

By the PF Chang horse

 The girls had fun bowling too, it was cosmic bowling time which was pretty fun.

Bria loves little Charleigh

Randi and Charleigh

We always have fun celebrating birthdays. And of course the nights ends with the girls running around on a sugar high then crashing in bed. Awesomeness.