Christmas 2012

I got up Christmas morning and put breakfast in the oven and finished making bread rolls for lunch. Michael's parents came over and we waited for Isabella to wake up. She finally did, and she had no idea it was Christmas morning. We put her last ornament on her countdown tree, and I told her it was Christmas morning. She asked me if she got to open her pink presents. She had seen them under the tree and knew she couldn't open them until Christmas.

 Isabella has plenty of toys that she loves and plenty of toys that she doesn't even play with. So we tried to keep things simple by following the "something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read" motto for Christmas that has been all over pinterest and blogs. It was a bit harder than I thought as I would see fun things when I was out shopping that I wanted to get for her, but already had something in that category. I think it will really make me think about what she will really like and use and choose quality things over just having more. I wanted Christmas morning to be fun and special for her, but tried to remember fun and special doesn't have to be all about things. And after everything else she got for Christmas, she has no shortage of clothes and toys. We are abundantly blessed by our families. So I think for now we will follow this, plus their stockings, and then next year adding "something to give". For this we will give the child money to give to a cause or something to help someone else. And we will also do a gift of fun family experience together. I meant to print off a picture of what we are doing to put in Isabella's stocking, but I forgot.

She asked to paint when she saw her easel. But we got her started on her stocking before getting the paints out.

A harmonica!

We started a new tradition this year of a ornament given at Christmas breakfast that will symbolize a new skill learned, or favorite thing or event from the past year specific to that child. I'll write something about each ornament and give them to the kids when they leave home. Can you guess Isabella's for this year?

Over the year we rode trains at Frontier city, the Orr family farm, in Colorado, at the day out with Thomas, the Christmas train, and probably a few more I'm forgetting. We played trains at Barnes and Noble and at home a lot. We read Thomas books and watched Thomas dvd's. We can hear the trains at our house and we could at our old house too, and she gets excited every time she hears one. It was a year of trains.

It was just a matter of time before her hands went in the paint, but she did refrain from painting her face. 

Snow falling on my parents back porch. 
We got ready and left for my parents' house. Isabella kept asking if she could play in the snow, but there still wasn't enough to play in.

Snow watching. 

Watching Papa put out more food for the birds. 

The red cardinals were so pretty against the white snow.

Isabella got a kids table and chairs the perfect size for her. There will be much coloring, creating, and tea parties to come at this table.

Sister!

Carper came just in time to join us for Christmas.

Our holidays were busy, but I'm grateful we were able to spend time with all of our family. We were blessed with so much family, food, and gifts. And while we didn't get as much snow as I hoped, having some snow on Christmas was a special treat. Merry Christmas!