New Year's Eve

We had a great time on New Year's Eve this year. It was just our little family playing games, watching movies and hanging out together. A little before midnight, we pulled out some horns for the girls and opened the blinds in the front room. Kali blew her horn so many times that it broke (thankfully, because I thought she was going to hyperventilate). At midnight we watched the fireworks we could see from our window. Sadie made that fun. She said "Wow!!" after every one in a very dramatic voice. Then we had a sleepover in the family room with the new sleeping bags the girls got for Christmas.

Sledding

Because of all the rain this winter, everything has been a slushy muddy mess and we had put off sledding... until today. It was the perfect day for it--lots of snow and Josh was off work and school. I had to go grocery shopping and we figured that Ashlyn wouldn't care much for the sport so we split up. Unfortunately the sledding trip didn't last long. One of the little busters had to go potty after only 30 minutes.

Reading

I wasn't ever much of a reader growing up but have developed a great love for it over the last few years. Thanks to Josh, the girls seem to be developing that same love. He regularly picks a book that's divided into chapters and reads a chapter or two to them most days. Here they are reading a Magic Treehouse book.

Socks

Can you guess what I don't budget money for........................Socks!!!

Sadie was sticking her toe out of the hole in her sock when she noticed I had a hole too. When she said something to me about it, Kali overheard and told me she had a hole in her sock too. After a few minutes of playing around, we decided to take a picture to show Josh.

Gardner Village

This year we were unable to get to Gardner Village to see the elves before Christmas. So we decided to go after Christmas. I think it was an excellent idea too. There was hardly anyone there. We practically had the place to ourselves. Grandpa and Grandma Smith, Brady, and Danielle and Cody and their kids came along. It ended up being a ton a fun for the girls and thanks to Grandpa they got to take home tiny porcelain dolls. Afterward we went to Village Inn. When I told Sadie where we were going, she asked, "We're going to another village?"

7 years

Josh and I have been married seven years today. For those of you that don't know, we had a pretty quick start to our marriage. We went on our first date and one month later were engaged and two-and-a-half months later were married. So we've really only known each other for a little over seven years. The crazy thing is that it's hard to remember life without him in it. It's amazing to think of how much has happened in those seven years and how happy we are.

Christmas Presents

This year Kali asked for a "pink robot that can do everything for me". I have no idea where she came up with the idea. Thankfully the Santa that we visited at the Oval told her he wouldn't be able to find one that could make her bed. The robot Santa brought wasn't pink, but the fact that it was a girl seemed to suffice. And when anyone asked if it could do everything for her like she wanted it to, she simply replied, "Well, it makes me smile."

Sadie was pretty easy going this year. She was happy with anything and everything. The only problem was that she not only wanted her toys, but she wanted Kali's too.

And Ashlyn is at the stage where the wrapping and containers are better than the toys.

Christmas Morning

Every year on Christmas morning we eat muffins for breakfast while reading scriptures. We used to read Luke 2 but decided to read something different since Grandpa Parry reads it on Christmas Eve. So we now read King Benjamin's prophecies about Christ out of the Book of Mormon. And this year we added a small Christmas present that contains four small pictures of presents that Heavenly Father and Christ have given us: His birth, His teachings, His atoning sacrifice, and His resurrection. It made a great start to the day, helping us keep the true meaning of Christmas in mind.

Pajamas

Another family tradition is to open one present on Christmas eve--Pajamas!!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is reserved for the Parry Family Christmas Party. As always, talents were shared as we listened to some beautiful singing, piano playing, bell ringing, and poem reading. We enjoyed yummy food and present exchanges. And my favorite are the stories. Grandma Smith always reads a story entitled Davey and the Donkey and Grandpa Parry always reads Luke 2. This year the Gallaghers brought some costumes so the kids could participate in acting it out. Kali was Mary and Sadie started out as an angel, but quickly changed her mind when she saw Kali holding a baby. She too ended up being Mary.