NYE 2014

Happy New Year! We spent a low key new years eve at home with our girls.  A few fun activities planned for the evening were hidden in balloons.  Throughout the evening the girls took turns popping a balloon to discover the activity planned for that hour.  We made homemade pizzas, created NYE hats, made a fire, enjoyed s'mores, had a dance party and a few sparklers to top off the evening.  The girls wanted to stay up to see the ball drop and they made it till 11:50pm!  Will and I were tucking the girls into bed as the ball dropped and rang in 2015.  There is no where I would rather be on NYE than with my sweet little family of 4.  One day many years from now my daughters will have plans to go out on New Years, so for now, I will savor having us all together.  These years go by fast and I enjoy it to the fullest.

2015 watercolor by Sophia

New years eve balloon by the hour activity

Sophia breaks the 7pm activity balloon

Ready to read the fun stuff planned

Homemade pizza night with lots of cheese

Isabella likes all of the cheese on Sophia's pizza

8pm: Ready to roast marshmallows

S'mores by the fire

9pm: Hat by Bella (she taped in her hair!)

10pm: Sparklers!!!

Isabella's awesome resolutions from school

Happy 2015!

Christmas in MD

The day after Christmas we trekked up to Maryland to celebrate with family.  First, we celebrated with the Schaefers.  The girls enjoyed opening gifts and also playing with the dogs, Millie & Echo.

Poppy & Bella

Daddy & Sophia

Echo & Bella

Millie in holiday gear

 The following day we went to Ellicott City to celebrate with the Herberts.  We enjoyed walking around old Ellicott City and the girls enjoyed playing with cherries!!!

Walking around historic Ellicott City

Uh oh, my fingers are growing cherries!

Where did all the cherries go?

PopPop found the cherry girl!

 On our final day in Maryland we celebrated with the Knobles.  The girls loved spending time with thier cousins.  Sophia loved holding baby Olivia and feeding her rice cereal.

Sophia & Olivia

Isabella & Olivia

Cousin fun outside in warm weather

Cousin photo shoot #1

Cousin photo shoot #2

Sophia is thrilled to feed Olivia

Isabella wanted to feed her baby cousin too

Olivia was happy!

The Christmas holiday went by too fast (as always) but we enjoyed every minute of it!

Christmas in RVA

 Twas the night before Christmas, one of my favorite days of the year.  We had spent the afternoon visiting neighbors and the evening at church. At night the girls opened one gift of Christmas pajamas and were happy to find a matching outfit for their dolls. We left out food for Santa and his reindeer...pizelles, carrots, milk and a cute sign. Then we snuggled up to read The Night Before Christmas before sending the kids to bed with visions of sugar plums in their head!  Sophia wanted to wake Isabella up at 10pm to see Santa but we explained Santa will only come if you are asleep. Thankfully the girls had a great night sleep though Sophia did hear the RAINdeer on the roof (it was a rainy night).

Ready for Church on Christmas Eve

Christmas Jammies!

Photo by Isabella

Twas the Night Before Christmas

Food for Santa and his reindeers, love the "S".

 As the girls get older our Christmas celebrations evolve.  I loved finding all the homemade sweet gifts under the tree from our daughters.  They put lots of love into each gift that they made.

 Christmas morning began with Isabella snuggling into our bed at 7:30am.  Sophia was sleeping like an angel but we all got up by 7:45am to begin the fun!  First, we had our annual tradition of a photo at the top of the stairs then the girls eagerly went down to explore the goods from Santa.

Christmas morning 2014

Isabella is happy for Legos!!!!

Sophia loves her new ruby slippers!

Sophia's fav gift, a little live Pet bird.

Isabellas fav gift, Legos.

Christmas morning with Dad

Pirate gear from Santa

 It was a very merry Christmas spent at home as a family of 4. We enjoyed the comforts of home, relaxing in our pajamas by the fire.  The kids spent the day enjoying all their gifts. Will & I enjoyed seeing the holiday magic through their eyes.