GETTING READY FOR CHRISTMAS

I don't know where the time has gone this past month, but Christmas is here and I can't believe it!  With the shopping, decorating, baking, and all the fun stuff in between, the time just slipped right by.  It has been a lot of fun this year because Gavin has really enjoyed every part of the holidays and it makes things pretty exciting around here!

Our 2011 Family ornament

Gavin has been checking this every morning to see what his elf, Slinky, has brought him

This is Gavin's new Polar Express train that we got to go around the tree.  He has been so excited for this train and cannot get enough of it.  Usually he only lets it go around the track a couple of times because he doesn't want to waste power.  We have watched the Polar Express movie more times than I can count in the past month and I love it!  

We baked a lot of cookies, but these are the ones that I cannot get enough of this year!

I have had a helper in the kitchen lately.  He usually doesn't like to get his hands dirty, but he didn't mind if it was to make cookies.  He only likes chocolate chip cookies and a couple of other specific sweets, so he did all of this work and didn't want to eat any!

This is his favorite part

He decorated a gingerbread house . . . 

Gavin had a Christmas performance at school.  He told us ahead of time that he was not going to do any of the cute moves, he was just going to sing the words.  That is exactly what he did.  I was so proud of him for getting up on stage in front of all of those people and singing.  

After the performance

Aren't they so cute???

Then we took them to see Santa because they were all dressed up and it was still early enough to beat the lines.  We were the first ones there.  Gavin was all about Santa as long as Taylor was standing right next to him.  He did take one by himself, but I have to upload it from their website so that will come later

One of his new ornaments

We hope everyone had a very Merry Chrsitmas!!

THANKSGIVING

For Thanksgiving this year, we went up to the mountains and rented a cabin.  Our aunt has a cabin up there and we stayed on the same street, so it worked out perfectly.  We didn't ever have to drive anywhere.  We got to spend the holiday with Nana and Bob, aunts, cousins, and their kids too!  One of the best parts of the trip...there was snow:-)

Amy and I with our mom (about 6 months pregnant)

The night we got there, the kids were so excited to see the snow and play.  Emma and Gavin were pulling Taylor around on the snow shovel

This was the view out the back door of our cabin

Cousin time in the bath

Nana and Bob

These boys worked hard to make a real snowman for the kids on Thanksgiving Day

The finished product

Thank You to Aunt Kathy for hosting such a nice dinner for everyone at her cabin

His first splinter

Gavin and Taylor with Aunt Kathy.  She took us on a walk to a playground in the snow

Fun in the snow!!

Gavin was a little hesitant to play in the snow, but once he did it, he LOVED IT!