Twas the night before Christmas...

We hosted our annual Christmas Eve party this year.  It was smaller than normal, as 3 of the normal couples couldn't make it, but was still a great party.  The kids were spoiled with gifts, and so were the parents!  We have such generous friends.

Mandy and Jon surprised us by bringing a karaoke machine... so much fun!  Carson had a blast hogging the microphone, and as usual Rylee took over the dance floor (aka living room floor).

Of course we had to leave cookies and milk for Santa, and carrots for the Reindeer.  Hopefully everyone has been good!

Christmas boats

 

 We had another wonderful weekend at the beach house.  Every year during the holidays the Shelton Yacht Club puts on a Christmas lighted boat parade.  It's not very big or fancy, but still super cool to watch.  We've made a tradition out of it the last few years.  Really, it's just another excuse to get out to the beach house again.

We also helped Kathy celebrate her birthday.  Rylee had a blast playing with her!  Below is a picture of Rylee trying out her spa set that Kathy gave her for Christmas.

Snow day!

We woke up to snow this morning so of course we had to get outside and enjoy it!  The kids had so much fun sledding, throwing snowballs and building a snowman. 

After the snow we came inside to warm up with hot cocoa!  Yum!

Kiddo update

It's been a while since I've posted some specific updates so here goes....

Rylee is growing up WAY too fast!  She is obsessed with recognizing letters and writing words. She has a little notepad and marker that she takes everywhere with her and is constantly asking me how to spell things.  She wanted to write Merry Christmas on every present I wrapped.  She amazes me everyday with her expanding knowledge.  She is such a smart little girl.  She can count to 30, and can recognize many numbers (we are still working on some).  She loves her dolls, any kind of princess (especially Ariel the mermaid), doing puzzles (she can do lots of 100 piece ones by herself), drawing, playing "chase" and hide and seek, and any kind of art projects.  She is also starting to be a really big helper around the house.  She likes to clean (she must take after me), and will often sweep the floors or clean the windows on her own.  She just finished swimming lessons (her first lesson without mom or dad) and loves to do ballet and tap (our dance studio recent closed so we need to find a new place after the new year). She is such a little mommy to Carson.  She really does look out for him.  She has such a sweet, loving, nurturing soul.

Carson is growing and changing every day.  He is starting to talk really well, and loves to repeat pretty much everything you say.  He follows his big sister around EVERYWHERE and wants to be just like her.  He is a typical boy and loves everything to do with boys: trucks, cars, airplanes, tractors, trains, dirt, etc.  We recently got an awesome hand me down wooden train set and Carson plays with that thing every single day, multiple times a day.  He loves to read and I'll often find him in his room in his chair alone, reading.  His favorite are books about dinosaurs and trucks.  He has this truck book (another hand me down) that we've read almost every day for the past year.  He just finished his first swimming lessons and absolutely loves being in the water.  He is still such a little lover.  He loves to snuggle and give out lots of kisses and hugs.  He is a little trouble maker though too.  He loves to climb on the bar stools and get into the cupboards to steal "treats."  He has to be watched very closely because the minute you turn your back he's into something he's not supposed to be into.  He's lucky he's so handsome, it's easy to forgive that sweet little face!

 

I am so very blessed to be able to call these two love bugs my own.

Cookies and the Nutcracker

We've been busy this holiday season.  Christmas is sneaking up on us quickly so we've had to jam pack some activities into the last couple of weeks.  Last weekend Grandma and Aunt Mandy came over for some cookie baking.  We made all the traditional goodies- candy cane cookies, snowballs and magic bars.  Rylee and Carson helped decorate gingerbread men too.  

Sunday we took Rylee to her first Nutcracker.  When I was young my parents, sister and I would go to the PNB's Nutcracker in Seattle every year.  It's been many years since we've gone so we were all excited to start the tradition again.  This year we checked out  the Tacoma Ballet's rendition at the Pantages theater.  

Rylee really enjoyed the first half of the show.  She loved the dancers, especially the "Nutcracker guy."  The second half got a little long for her, but I think she still enjoyed it.  When I asked her what her favorite part of the show was she said "the singing" (There was only about 5 minutes of singing)!  Typical Rylee. 



Thursday the kids' school hosted "Cookies and Crafts with Santa."  They got to do little arts and crafts projects, decorate cookies, and talk with Santa and Mrs. Clause.  As you can see, the kids had a blast!  Of course they went home with a sugar rush.  =)

Ho Ho Ho

We went to see Santa this weekend.  Our friend Janice was photographing Santa at the Tapps Island clubhouse and invited us to come hang out and take pictures.  Rylee absolutely loved Santa and went to talk with him multiple times.  She had to be sure he knew she wanted a pony!  Carson wasn't so sure.  Santa tried to bribe him with a candy cane, but that only got us a couple of pictures.  Oh well, maybe he'll be more excited next year! 

Thanksgiving weekend

We hosted Thanksgiving this year.  It was a lot of work and not much relaxing, but still a great time.  Most of Lance's family came over to help celebrate (all in all there were 20 of us).  It was a fabulous feast and worth all the hard work.  We spent a weekend playing games, watching lots of football and eating lots of leftovers!  We have so much to be thankful for.  Two amazing and beautiful kids, lots of close family (that we don't see nearly enough), wonderful friends, and a loving and comfortable home.  There have been a few events in the news lately that have hit close to home and made me especially thankful this holiday season.  We are SO lucky to have what we have.

This was the kids table at Thanksgiving.  (They pretty much ate in 2 seconds and then joined us at the adult table!)

Carson and his cousin Tamryn (she is only a few months younger then he is).

With cousins Jack and Ace.  Rylee missed them for days after they left!

 

Mustache competition for "Mo-vember."  Lance won for creepiest mustache.  =)

All the Craig boys sporting mustaches.

All the grandkids (minus Carson and Ryan and Mira who are in CA).

Chillaxin with Auntie Julie.

After all the company left, we decorated the house and tree for Christmas.  As you can imagine, Carson was a big help. 

Rylee also decorated a little tree for her room.

Now... bring on the Christmas festivities!  I am ready!