First Sleepover!

 Over break I spent some time cleaning out my closet. While I was doing that, I forbid the girls from coming into my room (I had birthday presents in there and didn't want them to see anything). So, they both set up an elaborate American Girl sleepover party in Leah's room. There was a nail station, a food station, a basketball game, an ice cream truck, a sail boat, and of course, like 10 American Girls and their beds. Leah and Juliet told me there were going to have a sleepover together in Leah's room with her dolls. I was doubtful because they had tried this before and it lasted for 3.2 seconds. Also, they both typically sleep on our floor on Friday and Saturday night and Leah now insists on sleeping on the opposite side of the bed from Juliet.

 However, they actually did it! Leah stayed up late reading aloud to Juliet from an American Girl book, and then they both actually went to sleep. They were both up early the next morning, but the plus side of that was that I got to take a nap with Juliet the next day (she's my best nap buddy). 

I took out my American Girl from when I was a kid, Kirsten, and both girls had a lot of fun playing with her. Today they had their elaborate party. Fun was had by all. 

Great Wolf Lodge

 We had originally planned on a big trip over break--but C's work schedule killed that plan. Instead, we went to Great Wolf Lodge with Robin's family. Sandusky, Ohio was the perfect getaway. The kids had a lot of fun playing in the water park, in the lobby watching the show and seeing it "snow", and in our rooms (so much that we got a noise complaint). 

 Leah really liked the big water slide and Juliet really liked the lazy river. I also liked the slides, but thought the river was always too cold. My girls played so hard both days that their feet looked like white raisins, and both girls cried that it "burned" and hurt to walk by the end of the day. Not sure what that was about--it's never happened on any vacation before. Both girls recovered after getting out of the water for the day.

 We told Chris and Tim to go down the slide in a double raft and act like models. It was pretty funny. 

 The last night it was just our family. The girls played in the water park for like 7 hours that day. After that, we went to the gift store and had dinner. By 7:00 we were all completely zoned out. I think we went to sleep at like 8:15. The next morning Juliet was mad that she missed the new show in the lobby. The rest of us weren't, though. 

 It was a fun trip!

Other Christmas Celebrations

 We had fun at Auntie Madeleine's house for my family's Christmas celebration. The way there was ROUGH. The snow was blowing all over the roads and it took way longer than we anticipated. We packed plenty of movies, though, so everyone was relatively happy. The way home was much faster. Everyone had fun there. 

 Leah and Juliet had a lot of fun playing with their cousins over the week they were here. 

Christmas Morning

 I made these two take the annual stair picture before they could check out their presents. The older they get, the more they hate this tradition. However, in their old age, the process is much quicker!

Leah was up around 7:30 and apparently Juliet was up even earlier, but just laid in her bed. They were both SO EXCITED for Christmas this year!

 They both got a bunch of American Girl clothes and accessories that they were pretty happy with. 

 Juliet has been admiring this Barbie that you can do her hair and nails for a while now. They never got into regular Barbies, but Juliet really liked the idea of this one. However, it's been played with ONCE since Christmas, so I guess it was just something she liked the idea of. 

 Leah also got quite a few Lego sets. 

 Their big present was tickets to see Taylor Swift in August. Leah was excited, but I don't think Juliet really understands what a concert is. Leah was also very disappointed to realize that even though we were seeing her "in person", that we wouldn't be able to actually meet her and get her autograph. 

  

 Leah got some new "flippy" swag and make-up in her stocking. She was so proud to get herself ready and put on make-up Christmas morning. She looks so big here! The make-up is only for days when we are home all day-- not on school days or to wear in public.  

 Here are the girls with some of their favorite Christmas items. Leah loves her rock tumbler and Juliet was obsessed with her new gown and her riding unicorn. I really liked my new Louis Vittion purse, and Chris said he was pretty happy with his new slippers and coffee maker. 

Christmas Spectacular!

 For at least 2 years now Leah has told me that she wants to join our dance studios competitive team. She is always in awe of the big number the teams do each recital. We decided the first step would be to try out for the Christmas show. Leah made it and was thrilled. She rehearsed most Saturdays and some Sundays September-December. By late November, the rehearsals were 6 hours long. She had to miss some birthday parties and lunch dates with the rest of her family, but she followed through on her commitment. She really enjoyed her dances (she was an elf, a jack-in-the-box elf, and a Frosty) and the friends she made. Show weekend was intense--Saturday was a 12 hour day and Sunday was a 9 hour day. She complained a few times, but was a super smiley and excited elf the rest of the time. It was a lot of work, and she's wavered about whether she wants to try our for the team (which would be just as or more intensive and all.year.long). We're thinking it's best to stick with the show for another year or so, but she's reserved the right to change her mind at any time. 

 I volunteered backstage for 2 shows and we saw 2 shows as a family. Auntie Renee, Auntie Nicole, Auntie Robin and Anna and Grandma and Grandpa M also came to see her perform. She was so excited and asked me everyday in the weeks leading up to the show who was coming and on which day. 

Snow Day

 Leah and Juliet were thrilled when we had a snow day earlier this month. We got word during Leah's dress rehearsal, so we went to bed knowing we could sleep in. I love when schools call it early like this. Of course, Leah didn't sleep in because she wanted to go find the ding darn elves. Oh well. They played in the snow for close to 2 hours and then we ran out for lunch and a few errands before Leah's first Christmas Spectacular. It was perfect because we didn't have to rush out of school to get ready, we got to take our time and have a relaxing day. 

 Their favorite part was playing with Ollie and throwing snow on him. I'll always remember Ollie's first snow a few months after we got him. He got tangled in a bush for less than 10 minutes and was shaking like he had advanced Parkinson's. I went out to rescue him and his face was total fear. He was SO EXCITED when I freed him. He's grown more tolerant of the cold, but clearly prefers to be inside in front of the kitchen heater or in his bed. It's a good thing he's never outside by himself for longer than about 5-10 minutes.  

Gingerbread Houses

 Leah had a day of dress rehearsal for her Christmas Spectacular on this day, and Juliet waiting as patiently as she could for Leah to come home so they could decorate their Gingerbread Houses. This is the second year that they've insisted on each having their own house.

 Juliet and her finished product. She probably eats twice the candy that she puts on her house. She always wants it to look good, but really prefers for one of us to decorate the majority of it for her, while she puts on random pieces and eats. 

 Leah prefers to do the entire thing herself with as little help from us as possible. She carefully monitors Juliet's candy consumption, and is quick to remind her to "STOP EATING ALL THE CANDY!" It takes her twice as long to make hers. Only when Leah finishes will she eat the leftover candy. This usually leads to arguments because Juliet wants to evenly split what's left and Leah feels like Juliet already ate her half. It's the traditional candy argument. We would never change it. 

 We took a while to write out our lists this year. This is what they came up with. Buddy and Holly took both lists back to the North Pole. 

Christmas Prep

 These two are very excited for Christmas. They were thrilled when our elf Buddy brought a WIFE back to our house this year. Her name is Holly. I love how much they love these elves, even when they are being a little stinky, but I am ready for them to fly back to the North Pole. Leah wakes up early almost every day since they've come to run downstairs and see where they are and if they've brought anything. During her Christmas Show weekend, I had to tell the elves in no uncertain terms that they were not allowed to bring the girls ANYTHING. Leah was at the theater for 9-12 hour days that weekend--going to sleep at 11 and then waking up at 7 to go find the elves and see if they had brought her anything. 

 Both girls picked out new Christmas shirts per our tradition. I loved Juliet's, and it was very fitting when her class had Grinch day the week before Christmas. Both kids are in the spirit of the season and have enjoyed cutting down our tree, going shopping, picking out and wrapping presents, and watching Christmas movies. Even though this season exhausts me, I try to appreciate their enthusiasm for every little detail of the Christmas season. 

 Love these two cuties!

When Juliet was Sick and Thanksgiving

 Poor Boo woke up sick in November. We stayed home and watched movies and rested all day. When it came time for her to take a nap, both cats came and joined her on the couch and napped with her. Chris stayed home with her the next day, and the same thing happened. These cats may be annoying at 4am when the decide they want to run around our room asking to be fed, but we can always count on them for lots of love when we need it most. 

We hosted Thanksgiving! We had booked our painter to come and paint our dining room, downstairs bath, and laundry room. I was hopeful he could come before Thanksgiving, but he wasn't able to--he ended up coming 3 weeks later. Our dining room may be an ugly color in these pictures (never mind the PURPLE bottom we somehow lived with for 9 years!)  Oh well--at least now our dining room isn't ugly any more. 

We had a great dinner! We made a ton a food and ran to the store at least 3 times the day before picking up things we had missed. The girls were very eager to help me cook. We made plenty of food, and had leftovers for days (most of which ended up getting tossed). The big winners of the day were the cornbread stuffing (I even made the cornbread from scratch), pierogs (can't go wrong with these) and the deserts. We also really liked when Juliet sang us grace. 

 We celebrated all the Fall birthdays along with Leah and Juliet's. With Chris preparing for trial and living in Chicago for a month, we never had a family party. 

On this day we also began telling people that Baby Boy is expected in late April/early May 2018. I wanted to keep it on the down low for as long as possible, but at this point, at 17 weeks, there was no hiding it. We all have our fingers crossed that he arrives healthy.