Sledding with the Neighbors

The kids were starting to get restless over Christmas break so Jessie and I thought we should take them sledding to get them out of the house.  We loaded up and headed to Hughesville for a day in the outdoors.  Once we got to Hughesville we were disappointed that there wasn't much snow, but the weather was warm and almost too hot with the layers I dressed everyone in.

Tanner, I think you lost your sled!!

Cody lost his sled too!  The Grove's are having a hard time! 

Pretty much sums up Rylee's personality--Woo Hoo!!!  Always happy and always out to have fun (the scarier it is or faster it goes the more fun she has too)!

Hang on Madison!

This sums up Abbie's personality too--timid and leery of things that are scary and fast but doesn't want to be left in the dust.

Sissy likes to go sledding too.

My girls are too cute--"Woo Hoo" Rylee and "O Gosh" Abbie!  I love their totally different personalities!

Christmas with the Murphy's

After the girls opened their presents from Santa, we had them open their presents from Jeremy and I and Grandma Nate.  The girls had plenty to play with and were content to be busy for the rest of the day, so we stayed home again this year.  Instead of leaving after the girls open presents, we have decided to stay at home so the girls can enjoy their presents.  Grandma and Grandpa Murphy came to our house again this year for breakfast and present opening.  It was nice for the girls to keep playing and even stay in their pj's.

Grandma and Grandpa gave Abbie two really cute dresses and a pair of pajamas.

Rylee got three really cute outfits from Grandma and Grandpa too.

Christmas Morning

The girls were up bright and early on Christmas morning to see what Santa brought.  Both girls were excited with their toys and it was fun to watch them open everything with delight.

Grandma Nate came over early Christmas morning and watched the girls open her presents.  Abbie loved her teacher and doctor kit.  She couldn't decide which one to play with first!

Rylee's gifts from Grandma Nate were Stuffy from Doc McStuffins, play ice cream, sprinkles blender, and mixer, and the Lorax movie.  Rylee started dishing us ice cream immediately!  

How about Sissy?  She wants to be in the pictures too!

Christmas Eve Post Santa's Arrival

Once we arrived home from Tante Lilli's we started on our own traditions of saying "Good-Bye" to Frigalle since he will be heading home to the North Pole until next Thanksgiving, feeding the reindeer and putting cookies and milk out for Santa.  This year we did all of this with Jeremy which was great that he wasn't working this year.  After we prepared for Santa, we put on our pajamas, and read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" and then we tucked the girls in their beds to await Santa's arrival.

I always sneak down early, before the girls get up, to take pictures of Santa's piles of presents.  It looks like he spoiled them again this year!!

Abbie's pile including Anna and Elsa from Frozen.

Rylee's pile including the Sophia family and castle

Christmas Eve

One of our favorite nights of the year is Christmas Eve.  Every year we spend the whole day getting ready for the exciting night.  This year was no different.  We finished wrapping the last of the presents and made our food for Christmas Eve and Christmas morning/day.   After that we spent the day getting ready, after all it takes awhile to curl the hair of three girls.  I had the girls all ready and at church by 4:30 for the 5:00 service.  After church we headed to Tante Lilli's house for tacos and lasagna.  Both were very yummy, along with some appetizers and snacks.  

This year was really quiet since none of the Billings crew came up for Christmas.  The only kids were John, Haley, Abbie, and Rylee.  This is so different from last year when we had 7 additional members to our family, including Bentley who was a ton of fun about opening presents.

The girls with Tante Lilli before we opened presents.

Kicking it with Dad

Uncle Manfred gave Abbie a gymnastics beam, leotard, and warm-up for her American Girl Doll.

Oma gave both of the girls a game called "Spot It".  It's been a fun family game for all of us to play!

Hugs for Oma

Both of the girls got Hallmark Keepsake Ornaments from Dick and Nancy.  Those will be awesome for a tree of their own someday!

Tante Lilli gave Abbie a rubberband loom.  Something tells me we will all soon have bracelets of many different colors.

Hugs for Tante Lilli...

and Uncle Harry.

Two happy, content, slightly spoiled little girls after present opening.

Girls and Grandma Nate

What a cute picture of Oma and Abbie!

One last picture of the night before we load up to start our traditions for Santa

Christmas Party at FD

We finished off a fun-filled train ride, Christmas program weekend with the annual Fire Department Family Christmas Party.  The girls did crafts and decorated cookies while we waited for Santa to come.  Once Santa arrived we were flabbergasted that Rylee was willing to walk up to him, talk to him, and even sit on his lap.  That is the first time she has had anything to do with Santa in her 5 years.

When Santa called Rylee's name she walked right up to him to get her present...

she was even willing to have a conversation with him...

and pose for a picture!!  Wow, she has really started to grow up!!  Look at how cute she is sitting there, and Jeremy didn't have to sit on Santa's lap this year to get Rylee's present!

Abbie was her usual mature self and marches right up there when he calls her name, isn't afraid to sit on his lap, and participates in the conversation.

Santa bought the girls each a set of dolls from the movie Frozen

Rylee's Christmas Program

Mrs. Gossman does a really fun Christmas Party for the Preschool kids.  The kids decorate gingerbread houses with their family that comes for the party, we eat snacks, and the kids sing really cute songs as part of their program.  This year was a little bittersweet as we realized this was Rylee's last year with Mrs. Gossman.  She loves the stories, the songs, and the individual attention since there is only 9 kids total with 1 teacher and 2 aides.  The Christmas Program ends with the kids giving a really cute present to their parents.  This year the two presents were a pinecone angel decorated with paint and feathers and a paintbrush decorated as Santa.  Mrs. Gossman comes up with the cutest ideas!

The kids made chef hats to wear as they decorated their gingerbread houses

Church Christmas Program

Both of the girls had active roles in the Christmas program at church on Dec. 15.  Abbie was Mary, while Rylee was an angel.  The kids sang several songs including "Away in a Manger" and "The Friendly Beasts", a couple of my favorites.

Abbie was part of the Donkey group during the Friendly Beasts Song

Rylee in her angel costume

Abbie, as Mary, carrying Baby Jesus out of the church after the program