30DEC09

We had such a great Christmas! The girls slept till their normal time around 7. We all got up and went downstairs. Santa had hidden their stockings so they got to look for them. Then we all unwrapped presents. After that we ate homemade cinnamon rolls (Trav had made them the day before YUM!) Both girls got movies in their stocking so we decided to put on their movies and Trav and I laid on the couch (I talked on the phone and Travis slept. Just like normal!) The rest of the day the girls played with all their new toys (THANK YOU EVERYONE!) and outside on their new swingset and trampoline. My favorite part of the day was when Lexi told everyone on the phone that she got a PARK for Christmas! We are the best parents ever right? We enjoyed being in our new home TOGETHER and having a wonderful day. I feel like I didn't take enough pictures b/c Alexis got quite a few new barbies and I didn't take a single picture of them? Well I'll just blame it on enjoying the day and not thinking about pics. :) Hope you all had a great Christmas too!

STOCKINGS!

Opening the movies and play doh from their stockings. Both of my girls LOVE play doh!

Trying out the new swingset.

Even though it had rained the day before that did NOT stop Ryan from going down the slide 500 times. Thank goodness Grandma Kerry gave them different pajamas to change into after they were done outside so we could continue our lazy Christmas.

Loving the trampoline.

She really was super excited but she had on flipflops and her feet were wet so that was the end of Lex being outside. Ryan on the other hand had to be dragged in kicking and screaming LITERALLY!

Hugging straw bababa berry!

My Little Pony. The girl is obsessed!

Just love this one.

Her new A necklace.

29DEC09

Okay had to post what a dork I am!! I kept thinking wow no one is commenting on my blog. Is anyone READING my blog? I mean I'm going to keep posting b/c I think it's fun and then I realized OOPS I set it up so I had to moderate comments now! HA HA!!!! So thank you for all the comments and sorry I didn't get respond to some of them. I LOVE getting comments so seriously thank you for not making feel like a loser who's blog nobody reads.

On Christmas Eve we went over to our friends the Flynn's. We knew the Flynn's back in Germany and we are SOOO grateful that they are here to help us get used to being back stateside. Their tradition for Christmas Eve is to order a pizza and have hot doctor pepper. Now if you are like me, you may be thinking ummm gross. DP belongs over LOTS AND LOTS of ice (preferably Sonic ice.) I decided to go with it and it was really good. You basically simmer it with slices of lemon and it tastes like a sweet tea. We had a lot of fun over there and we were more than happy to all participate in a tradition we both had of Christmas jammies! I wish I got more pics of the adults or even of their new baby Caed. We had a blast. Thanks Flynns!

Getting ready to go. Ryan had just stopped crying b/c I took a pic of Lex w/o her. Seriously, that's why she was crying.

Unwrapping her one Christmas Eve present.

Showing off her new p.j.'s

Decorating cookies

Kiera and Ryan

All of us in our Christmas pajamas.

28DEC09

Just had to post the Christmas dresses. I swear these girls are so goofy! The first picture they are dancing to the end of show and the second I just thought was cute b/c Ryan even has her legs crossed like Lex! :) Sweet sisters! Oh and THANK YOU Tori for the bows and Traci for the braclets! SO LUCKY to have talented Sister-in-laws!! :)

27DEC09

Some random pictures from this month...

This year I decided to buy the gingerbread house KIT. We usually just did the graham cracker route but from now on I think the kit is the way to go. Both girls loved it (Ryan mostly b/c she got to eat ridiculous amounts of candy but...)

Ready to get started.

Lexi concentrating hard on her house.

I just LOVE her face! :)

Daddy helping Ryan

Lexi's finished product. I didn't get a pic of Ryan with her finished house but it looked about the same as it did in the pic above. SHe wanted to eat her candy more than decorate with it.

We did get to take the kids to see Santa and Lex kept telling me what she was going to tell him once she got up there. Well by the time we got up there she REFUSED to go up! It's funny what we try to make kids do for the photo op. Honestly if Trav wasn't there I probably would have tried to make her but he was like REALLY? Just let it go. Oh well... she never has been a Santa or Easter Bunny fan! :)

Ryan started to cry and tried to get off his lap.

But he gave her a candy cane and she was good to go! :)

I'm really bummed I didn't get a better picture but Lex had a school performance this year and it was her first time performing in something like that. Trav got a pretty good video and that's more important than the pics so I guess I can live with that. They sang "Must be Santa" and she did most of the actions while watching her friends. It was adorable. I can't believe she is getting so big.

This is after her performance. She was really proud of herself! :)

16DEC09

A couple days ago we went to Hobby Lobby (LOVE being back in the states for places like Hobby Lobby, Lowes, and Target to name a few!) So I saw these cute ornaments and decided to get them for the girls to paint. They both had a blast. I let Alexis have 2 and Ryan have one big one. Well Ryan had so much fun I ended up having to give up the one I was doing b/c Ryan kept saying MORE MORE! :) It's fun that both kids are now into this instead of just Lex. Next project Gingerbread houses (made from kits, of course!) Have I mentioned how much I love Christmas??

15DEC09

The Monday after Thanksgiving we put our tree up and the girls had a blast decorating it. I enjoyed not having to do it all on my own and Trav, well he enjoyed being done! HA HA! I love putting up the tree just to go through all the ornaments we have. I have only kept ornaments since we've been married but we've really got a good collection going!

If you remember last year we put up the tree and Lex didn't have pants on then either. The kid just hates pants what can I say??

Putting the angel topper on.

Lexi showing off our tree. Ryan refused to stand there!

A couple days after we put up the tree I realized I needed a picture to send out with Christmas cards. Lex was already wearing a red shirt so I stuck Ryan in one too. Seriously, if you have received our card yet you will understand that I had very few to choose from and say OH that's why she picked that one. I swear my girls are adorable but even bribing them with fruit snacks didn't get the picture perfect Christmas card... Oh well they're 4 and 1 what are you going to do right??

Lex looks pained

Yep no eyes open for EITHER of them!

Lexi posing, Ryan cheesing.

Right after this is when the break down started to occur so we were done! :)

14DEC09

Here are a few updated pictures from the last couple of months... I will also be going private very soon so if you would like me to add you just send me an e-mail at mcbride72402@yahoo.com! :) There are just too many scary stories out there.

We were so excited to have the girls share a room and have a play room separate so we got the girls bunk beds and it's been working out GREAT! Ryan has made the transition from her crib SUPER easy and Lex LOVES sleeping on the top bunk like a "big girl!"

Ryan playing chef. She put the hat on all by herself and is always bringing Trav and I these fake cookies to eat. With a spoon, of course.

With Lex in part day pre-school Ry and I get a lot of time together. So I usually let her watch Sesame Street (her FAVORITE) while I get ready for the day. One day I came downstairs and she was playing with my phone. She looked so sweet and innocent. Turns out she had answered 2 calls from Trav and called my mom!

They are such great sisters! Lex is always helping Ry get into dress up or get her stuffed animals b/c Lexi has stuffed animals. I love having sisters! :)

02DEC09

Well it's December 2nd. Thanksgiving has come and gone and I'm just getting my Halloween pics up! Oh well I didn't take any pics of Thanksgiving so this just about catches me up! HA HA! We had quite the entourage trick or treating this year. I really wanted to take the girls to my sister-in-laws husbands parents neighborhood b/c they have a TON going on. Lots of people out, decorations, cotton candy, homemade root beer, and, of course, candy. Josh grew up in the area too so he knows everyone and it just seems safer and FUN. So we met up with them there and were joined by Bryatt and Theresa, some of their friends, my mom, my dad, and his wife Ruth. It was quite the group and I think the girls had fun.

Oh and let me back up a bit and say FIRST we went to Macayo's for dinner. That was my Treat for Halloween!

Alexis found out her cousin Taylor was going to be a cheerleader so, naturally, only a cheerleader would do for her as well. I planned on Ryan being the football but last minute found an adorable Cardinals cheer costume for 4 bucks. I couldn't pass it up...

They all had a blast and they were all adorable. 3 cheerleaders, Dorothy, (with her little Toto) and baby tinkerbelle. I love when the girls get to be around their cousins!

Trick or treating

Cheerleader and Dorothy

You will see the many poses of Lex... 2 adorable USA cheerleaders.

More Posing

I love when she cheeses even if she looks a little goofy!

So many girls!!!

After they were done (note the younger girls are anxiously holding their candy!)

The loot!