My Tiny Dancer

One of the many perks to being at home with my siblings is that they help entertain my kids. Yesterday afternoon Gabby was watching my sisters dance video from last years end performance. She was completely enthralled with them and all the other"be-u-tiful" dancers. Oriana then told her that she could be a dancer when she got bigger, which was music to her little ears. She ran up to me and so innocently said," Mom when I am big, like when I turn 4, can I be... a DANCER?!!" I told her I sure hoped so and she turned and ran back to Oriana all smiles. So Oriana decided that she would help encourage this by getting out Cassie's toe shoes and letting her try them out. How cute are her little feet trying to fill Cassie's shoes?!

So she decided on her very own that ballerinas have to stand on one toe and put the other leg back, maybe I should be investing in some dance lessons after all!!

That is a smile of pure elation!!

My need for matching

There are many perks to having two girls one after the other. You can use the same clothes, the same shoes, they can play together and be best friends, and I can dress them in matching clothes!! I never thought I would be the mom who had to have everyone in the family dressed the same, I mean as long as everyone was dressed and looked presentable wasn't that enough?! Oh no, I have recently found that I really do enjoy making my little family all dress in matching clothes! So to prove my insanity to the world I had to post these cute pictures of my kids after church last Sunday. I LOVE the way looked so that is why I am posting several pictures that are almost all the same, sorry but it's my blog!!

Of course Gabby has to bug Lily to death so here is proof that she can't keep her hands off her little sister.

This is Lily's new favorite toy, a hand down for Gabby which is why she is constantly trying to take it from her!!

Decorating the Tree

The day after Thanksgiving is widely know as a shopping fanatics day; however in my household it has a much different meaning. Every year since I can remember we would get up early, dress in our snow pants, gloves, jackets, boots, etc. and drive up into the mountains to cut down our Christmas tree. (Now I know when I was a younger child and we lived outside of Utah we would just go to a tree lot and pick one out, but I'm choosing to over look that...) It has been one of my all time favorite family traditions. I love the snow, tracking through it for what feels like AGES until mom finds the perfect tree, then standing around freezing my toes of as dad cuts it down and then ties it to the car. No really I love this!! I even did it when I was 7 months pregnant with Gabby. But now that we live far, far away in the "mountain state" (seriously that is what it's nick name is...) we miss out on the joy of hiking in the snow to cut down the tree. However we have kept the tradition somewhat alive by getting our tree and decorating it the day after Thanksgiving. I am ashamed to say that this year we did the unthinkable and bought a...... yes a FAKE tree!!! I know, I am embarrassed to even admit that to you, but we aren't going to be here for most of December so it just made practical sense. (I did buy a "spruce" smelling candle but it isn't the same!!!) Luke LOVED getting to put the tree together with his dad.Luke was very into the tree decorating thing this year, very nice for mom!! He INSISTED that we have a star this year and not an angel that we have every other year. After all .."it was the star that announced Jesus' birth mom!!" When did he get so smart?!

Gabby was more interested in dancing to the Christmas music that we had playing and then stealing the "princess" ornaments to play with then decorating, but she did help a little :).

Of course he is still into trains, thanks Julie for the ornament!!