Merry Christmas...& A Happy (Healthy) New Year!

Are you all ready for this?! I will let the pictures do the talking! (There are 9 collages...good luck with that!)

We were lucky enough to fly to Salt Lake for Christmas this year. After our Thanksgiving snow I was unsure that we would have made it to Utah without a flight. Jason only got Christmas Eve off, so that also posed the problem of leaving at night...so we were blessed to fly! Thanks Grandma & Grandpa Dinger! We arrived on the morning of Christmas Eve...after a little last minute shopping and some Rubio Fish Tacos for me and Chick Fil'A for Jason, we cozied on up in the house and let the festivities begin! Brooke enjoyed her first Grandma Frann's Famous Gingerbread Boy...and she LOVED it. She munched on them for 2 days! We played with funny hats and we danced to a little "Down on the Bayou" from Princess and the Frog, Brooke's new favorite song!

Tori was excited to bring her lollipop hat that I got her for $.99 at Seagull Book. This Christmas was so fun with Tori because she knew that Santa was coming. She also knew that we were going to fly on a plane to go see Grandpa & Grandma Dinger, Auntie Joy and Auntie Marie! We counted down daily and she was so EXCITED to get on that plane even though she had to wake up at 5:30 AM!
I was really worried what she would do with all of the presents under the tree, but she was so good. All she did was tote around a few presents with kitty and puppy wrapping paper, but she never opened them. Auntie Marie brought these cute wall decals of a snowman and a gingerbread boy that Tori could decorate. She really liked that too.

Tori & Brooke got to open 1 Christmas present on Christmas Eve, and they just happened to be Christmas PJs! Tori opened both presents (Brooke was not at all interested...she was busy trying to pull the snowflakes off the Christmas tree!). When Tori opened the present she said, "Pajamas, oh." Ha ha ha! She wasn't all that excited, but they sure looked cute on them both! Tori was really excited to leave Santa some cookies, but she pre-licked his candy cane and took out the raisin eyes from the gingerbread man (she doesn't like the raisins)!
That Rudolph nose...that picture is SO hilarious!

Tori's first Graham Cracker House decorating! Tori was crazy about all of the frosting and sprinkles! I helped Tori design the house and she doused it with sprinkles and M&Ms. Gwen's was the train, Marie's was the ode to the Red White and Blue, Jason's was the Nativity (complete with a gummy bear baby Jesus), Joy went for the classic Victorian beauty and Tori's was Sprinkle Haven. Tori even licked it...it was hilarious!
We tucked the girls in and awaited Christmas Day...

Tori was really excited to see that Santa had eaten her cookies and left a note saying that they were delicious. After Tori's breakfast of chocolate milk and a gingerbread boy, we went to the living room and the tree was overflowing with presents. Tori immediately saw Lady & the Tramp (from my mom) and was excited about those that she would not look at the camera. Brooke was still a bit oblivious! Our attempt at a family picture...kind of successful. Tori had a grand old time opening all of her presents and boy, was she spoiled! I only got a few pictures of them opening presents (sorry if your gift is not pictured)! We had to stop half way through the unwrapping of gifts to rejuvenate. All that unwrapping made us so dang hungry! Ha ha ha! Thanks for all the AMAZING gifts!

After some rest and showers, we tried taking another family picture. Here are the results! I love the blank stares from the girls and the fact that they would not sit in our laps without something in their hands (Tori's new Chihuahua that barks and walk...his name is Chip, and Brooke had to have a bow or she would not st still!). I love the evolution so I thought I would share!

Tori's big present from Grandma & Grandpa Dinger: a red tricycle! Auntie Joy bought her a princess basket for the front and it was perfect for Chip to ride in! I did get video of her first ride, and she was so cute. She said, "I did it! I did it!" when she would move a few inches! ADORABLE!

Christmas night we braved the cold and went to visit the lights on Temple Square! Oh it is always so beautiful. Tori was miserable at first, but when she saw the light she got excited and exclaimed (at the top of her lungs) "BEAUTIFUL TEMPLE MOM!" Then she noticed the lights and said, "Wow!" We wrapped Brooke all up, but she was still not into it, so Jason resorted to carrying her around with a leopard print snuggie wrapped around him! Ha ha ha! I was sad that the Visitor's Center was closed, but Tori was really excited to see the Christus through the window and said, "Look Mom! It is BIG Jesus." (We had just seen baby Jesus in the little pageant that they have on the lawn.) We did get a family picture of all of us, but that was on Marie's camera. I didn't want to give the guy taking our picture 2 cameras. It is almost like the one from Tori's first Christmas with Brooke super imposed (here)! Ha ha ha!

Sunday, we took a family picture after church. Auntie Joy can always get my girls to smile! We went for a Black, White and Red theme. (Dennis didn't get the memo, but hey, he still looks good!) The dresses are from my mom! Thanks Grandma Frann...I wanted black because then they can wear them for longer, not just on Christmas! We had a marvelous Christmas!
Our worst Christmas present: the stomach flu, which hit us on the way to the airport (Brooke puked all over her car seat 5 minutes from the airport!). Miraculously, there was no puking on the plane! Of course we all had to share it though, so 2 days later Jason and I got it! YUCK! I hate the stomach flu...even though it only usually lasts 24 hours! Hidden blessing, I lost 3 pounds over the holidays! Ha ha ha! Tori is the last one to get it (just when I thought we were all free and clear!), but it makes me happy that we are usually healthy! So here is to a...

HAPPY (HEALTHY) NEW YEAR!