Christmas Is Coming! Grandpa Lee's Visit

 Well, it has been a while since I posted last, and since then, my Dad came to visit. My mom was supposed to come too, but she had to stay home with strep throat! YIKES! No fun, but I am really glad that Grandpa Lee came anyway. So the pictures are going to do the talking!

Here are the girls! They just keep getting bigger! I cannot believe that Katelyn is going to be 4 months old at the end of this week! Nuts! Brooke LOVES to dress up...my favorite is the combo crock and high heel picture. There was a tragedy in our little family...Brooke's little blanket that we called Snuggly Bunny was accidentally lost at church. She still has not turned up in the lost and found even after multiple prayers. It was a bit devastating for Brooke and she had a few really hard nights with little sleep, but snuggly bunny has been replaced by a cute little doggy stuffed animal named Copper and her new build a bear bunny from Grandma Frann & Grandpa Lee. I am still hoping that it will show up at the church one day...

Grandpa Lee came in on a Friday morning and instantly started helping out with the girls. Tori LOVES Grandpa Lee and was really excited...Brooke is still a little unsure of anyone (but me... I really hope that she grows out of this clingyness!)... so she make sure that she played with him on her own terms. As you can tell by the pictures Katelyn also was quite drawn to her Grandpa Lee! Grandpa Lee sure has a knack for the little ones. Tori went on a walk with Grandpa ans saw all of the lights around the neighborhood! We have quite a few... it is actually an attraction around here!  Brooke joined in with their walk for the last swing up the cul-de-sac. (I sure LOVE their little hats!)

The night my Dad came in we had our ward Christmas party! So fun! Our ward family truly is amazing. We have made some good friends in the past couple of years. Tori is with her little friend Courtney up in the corner up there. Courtney is just a little older than Tori, but they are in Nursery together. Tori LOVED seeing Santa this year. She even gave a real smile! Brooke, however was a little unsure of this bearded man dressed in red! Ha ha ha! Katelyn told Santa all of her secret wishes, that I am sure will all be granted!

My parents gave the girls Build a Bear gift certificates for Christmas and luckily that day they were having a great deal! The girls each got a bear and a princess gown for their bunny and kitty. After what seemed an eternity, Tori decided to make a kitty and Brooke decided on a bunny. They were stuffed, then cleaned and then dressed. The girls both LOVE Kitty and Bunny! THANKS Grandma Frann & Grandpa Lee!

Saturday night my Dad agreed to watch ALL 3 girls while Jason and I went on a date for our anniversary. We made reservations at Epi's, a Basque (Spanish) Restaurant, about 5 minutes from our house. It is a pretty swanky place around here so we had to make reservations a month earlier! I was excited that although my mom didn't make it my dad was still willing to watch all of the girls! So off we went. (I said quite a lengthy prayer that all would go well for my dad while we were gone on our way to the restraurant!) Epi's is an AMAZING restaurant and we had been there once before with my sister and her family two years ago. We have been trying to go there for the past 2 years since, but haven't been able to get reservations.  Both Jason and I LOVE Spanish food because it I lived there for a few months on a BYU study abroad and Jason served his mission in Southern Spain. Oh and the food and smells transported us back to those days! So we went all out! We had two appetizers (chorrizo with pimiento & croquetas) served with this amazing Spanish baguette, soup (mine was a creamy mushroom soup with a hint of spicy heat & Jason had the red bean soup, also quite yummy) and for the main course I had this HUGE piece of halibut covered in lobster creme sauce served with Basque rice and red potatoes. (I am currently wiping the drool from my keyboard!) It was AMAZING! Jason had Albondigas (Meatballs served in a marinara sauce) served with Basque fried potatoes and  Basque rice. We were so stuffed before we even had our main course that I could only eat a few bites! But it was pure heaven! Jason even tried my fish! It was a great night to be able to have a date and eat delicious food... we topped the night off with Rice Pudding to go! The Rice Pudding was a little piece of Spain in my mouth... I cannot wait until Jason and I can go visit Spain together we will have so much fun! Needless to say, my dad survived the 2 hours that we were stuffing our faces. We came back home to Katelyn and Grandpa sitting just like this. Katelyn was a bit in hysterics because she was so hungry, so Grandpa was holding her. She caught a glimpse of the Wonder Pets and was hooked! She was even giggling out loud! Hilarious! THANKS again Grandpa Lee for the fabulous night out!

This year I crafted most of our Christmas gifts because we were a little tight on money and I think that a homemade gift means more! I made this beauty for my Dad for Christmas. I got the idea off of pinterest and put my own spin on it! on the left side in the middle is a heart with where my dad was born. Above and below him are where his parents were born. Next to that is where his Grandparents and Great Grandparents were born! I added the scripture too... because it was my inspiration. My dad is a genealogy master, so I knew that he would love this! The girls and I made something amazing for Grandma Frann, to be posted about after Christmas after she has opened it! We cannot wait!

Sunday we went to church and we broke out the Christmas dresses! I found matching Christmas dresses for all 3 girls! YES! These are the best pictures that I could get. One day all 3 girls will look at the camera and smile all at the same time!

Monday, for Family Home Evening we started a new family tradition for a December FHE, going to see the lights around our city and then getting a Krispy Kreme doughnut and having hot chocolate as a treat! The lights around our city were great and I put a map on Facebook for all you Meridianites who may want to go see them all! We drove around for about an hour and then went to get doughnuts! Here is a funny story for you all... we were getting out of the car (which is quite a feat with 3 kids in car seats) and Tori was out of the car waiting and squatting by the car. We were going in and Tori was lagging behind, so I said, "Tori, come on, let's go pick out a doughnut." She continued to squat, and as I was about to enforce, the come inside... I realized that there was a puddle forming under her legs and that her pants were pulled down! Ha ha ha! She immediately pulled up her pants and said, "Mommy, I was going potty!" I giggled and said, "Thanks for holding it until you got out of the car, but next time let's wait until we get into the shop!" Ha ha ha! At least she didn't pee in the car! We all picked out a doughnut and took them home to make hot chocolate (maybe when we are rich and famous we can have hot chocolate at the store, but I wasn't about to pay $3 for each of our hot chocolates!) Grandpa mentioned that he wanted marshmallows, so we gave him some, with our marshmallow gun! Stick 'em up!

Grandpa helped Tori put up her and Brooke's Christmas tree. It has all of their ornaments and twinkly colored lights. Grandpa Lee also left Jason a note, it reads: Jason, My true love said to me, this is our 3 month anniversary. Warm regards, your Heater love, the Furnace. My dad always seems to come when our furnace filter needs to be changed. If you know my dad you know that he has to keep busy which means that if he is visiting he is there to repair all things that need to be repaired which always seems to include changing the heater filter. Jason said that he knew that my dad would mention that the heater filter needed to be changed, and her sure did! Nothing goes unnoticed by super grandpa!

On Grandpa's last day Tori and I made Gingerbread cookies, a tradition that my mom started for our family and friends when we were little. When I was little we would make gingerbread cookies for all of our friends and family. The pregnant people got prego gingerbread girls, the babies got babies, and girls got girls and boys got boys. It was quite the baking feat! So this year Grandma Frann was going to teach Tori. Although she was not here, I taught Tori and we had a TON of fun!

Tori loves to roll out the dough and cut the cookies out. She takes it real seriously! Tori placed all of the little mouths and one of the buttons on each of the gingerbread boys. We made them for two Christmas parties for the end of the week. They sure were a hit and oh so delicious! Thanks Grandma Frann for sending all of the goods and sharing a family tradition with us! But all things must come to an end...Grandpa Lee had to go back home and take care of Grandma Frann. We sure loved having you here Dad! Tori still cries a little and I ask, "Why are you crying Tori?" and she replies, "Because I miss Grandpa Lee!" So cute!

I know, is this blog done?! Well, the same day my dad left we got a package from Auntie Michelle. Tori was very excited to open a present! She ripped it open and inside were these adorable hair pretties! Tori wouldn't sport hers (although I did bribe her into wearing it to Jason's work party, picture to be seen in a future blog. But Brooke and Katelyn were game to wearing them upon receipt! Thanks Auntie Michelle! Deep, breath, I am done...that is it for today! Holiday blogging to ensue again after I have uploaded more pictures...until then, adieu.