Black Apple Dolls

I saw these darling dolls online and had to make one for each of my girls to match their rooms. Raegan sleeps with hers every night because I told her it was a good dream doll. Now she panics if it falls off her bed in the night, or she loses it in the covers. I've had to find it a couple times in the night for her. Macy's sits on her bed for decoration. Here's the tutorial if you're interested!

http://www.marthastewart.com/article/black-apple-doll

Raegans Photography

To entertain Raegan while we cleaned up after Carter's wedding dinner I let her walk around with my camera. She took probably 50 pictures, here's just a few. I ended up with multiple pictures of decorations and pictures of pictures. I don't know why the self portrait one cracks me up, she must have seen other people take pictures of themselves like that.

Beautiful Horse Head

Don't worry, I don't really think this horse head is beautiful. In fact, I hate it. Kurt and I had an agreement that we would not do anything for each other for Christmas and in a couple months we would go shopping for ourselves instead. Well, I followed the rules. Kurt however did not. I'm not surprised by any means, he is a really generous person. So Christmas morning Kurt grabs the video camera and hands me a present. In my mind I'm thinking that he got me the camera lens I've been wanting. I opened the present to find this hideous horse head and I instantly started laughing because I new it was a joke, right? I laughed even more when I saw the price tag on the bottom for $56, knowing he would never spend that. I assumed it came from his parents garage or something.

Well, Kurt says, on camera, "You don't like it? Why are you laughing?" I still laughed and lifted up the tissue paper it was wrapped in and looked for my real present, thinking it was a gift card. Kurt continues to say on camera. "You don't like it. I thought you would love it. You have that chicken in our kitchen so I thought you would like this." Then he shuts the camera off and tosses it aside.

At that point I was convinced that he was being serious. So I instantly feel guilty and terrible for laughing and I try to say thank you and give him a hug. He pushed me away and said, "I'm not in the mood for you to hug me." For a good 5 minutes I feel like crap. He then says with a big smile, "I'm just kidding honey! I wanted to get you a gift card but decided that was so boring so I found the ugliest thing the store so you could return it and get the money." Seriously!!!!! Is that not so rude?!!!! I guess I shouldn't have expected anything less for him. That horse head is no longer in our house, but a couple new pairs of shoes are.

Christmas dresses 2009

These pictures were taken just a couple days after Christmas at Carters wedding, which I'll have to post another time.

Christmas 2009

Our Christmas was slightly more humble this year due to Kurt's new job, and us trying to be somewhat frugal. And you know what, I actually really enjoyed having a more simple Christmas. I didn't get wrapped up in all the chaos and shopping like crazy like I do every year. It was nice not to fight the mall crowds, and just take a trip or two to Target and Walmart and be done with it. My girls weren't neglected by any means. They were just as happy with this Christmas as they have been with other Christmases that I go overboard with. I think whether or not we have the money to spend on big Christmases I'm going to keep things more simple from now on and focus more on being together and doing more Christmas activities. Kurt and I also decided to not do Christmas for each other and save up some money and go shopping for ourselves in the next couple months. Although he broke this rule by giving me a beautiful horse head. Yes, a black statue horse head. It was hideous. But I'll blog about that separately. This year I did the 12 days of Christmas with activities together as a family. Each night the girls would pull a tag out of the Christmas pocket calendar I made, and on it would say what fun thing we were going to do that night as a family. Some activities included: baking cookies, playing "Santa May I", make ornaments, read Christmas stories, build a gingerbread house, and go see Christmas lights.
Christmas Eve was spent at our house this year and to make it a little more fun, and since Kurt always complains about having to watch "White Christmas" I planned a couple games for the kids. We did a scavenger hunt for the pajamas and played Christmas bingo, which the kids loved. I wrapped up all the prizes so when they called Bingo they just had to choose a present not knowing what was inside, some things were girl and some boy, they just had to trade.
The adults all enjoyed playing Carters goofy ninja game where you all stand in a circle and try to slap each others hands with one swift movement. I think our family played this for hours, and again on Christmas.
Christmas morning Kurts parents came over for breakfast, then later that day we went to my parents for dinner. We also talked to Colton on the phone, he was in shock that Macy could actually talk and was a big girl. I think he's in for a surprise when he sees her in August.
One of Raegans favorite part of Christmas was when I helped with her school Christmas party and played "Stuff the Santa". I bought a HUGE pair of red long-john pajamas, the kind with the flap on the bum, and each kid put them on and the other kids stuffed it fat with balloons. It was tiring getting the jammies on and off each kid but the kids laughed their heads off and had a good time.
Raegan will also say that her Easy Bake Oven was her favorite gift since she wants to be a chef when she grows up.
Macy's favorite activity was bingo. She was so proud of herself when she found the right picture on her page. Her favorite gift was the Swan Princess castle, of which she asked for maybe 100 times before Christmas and when she opened it from Santa she kept saying "See Mom!! This is the one I want!"

One of the cutest things I've seen.....

Watch this, it's the sweetest

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PURToRRq7gM

THUD!

Merry Christmas to us.......

Sweet Raegan Jo

Raegan has always been a tender heart. She is always worried and concerned for others feelings, and is always aware if someones feelings are off in our family.
There was one day that I was extremely frustrated/upset/hormonal/ and on the verge of tears when I was being treated badly by some lady at a costumer service desk and Raegan kept hugging me and whispering "Are you okay mom?, What's wrong?" She is just the sweetest girl.

Our ward did a Christmas service project by putting stockings together for homeless children. Our family picked to do a stocking for a 6-8 year old girl. I was explaining to Raegan why we were buying toys for these kids and how often times their families don't have homes, cars, or money. Raegan got teary eyed and said "Mom, I have something I want to give to that little girl." and she went running and came back with her money from her money jar (which thanks to her parents is now all pennies), she dumped it out and put half of it in a bag and said, "I want to give this to the little girl in case there is a day when her (yes, I meant to say 'her' and not 'she') doesn't have food and her mommy doesn't have money then the girl can say 'mom, I have money from the little girl Raegan so we can buy some food!'" I just about cried. It was so thoughtful. I hope that 6 year old girl appreciates my Raegans bag of pennies.