Christmas celebrations

Christmas Eve, we went into Seattle.  It was fun last year, so we decided to do it again! This time, we had a little baby in tow.  It was an adventure taking the bus.  The kids love to ride the public transportation into Seattle! 

We walked around and went to the Fairmont hotel where they had their "teddy bear suite" on display.  It was a hotel suite that they had transformed for Christmas with hundreds of teddy bears in it.  

It was fun, but not something we need to do again next year. Ha.  Afterwards, we went and got lunch at Chipotle downtown.  Jeff's favorite! 

I can't remember what else we did on Christmas Eve. But I know we did a lot! It was non-stop entertainment around here, and I get tired just thinking about it. Ha.
Of course, I had to get a Christmas picture of this cutie: 

Her first Christmas! 

Oh yea, I remember one thing we did! We baked gingerbread cookies for Santa and decorated them.  

I had bought these candy eyes that I thought the girls would have fun with.  It turns out, they looked really creepy and gave me a good laugh! We put lots of icing on them to make them look cute. ha! 

After the girls went to bed, we set all the presents out and got the room ready.  We did Christmas in the basement this year.  

Jeff helped me by cleaning the vanity...a spontaneous present I had gotten a few days before. 

The scene was set! I couldn't wait for Christmas morning. 

The girls were up at 8:00am.  I'm not going to lie, I like the fact that they don't really know what is going on yet, and are fine with sleeping in.  Ha.  We ate a big Christmas breakfast...complete with Monkey bread and monkey impressions.  It was a hit! 

And then we reminded the girls that there were presents downstairs...oh yea! Ha.  They sat on the top of the stairs and I grabbed a quick pic of the three of them: 

Bubble machine, presents, a new vanity and doll house...kids were in heaven! 

We gave them some new storybooks...yea, for new books! 

We opened all the presents and then it was time to get ready and go to church.  

We had an hour long service and then we were back home.  

Sweet Adeline likes to sleep with her arms up like this: 

We then got all bundled up and walked around Gene Coulon Park for their Clam lights.  We got there at the gate right when they turned on for the evening and that was really neat! 

Christmas was full of joy, but also lots of wild emotions from my little girls.  There was so much hype and wild energy going around...it was fun and infuriating and awesome and exhausting.  We were so glad that they woke up the next morning calm and back to their regular selves. :) 

I got Rosalyn a little Paw Patrol figurine for Christmas (Skye).  It was such a hit, I went out the next day and bought a few more.  They still play with these little pups every day since then! A simple toy, that has brought the most fun.  I want to remember that! 

Jeff had taken the week off work after Christmas, so that was really great to have him home.  The girls love their daddy and miss him when he is gone! They talk about him all day long.  It is the cutest. 

New Years Eve, we drove down to my parents' house! 

Getting their snooze in the car before partying at night! 

We love Grandma's house! So many toys everywhere to play with.  It is a kid's heaven. 

We had a simple celebration at midnight with these great people! 

We came home to a snow-filled landscape.  It was beautiful! It lasted for a week.  It was lame snow... you couldn't build a snowman with it.  But it was pretty to look at, and made it feel like winter! 

And that's that! On to 2017!