Tuesday, December 31, 2013

December Random Pictures

December was a busy month for us!  I guess it always is with traveling for Christmas, but with the Mizzou waiting and Evelyn's labs, it seemed especially crazy.  Here are some random pictures that didn't really fit into the other blog posts!
Just playing dress-up...without the clothes
Sweet Lilly-Belle!
Evelyn learned the hard way that Mommy means it when she says not to open the gifts!
Aforementioned gifts...
I always find it hilarious (or annoying, depending on the time of day/night) that men can sleep through anything.  Lilly's just looking around while Dan's snoozing away...
Could I get some help, Mom?
It's hard to be two...and have to watch your sister sit in the high chair you hated so your parents got you a booster for the big table.
 Christmas dancing to New Kids...Daddy didn't want to play
Getting ready for baking Christmas goodies for our neighbors - and our trip to Colorado.
She wanted to pretend the cart was a car
Just hanging out at the aquarium
Lillian loves the stuffed Olaf she got for Christmas...particularly his nose!
Daddy playing with his girls - making Lilly laugh
Our New Years Eve...wouldn't have it any other way!

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Christmas in Colorado

After the North Pole on Thursday morning, we headed to Ed & Sandi's house in Colorado Springs (Ed is Dan's brother).  We stayed there through Saturday morning.  Evelyn pretty much loves her Uncle Ed (and I think her Uncle Ed is pretty fond of her, too!).  The two of them fed off of each other most of the visit.  Ed has a million tricks and musical instruments, and he pulled just about every one of them out for Evelyn.  She, of course, was eating it all up!
And this one just played cute the whole trip
One of the many tricks...
Opening gifts from Uncle Ed & Aunt Sandi and Grandma & Grandpa Gaines
Still loves the paper most...
It's not snow...but it's frosty trees - a close second!
All bundled up!
After we went to healing prayer at Rez, we headed to my parents' house in Wray.  Thankfully, Evelyn took at nap in the car on the way (we never have to worry about Lillian taking a nap - she takes after her mama and loves sleeping!), so she could play with Grammie & Grandad when we got there.  It was fun watching Evelyn at my Mom and Dad's.
She helped Grammie make cookies
Might need to space those out a little more...
Doing a little tummy time
We slept in on Sunday, and started the day with some cinnamon donuts...a favorite at Grammie's every trip.  We then got ready for some Broncos football.  Evelyn enjoyed having Grammie & Grandad to herself (my sisters were both at their in-laws).
Is there something on my face?
Go Broncos!
Lillian loved playing in the jumparoo
Evelyn loved the endless supply of new babies and toys
She also was Grandad's little helper - getting a TV hung up in the sewing room
Grammie was hoping for a snuggly Lilly to watch a Hallmark movie with...Lilly was not on the same page.
(When Lillian was a newborn and my Mom was here - it was the Hallmark Channel's "Christmas in July"...so Mom would snuggle with Lillian while we got Evelyn down every night)
Her Harms cousins arrived around dinner time - let the fun begin!
She loved having Katie read to her!
We went to see Frozen (again!) in 3D at the Wray Community Theatre!
Love this cute girl!
Evelyn did such a good job sleeping in big girl beds the entire time we were in Colorado!
Lillian loved being the center of attention
Snowman sisters!
(Cheez-its are good for breakfast, right?)
All dressed up for Christmas mass
Our sweet family of four
Christmas morning was nice and leisurely.  Lillian wasn't feeling well (grrr - both of our girls were sick on their first Christmas!), so she was pretty sleepy and snuggly.
She did tell me that this was her favorite gift, though!
Pete (Evelyn's nickname by my family) eating some beef jerky, wearing the cuff of someone's pajama pants as a hat, and playing a game with Grant.
Evelyn opening her gifts from Grammie & Grandad
I love this picture...
Lillian is a big fan of Grandad
Evelyn ended up with my sweater on...and looked like Darth Vader - particularly when she picked up the light saber
Dog pile on Grandad...Darth Evelyn still in the background
Merry Christmas from Evelyn & Lillian!
Fun on the eliptical with Kolbe and Heidi
Let's move this party to the pack-n-play!
I'm just going to sit on this box and do some reading...
Decorating some cookies
Daddy helped Lillian do her share
Sweet, sleeping baby girl
We had family pictures on our last day there, then we planned to drive back to Texas over night.  Evelyn got sick around 3am that morning and was throwing up most of the morning.  We were finally able to get her to fall asleep for a couple of hours around 10am, but she was not in a great mood for pictures.  And it was super windy.  We ended up starting back any way, which turned out to be a good decision.  I was a little worried we were going to be cleaning puke out of a rental car at a gas station.  She slept all but about 3 hours of the 18 hour trip home - so that was good!
Heading out of San Antonio...a foggy sunrise.
Sweet, sleeping girl!
Once again, a great trip home for Christmas!  We stayed relatively healthy for once, other than one night of throwing up for me (where I felt 100% fine the next morning) and Evelyn's bug.  Lots of OnGuard must be the trick!

Friday, December 27, 2013

First Solid Foods

Lillian had her first taste of solid foods today...good 'ol rice cereal. 
She was a little uncertain of that first bite..
OK...this isn't so bad...
How about you just give me that spoon...
 She handled it like a champ - barely any tongue shoving the food back out.  Guess she was ready!