Toes!

Christmas Eve 2010

Christmas Eve celebrations began with dinner and gifts with Grandma Juju and Papa Brad. Homemade Manhatten clam chowder, salad, and bread... yum! Then gifts and off to the candlelight service at church. We always finish the night at our house for cookies and treats. Now that Charlotte is getting a little older we are trying to bring in other fun traditions like setting out cookies for Santa, putting out the Stockings, read "The Night Before Christmas"... well... maybe next year!

It's Almost Here Charlotte!

Almost Christmas!

Getting Ready for Christmas

The holiday season is such a busy time at work, and with family gatherings that often by the time Christmas arrives I am super sick and worn out. This year, I was really trying to avoid being sick at Christmas. Unfortunately, the most wretched strain of stomach flu hit the school about the second week of December... Charlotte was the first in our family to get it and threw up all over our bed at 3am on the 14th. Then as I was mid set-up for the 2nd out of 3 waves of guests at the school Christmas Program (over 1000 people attended that night)I started throwing up in the church kitchen- fun! A few days later, as hard as he fought it... daddy succumbed to the flu as well- with baby Mallorie the same day! YUCK! What a way to launch into our Christmas break! Eventually we all recovered and Charlotte and I got to have a baking day right before Christmas!

The Light Zoo

As many times as we told Charlotte that it is called Zoo lights... she still refers to it as "The Light Zoo". It was quite a chilly night, so we breezed through the zoo, enjoying the lights and music and then went for a treat. Charlotte requested eggnog icecream!

Cute Moments...

Christmas in Vancouver 2010

We traveled down to Vancouver on Saturday the 18th of December to see the both the Kohler and Donahue families. On Saturday we visited Grandpa Kohler and Nana's house with almost the whole Kohler family in attendance. This was the first Christmas spent with Chad, Leslee, Maiya and Madelyn. Charlotte had so much fun playing all day and night with her cousins. On Sunday we had brunch at Grandma Kohler's house with the Donahue side of the family. This was the first time that Mallorie met her Great Grandpa and Grandma Donahue. The weekend was very busy, but we were fortunate to get to see so much family. Thank you to everyone who traveled up (or down) to Vancouver to see us.

Go Tell it to Tacoma!

Charlotte had a great time and did a great job singing at her Preschol Christmas Program! Songs included... "Come on Ring THose Bells", "Go Tell it on the Mountains" (with a Tacoma twist), "J-E-S-U-S", and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas". Great job Charlotte!

First Taste

Mallorie got to try her first rice cereal! She actually seemed to like it at first... only at first... then she got mad! Oh well... it will grow on you baby girl!

Playing with my girls

Dinner with the Sheltons

We got to have dinner at the Sheltons during Thanksgiving break. Let me tell you... Wayne makes an amazing turkey bagel sandwich! YUM! The best part of the night was seeing the kids together. Olivia and Mallorie are just too cute playing on the floor!

Santa!

Mallorie was amazing at her first Santa visit and I think this was the first time Charlotte actually enjoyed meeting Santa! She told him she wants, "toys and treats" for Christmas. Santa replied, "Well that shouldn't be a problem!"

A White Thanksgiving?

Just days before Thanksgiving it snowed! It really dumped snow- not like past November snow flurries that are usually too wet to stick- this was beautiful! There was even enough for Charlotte to make her first snowman. She called it a snow Charlotte, because it was just her size. Thanksgiving this year was spent with Grandma Juju, Papa Brad, Uncle Sean, and Caitlin!

Great Wolf Lodge

For Matt's 29th birthday, we decided to take a little trip to the Great Wolf Lodge!Matt and I had both taken the week off of work, but decided to stay around home to save money. Our 1 night stay at the Great Wolf Lodge turned out to be a great idea, and an easy and relaxing way to get away during our stay-cation! Mallorie was not particulalry fond of the water park- I think she didn't like the noise. Charlotte loved it! She didn't love the wind storm that just happen to tear through western washington that night though- which knocked out power even at the hotel. Crazy experience! The lights went out at about 9pm, and I think Charlotte thought Matt and I were doing it on purpose to get her to go to sleep- she was really mad! The power didn't come back on until I think about 4am. Overall we had a GREAT time! Aaah-ooooooooh!

Videos from Great Wolf Lodge

Really Daddy?

Turkey Brine

Charlotte loves to help cook, and making the turkey brine together has been a fun little job!

Halloween 2010

Just about the cutest Dorothy you've ever seen!