Christmas 2011

Christmas Morning!!!!!

Christmas morning was a little bit crazy this year because it fell on a Sunday and we had church at 10:00AM. I am actually glad that it fell on a Sunday so we could really focus on what Christmas is all about and that is the Savior and his birth! I think it helped Makayla understand a little bit better that Christmas isn't just about presents and Santa, but about Jesus and all he did for us!

Since we had church at 10:00AM we decided that we would let the girls open the presents in their stockings before church and then we would open the rest after church.
(I know we are mean parents, or so that is what my brothers and parents said! :))

Lucy didn't even wake up until 9:00AM so it was a good thing we decided to wait so we didn't have to rush through everything. Oh and no we didn't have a white Christmas this year. In fact it was like 50 degrees out there! It was crazy warm and honestly it makes me a little sad not to have a white Christmas. I don't know how people do it in places where it never snows.

All the stockings were hung....

Presents under the tree.

Getting ready to open presents! Everyone was so excited!

Matching purses!

We didn't know what to get Lucy for Christmas this year and then 2 days before Christmas we were at the mall and Lucy wouldn't let go of a little purse she found, so I decided to make her one, and if I make one I end up needing to make two.

Watching her face while she opens presents is priceless! Here she is opening the movie, Enchanted.

Lucy got a little ball and baton and she was in heaven!The littlest things make her so happy!

Since Makayla will be starting Sunbeams next Sunday we decided to get her a Book of Mormon so she can start taking it to church with her. She was so excited to get it and she walks around now reading it and telling us the story of Christ's birth. She is getting so big! I love her!

Lucy got this Minnie Mouse pillow pet from her Uncle Cory and this is what she was doing with it all day!

Makayla got a Rapunzel dress from Grandma and Grandpa Hunter and she could wait to put it on. She also got a Rapunzel doll from her Uncle Cory so of course she had to have a picture with it and her dress.

We, especially the girls, were so spoiled from my family this year and I want them to know how much we appreciate all they do for us! The girls LOVED all of their presents and play with them all the time!

(Thanks Eric and BreAnn for the little pet things, they are driving me nuts, but they sure do entertain the girls!)

Later that night we went over to the Snarr's house and had dinner with them and the Jorgensens. It was a lot of fun to hang out and just be with the people who are like our family since we are so far away. Being away from family really is hard, but with friends like we have we are so lucky! You guys are the best and I am truly going to miss you when we move!

Christmas truly is a magical time of year and I can't wait for next year!

Merry Christmas!!!!

Family Christmas Picture 2011

Christmas Eve Fun 2011

Christmas once again has come and gone in the Lorenc house, and yes we did have a great time! I am not going to lie and say that I didn't miss going home and being with family, because I did, but I am glad that I have my cute little family and that is who I got to be with for the Holidays. So here is a little recap on the this years events!

A few days before Christmas the girls and I went to a friends house and made gingerbread houses. Makayla had to much fun and was so proud of her end result!

Lucy just wandered around the whole time. I think she was secretly watching for the kids to drop any candy on the floor so that she could pick it up and eat it! Little stinker!

On Christmas Eve we made sugar cookies. This is one of Makayla's favorite things to do. She loves to help me cook and I think she especially loves making these cookies because it is super messy!

Frosting time! Look at that cheeser in the back! Lucy tried to eat the frosting the whole time, and to be honest I am not sure how much she actually got! I Hope it wasn't too much!

In my family it is tradition to have a ham dinner on Christmas Eve and even though we weren't home this year I still wanted to make sure we had a nice ham dinner. It was just us this year and while it was quiet and small I really enjoy being with my family!

After dinner we all opened our usual one present. Can you guess what they were......

Yup pajamas! I love Makayla's face when she opens things. She makes whatever it is seem like it is the BEST thing in the world.

The girls showing off their Palmer jammies! I made these again this year and I am pretty proud of the way they turned out!

The back view!

Graduation in 2012 I can't wait!!!

Just chillin by the fire in their cute jammies!

Later on that night we went over to the Jorgensen's house to read and act out the nativity story.

Makayla and JayLene played and played with the baby in the cradle it was so cute. They took turns being Mary and it was so cute!

Makayla being Mary (I love this picture) and Canyen being Joseph.

Lucy got to be a sheep and isn't she the cutest sheep you ever saw!

A group shot of all the participants! It turned out really cute and ShaLene made a cute video it all, but I can't ever get any videos to upload so you will just have to take my word for it!

After the nativity stuff we headed home so the girls could go to bed and be ready for Christmas morning!

Makayla's 2nd Dance Recital

Last Saturday Makayla had her 2nd dance recital! To say she was excited would be an understatement! She has been taking dance for a little while now and has improved so much. Last time she took it she was in a class with a couple of her little friends, all of which have since moved away. This time she was moved up by the teacher to be in the 5-7 year old class. She is only 3 let me remind you. No it isn't because she is amazing talented, but because she listens (when it isn't me talking) and the teacher said she would have been board in the younger class. I was happy she moved her up because she got to have the cutest little outfit and she got to learn and preform the cutest little dance.

Picture before the recital started.

(Aren't those outfits so cute!)

Had to post her posing!

My camera didn't take very good pictures of her actually preforming so I have to post a bunch of the ones I took before the recital started.

Sisters!

Lucy actually loves to watch Makayla dance. She is one of her biggest fans!

She kept wanting to go down to the stage before the recital started so when I finally let her I found out she just REALLY wanted a picture on the stage!

On stage getting ready to preform. Makayla is the first one on the left.

One of her friends, that didn't go anywhere for Christmas break so was still here, came to see her dance. She was so happy she came. Since we don't have any family out here it is nice that our friends who are like our family can and do come and support us. Thanks Jorgensen's for coming!

A group shot. Makayla is in the center, she is the short little one!

After the dance Makayla got a flower from her dance teacher and some from her daddy. She was so cute when he gave them to her!

After the recital was over Lucy felt like she needed to get in on the action and got up on stage and let it all go! She loves to dance!

Makayla and her dance teacher Miss Kate.

She does an amazing job with these kids and has patents that just blows me away.

Makayla did such a great job and can't wait for her next recital. I tried to upload a video of it, but for some reason it won't work, so you will just have to take my word for it.

Until next recital......

Ward Christmas Party 2011

We recently had our ward Christmas party and I thought it was a lot of fun. First off we had ham and mashed potatoes for dinner and nothing is better than that. After dinner they had all the kids go to four different rooms and learn about how people in different parts of the world celebrate Christmas. They had people talking about Mexico, Sweden, America, and Africa. I followed Makayla around to a few of them, but didn't get pictures of all of them, but I sure thought it was a cute and fun activity.

This was the Makayla's group learning about Mexico's traditions.

They break a pinata during their celebrations. Makayla wanted her picture by it she thought it was so cool.

Makayla and one of our favorite people in the ward, Macy!

In the room where they talked about American traditions they had Santa Claus come. I know the true meaning of Christmas isn't about Santa Claus, but it was nice to have him come and let the kids talk to him and enjoy that part of Christmas.

Here Makayla is with Santa. Can you guess what she asked him for....... a sewing machine! Honestly who's child is this again!

Lucy's turn with Santa. She was trying to figure the whole thing out in this picture, but hey at least she wasn't screaming!

She like him for a second and then she was done and reaching for me to take her. I was pleasantly surprised at how well she did.

After going to all the rooms the kids got a special treat and they got to come back to the gym and break one of the pinatas. Here Makayla is taking her swings.

After the pinata they had all the primary kids go to the nursery and get ready to act out the nativity while the adults listened to some musical numbers. Makayla got to be one the angels in the nativity and was so excited about it.

They sang a couple of songs and then it was over. Makayla is so excited to move up in primary and actually become a sunbeam and learn all of the primary songs!

After the primary's performance the party was over. It was a lot of work and we are so glad we got to go. I can't believe that is our last ward Christmas party here!

Disney on Ice 2011

Recently a friend of ours asked us if we were interested in going to Disney on ice with them. Of course I said yes! Makayla LOVES Disney anything and I knew she would be ecstatic to go to it.

It started with Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy coming out, and as soon as they did this is the face we got from Makayla!

She was so excited!

Lucy enjoyed it as well and probably more than I thought she would.

Alice in Wonderland

Tinkerbell

(one of Makayla's favorites)

Another one of Lucy enjoying the show. She loved listening to the music.

A family shot during intermission.

Makayla and her cute friend JayLene. It was so fun to go with some good friends.

Lion King

Aladdin

Little Mermaid

Tangled

(another one of Makayla's favorites)

At the end all of the princess came out and Makayla thought it was the coolest thing in the world! She was pointing to all of them and naming them and making sure I saw all of them.

I didn't get a picture of one of her favorites, Snow white, but at least she is in this one.

Makayla after the show.

She was one happy girl.

We had a lot of fun and I can't believe we have never gone to one before. I think Makayla may be talking Grandma into taking her in the near future.