Christmas Cookies-Better Late Than Never!

With all the sickness we had we didn't get to make our traditional Christmas sugar cookies. After poor Makayla had that high fever Lucy came down with it. I think we are finally over it. I sure hope so at least. Anyway we decided that it was better late than never to make the sugar cookies and so we did.

Cutting out the dough

Makayla used the cookie cutters to make her cookies

Lucy on the other hand just used her hands to make "snake" cookies. She is really good at making dough into snakes and is proud of them when she is done.

I swear I can never get a good picture of the two of them. Makayla is always smiling and Lucy is always pulling some crazy face.

See what I mean!

Lucy showing off her beautiful "snake" sugar cookies!

Makayla with her angel cookie.

I love making cookies with them, even if I won't eat the ones that they frost because I have seen how many times they have licked their hands while frosting their cookies! Don't worry I always make sure that I frost a few so I can enjoy some of the amazing cookies myself!

A Very Interesting Christmas 2013

 After a very fun Christmas Eve it was time for the big day. The girls woke up at their normal time of 7:00AM and we headed up to open presents.

The view of the presents before the girls got to it. Caleb had stayed up Christmas Even putting that doll house together. It is so cute so I hope the time it took to put it together was worth it to him! It was to me! Hahaha!

I don't have many pictures of them opening presents because I was video recording the whole thing. So here is what I got.

Makayla with her Unicorn Stompeez. She has wanted this for a very long time. I think they were the first thing she had on her list for Christmas.

Lucy was in LOVE with the doll house and couldn't stop playing with it. In fact I think she played with it all day long.

Nicole with her few presents.

She preferred to eat them over opening them.

After opening all the presents, Makayla crashed and told me she didn't feel good. My hope for a sick free Christmas was dashed. She didn't have what I had with my stomach, but she had a pretty high fever. Thanks to some Tylenol and rest she was able to feel well enough to use her easy bake oven that she was ecstatic to get since we told her you had to be 8 to get one. 

Making cupcakes with the new toy!

 

However the energy wasn't going to last. Once the medicine wore off she was back on the couch with a fever and only wanting to sleep. This happened all day long fever, medicine, fine for a bit, and then repeat the process. It was so sad to see her like this, but at least she would have spurts where she would feel well enough to do things. I decided being sick over Christmas in any way shape or form is no fun and not fair! 

I told you she loved the doll house! Here she is playing with it again.

Mommy and Nicole! Oh how I love this baby!

Later on Christmas night Cory, Eric, and BreAnn came over to exchange gifts with my whole family. I loved watching the girls open present from their Grandparents, Uncles and Aunt. They loved the presents and I think my parents and siblings loved watching them open them too. The joy on the faces of my kids is priceless to me! They sure are some lucky little girls! 

 

Lucy with her puppets from Grandpa and Grandma

Makayla with her Hello Kitty Alarm clock from Grandpa and Grandma.

Nicole was helping me open her gifts too.

Even with all the sicknesses we have had over this Christmas Holiday it has still been so fun to be with family and to remember the real reason for the season. I am so thankful for the Savior and that we get to celebrate his birth! I know that it is through him that I get to be with my amazing family for eternity!

Merry Christmas!!!

Christmas Eve 2013

I always look forward to Christmas Eve and the fun things we do. I think it is even more fun now that I have kids and I get to see them get excited for the night. Thankfully we were all feeling better for Christmas Eve and we sure did have a great night. We started the night out with a delicious dinner. It has always been tradition to have a nice ham and turkey (because my mom likes turkey) dinner.   

Table set and ready to eat at.

This year's dinner didn't disappoint.Ch

This was Nicole's seat for dinner. One day Nicole you will get to enjoy it with us I promise.

 

After dinner we told the Christmas story. This year instead of just watching it on DVD we decided to act it out. Since my girls are such dramas anyway we thought it would be more fun this way. We had done it in Iowa with some friends it was so fun so we kept that tradition going. 

Of course Makayla wanted to be Mary and since Lucy is easy going right now she got to be her without any fighting. We will see what happens next year. Makayla really wanted Uncle Cory to be Joseph he wasn't to excited about it, but she was able to sweet talk him into it. She was even able to sweet talk him into being the donkey too! What a great uncle she has. Here she is riding the donkey with child and all!

Lucy got to be a shepherd.  

Grandpa was the star. Doesn't he make a great star!

Here is Mary, Joseph, and a sheep. I guess Lucy wanted to be both a shepherd and a sheep this year.

 

Admiring the baby!

The whole picture, even the star in the background.

It was fun recreating the story and I hope the girls got a little bit out of it too!

After the Christmas story we played the traditional "Candy Bar" game. We let the girls play on their own this year and it was so much fun. They were funny to watch try and hold all the candy and pass it at the same time.

After the game we let the girls open presents from each other. Makayla got Lucy this little crab toy that moved when you touched its front claw. She was so freaked out by it and it was so funny to watch. Lucy got Makayla a little Aerial bath toy that she loves. They also go to open the traditional homemade PJ's. I loved how they turned out and they looked so cute in them.  

 

Sisters!

Of course they wanted to make a silly face as well. I love these two!

Makayla

(4 Years Old)

Lucy

(2 Years Old)

Nicole

(3 Months Old

 

We started a new tradition this year, one I stole from pintrest. We put a ticket under the girls pillows and when we put them to bed they found them and we told them that we were going to take them on special van ride to see Christmas lights. They loved it! They got to eat popcorn and drink hot chocolate in the van on the ride. Even though they were having fun they started to get tired and Makayla wanted to go to bed so that Santa would come. One thing we will have to do different next year is find good neighborhoods to drive through before we start. There were a lot of disappointing streets out there. We were definitely missing the good neighborhoods in Iowa, some of them sure knew how to put up lights!

We had a great Christmas Eve and we were so excited for Christmas day! That post to follow!

Marchant Family Christmas Party

 We had a Marchant family Christmas party on Saturday. It was a lot of fun to get together and see everyone. It is getting harder to do because our extended family is getting so big. This year we made it happen and went down to my Aunt and Uncle's house and had dinner, played games, and talked in their big (heated) shed. It was weird not having Grandpa and Grandma Marchant there. Even though it wasn't the first Christmas without them, it is always harder when we get together with the family. We miss them dearly, but we know they are in a better place and we will see them again someday!  

We let all the young kids play the white elephant game.

Here is Makayla waiting for the game to start.

I know Lucy looks like she is in a lot of pain here, but don't worry she wasn't this is just one of the many faces she pulls during pictures.

Passing the presents

Lucy had to have a little help. She wasn't fast enough for everyone.

Makayla got a magic kit and was so excited.

Lucy got some molding clay, for a second, and then was asked to trade for a little chalk board. Good thing she was easy going that night!

Santa came to visit our party as well. Here is Makayla asking for everything under the sun!

Lucy's turn was next and she was just so cute and not even a little bit afraid of the big man!

Nicole had a picture too. Can you see how excited she was! Hahaha!

Family picture with Santa and his helper

And one with the rest of the family

(minus Eric and BreAnn who were in Idaho this year for Christmas)

It was a fun night of eating and talking and just enjoying one another's company. It was all great until later that night, when I came down with the stomach flu! I will spare you the details, but it wasn't a fun way to spend Christmas weekend. I am just glad it was all over by the time Christmas rolled around and I am grateful that the kids didn't come down with it!

Christmas posts up next!

Preschool Christmas Program

Makayla's Preschool did a Christmas program at a nursing home and it was so cute! I don't have a lot of pictures of it because I took mostly video of it, but trust me it was so cute.

Sitting on her circle waiting to start.

 

You knew she wouldn't be able to sit still for long. Not with he best little friend Taylee sitting so close! I love these two little girls!

Makayla wearing the Christmas shirt they made at preschool to wear for their performance. She was DYING of heat when I took this and begged me to let her take it off right after.

I think my favorite part of the program was the end when they walked up to the older people there and shook their hands. They were so shy and it was so cute to see them interact with them. What a great thing to do around Christmas time!