2013 - It's a New Year!!

Where did December go? I still haven't posted Thanksgiving, and now we are in January of 2013?! We had some fun in December leading up to the exciting Christmas holiday - but the holiday break was a real bust for our family! For the second year in a row we had the dreaded stomach flu go through everyone (but me - somehow I held strong). From Dec 22 - Dec 29 I spent my nights listening for the kids, washing sheets and towels, spraying Lysol and cleaning everything in sight! And then when one was done I would breath a sigh of relief only to have another one start. We did make it through Christmas Eve and Christmas morning without illness so the kids enjoyed opening lots of presents! I was just grateful to have my parents in town to help out - they babysat the healthy kids and cooked (or took me out to) a lot of meals. I was very sad to see them leave! But we made it to New Years and I was sooo excited to have a New Years Day family ski day planned - Mia, Lily and I got new skis and boots for Christmas and I couldn't wait to put them to use -- only to wake up this morning to Piper and her eyes swollen and crusty. I took her to the insta-care (in my ski clothes) praying it wasn't contagious so I could still leave her with the babysitter and hit the slopes, but nope! Its not pink eye, but a sinus infection that has settled in her eyes. I am home with her updating this blog while Jason and the girls are skiing on their new skis. This was NOT the Christmas break I had imagined. We started December at the Festival of Trees for Lily's dance performance. It was a great way to get in the Christmas mood with all of those amazing trees. (Mia's favorite with the American Girl doll tree. She had to have her photo with that one.) And we had constant Christmas music playing as in preparation Lily downloaded her ballet and jazz music and practiced her moves over and over. So darling! We also spent a lot of mornings searching for our family ELF - and seeing where he decided to hide and watch the girls for the day.

All of our sickness started with Mia the morning of Christmas Sunday - so of course the girls couldn't wear their cute Christmas outfits without everyone, so I thought I would hold them until New Years - only then Piper was sick....so hopefully one of these Sundays everyone will be well and I will get a cute picture of them in their actual holiday dresses. (Jason thought I was crazy that morning as I was scrambling to find other dresses for Piper and Lily - its a stress only a mother would understand.)

We had Jason's family Christmas party early this year - and that meant we got to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas day here at home and not have to go anywhere. It was truly a WHITE Christmas so it was so nice to watch the snow fall but not have to go out in it! The girls and I stayed in our PJs all day!! I loved it. We hosted my family for dinner on Christmas Eve and lunch on Christmas but we are a way casual family so it made for a relaxing and not stressful holiday.

Christmas morning was white (cold!) and lots of fun. My parents came up to be with us while the girls opened their stockings and presents. The big, exciting presents from Santa this year - it was all about gymnastics and American Girl doll accessories. The girls got gymnastics mats and a balance beam of their own, and their dolls got a gymnastics set and lots of leotards and clothes. Even Piper got a gymnastics Dora doll and plays right with them. My girls are constantly flipping over the furniture and all around the house (and the trampoline is covered in snow), so we have now set up their own gym for them in the basement and started the gymnastics equipment collection. It should keep them busy for a while! With Mia's first gymnastics meet coming up in February she has been perfecting her beam routine - lets hope for a high score on that event. :)

Overall, it was a nice, quiet, family-filled holiday! But with all of the illness I was happy to take down the decorations and move on to January - a new year and a new HEALTHY start to 2013. **It has been fun watching our newest animal kingdom member - our backyard bunny. It has burrowed tunnels through the snow and loves to play under the slide and in our rocks. It is so cute!!