Merry Christmas

Trimming the tree

We got a new pre-lit tree this year and love it except that even though it says it's the same size as our old one it seemed way shorter so we ended up sitting it on a box :)  The girls decorated the tree this year because we wanted the boys to think of it as a pretty to wave at instead of to touch!!

Happy girl = Scared momma

Lexy asked Santa for a skateboard this year...after I said I wouldn't buy something so dangerous! :)

I've put her off every time she has asked to take it outside since Christmas.  Yesterday, after school, it was in the 60's and Lexy asked again to try out her new skateboard.  After several attempts to distract her and making her put on jeans, tennis shoes, helmet, elbow/knee and wrist pads...I finally let her do it.

She actually kinda knew what to do and is pretty good :)

So then she asked if she could work on balancing on her bike again (she's trying to learn to ride w/o training wheels) and she got it this time!  She could push herself with her feet and then balance all the way down the sidewalk!  Crud now real "riding" will be coming soon.

I love that Lexy has no fear of trying new things and she tries and tries again until she gets good at it.  I just wish her "new things" weren't so scary to a momma!  I can so see that girl bungee jumping and sky diving when she's older!

I'm thinking I'm just going to invest in bubble wrap to help keep her safe...or maybe a bubble! :)

Meet Brandy...

Lexy, who has never really played with dolls, BEGGED for an American Girl doll for Christmas this year!  She started talking about it a couple months before and truthfully I thought she would lose interest and move onto something else but she proved me wrong!  She looked through the American Girl catalog about 100 times a day and chose which doll looked just like her...#23 if you're wondering (she would quiz us on this number!).  She was so very happy when she saw an American Girl bag show up under the tree and it drove her crazy that she couldn't open it early!  She did open it first on Christmas morning though!!

Lexy had been thinking of names for her doll but wanted to wait to "see what she looked like" before naming her.  The name she finally chose was "Brandy"...a mixture of Lexy and Brandon (yep he's still her "boyfriend").  Brandon's mom, Sheresa, had a good laugh when I let her know that she was a Grandma!!

Christmas 2011 :)

Christmas Eve 2011

Merry Christmas to all!!

As we are waking up early, opening our gifts, eating our blueberry muffins and bacon and enjoying our family, we want to take time to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!!

Lexy & Brooke's Christmas jammies 2011

First Day - Winter Break

We found Jingle the Elf on the kitchen counter this morning pretending to roast marshmallows with Santa!  Lexy wanted to try to actually roast the marshmallows so we lit the candle and used toothpicks and mini marshmallows...she has been roasting all day long!

We didn't have any plans for today so I got out the plastic pellets that I bought for a project and Lexy had fun pretending it was snow...

Christmas Family Fun Day

We had a great family fun day - Christmas Style over the weekend.  We did a little shopping, had dinner, went to see a movie...

Alvin & The Chipmunks - Chipwrecked

 and then we headed out to look at some lights...

Cookie Making

Our Elf on the Shelf, Jingle brought the fixings for making and decorating sugar cookies one morning.  Both girls were excited to make and eat them!!

Slumber Party and Snowman Night at the Library

On Saturday night both girls had something fun to do. :)

Brooke had the annual Christmas slumber party with her high school sorority...

Lindsey, Suzy, Brooke, Katie, Audrey

And we took Lexy and her best friend Avree to a Snowman Night at the local library for crafts, stories and snacks...

Mrs. Claus' visit

It is tradition in our house for Mrs. Claus to leave a note and new ornaments for each child in our home on December 1st of each year.  She must have been busy yesterday because she visited a day late this year!  This year along with the note and ornaments, Mrs. Claus left a snowman countdown and an Elf on the Shelf book and elf!! 

Lexy was so excited when I read the book to her.  She couldn't wait to name the elf (our elf had left a note saying that she was a girl and gave some name suggestions).  Our new elf's name is Jingle and we can't wait to see what funny, sneaky and naughty antics she will be up to while she is visiting!

O Christmas Tree

On Saturday we put up our Christmas tree while listening and dancing to Christmas music.

After putting the tree up we realized the room just didn't look right so Brooke & I took down all of our spring/summer living room decor and did a little room makeover. :)

Christmas Day 2010

We spent Christmas morning as we usually do.  Brooke & Lexy woke us up about 8am and we all headed out to see what Santa left.  After looking at their gifts from Santa and their stockings, we took turns opening the other presents.  After everything was open Daddy started taking things out of packages and putting them together while Mommy made breakfast for everyone.  Our tradition is that we each choose what we like best for breakfast and we have a little of everything, this year it was blueberry muffins, sausage, hashbrowns, pancakes and bacon.  After breakfast Grandpa Tom and Mammaw came over with great presents and they got to have the tour of gifts from the girls :-)

This year Lexy asked Santa for and received a Squinkies playhouse and Brooke wanted makeup.  For their big gifts from us, Brooke asked for a TV for her room and Lexy asked for Pembo (a talking/walking penguin)...they received those and many more!

Christmas Eve

As per tradition, we went up to Papa & Grammy's house to celebrate Christmas Eve.  While there Brooke and Lexy received many great gifts from Papa & Grammy and their traditional pajamas, book and slippers from Mike and I.  When we got back home, the girls sprinkled "reindeer food" on the lawn and Lexy fixed some cookies and milk for Santa.  Before bed Daddy read "T'was the Night Before Christmas" to Lexy. :-)

Merry Christmas!

There's a lot to catch up on here but for now I'm enjoying my wonderful family!

Polar Express

Our local library had a Polar Express night and invited all the kids, Lexy was excited.  The kids were asked to wear their favorite pajamas and the night started off with the engineer punching their ticket to board the train.  The had several crafts for the kids to do like making a train out of a twinkie and candy, a reindeer craft, making reindeer food, writing a letter to Santa and riding on a homemade train.  The crafts were followed by The Polar Express being read by Santa.  The night ended with hot cocoa while the kids waited their tturn to sit on Santa's lap.  Lexy had a great time, I love these magical and FREE events!!  I can't wait to have more kids around here to share them with!

Santa 2010

On Saturday we went to see Santa.  Lexy thought very hard about what to ask him for and settled on a Squinkie House.  She took a brochure with pictures to show Santa exactly what she wanted so there were not mistakes :-)

Brooke and her friend Cristy decided that they wanted a picture with Santa too.  Santa was giving them a hard time and making them laugh so hard :-)





A reporter from the local paper took pictures of both Lexy and Brooke/Cristy with Santa and asked for their names and ages so one of the pictures may be in the paper this week!

UPDATE:  Both their pictures were in the Dec. 1, 2010 local paper.  Brooke and Cristy were on the front page and Lexy was on page 6!!!

The Richards Family wishes each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!

Let's see how much we can cram in :)

I've taken my own advice and focused more on rest and family this week! My sickies are still hanging around but I'm getting more rest so it's all working out.

As promised, a pic of my new van...
(Unfortunately every time I think to take a picture it's dark but you get the idea)

Before I forget...

Lexy on her Kindergarten Music Program night...

(Lexy with her presents from Papa & Grammy and Mammaw & Grandpa)

(Lexy with her teacher Mrs. Woolsey and her friend Chance)

And Brooke from her play...

And at Brooke's Choir concert...

On Friday, Mike and I went to Lexy's Winter Party at school. I can't believe that I forgot my camera again but they were all so cute eating their goodies (LOTS), making crafts and playing reindeer games!

On Saturday, we loaded up in our new van for some Family Fun - Holiday Style. We went to Bass Pro Shop where we started off having a nice lunch at one of their restaurants and then we wrote letters to Santa, played games and decorated cookies while we waited FOREVER for our turn to see Santa. Afterwards we did some last minute Christmas shopping, ate a quick dinner and headed home.

Yesterday and this morning, Brooke and I have been working on cleaning the house for Christmas and making the fudge that we give as gifts to some of our family and friends. This year we made chocolate, butterscotch and peanut butter, YUM!