Christmas 2009

I know I'm just about a month off with this post, but better late than never. The girls sat on Santa's lap and were very brave. Niev asked for a puppy (even though she already has one) and for a
We put up our Christmas tree with the girls' "help" and it wasn't as nerve wracking as I thought it would be.


We left cocoa and a candy cane for Santa and Niev insisted on leaving bubble gum and water for the reindeer (I think she thought that she would get in on that action).

Sorry I can't get this picture to rotate!!!!

We awoke to the greatest Christmas day ever. Just our little family.
A day filled with playing with every toy received, some piano playing, great food, laughter and best of all, naps!
Ian and I were laying in bed that night and we both said that we couldn't have asked for a better Christmas. We are very blessed.

Rowan's birthday

It is really difficult having a baby girl whose birthday is in December. Rowan turned one on December 12 so we had a little party just here at home with the girls.
I attempted making some cake pops (Bakerella.com) but I couldn't find colored candy coating so I tried adding food coloring to just the white candy coating. Didn't quite work so well. It was a nightmare. I also couldn't find a fine tip decorating tip. See for yourself--they were awful and absolutely hideous.

I tried to make cupcakes, but that didn't go quite as well as I had hoped either.

Honestly, this took all the humility I had to post these pictures!

Singing happy birthday

Not quite sure if she really likes this much sweetness

Diggin' in!

Niev didn't mind that they were hideous.

Rowan has grown up so much lately. She is talking a bit more and really enjoying being mobile. She is our climber. If she can get her leg on it, she is climbing it. She has absolutely no fear. Her first words were "mom" and "dad", of course, but her next word was "Bonzer" (bon-ba). She loves her puppy and they are the best of friends. She is a really happy baby, but needs a regular schedule. We love her so much. Niev loves to play with her baby sister and Rowan really enjoys Niev chasing her. Happy birthday, Ronin!

Rowan opening her presents from Mom and Dad

Niev and Rowan fulling enjoying her present

Santa pictures 2009

Niev with Santa

Rowan giving Santa the third-degree (or as good as one can without being able to talk.


Now she is done.



Doing the staring thing again?

Dang my girls are cute.

Welcome to the Dollhouse

Ian and I enjoy making things for our girls. It gives us a little pride in the toys our girls have. We decided that the girls (especially Niev) needed a dollhouse and dolls for Christmas since Niev was using her blocks for dolls and pretending almost anything was a house for her "dolls". We stayed up countless nights painting and ModPodging and polyerethaning. It was fun to work together, but kind of stressful when we saw how much work we still had to do on Christmas Eve! The pictures aren't great, but they get the idea across. It is much better in person...trust me! Gramma Buh painted all the furniture and fake Aunt Vickie made the pillows and bedding. The girls really love it.

Closed

Open


The library



The grocery store


The ocean


The bedroom


The kitchen


The living room with doll doctor and doll Dwight


The dining room



The playroom


The bathroom


Being thoroughly enjoyed!

We also made Rowan a pound-a-peg toy. The multi-colored peg was painted by the talented Niev.

Halloween is finally over!!!

I overheard Ian talking to his mom about how "everyone should just give up on Lora's blog". Well, you've asked for it so here it is. Good luck keeping up!

Normally I really love Halloween, but this year has been extremely chaotic with the Primary Presentation and then my volunteering for too many things for our Halloween Carnival. I have truly learned to just keep my mouth shut and NEVER show up to meetings.

Tonight we had a Halloween Carnival, Bake-off and Trunk-or-Treat. I have been thinking about the girls costumes since around Labor Day and then costumes took a backseat while we were preparing for the Primary Program this last Sunday. Once Sunday was over, I realized that that I really didn't have much time to get everything done that needed to get done (especially since Niev and Rowan's costumes were more in the design phase rather than the sewing and done phase!).

Last night at 11 p.m. Ian and I put the finishing touches on the girls' costumes. They really turned out so cute.


Niev kept jumping up and down so it was very hard to get a picture of her. She LOVED eating dinner with her friends (I can't get the underlining off of this part...sorry!)

Niev was so cute saying, "I'm an astronaut and Ronin is a rocket." When she was trick or treating, she would say, "Tick, trick or treat." I just couldn't correct her. She was trying so hard to say just the right thing that would get her candy.
She kept trying to see what the girl was painting on her face so she was being EXTREMELY wiggly for the poor young woman painting her face!

Today was busy spent preparing for the carnival (which I was in charge of!!!) and then baking a pie for the pie bake-off (which I proudly won second place! Sorry Derrick, my pie was still better than your whiny-story pie). I'm so glad that tomorrow, then only thing on our calendar is going trick-or-treating with the girls.