Monday, November 24, 2008

Oh Christmas Tree...

This is something to celebrate...

This Christmas will be the FOURTH we have celebrated since getting married...but it is our FIRST time ever putting up a tree. Christmas #1 was spent in Coeur d'Alene pre-kids. No need for a tree if we won't be home. Christmas #2 was in Pennsylvania when Riley was 4 months old. We still felt there was no need for a tree. Last year Isabelle was born December 10th. And we were spending the holiday back in Coeur d'Alene...so again...we felt it wasn't worth the hassle. This year we decided to stay home for Christmas...which meant it was finally time for us to invest in some holiday decor. We bought a tree, some lights, and ornaments at Wal-Mart...and we were super excited. We planned to wait until after Thanksgiving to put up our tree. But then Sunday afternoon rolled around and it felt like the perfect time to have some family fun. So we put up the tree!!! I cannot take much credit though. Travis did most of the work. And I took pictures :)
Early in the process. This is the part I helped most with, sticking the branches in and spreading them out...
I think Riley was pretty excited.
The tree together pre-decorating
Isabelle thinking the tree box is cooler than the tree itself. That's kids for ya!
Travis put lights and balls on the tree but left the bottom branches un-decorated so we could let Riley put some on. The girls were in their room for this part until we were ready for them.
Isabelle with some decorations that we have collected in past Christmases; finally a place to display them!
Riley helping decorate!

Check out all these ornaments!

Izzy checking out the tree. She was pretty interested.
This is Riley when we let the girls back out of their room. She was super excited to get out and help with finishing touches.
Daddy and girls decorating
Mommy and girls. We have to keep the couches over-lapping for now. Too big a temptation for the girls. Thankfully only ONE glass ball was lost in the process. Riley broke it and was not hurt luckily.

Not bad for our first time huh? Or not bad for Trav's first time, really! I feel really fond of it :)

Isabelle is so into the tree. And Riley has been in time out a few times today for trying to take off ornaments. Not bad though.

Zoo Membership

Yep, we decided to get a membership to the zoo. And so a few weeks ago we went and enjoyed some nice weather for early November. We are loving Utah weather!!

Can you say precious??




Riley on the train





We love the zoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't you see it in her face??

Sleep pics....

Is this getting old?? Or do people still enjoy them? Let me know... Riley looks dead in the following pictures...it sort of creeps me out. She was so tired though on this day. She needed a nap real badly!

I tried to wake her up and she ended up just sitting up and going back to sleep
Now for Izzy...

A post dedicated to Hailee!

I happened to have some pictures of Hailee from one evening that John, Dana, and the girls came from dinner. They are too good not to share...

This first one needs some explanation...Hailee went into the girls closet and decided she would try on Halloween costumes and dress up. And SOMEHOW....this little, skinny 4 year old girl slipped into her baby cousin Isabelle's 12-18 month sized Halloween costume. It was SOOOO HILARIOUS! There are no other words.



In the next one she put on Riley's Minnie Mouse gloves and ears with Trav's goggles. Quite the ensemble, dontcha think??

I think her smile is sooooo cute in this picture!!

The cutest two sisters ever...

I took the following pictures of the girls one day in hopes of getting a great pic but kids are not always so cooperative...
And at the end is a video I thought was kind of cute and funny. Isabelle LOVES when Riley kisses her and usually laughs. I never seem to start recording soon enough though :P
Riley CAN be really sweet but she can also be pretty mean and rough with Izzy. Luckily, Isabelle is a good sport MOST of the time.



Kisses!


I thought this was funny because they are both looking down in the same direction but I don't know what they were looking at!