Christmas Eve 2011

After a little convincing, Tim got me to agree to take a trip out to CA for Christmas.  I'm so glad we did.  We had a great time.  We started Christmas Eve off by going out to dinner at The Whole Enchilada (a family favorite.)  Stew, Kristine, and their kids and of course the Grandparents came too.  We'd never gone to dinner for Christmas Eve but I highly recommend it.  No cooking and no clean up.  Nice and relaxing after all the time we had to take to prepare for the trip - packing, wrapping, making gifts, practicing for the Christmas music program, etc.  I don't know if we'll ever go out to eat for Christmas Eve again but it was a nice change and fun idea.

Are these cousins cute or what?

 And the "Older" end of the table. 

 Bunny ears never get old.

After dinner was the traditional open one gift on Christmas Eve time.  Abuela got the girls some new jammies.  The Van Buskirk cousins got to open some too.

McKenna lovin' her some pink.

 Does this guy look happy to have a houseful of kids?

 Liv

 You can definitely tell who the ham is in this family.

 And the bigger ham!

 It's Pajama Time!

 One last special gift for the night.  Maya has been missing the snow now that we are in Tucson.  Seriously going through withdrawals.  We tried to help her feel less homesick by giving her a can of snow.  Look at the joy on her face.

Last Birthday of the Year - Maya turns 9.

Maya turned 9 in December.  I can hardly believe how quickly the years go by.  These girls are growing so fast and becoming beautiful young women.  For Maya's birthday she wanted to go to school.  They were having a movie night in the gym.  It turned out for a cheap birthday party.  We went to dinner at Casa Sanchez - a mexican restaurant that is pretty much across the street from the school.  We brought the presents and she opened them at the restaurant and then headed over to the school.  The girls had a good time.  Then we went straight home to have cake and ice cream.  Maya picked out her cake - she wanted choc. with white frosting and M&M's.

 Love this picture.  It sure catches her personality.

Christmas Concert

In December I was able to go to Colorado for my cousins wedding.  It was so much fun seeing family that I haven't seen for years.  I left the camera for Tim so that he could get pictures of the girls.  While I was gone they had their Christmas concert at school.  I was so disappointed that I was missing them.  Maya and Olivia both were involved.  They sang with their classes.  The school band (it's an after school club that meets once a week) performed also.  Olivia was invited to perform in a small group since she was one of a few kids that had really been practicing.  I am so proud of her.  She has real natural talent for music and I'm so glad she enjoys it.

 Maya is in the red.

Olivia turns ELEVEN!

Our sweet Olivia turned 11 in November.  It was a Sunday so after church, Olivia opened gifts and Tim made a great dinner.  She asked for Spaghetti and Meatballs - I was just planning on buying some frozen meatballs and a jar of sauce but you know Tim.  He wouldn't have any of that so it was homemade meatballs and sauce for the special day.  Liv also asked for a cream cheese pumpkin roll that she had for a previous birthday.  I completely forgot that we had made it before but luckily we found the recipe.

Here's the birthday girl opening presents.

Updating the Rental

Our rental didn't have enough cupboards. We had a blank wall between two windows and above a counter.  So my sweet husband made me some shelves and we went from this. . .

 . . . to this!

FABULOUS!