year-end photo album

Every year we make the grandparents a small photo album of the girls from throughout the year. It's a fun way to look back on what we've done and how they've changed in a year's time. Here's a variety of the most Grandma-friendly photos from our year. :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Advent to Solstice

December 13 - 22

Despite very little snow in these parts, our December was very festive.

ready for a Holiday dance and a birthday party

band concert

exploring the capitol building at Christmastime

the girls waving from another balcony

from the trumpeter's balcony
looking down and looking up

Mmmm, Ian's Pizza

atop an art gallery, view of capitol building

creating

tea party

sewing buttons from Great Grandma's button bag onto felt ornaments to give as presents

caroling door-to-door with our girl scout troop

Hark, the Herald

We don't go all out on presents. The girls open a few gifts from us on Solstice, some handmade and some store bought, and then we visit family for several days for Christmas. When we get back from travelling there are always a couple of things in their stockings from "Santa". We have always presented Santa as a fun aspect of the season that people like to share, never insisting that a real dude came into our house and left these gifts because they were "good" children. They seem perfectly happy with this arrangement.

 crafting and cooking

some of the felt ornaments that the girls made

and of course, hot cocoa

As always, I am so grateful for this messy, bountiful, simple life. Wishing many blessings to you all no matter what, where, or how you celebrate it!!!