A busy week(end) and one full of birthday celebrations!

We have quite a few birthdays in December.  Riley's is one of them.  His birthday was on Sunday but as always, we slip a few extra days of celebration in there.  Last week was pretty busy for me.  I had 2 weekday Christmas parties to go to.  So, I decided to fix Riley's traditional requested dinner on Wednesday.  He ask for me to cook Spam and Macaroni at some point around his birthday each year.  The story is...when he was little and became picky, his Mom would make Spam and Macaroni for him and he loved it.  He even had it for breakfast a few times because he wouldn't eat anything else at the time.  When he got older, he ask for it each year on his birthday.  Its the only time I ever see him eating Spam but he really likes it!  He makes the girls try it and they actually eat it also..even Anna Riley!

 

On Thursday, our little friend Tripp turned one, so we met Amanda and Tripp at Hokkiado for lunch and the girls sat at the grill for the first time.  They love Japanese food but we have just never did the grill.  They were both so still and watched everything he did!!  After that, we went to Krispy Kreme because AR thinks a meal out (much less a birthday meal) isn't complete without KK!

We took this at Hokkiado!  I love the face she is making! HAHA

Saturday, we had 2 birthday parties and then Riley and I were going out to eat to celebrate his birthday.  We actually only made it to one of our parties, the girls were pooped and AR feel asleep on the way to party #2!  They had lots of fun at Tripp's Barnyard party though!!  AR has been several times now and she definietly knows the routine there!!

 

I let AK ride the pony this time!

 

 

 

Saturday night, my friend Bethany offered to watch the girls so we could go out to dinner.  We went to Chuck's so we could get some sushi also. 

 



Sunday was so messy outside, but we went to chuch and then brunch at FIG. We came back home and put on PJs and watched Christmas movies.  Riley and I even got to watch a movie while the girls napped.   Anna Riley helped me make brownies and she made him blow out a candle after dinner! 

 

I am so thankful for such a wonderful husband that I can call my best friend and someone that is such a wonderful father!  The girls and I are SO blessed!!

 

Santa came to our neighborhood!

 

 Last Sunday afternoon, Santa came to visit at a house in our neighborhood.  We had lemonade and cookies and he gave everyone a candy cane.  Anna Riley was so excited to get to see Santa for the 3rd time!!  And...third time must be the charm because Ava Kate actually didn't cry!  I love the first picture because you can see her telling him she wants FOUR things:  A new kitchen, a cash register, a scooter and a bicycle.  (we have already broke it to her that Santa can't fit the scooter and bicycle at the same time but maybe she could pick one out for her birthday!)  She has kept that same list (and added some here and there) for several months!  Its amazing to see how much she has grown since last year.

Having cookies and lemonde with two of our next door neighbors

This was before chuch on Sunday morning...
I just love this picture.  (I do hate that it
isn't focused though..my camera was on
manual fpcus! uugh)

I dread the day when they tell me they don't
want to match! :(

Happy 1st Birthday "Baby Dunc"

After Breakfast with Santa on Saturday, we headed to Dunan's birthday party. Can't believe this little guy is already 1!

 

He was so excited about his cake!

 

 

Someone else got a little excited about cake!



Presents!!! Poor thing...all the cousins were trying to take
them over!

 

All the cousins! :)

Breakfast with Santa

Saturday, we took the girls to have Breakfast with Santa at the Children's Hands on Museum.  There were actually several going on in town on the same day but we decided to try this one out this year.  The breakfast was great and they even had Ms. Claus, Frosty and a reindeer too.  They had a DJ and they kids and characters all got out on the dance floor and danced.  Anna Riley danced with all the characters.  AK was dancing in Daddy's lap...she is going to be my little dancer!! :) 

 

This was when she saw Santa and Ms. Claus come in!! haha



 

This was our second picture with Santa and I didn't expect AK to do well with this one either.  AR LOVES him this year so we had to have a picture.  Ms. Claus was the sweetest lady!  Ava Kate really did great with her but she lost it when she looked over and saw the Big Man sitting beside her! 

 

 

After we ate, talked to Santa and danced for a while we played in the museum for a little while.  Anna Riley loves CHOM and would stay there forever!



A cash register has been high on ARs
list this year...she loves playing store!

 

Anna Riley's Christmas Program

Sunday night, Anna Riley had her school Christmas Program at St. Mark.  She wasn't feeling 100% so she got a little upset while up there and sat with on of the little teachers for one of the songs and you could tell she was fighting back tears the whole time. She did good though and stayed up there until the end. 

 Granna, Paw Paw and Pop Pop came to watch.  We got Miss Katie to watch Ava Kate so that we could actually enjoy the program seeing that she doesn't so much sit in our lap anymore.  It was fun to see some of the friends she talks about all the time. 

 

The pictures are not the best...the sanctuary was PACKED so it was hard to get pictures over everyones heads! 

Her wonderful teacher, Mrs. Suzanne!

 

Cookie Decorating Party

 

On Saturday, we kicked off December and the holiday season with a cookie decorating party.  We invited a few of our friends over and had some yummy snacks and got busy decorating cookies.  I think the kids had a great time.  The weather was in the mid 70's so after we decorated cookies, we got to play outside for a little bit before everyone headed home.  It was a great way to get December started!

This is supposed to say Ava Kate...For some reason I can't
find the corrected one!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Train ride to Santa

While in Fairhope for Thanksgiving, we rode a train to see Santa.  Ava Kate wasn't feeling too great so she was not the happiest camper and then seeing Santa really didn't help that much!  Anna Riley had a lot of fun though!  This year is a little hard to do all the fun things because AK is at the age she just wants to get down and go and AR really is getting into all the fun things!  I think next year they will both enjoy it!