24 hours of Christmas

Audrey and Kate had a fun Christmas weekend. After making gingerbread houses and resting for a bit, they went to church with GG at St. Andrews. The pastor invited the children up to hear the nativity story, and when he'd ask the children a question about the story, Kate would raise her hand along with the rest of the kids. Not because she knew the answer, but just be because the other kids were doing it. We wondered what she would have said had she actually been called on. Then it was off to GG's house for a yummy dinner, presents, and time with family.

The next day the girls hosted Honey, Honey Grandpa, and Uncle Keith for Christmas #2 at their house. They both wore dress-up outfits for much of the day, including a pair of sunglasses Kate insisted on wearing even though she was inside all day. They tested out their toys, including wand-decorating kits, Legos (for Audrey), and a Grover microphone (Kate). To wind down a busy day, they watched "The Muppets Take Manhattan" while Mama painted their toes. (If the slideshow below doesn't play, click here.)

Beach trip

Audrey and Kate spent time at the family beach condo on the Oregon Coast, which they call the "beach house." While there, they visited the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport, met up with Uncle Keith and Allison for lunch at Mo's, swam in the pool (Audrey's swimming is really coming along now), and ventured out onto the beach during a break in the rain. After they got home, they went to Ikea to help Mama and Dada pick out some new chairs. While there, Audrey asked to go to the playland and was content to stay there until Mama and Dada were ready to go and picked her up (we were quite impressed with her independence). The girls liked the chairs Mama and Dada got, mostly because they came in huge boxes they got to play in. (If the slide show below doesn't work, click here.)

Picnic with Uncle Keith

Audrey and Kate helped Keith celebrate his graduation from radiology tech school with a picnic at Wilshire Park. Kate insisted we take a picture of her showing her teeth, perhaps because we have a little ditty we sing while getting ready for bed that goes, "Brush, brush, brush your teeth, just like your Uncle Keith." Or maybe she was showing off how her front two top teeth seem to be closing up, such that her grin is now a little less gap-toothed.

Welcome home, Uncle Keith!

Hanging out in the 'Couv with Uncle Keith and Allison, who both just got back from a trip to Puerto Vallarta. The girls had some fun in the alleyway behind Allison's house looking for alley cats and having races up to a little garden with some pumpkins and huge zucchini ("zupeenee", as Kate called them).