Great Grandma Alice

Analise and Emma met their Great-grandma Alice when we visited Madison for Christmas.  The girls sang "Jingle Bells" and some other songs with grandma, got a tour of her living area and were the center of attention for all of the people staying in the building.  Alice seemed very proud and amazed to be a great grandma.  We were all thankful that we could brighten the holiday for her.

Holidays 2014

There has been much celebration in the last month of 2014.  It was great to be able to see lots of family members and friends during this time.  At this point, Mommy and Daddy are wiped out and ready for a new year that gets us back on a regular schedule.  Here are some pictures from a variety of events we attended.

Let's begin with the photo shoot for our Christmas cards

You might have seen something like the first two pictures on your holiday card this year.  However, what you didn't see was Emma and Ani's advertisements for flossing your teeth.  Who doesn't want clean teeth, right?

 Ah, a mouth filled with minty freshness.  Everyone is flossing.  You should too.

(Nice use of the bandwagon strategy girls!)

Uh-oh looks like Emma got her floss stuck

Mommy learned that it is best not to put a rope for pulling on the sled.  This just encourages people to whine for rides up the hill.  Better to be able to say..."Sorry, I would love to but there is no rope."

 See Daddy, you did have a birthday cake/pie.  

Analise, did you help Daddy eat his birthday pie?

 The ever confident Emma leads her toddler community into a massive group of photographers

 Let the Jingle Bells Ring...Such a popular song that Emma and Daddy to be heard singing it at the pool two weeks later.  Hopefully we won't be the family singing holiday songs in the summer.

Aunt Sharon and Uncle Jeff''s Holiday Dinner

 The meeting of the minds

 A moment where Emma was still and actually listening to what someone else was saying

You think that Analise is the sweet one these days, but she definitely has the twinkle in her eye that let's you know she will be having many adventures in the future.

 Gather round for one big picture...Quick!

 

Emma meets Jesus in the manager...and later gets really confused when she sees a statue of Mary holding an adult version of Jesus.  "Mommy, who is that?"  Mommy: "That is Mary holding Jesus."  Emma: Long stare..."No, Mommy Jesus is in the manager"  Mommy: "Yes, but he grows up."  Emma: Ohhhhhhhhhh

Emma is at the stage where she loves to bless herself with the holy water at the back of the church.  After three times, Mommy tries to convince her that she is very blessed.  Emma then usually insists that she needs one more blessing before moving on.  Analise has been fascinated with the angels displayed in church and all of the holiday lights.  When we went to mass at the cathedral, she spent most of her time looking up at the designs on the ceiling.

 Emma: "Analise, how come you are laughing at this bear?  I think he is scary." (Even though Emma found the bear scary, she could be heard singing along to his song)

 "Mommy, this is Rudolph and he will chase you around the house with his loud, high pitch song that never stops."

 Analise is not sure what to think of this reindeer and his light up red nose.

Analise has been inducted into the princess fan club thanks to Aunt Deb and Uncle Jim and  the Arielle wand.

More pictures to come from Christmas with the Maas family....