Christmas Traditions

This year we hosted Christmas at our house.  Grandma and Grandpa Walczynski joined us for Christmas Eve mass, dinner and present opening.  Our final gift this Christmas was for baby Jesus.  Everyone had to put a slip of paper in a wrapped box that said something they were going to do to be more like Jesus this coming year.  This tradition started because the girls were fighting days before Christmas Eve and Mommy decided to take away one of their presents.  In replacement, she put out the gift to Jesus box.  We plan to keep this box and have everyone add a thought each year.  No slips will ever be taken out of the box.  We also started the tradition of making omelets for Christmas breakfast and letting Daddy sleep in.  Of course board games and pjs will always make the tradition list.

On Christmas day, the Maas family visited our house.  Grandma Jan, Grandpa Bruce, Aunt Becky and Uncle Michael all stayed with us until Tuesday morning.  The girls loved doing puzzles, playing make-believe, playing board games and visiting the Children's Museum with family members.  The girls also got to go on some rides at the Mall of America.

We definitely have "girly" girls in the Maas household.  There aren't many four-year-olds and two-year-olds that Mommy knows who place clothes above toys, but these two love their dresses.  In the past few days, Mommy thinks the girls may have changed at least 30 times.  Pictures were almost impossible to get with multiple family members because the girls were always on the move.

Dance Recital and Winter Program

This year Emma danced to "The Little Mermaid" and "Turtle Rock" for her winter recital.  Analise proudly watched from the audience and even learned the words to some of the dance songs.  Both girls were extremely excited when Santa brought more dance lessons and new leotards for both Emma and Analise.  Now that Analise will be three in February, she can be in the same class as Emma.

The holiday concert with the girls Montessori school got canceled and rescheduled due to snow that never actually showed up.  The girls did enjoy learning lots of new holiday songs that Mom and Dad heard for the entire month of December.

A Visit to Duluth

Prior to the Christmas holiday, the girls went on a trip with their Grandma and Grandpa Walczynski up to Duluth.  They saw the Bentleyville light show and spent some quality time with other Walczynski family members.  The first photos show the girls visiting their Great Aunt Marchie at the Benedictine Health Center.  Emma and Analise have taken to dressing up these days and many  outfits are put on multiple times a day.  I am sure when Emma found a second or two to spare, she was "glizting up" the statute of Mary. Aunt Deb and Cousin Annie joined the girls during the light show and prepared a nice meal for them when they arrived. Besides the lights, there was smore making and tons of winter animal friends to greet.