The days leading up to Christmas…

The month of December was a busy one…like I’m sure it was for most everyone!  We had family get togethers, parties, decorating, and watched some of Brookie’s firsts! 

Decorating the house!

I love this first one!  All three of them are making a goofy face!

Letters to Santa!

These are Allie’s letters to Santa this year.  Not really sure where she came up with putting letters in front of words, but it’s cute regardless.  Don’t worry, we didn’t know what an AOS reindeer was either…or an OOASY baby.  (If you click on the pictures you can read the letters.)  The first one we wrote at home and the second one she wrote while at Mary’s house (the sweet lady who watches my girls while Nick and I are working.)

Holiday Traditions!

Allie made this graham cracker house while at her Powell grandkids Christmas party.  She was very proud!

Allie got to go with Grammy Jean on their first movie night.  Grammy Jean took her to see The Princess and the Frog.  Allie loved it!  But I think she loved being with Grammy Jean, riding in her car, and listening to the Shamu soundtrack more :) !

I didn’t take a lot of pictures of the traditions this year!  We got together as a Davis family and watched the First Presidency Christmas message and frosted sugar cookies to eat…I mean to make plates to deliver to friends and neighbors. 

I sadly had to miss the annual playing Hide-and-Seek at the Tumbleweed Christmas tree.  I have been going every year since I was like 3.  It all started when my mom was single and trying to think of inexpensive ways to have fun with two little kids.  What a smart mom she is!  We have gone back every year since then and several years ago started inviting the whole family.  Many of the children will agree it is their favorite Christmas tradition.  We end it by snacking on yummy sweets and drinking hot chocolate and playing red rover, but I guess this year they played missionary tag.  Poor Brooklynn was really sick with a double ear infection and Nick was puking because of a migraine.  So I stayed home to care for the sick and Allie went with my mom.  Fingers crossed we will all be healthy for next year!

Brooklynn’s Firsts!

About the first or second week in December Brooklynn started sitting!  Such a big girl!  She is much happier now that she can sit and reach for things instead of just rolling around.  She started rolling about a month before she was sitting.  I realized after watching my cousin’s baby that I never let Brooklynn be on the ground.  She was always in a bouncer, on my bed, or in her exersaucer.  The first couple of days of me letting her be on the ground she was rolling!  Shocker I know :) !  I love this picture of her!  So sweet! 

Brookie Lynn!

Allie Mae!

The pictures of the girls were just because…because I think they are pretty darn cute!

Party at Jaime’s!

We had our friend Christmas party the day after Christmas, so technically it doesn’t go under The days leading up to Christmas title.  Jaime’s sweet mom Craig gave Allie an antique tea set since Allie is always playing tea party with Craig.  Thanks Craig!  Allie loves it!

Brooklynn had fun playing on the ground with Jaime’s puppies!

Family Time!

The weekend after Thanksgiving I had the opportunity to visit with family I hadn’t seen in years. 

My…let’s see what are we again…second cousins I think…my mom’s cousin’s kids…anyways…Sara and Cami were down from Utah for Thanksgiving and we were able to catch up!  When we were little Erin, Brittany, and I loved when Sara and Cami visited from Arkansas.  It was fun to see them again and watch our kids play together.  I hope we don’t go another 5 years ladies!! 

(Photo courtesy of Allie)

Cami, Me, and Sara.  Are these girls not gorgeous?!

 

Allie, Sara’s little boy Drew, and Cami’s little girl MaeLee.   We missed a picture with Livi, one of Sara’s little girls!  She was getting washed up in the tub :)

 

Natalie, Sara’s other little girl, and Brooklynn.  Not the best pic, but at least you can see both of their faces :)  I think Natalie was excited and curious to see someone smaller than her!

That weekend I was also able to go the homecoming…wait, we don’t call it that anymore do we…to listen to my cousin speak for the first time after his mission…one of my cousins on the Armstrong side.  We don’t do a lot…ok, we don’t do anything with that side of the family ever.  This family is really the only Armstrong family we enjoy seeing.  Was that too harsh?  Do I sound bitter?  I might be a little bitter…but that’s a whole other L-O-N-G story.  So let’s not go there…did I just go there?…let’s move on. 

My little family and Chris got to hear my cousin Justin speak.  Thanks for calling and telling us about it Ben!  It was good to see you guys! 

Me and Brooklynn, Alllie, Chris, Justin, and Ben.  Thanks for taking the picture Nick and for being so supportive!

I’m a lousy shot…

 

It’s sad, but true.  I will pray that I won’t ever have to protect myself or someone I love with a gun.  I’m being generous by saying I’m lousy.  To put it blunt…I suck.  I’m horrible.  I can’t hit a target to save my life. 

We went shooting the Saturday after Thanksgiving.  When Erin called us the night before to go I was pretty reluctant.  Growing up I was not allowed to play with toy guns even.  They weren’t allowed in the house, and I remember if one of my friends had one at their house I would tell them not to tell my mom I was holding it!  The only thing I could think of when I thought of going shooting with the family was Allie getting shot in the back of the head.  Morbid…yes.  Some might even suggest that I need counseling.  But, I knew Nick would have a good time so I mustered up some courage and decided to go.  We all actually had a really fun time.  It was pretty windy and a little chilly, but we had fun.

Thanks Kent, Steven, and Nick for your expertise!

Thanks go out to Auntie Joy for protecting Brookie’s ears, Uncle Kent for protecting Allie’s ears, and mom for protecting my ears :)

Watch out Mom!  Chris has you surrounded!  Ok, it was lame, but isn’t that what this picture set up looks like?

You see that first one?  Even with two hands I can’t hit anything!  But that third picture…I’m shooting a…oh heck, I’m not going to even pretend I know what it was so I’m going to call it a big gun, I was finally able to hit the targets with that one.

Uncle Kent was very patient in teaching us how to shoot, gun safety, and walking Allie up to see look at the targets.

Nick’s gun was perfect for Allie and I to shoot with.  Allie could pull the trigger over and over without having to reload or anything.  She was cracking us up because sometimes you would look over at her and she would be looking all around while her finger was quickly pulling the trigger.  Good thing Daddy was aiming!  Nick was also very patient with Allie and I :)

 

Somehow Grammy Jean was able to get Brookie warm and snuggled enough to go to sleep despite the wind and noise of the guns.