Merry Christmas!

 We had a very nice relaxing Christmas Day! Enjoyed all our new toys!

 These girls love, love, love books!

 While waiting for her turn to open gifts, Lauren layed down and cracked her book open!

 We enjoyed watching the movie Brave

 and playing with our new legos.

 and playing with our new train track.

 Our elf, Fast Alice, left a nice note for the girls before leaving for the North Pole!

Christmas with the Mullers

We spent Christmas Eve at Papa and Nana Mullers. We missed the Saathoffs being there this year (due to illness)! With Nana and Papa.

With Aunt Ann!

Enjoyed more sledding!

Then warmed up with a 3D movie

We also enjoyed time with the Johnson and Franson families and then hurried home before Santa arrived.

Christmas with the Govigs

We packed several family gatherings in the past several days. We started with the Govig Christmas! Great fun spending time with family. The entire Govig Gang!

Yep..this is the best picture that I have of the cousins.  Meredith (3), Eli (3), Micah (5), Kale (15 months), Kyler (4), Lauren (7).

The year of legos for Lauren!!!

Enjoyed more sledding. Thanks Papa for pulling us around!

Thanks Nana for making Frosty!

This is my favorite picture of the entire weekend!!!  I love the excitement on Eli's face and the dramatic fall of Meredith (who once again stayed in that position until Papa picked her up!) It's like a crime scene!

Snow Day!

After 2 days of school were canceled after 11+ inches of snow..we decided to brave the cold and jump in! Making a fort..

Once Clay came home, we went sledding.

Whenever Meredith would fall off of the sled, she wouldn't get up until someone would pick her up. She stayed like this..arm up and all until Clay came to get her! Too funny!

Happy 7th Birthday Lauren!!!

7 years? Where did the time go? Lauren had a blast with a small group of friends. I felt like I was watching a bunch of teenage girls hang out! We love you so much Lauren!!!

 

You have been singing ever since!!!

 

 

 

The girls also had their Christmas programs at church, followed by family over to celebrate Lauren's birthday! This was Meredith's first program. She didn't know what to think about all the people, but finally started dancing and singing.

 

A little too short...

 

Lauren's program...

 

Ho Ho Ho!!!!

Visiting Santa this year, turned out MUCH better than

 last year. After patiently waiting, both girls climbed right up and told Santa what they wanted..

Lauren: a (real) dog. Meredith: a train.

When Meredith climbed down, she told me.."I didn't even cry this time!"

 I love Meredith's expression as she is thinking how to answer Santa's question. "Do you want a big or small train?"

 Then a train ride...

 And they wanted one more picture...

Earlier in the day, the girls enjoyed the first little snow of the season. The snow didn't last long, but it made GREAT snowballs!