Cookie Party, etc.

Every year Brooke and Jason Bauer host a Christmas cookie decorating party. I think every year Ila and her friend Keana are the last ones at the table. I have been going since before Ila was born. It's amazing how quickly these kids are growing up. Below is a group picture.

Sweet sisters!

A little Sunday project with paper mache. Ian got a big lecture when it was over about not cleaning up his mess. Poor guy...sometimes I forget there is an age difference between him and Ila. They really have a great time together. She would do anything with him.

Watching the OSU football game together. Yes, Ila is wearing my old prom dress. She wanted to wear it to our neighborhood holiday party last Sunday but I said no. I think its worth some money so I didn't want her to mess it up.

Starting the "Goodnight Moon" tradition early.

Ila made deviled eggs all by herself for dinner one night. Yum!

Really...you never know what you are going to see when you look in our garage (or our freezer). I took the girls out to put them in the stroller one day and there Ian had carefully left his elk antlers. Ila started screaming and running to move them off of her blanket. She DID NOT like that. I made her stop so I could take a picture.

Holiday Tradition

Every year at about this time we head up Hwy. 140 with a large group of friends to look for the perfect Christmas tree. It is the only time of year that we see some of the families and it is a great way to reconnect.

Ila had a blast sledding with Blake and Brady Eaton. She can definitely keep up with the big kids!

Opal was bundled, warm and happy...as usual.

Since I had Opal in the front pack I was not able to help cut the tree this year. Those of you that know our little hercules know that Ila was perfectly capable of filling in for me.