Christmas Morning!

Santa was here!! Favorite Santa gifts for the girls included the Wii, American Girl Dolls, and Barbie dolls. Nicholas spent about one minute with his tool bench, which was not wrapped, before trying to find the dragon castle he wanted from Santa. He'd start to open a present and say, "maybe this be dragon castle." He did this a few times before skipping over the other presents and finding the biggest one in the back. And sure enough, it was the dragon castle. He played with it for an hour before opening the rest of his gifts. It was a wonderful morning - we loved seeing our kiddos' excited little faces!

Christmas Eve

Baking Cookies!

The day before Christmas Eve, we got some last-minute baking done - oatmeal raisin cookies - an Alina, Nicholas, and Daddy favorite! The girls did a great job helping to break up the brown sugar clumps with their own wooden spoons. When Nicholas woke up from his nap, he helped, too - by tasting the dough to make sure it was good!

Aunt Nat and Uncle Matt Christmas!

Christmas program and Nat and Matt Christmas

Maddie and Alina did a great job at their school's Christmas program. All the kindergarten girls dressed as Mary and the boys as Joseph. After my girls were convinced that, to dress like Mary, you did not have to be in the latest fashions, they accepted their costumes. Although their veils had glitter. We had "Aunt Nat and Uncle Matt Christmas" on Saturday! The kids had fun playing hide and seek with their Aunt and Uncle and setting up the Christmas village under the tree with Gee and Pappy. Oh, and the girls got to wear Christmas socks with their uniforms to school on Monday. They had a carol sing-a-long, and Santa visited the school!!

Maddie and Alina's 6th Birthday - at Magic Kingdom!

The girls spent their birthday at the Magic Kingdom - the last day of our wonderful trip to Disney World! They were transformed into beautiful princesses and ate lunch in Cinderella's castle with the "other" princesses. The best birthday ever. Nicholas had fun too!

Waiting for the bus to take us to the Magic Kingdom!


Maddie with Cinderella's step-sisters and step-mother - they were hilarious!


Maddie on stage during "Story Time with Belle." Maddie was Mrs. Potts.


Meeting Ariel!


Dancing to Cinderella's Castle for a meeting with the Fairy Godmothers in Training!

The princesses receiving their magic pixie dust - from the Fairy Godmothers in Training.



A dream come true! Becoming actual princesses on your birthday!


With Cinderella in her castle!


Up the winding staircase in Cinderella's castle to the royal birthday lunch.

Maddie and Alina using their wands to make a wish on their "wishing stars."


Nicholas got a sword at Cinderella's lunch!


The girls got birthday cards signed by the princesses!!!!

Belle at lunch with Maddie and Alina.


The princesses making a wish at Cinderella's wishing well.



Nicholas and the statue of Walt.


The princesses and the castle.