Christmas

I didn't actually take pictures Christmas Eve or Christmas, but we had fun with Ryan's family Christmas Eve, then my family Christmas day. This little trampoline my parents got Ashlynn has been a hit

And my sister Megan stayed with us for two nights the week before Christmas and we loved having her. This morning Eliza asked me if I was going somewhere today so mimi could come over and watch them

Cousins

Ashlynn was a little naughty when it came to Opal, maybe she felt threatened by another little person her size.

Best part of Christmas, watching and listening the cousins play together

Christmas Program

They were really cute up there

Our Runs

We only have one option for runs when I'm pushing the jogger at our house, but it's a pretty good one. We do a couple laps around the vineyard across the road from us. The girls can usually run most of one lap (they probably run close to a mile, with occasional stops to pick up rocks) then I try to do a lap pushing them. It is probably more of a walk than a run though. Yesterday they were arguing because Eliza couldn't keep up with Adie so she kept pouting, but Adie said she didn't know how to run so slow. I had a pretty big smile on my face, I like their competitive nature even though it's annoying to listen to them argue. They finally decided to hold hands and run, it was the only way they could figure out how to stay together. Ashlynn would probably like to get out and run too, but I'm not that patient.

Lacey Girls

I got to go to Seattle for a few days to get to know the little Lacey girls, Daphne and Vivian. Eva really loves them, and while I was there she knew who was who 100% of the time and I'm glad we had our twins first because it's a little harder when there's also a 2 year old to take care of.

My first couple of days there they were really hard to keep awake long enough to finish feeding (which would take about an hour and a half) but by the last couple of days they would stay awake after feedings for a few minutes

I had fun hanging out with Eva and Eli, these two crack me up together. They are just like siblings the way they fight and love each other.

I loved being up there, though really missed my own girls. I had never been away from them for that long. Of course they had fun here and have been telling me little details about what they got to do while I was in Seattle. It's a little crazy to see Katie and Ben going through this stage, I don't know if they realize what an amazing job they are doing. Katie spends more time nursing or hooked up to the pump than she does anything else in a 24 hour period. We had some good laughs, even during the middle of the night feedings (well Ben and I did, there wasn't much conversation in the middle of the night from Katie =). Can't wait till I get to see them again, they changed quite a bit in just the days I was there.

Birthday Girls

Adie and Eliza's 4th birthday was a pretty exciting one - they got to party with 3 of their favorite aunts...On the way to their party at my parents house we stopped to get some party favors, and getting back in the car I noticed Adie itching her head. So we had to turn around and come home, miss the party and get rid of the lice for the rest of the day. My sisters SAVED me, they came right over, brought these awesome cakes my mom made them, sang to them, and then washed and picked through hair, cleaned, did laundry, vacuumed, and sprayed everything in the house and van for the next few hours. I feel good that we are rid of it, don't feel good that I'll be catching up on the laundry and time soon.

Adie asked for a ballerina cake with hearts on the tu-tu

Eliza asked for a princess sleeping in a bed

PARTY!!!!

We let them watch Cinderella during the picking process, I seriously don't know what I would have done without my sisters

The girls were so sad they couldn't go play with their cousins, but they ended up having a fun day. That night when Eliza prayed for dinner she thanked God for Mimi, Carrie and Livia coming to their party, that it was fun even though there wasn't a lot of people or stuff, and asked Him to get those bugs our of their hair.

Getting gum in the mail from Trina was pretty special too. They each got four pieces and they had never had it before. Adie would chew for a few minutes, spit it out and go get her next one.

When Ryan got home we did cake again and they opened a couple more presents. The big gift from us this year was magnifying glasses and they have been having fun investigating

They loved the coloring books they got from Kayla and Natalie, and Tristan

Four seems old, they aren't toddlers any more. This was the first birthday I got a little sad seeing that we're out of that stage. It's weird that it made me sad since everything is so much easier than it was a year ago. It's almost time for me to start stressing out about them riding the school bus!

More Cider

We loved having my family here Saturday for another day of cider making. We finished the day with 22 gallons! I always take a ton of pictures when the girls are with their cousins Just missing Natalie

Taste Testers

Straining

Vinny was a little work horse

Then on Sunday we had more friends over and made about 26 more gallons