christmas fun!

Merry Christmas! what a great christmas it was for us as a family! it is crazy to think back to last christmas and kinley was not born yet. we feel so blessed to have 2 amazing, beautiful girls! God has given us 2 girls that bring us more joy then we ever thought possible.

this year was the first year that kya really got the concept of christmas. it has been such a fun season of talking with her about christ's birth! she loved to sing christmas songs and see all the lights up around town. the first thing she does every morning is turn on all the christmas lights around the house! it is going to be a sad day when we take down all out christmas decorations :(

we also talked to kya this year about santa. we told her that santa brings presents for our stockings to celebrate baby jesus birth! we put cookies and milk out for santa and then sat together as a family and read a book about the real meaning of christmas.....JESUS!!

here are some pictures from our christmas day!

the girls on christmas morning!! so fun :)

this year mark and i decided to take on a tradition a lot of people at church are doing. giving 3 gifts on chrismas. a want gift, a need gift and a spiritual gift ! we thought this is yet another reminder to us and to our girls to what christmas is about. just like the wisemen brought 3 gifts. we are very excited to continue this tradition for years to come!

kya's new baby bed :)

kinley and mommy christmas morning

2 of my greatest joys!

merry christmas!!

my baby girl!

kya was so excited for christmas!

kinley was excited too :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

pre christmas :)

this past weekend we started our "prechristmas" parties. marks sister kerry flew in for the weekend to celebrate christmas with the girls. kya always gets so excited to have kerry here! she is always excited to play, read ...we do anything with kerry! poor kerry had some major jet lag and had to deal with a 3- 1/2 year old! kya doesn't really understand the concept of personal space :) it is always a highlight for kya to spend time with kerry!

kerry got the girls these ADORABLE vests from london! she always gets the greatest things for them! i couldn't wait to get these vests on the girls! they actually wore them for the vaneps christmas party on sunday! kya also got some great new books, games, clothes and her first webkinz from the michigan guikemas :) what a spoiled little girl!!

on sunday we had the big vaneps christmas party. it is always a great time to get the entire family together and reconnect with all the fam! kya LOVES these big get togethers. she loves to run and hug and greet each new person that walks through the door. my grand parents flew back from arizona for the party. poor gram came down with the flu during the party, but joined the party for a little while in the evening. we had a great day! today we are laying low resting up for the rest of the parties the rest of the week! here are some pictures from the parties this weekend :)

pics from the christmas program

take 2

here is the 2nd part of kya's song..oops... :)

i was so proud!

last night was kya's first christmas program. she was so excited to get up on stage and sing her little song she had learned. she practiced everyday! the entire family was there to see her and her cousin dylan! i tried to get some video but kept forgetting to look at the camera so it is not the best :) oh well you guys can get the idea! i cannot believe that my baby girl is old enough to be in school!

my beautiful girls!

today i took the girls to get their pictures done. it is always something i so look forward to and dread at the same time! today was nothing different :) this morning kinley did not want to nap, kya tights got a hole in them, my car started acting up on the way to the studio, and kinley decided she was scared of the photographer :) but when it came time to pick our pictures i was so i love with them!! kya is a rock star at posing for pictures and the photographer was awesome at getting some good pictures of kinley despite her fear of the camera. i am so excited to put up the new pictures around the house. now it is time to start getting the envelopes labeled for the christmas cards i ordered today!