Christmas #3

Our third, and final, Christmas was spent at my Mom and Dad's house. Jimmy, Erin and Thatcher came home and we spent the whole day playing and eating. Eric and Maggy stopped by to help us celebrate too! Thank you for a wonderful day, Gramma and Grandpa. We are so blessed this Christmas season and are so happy we could be with all of our family during the last couple of weeks!

Norah really wanted to make a marbel roller coaster at Gramma and Grandpa's house and of course they had just the materials we needed!  Empty wrapping paper tubes, tape, a table, chair, candle and a cup.  She was good to go for about an hour!

Daddy and Norah working on adding a tunnel to the roller coaster!

Playing with the tools

At this point Hazel was taking a nap, but Norah couldn't wait any longer, so we let her open her stocking.  This satisfied her for a few minutes! :)

Checking out the gift we got for Thatcher.  A Cars road map and some cars. 

Always chillin' in the rocking chair

Her fancy princess dress she got and princess shoes.  I wish you could see the shoes better.  They are clear and glittery and have little heels on them.  She is so cute shuffling around in them and she loves the noise they make when she walks on a hard floor.

Checking out her new Doc McStuffins computer Uncle Jimmy, Aunt Erin and Thatcher got for her!
Well, there you have it!  Another wonderful Christmas spent with family, lots of yummy food and drinks, and lots more memories!
We had such a wonderful Christmas season and now on to a new year!
Thank you everyone for everything this holiday!  We love you all!!!!!!!

Christmas #2

Our second Christmas was our very own on Christmas day. Because we had the Brining Christmas the previous weekend and my family Christmas was planned for the following weekend, we got to stay home and play with all of our new toys on Christmas Day. We had a lovely morning opening gifts, drinking coffee (and maybe a Bloody Mary :)) and hot chocolate, napping and staying in our comfy clothes all day. We hope everyone else had a wonderful Christmas day!!!

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

Coming down the stairs on Christmas morning!  I love Hazel's face!

So excited about her new shoes

They are pros at ripping open presents

Another new princess!  Now she has Cinderella and Belle.

Santa brought this Melissa and Doug ball ramp thingy and it was one of the biggest hits of the day!  Both girls loved it even though it had Hazel's name on it.

Santa brought Norah her very own sleeping bag, so after we opened presents and had breakfast the girls snuggled up to watch their new movie, Stuart Little.

Hazel turned into a wild lady during the movie and started climbing all over Norah.  Then, she decided to lay her head down and give some snugs.  I really thought she might close her eyes, but this snuggle moment didn't last very long.  It was nice while it lasted!

It was such a wonderful Christmas spent at home.  We got to stay home and play all day.  Gramma, Grandpa, Grammy and Papa all stopped by during the late morning and got to see everything Santa brought.  It was a wonderfully relaxing day!

Christmas #1

We had a great Christmas at the Brining's house the weekend before Christmas. The Hamilton family had a bit of a crazy drive up to Huron County with the bad weather and we are so thankful they made it safely. Everyone had a wonderful time opening gifts, eating lots of delicious food, winning some money during the box game :), and the girls had a blast playing all evening. Thanks for another great Christmas Grammy and Papa!

All the granddaughters!  They have so much fun together!

Doc McStuffins puzzle!

I love how all the other girls are just sitting in anticipation for Hazel to climb into her chair!

Kissin' the baby

Emma and Norah with their new dolls

We exchanged names for the girls this year and so each cousin had to buy for another one of their cousins.  Emma had Norah and got her a HUGE Doc McStuffins coloring book, stickers and crayons.  Norah loved it!

Blowing off a little steam outside after gifts!

Snow Happy!

Norah is at the age now where she is so much more independent, which is nice because when she wants to go out and play in the snow Mommy and Daddy can stay inside and stay warm! :) Poor Hazel, however, gets stuck inside with us, but she has so much fun watching her big Sissy out the back door. Norah is so good about entertaining her by the window too!

FINALLY!

I cannot believe I have been away from my blog for this long. I don't think I have EVER been away from my blog this long. I just can't seem to find time to keep up, so here I am at 11:00pm, watching MSU basketball (losing to N. Carolina :( ), and trying to catch up on my blog (and yes, this was a couple days ago because I got too tired that night to finish this loooonnggg post!). I was so sad when I looked at the top of my blog and realized I didn't even take time during the month of November to change my header, it just stayed on October. Life has proven to be very busy lately and I guess if something had to give it was the blog. But......WE ARE BACK! At least for one post!!! :) We have had so much go on since October, so I think I will just caption under each picture below so I don't have a gigantic paragraph for everyone to read. Enjoy catching up with the Brining household!

The weekend before Halloween we headed to the Detroit Zoo for their Zoo Boo with Uncle Jimmy, Aunt Erin, and Thatcher.  It was a little bit of a chilly day, but everyone had a great time.  We had never been before, so I didn't know what to expect.  The kids walk through the zoo and basically go trick-or-treating.  Every so often there would be a 'treat station' you would walk through and get your candy.  Norah was so cute because after we had called them treat stations a few times she said, "No Mama, it's called a gas station." 

Hazel, I mean our Very Hungry Caterpillar, all snuggled up and ready for the Zoo Boo!

Our little butterfly posing with the pumpkin flamingos!

Halloween night ended up being a really yucky night, just like last year.  We made our way out to Grammy and Papa's house first and loaded up with goodies.  

I feel like the worst mother ever because the picture above is literally the only picture (once again) that I got of Hazel on Halloween.  Last year I didn't get any pictures of her.  What is wrong with me?  We dropped her off at my parent's house so we could take Norah on the wet, soggy walk to go trick-or-treating.  Hopefully next year I will finally get smart and take a picture as soon as we get to my parent's.  :(  Anyway, I LOVE this picture of Drew and Norah.  Too precious!

Trick-or-Treat Great Grandpa Baird!

She's such a poser!

I wanted to get some pictures of a typical night in our house after we get home from work and daycare.  We usually get home around 5:00pm and it is go, go, go until bedtime.  Both girls are generally starving when they get home, so Hazel gets right in her highchair and Norah sits up at the bar or table for a snack.  Once snack is over we play for a little bit, or Norah gets some down time with the iPad while Hazey plays and we get things unpacked from the day and dinner ready.  Hazel loves rocking in this chair in her bedroom. 

All the necessary things for happy girls...iPad, rocking chair, books, paci

Hazel just observing.  She wouldn't dare try to touch it while her sister is on it!

This girl loves her lambie!

Ever since Halloween the butterfly wings continue to be a necessity for dress up!  Even when we are outside kicking around the soccer ball.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving at the Brining house this year.  It was so great to have everyone home and we are so glad we got another family picture.  The last time we had one taken can be seen here.  Norah was only a little over one, so there was no Hazey.  It is amazing to see how all of the girls have grown!  

Papa, Grammy and all seven girls!  All seven girls had a sleepover on Thursday night at Grammy and Papa's.  I just love all the memories they get to make together!  

Norah and Emma were the official 'cranberry, jello-thingy, sugar rollers'.  I think that is what you would call them.  Anyway, they were pros at it! :)

Crafting....making Christmas Trees 

On Saturday afternoon Norah and I headed to Longshot Lanes for Bryn's birthday.  We were able to bowl and entire 10 frames.  This was Norah's first time bowling.  She had a great time and I have to say, bowling shoes have never looked so cute!

Love this picture of the birthday girl!  Just waiting patiently for her ball to get to the end!

Bryn and Norah!  I am always so thankful when they get to see each other.  With Flanagans living in Florida, I never take for granted the times they come back to Michigan.  It always gives us Mommies a chance to visit too!

Finally, we had our Baird Thanksgiving on Sunday evening.  Norah and Thatcher had fun playing with the Clydesdale horses at Grandpa and Gramma's!   

They even got in a few hugs!
What a great holiday week we had!  We did have two very exhausted girls after all of this activity and I have to say, dinner on Monday night was quite comical!  Two screaming girls who just simply couldn't take anymore.  They were both in bed and sleeping by 7:15pm.  Much needed!
Now on to Christmas!