PUTTING IT OFF:)

I have been putting off this post for forever!!!  We had a fantastic Christmas, but there were about 300 pictures for me to look through to choose to post and I was just not in to pouring over all of them!  So, here are a few, and there are certainly so many more cute and fun ones that I just did not take the time to add.  

We were fortunate enough to have Elliott's Mom, Brother, his wife and their two kids come stay with us for five days over Christmas.  It was such a joy to have everyone together, to see the kids interact, and to make special memories.

 Elliott's mom Carol spoiled the girls with many different matching outfits.  Above, Brooke and Emma are practicing some of their ballet moves in their new matching PJ's, on the first night they arrived.

 The second day they were here Elliott rented a 9 person conversion van so that we could all go downtown and see the 8th Floor Auditorium at Macy's, "A Day in The Life of An Elf".  It was not until 5 days later that I left the house again!!!  I got sick Christmas day evening and did not eat for three days - it was not fun:(  BUT, I did lose a few pounds - tee hee!

In the picture above you can see the young girls and older girls in matching outfits for Christmas Eve.  My mom and Denny came over as well (which is a tradition of sorts since we have lived in MN) and we had our traditional King Crab Legs and Crab Cakes for people like me.

 Olive and Skylar (who is six months older than Olive) sittin' on the bench in their matching dresses

 Holly and Brooke (3 1/2) coloring together.  Brooke is quite the little artist and will spend hours, literally, sitting and creating projects.

 Daddy, Em and Grandma Loerch writing a letter to Sana Clause.

 Carol thought it would be fun to get us all MATCHING pajamas with our names on them!  It was a very sweet thought...

 I didn't realize how gooney my sweet Emma look sin this picture - oh well:)  Christmas morning she found Kit waiting for her on the hearth from Santa Clause.  She was crazy opening gifts that morning - so excited, wanting to help everyone, wanting to hand out gifts, whoa!

 Olive just wanted to sit on her gifts:)  Really though, she loves to sit on anything!

 For Christmas Day Carol got all of the girls beautiful matching red dresses - Olive did NOT like the head band!

 Sweet pesty Bali loved Uncle Jason!

 The cousins in their red dresses 

 Again, not the best picture!  Holly made the girls these ADORABLE knitted bear hoodies.  While they were not too sure about having them on inside we braved to cold and they were a bit happier (just a bit)  :)

It was a really special week having them all here - so thankful they took the time and finances to come out and share the holidays with us!

 We spent the Saturday after Christmas to celebrate at my Mom and Denny's house.  Here are Em, Grandma and Olive eating breakfast.

 The cousins - Olive, Emma and Landon - opening up stockings from Santa at Grandma and Papa's house.

 My mom and Denny MADE this beautiful armoire for her American Girl Doll's clothes and things - OH MY GOSH it is just beautiful!

 This pink rider was the HIT of the day and it is still the hit at our house - with both Olive AND Emma!

Emma practicing her "new" smile with her daddy...  goodness I love her (and her daddy too!).