December 2013-The P-A-R-T-Y Month

December is almost too much fun for one month, but we are always very excited for it! 

First we start with My Birthday! 28 years old! It's on December 2nd. I'm always excited for my birthday. It's fun to be spoiled and get presents. Oh and of course eat lots of cake and ice cream!!!! My father in law sends me flowers and that always makes it special. My mom and dad brought me flowers too!

Nick and Danny got me an ice-cream cake from DQ. My favorite! Then they brought it home to decorate. Very fancy!

Then the very next day is Danny's Birthday! 4 years old! Most years I spend my birthday finishing Danny's birthday cake. I can't help myself. I've kind of retired from cakes and cupcakes because it was taking too much time away from my family, but I just love doing it for my own kids. Making their birthday cakes is one of my favorite things!

We celebrated all day! Brownies for breakfast, then Danny got to go to preschool which he was very excited about. Then we had a couple friends over for al tittle party. Danny wanted to decorate Christmas cookies with his friends. That was his only request. Then we had him take a nap so he could be nice and pleasant for the family birthday party that evening. All the grandma's and grandpa's and some aunts and uncles came over for cake and presents, even though they were here jus tone night before celebrating my birthday. They are troopers! 

Nick and I decided that it was a little much to have two parties two nights in a row. This year the plan is to get a sitter on my birthday and go out for dinner, then have a nice party the next night on Danny's birthday. At least that's what we discussed about a year ago. Remember Nick? I'm looking forward to it so don't forget!

Just when we were recovering from our sugar high from the birthdays, it was time to get ready for Christmas!!!! Danny's preschool teachers put on the cutest program. It was the first time we got to watch Danny in any kind of a program. I was not prepared for the emence swelling with pride my heart felt when they opened the curtain and there was my adorable Danny in the front row. So excited to be on stage and not a bit of stage fright. He played the part of king #1 in "We Three Kings," and he was all smiles the whole time. That definitely got us in the Christmas Spirit!

Here is Danny playing by the tree on Christmas Eve. It was kind of hard day for him just WAITING for Christmas to start, so we did our best to keep him busy by running errands with dad and pulling out older toys that he hadn't seen for a while.

We ran to the store that night for a few last minute Christmas gifts and Danny saw THIS. A giant SUPER MAN! He instantly fell in love and wanted a picture with it because he knew he couldn't bring it home. When he got home he asked if he could write Santa a letter and ask him to bring the Superman. Well he must have been a really good boy that year because it was under the tree Christmas morning! Isn't Santa the best?

Christmas Eve was at Grandma Jani's house. It's pretty fun to be able to walk right next door and be at the party!

Danny and Lilly's gifts waiting for them under the tree. This was the first year that we really had to be  sneaky to get ready for Santa. Danny is getting pretty hard to trick!

Christmas Day was so busy and fun I forgot to take very many pictures, but I did get a few...

Danny cracks me up in this picture. Buz Lightyear playing his shiny new trumpet.

He played many different roles that day.

Danny enjoying his new toys on Christmas evening.

And here is little Lilly, or Lilly Billy which has somehow become her nick-name around here. I realize I didn't write much about her in this post. That is because she was asleep most of the time anyway. I remember taking so many pictures of her sleeping when she was this age. She was just starting to like to snuggle with blankets and soft things, and I loved to watch her sleep. She was about 4 1/2 months old and getting balder and cuter by the day ; )!