Pre-Christmas

Last Thursday was our last day with Svetlana and Sergey before Christmas break.  When I picked them up from the bus stop, their mother brought  presents out to the van for us.  Anabella and Daniel were so excited to have presents (their first of the season), they literally couldn't wait until we got home! They've done really well leaving the wrapped presents under the tree. But since they knew these presents were for them, they dug right in!

After opening their own gifts, they were equally excited to give S and S their gifts!

Sveta was very excited about her box of items from Justice!
She and Anabella are both in their PJs.
Sveta is in her PJs because it was PJ day at school.
Anabella is in hers because she had a cold and wanted to stay in her PJs. 

Sergey went home with a harmonica!
I hope his mother still lets me watch them next year.
(a 3rd grader at home with a harmonica over Winter Break- oh my!)
He loved it!

Anabella "helping" Sveta open her gift.
Sveta is such a sweet girl- so patient with Anabella.

Daniel helped me unwrap my gift.

Then, he immediately decided where it should go!

Good job, Daniel!
It looks like it does belong there!
I love it!

Sergey's a Lego boy.  
Maybe he'll do that over break 
(and mom can find a hiding spot for the harmonica- heehee)

After opening gifts, we decorated gingerbread cupcakes.  

Look closely at what's happening in these next four pictures:  the girls are ____________ and the boys are _________.  :) ha! I didn't realize it when I took the pictures, only when I added them to this post.

Yum, yum!

On Sunday, there was more yum yum as we went to Front Royal for our annual cookie baking.

Rolling peanut butter balls....

Eating an apple....good job, Anabella!

Laughing all the way....

Mom thought it was funny, too....who's the photographer here,
 and why is he making us laugh?!

Granny and her sister Elsie joined us.
They didn't roll balls,
just watched and chatted.
And since Granny can't sit still, she helped clean up after us.
Allie is very messy. :) 

Earlier on Sunday morning, before we went to Front Royal,  Anabella and Daniel opened the Christmas present that Michael left on his last day- a Caliou! Caliou is their new favorite TV character.

Monday was Christmas Eve, and we got a surprise snow storm!

It was more sleet than snow, and since the roads were warm, it didn't stick much. But, it was fun, nonetheless.  Hagan and Ian, our friends across the street, were embracing it, so we joined them outside! Nothing like the first snow- especially on Christmas Eve!!

Sadly, though, turns out the snow did stick further west and made for some slick roads since the road crews weren't prepared as it hadn't been forecasted. And, since our annual Christmas Eve party was being held at my Uncle Greg's house in Huntly (across the mountain in Rappahanock County), it was cancelled.

I made a green bean casserole to take with us to the party, so we had green bean casserole and grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner on Christmas Eve while we nested at home.  It was a quiet, peaceful evening. We gave the kids (I am trying very hard to not call them babies anymore but it's hard) their baths early, and then, like Allie and I always did,  they opened their gifts to each other on Christmas Eve.

Anabella picked out Daniel's gift from Toys R Us- a set of airplanes!
He's been saying he wants an airplane like Hagan's (our neighbor)
every time he's asked. Somebody was listening!
Good job, Anabella!
He loves it!!

Daniel picked out Anabella's gift from Target-
a Minnie Mouse dress up set!
She's been saying she wants a Minnie Mouse,
so Daniel was listening, too!
And, they picked these out themselves!!
Daddy took them out on two separate occasions.
Good job, Daddy!
Good job, Daniel!
Anabella loves it!

Here's Aanbella showing Minnie Mouse what she looks like in her outfit.

Cookies for Santa
Daniel took a bite to make sure they were good.
Marshmallows for....
Rudolph and the reindeer, of course!