Making cookies with mama

Ivy and I made some sugar cookies today.  I wanted to get some made to put in the freezer for Valentines day. 

She's come a long way over the last year in her cookie making skills!  And her hat and apron fit a bit better too.

She kind of plays with the dough like playdough and just cuts it up and then squishes it around.

I love having her help me bake, but she has a thing for eating the dough.  She always sneaks a taste (or 10) and says MMM thats gooood.  Then I tell her she can't eat anyore and we need to bake it first.

So in an attempt to be sneaky she grabbed a handful and went and ate it on the couch! 

The little tricker!

Princess Party!

Ivy had an impromptu princess party before Christmas.  Nothing too exciting we just ate lunch and played.  Aunt Laney had gotten all the girls pink princess dresses for their birthdays, but we had never gotten them all together to wear them and play.  Aren't they too cute.  Thanks Laney for the dress!
(Keep reading, I just did a few quick posts to catch up!)

Mr Potato Head is Alive!

Ivy has a Santa Clause Mr. Potato Head

The other day I became her Mr. Potato Head.

Ivy and actually got to go to Portland for a few days between Christmas and New Years.  While we were there we had a freak snowstorm.  Oregon gets the perfect snow for making snowballs and snowmen.  We built a big one with Ivy and Cory made an army of snowmen on his car!

New years at The Castle!

This year for Christmas Ellen and Wayne took the money they normally would spend on their anniversary and Christmas and put it towards renting a beach house in Lincoln City, OR for New Years.  Isn't that an awesome Christmas present?  We found a brand new house that would actually fit the whole family and it was way cool.  It was a three story house called The Castle.  The first floor had two bedrooms and then a game room.  It had a pool table, xbox, tv, air hockey and a bar game thingy-don't really know how to describe it.  And there was also a rock floored sauna.  On the second floor were 4 more bedrooms.  Then the third floor was all living space and kitchen.  It had a huge table that 20 people could sit at and a big couch, tv.  We don't have any great pictures so you could see but it was very cool!

Ivy's favorite thing was this huge book on sea life.  There was also a hot tub out back that she called "the hot water".  It was fun to sit out there in the rain.  From those windows you could see the ocean.

It pretty much rained the whole time we were there.  Add that to Ivy being sick equals we didn't spend much time at the beach.   I think she really wanted to be out there but just didn't feel well.  The rain and wind didn't help her mood much either.

We made it to midnight!  I could have easily gone to bed at 9.  Its tough work having a 2 1/2 year old on the road!

On Saturday we went down to Newport and went to the aquarium.  We had so much fun in there.  I think we were in there at least 20 minutes longer than everyone else.  And that was with rushing Ivy.  She could have watched the jelly fish and sharks forever.

They have a little pool where you can touch the starfish and urchins and anemones.  Once she actually touched one Ivy couldn't keep her hands out of the water.  I LOVE that she is so interested in things and wants to learn about animals and sea creatures all the time.

After the aquarium we had to get clam chowder so we went with everyone to a little chowder house for some fish and chips and chowder.  What a great way to spend New Years!  Thanks Grandma and Grandpa.

So much to catch up on!

Christmas was SO fun with Ivy this year.  She got it last year but this year oh man.  We didn't even really tell her about Santa coming and bringing presents until Christmas Eve.  I guess we sprang it on her when it was time for bed and to put out cookies for Santa and a carrot for the reindeer.  I made her a little thank you card from "Santa" that said

"Dear Ivy,

Thank you so much for the yummy cookies.  Rudolph loved his carrot too.

Thank you for being a good girl this year!
Love,

Santa

I think it was her favorite part of Christmas because she still carries it around and reads it!  It was fun to see her open presents and actually read the books or play with the toys before moving on to the next thing.  Thats how it should be though right?

Us after opening our stockings.  Luckily we haven't reached the whole getting up at 5 am thing... yet.

The "if you give a..." books are her favorite right now.  She can tell you the whole story.  Its pretty cute.

We just relaxed the rest of the morning then headed out to Goose Gap for dinner and family presents and stuff. 

Hanging out with the family.  What a great day!  Thanks everyone for a great holiday!