Santa Claus Came to Town

We had a nice Christmas with Bella this year.  We had ended up spending more than we anticipated, but that's how it goes sometimes.  We thought we were finished and then we would find something else to get her, then something else, and so on.  Oh well!!  She's only little once!!  She has a love for baby dolls so a lot of her gifts revolved around her babies, from outfits, to a diaper bags to little baby diapers.  She also loves art and puzzle, so we got her a little table top easel and several puzzles, which she already has mastered!  We also added to her Littlest Pet Shop collection which she has started.

A last minute gift was added to all her loot, we got her a toddler bike with training wheels.  (This is actually part of her birthday present for next year.)  The were running an awesome sale at Kmart and had them for $25!!  We had yet to find a bike for that price.  They have all been $50-$60.  This is something we were wanting to get her for her birthday and we couldn't pass up the price.  So she got it really, really early!!  Can't wait to start teaching her how to ride it this Spring!!  I'm sure by her birthday she will be a little biker babe :)

Hope everyone's Christmas was Merry!!  Until next time...

Family-Filled Christmas

This year we celebrated Christmas with my family on Christmas Eve.  We wanted to do something different so we had a brunch.  It was so yummy!!  We had all kinds of good food, from biscuits and gravy, sausage, bacon, french toast caserol, muffins, and bacon and cheese biscuit pull-apart.  After we ate, all the kids opened their gifts.  Bella got some Littlest Pet Shop animals and a house, a Dora camera, and some My Little Ponies.  She loved them all.  (I think I have a little photographer in the making!!)

On Christmas Day, we headed to Monrovia.  It's been several years since we have actually been down there on Christmas.  We had a nice dinner, then we watched the girls open their presents.  We went from youngest to oldest when we opened gifts.  It was so cute, we caught Nellie whispering to Bella, like she was trying to say, "Go ahead and open yours, its okay" and Bella gives her the look as to say, "No way!!  I'm not getting in trouble!"  Kids are so cute!!  We had such a great time.  Bella got a bathtime baby that has a diaper she can change, a Dora doll, Toy Story 3, Veggie Tales, a Belle doll and blanket, and lots of other little goodies.  She's one spoiled little girl!!

I love this time of year and getting to spend so much time with family!!  It's one of my favorite things to do!  We hope that everyone had a blessed Christmas and enjoyed their family time as much as we did!!

Until next time...

Who knew...

 ...making hair bows could be so addicting.  I have my sister-in-law, Rachel, to thank for this :)  She told me she had gotten the idea one day while out shopping and she saw bows at the store and knew she could make them herself.  So while we were down at their house this past weekend we made some.  Here are the ones that I created:

It was a lot of fun and so easy to do.  Plus, there are so many different ways, colors, and patterns you can use to make a bow.  When we got home, I dug out the ribbon and buttons I already had.  Then I went to JoAnn Fabric (by the way Rachel, their Christmas ribbon is 60%off now) and WalMart to get some more to add to my collection.

This morning I spent a couple hours making some more bows.  These are what I came up with...

I can't wait for Bella to get to wear them.  She already had fun modeling some of them for me today.  I also saw some really cute ribbon at both places that I can't wait to go back and get.  Thankfully, not only do I have Bella to make them for but I already have 3 little nieces and 2 more on the way!!  Thanks Rachel for my newest hobby.