Bristle Blocks!

Bristle blocks have MANY uses!

 Paige uses them to play with!

To Text...

As a camera (video camera)...

As a phone...

To play basketball...

She also believes it works as a remote for the TV (not pictured). The Bristle blocks have brought out her adorable imagination, it's so fun to see her little mind work! 

By the way, she does wear pants (sometimes). 

Ottenstroer Christmas

Christmas wasn't the same without Grandma! Poor Grandma was to sick to have Christmas, she stayed home and the celebration moved to our house. I was sad, tears were shed...but we made it and I think that Grandma is finally starting to feel better. We had a yummy egg bake (courtesy of grandma and grandpa) fruit and Tracy's amazing monkey bread. After breakfast we broke into the gifts, of course all the kids were spoiled and it was great fun watching them! I've come to learn that it's way more fun to celebrate Christmas with kids! There is something about seeing the happiness on their face and thrill of a new gift, we are so lucky to have such a good girl!

Carlson Christmas

We went to Onamia this year for the Carlson family Christmas. Nana and Grandpa are all moved into their new house and it was decorated so pretty for Christmas. Nana made a wonderful turkey dinner and we all ate way to much, who could blame us...it was all so good.
The kids had fun running laps up and down the hallway, they played "puppies" and loved all their new Christmas gifts. Paige got a basketball hoop from Nana and Grandpa and is practicing her skills, Ryan and I are even having fun playing too!

Family Christmas!

Well, it's been a couple days and I feel like I finally have time to sit down and document our 2012 Christmas festivities. It was a busy week, but it was fun to see all of our family and celebrate the birth of Jesus!
We hosted a large gathering for my side of the family on the Saturday before Christmas. There were about 25-30 people and fun was had by all. I'm lucky, everyone brought food and all I had to do was clean my house and bake a ham. There was more than enough food and I think everyone left with a full tummy!
The kids played the dice game, hopefully we can make that a tradition...I think it was fun for them to work together (older teaching younger) and for each of them to get a small gift.
We are lucky to have such an amazing group of cousins for Paige to play with!

29 Months Old

Christmas Morning

Paige never sleeps in, and how she decided to sleep in today is a mystery! I was up, all excited...I know I was more excited then she was. I went down, made coffee and waited - she didn't wake up till 7:10! When we finally went downstairs she was very happy to see that Santa had made a stop at our house. He only took half of the cheez-it, so she ate the rest and was happy to see that Rudolph at the 2 sticks she left him.

What a fun morning for Ryan and I, to see Christmas through the eyes of your child is pretty amazing. The happiness on her face was worth more then anything else...she is one happy little girl AND we are happy parents! LIFE IS GOOD!

Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday to Jesus!

Christmas Eve

It's Christmas Eve and Paige kind of "gets it" this year. She's been talking about what she wants for Christmas for the last month, but yet has never asked when Santa is actually coming. We had uncle Pat and Grandpa over for a Christmas Eve pizza party, poor Grandma is very sick and she couldn't come.

I asked what snack we should leave for Santa and she said "cheez-its" but only one! Then she said that Rudolph should have 2 "sticks". We prepared our snack for Santa and talked about him coming while we were all sleeping. When I was tucking her in, she said "will Santa and Rudolph climb in my bed?" I giggled and assured her they were to busy to sleep. I guess there are a lot of questions that run through their little heads, I'm sure it is a bit scary? Anyway, she went right to bed and I'm pretty sure that I'm more excited about her Christmas morning then she is!

Looks like Paige got everything she asked for (brown cow, blue horse, chicken and a trampoline) plus more!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

We caved...

We caved and gave Paige one of her Christmas presents this morning. Ry is "working" from home this morning so we were all hanging out and we decided it would be fun. This is a little Playmobil set that she's been pointing out in the catalog for a few weeks now. She loves the little people but mostly she loved Santa and Frosty! There were to tiny little presents that came along with the set, she kept putting them under the tree and saying "mommy and daddy, I got a present for you under the tree". She is so much fun, Christmas morning is going to be a blast...I love that she's at an age where she "gets it" and she'll be so excited to see the gifts that Santa brought for her!