Happy Christmas!

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas from the little house!

This year, we enjoyed a quiet holiday at home.

Sienna was happy to have Nana spend the night. For Christmas Eve dinner, Mama made a homemade cheese pizza and Daddy prepared the salad.

On Christmas Eve, we each opened a gift ::
One of Sienna's 20 new books. Mama loves buying Sienna books!

Mama's new Acorn slippers. Thank you, Nana!

Daddy with one of his new shirts from Grandma & Grandpa.

Our little family playing on Nana's MAC.

Sienna and Nana with the Santa we bought for Nana this year. Mama bought it from Etsy. It came all the way from the Adirondacks!

On Christmas morning after Santa visited the little house ::

Our "animal tree" full of presents!

Sienna with her stocking knitted in Nepal.

Opening presents in our Christmas pajamas.

Sienna playing with her wood truck that Daddy handmade. He also made her a boat!

Sienna wearing her tutu from Nana.

Merlin enjoying all of the sights and sounds of Christmas.

Finally, this year's new additions to the "animal tree" ::
You can read about the origin of our "animal tree" here

Nana bought Daddy a "sock salmon."

Daddy bought Mama a hiking bear.

Auntie Jenn bought us a giraffe from the Washington D.C. zoo!

We just finished eating a delicious Christmas dinner prepared by Nana and Daddy. Daddy prepared his first turkey! I can't wait to have some of Nana's pumpkin pie...

We hope your holiday was filled with peace and joy!
Sending much love to all of our friends and family.
Love,
Amy, David & Sienna

Cozy in the Little House

The last few days were spent in our cozy little house enjoying the falling snow.

Sunday night ::

The snow falling.

Monday morning ::

Early morning with Sienna.

Monday night ::

Sienna getting cozy in her high chair after dinner.

Note: the mini coffee package that she loves.

P.S. Mama and Sienna are hoping for a white Christmas!

Snowy Day

Winter snapshots from this morning and last night ::

Snow sky

The snow melting away from our driveway.

Eating a banana for dessert last night while watching Daddy unpack Christmas gifts from the Christmas box sent by David's parents.

The Evolving Tree

Sienna loves our Christmas tree with all of the animal ornaments.

But, where did the animal idea evolve from?

In 2006, I moved into my very first apartment and was going to be buying my very first Christmas tree. I opted for a teeny tree, but I had a big vision of filling my tree only with animal ornaments.

The idea emerged and from there I now can fill a much larger tree (thanks be to my mom, who continues to buy me new animal ornaments each year and to Cost Plus).

My first Christmas tree at my apartment in Everett. (2006)

I had to include this photo of Merlin eating the tree! (2006)

My first Christmas tree with David at our house in Anacortes. (2007)
(You can also see Mia peeking around the tree, who we are sad to no longer have with us)

We used the owl as the topper last year. (2008)

Sienna with her first Christmas tree in Marysville. (2008)

This year's tree in Conway. (2009)

18 month stats & O Christmas Tree (continued)

Our little family drove down to Seattle yesterday for Sienna's 18 month well check and a doctor's appt. for Daddy. Here are Sienna's official stats:

Height: 32 1/4 inches ... 73rd percentile
Weight: 21 lbs. 10.6 oz. ... 20th percentile
Head Circumference: 18.5 cm. ... 60th percentile

Sienna hated going to the doctor's office (again)! She cried her "very sad" cry, but was happy to have both Mama and Daddy there to comfort her.

Later that night, we decided to take 18 month pictures of our perfect girl next to the perfect little house Christmas tree. We hope you enjoy them...

The perfect little house tree

One of this year's new additions from Nana

Another new addition

18 months!

Looking at her "Mismas" tree

Sneaking around the tree

She found the deer ornament (from Mama's childhood)

A view from below the tree

The top of our tree!

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

Saturday was spent searching for the perfect little house Christmas tree.

Dada, Mama, Nana, and Sienna spent the day at Mount Baker searching for a tree. A few hours later, we spotted Dada coming out of the woods dragging our tree.


We quickly joined Dada for a family photo next to our tree. Sienna was very excited and kept repeating "Mismas" which, of course, means Christmas.


Then, Dada loaded the tree on top of the Xterra and Nana took us all to lunch.


The evening was filled with joy as we unpacked our animal ornaments and watched "It's A Wonderful Life" while Dada strung the lights on our tree.

Sienna was very sleepy by this time and we were able to finish decorating the tree while she snoozed. Our tree is so beautiful and smells delicious! We can't wait to share the photos of the perfect little house Christmas tree.

We hope you enjoyed your weekend, too...

Sienna & Santa

Yesterday, Sienna had her second visit with Santa Claus!

She wore the cutest Scottie dog dress, tights, and coat.

Santa Claus was very kind and read a book aloud to her, but we still didn't get a smile.

We did end up with a very sweet photo of Santa Claus reading to Sienna.

I hope you enjoy the photos from her visits!

Santa Visit, December 2008

Santa Visit, December 2009

P.S. Sorry for two posts. I was feeling rather "bloggy" today!

It's beginning to look a lot like

Winter!

The chilly and frosty weather motivated me to share a list of what I've been enjoying and what I'm looking forward to...

• Yesterday, Sienna visited with Santa and he even read a book to her
• Picking up the permit to cut down our Christmas tree
  
• Eating breakfast on Christmas plates
• A pine cone wreath from the flea market sale last Friday
• Decorating the house with our Christmas goodies
• Listening to Sienna say "Santa, ho-ho-ho, and Christmas"
• Going to the tree lighting in Anacortes this Friday night (with homemade pizza in hand)
• Making a list of my favorite children's Christmas books (I will share this soon!)

Our Christmas cookie jar and snowmen

Mama's breakfast

The Christmas card tree

The new pine cone wreath

Frosty front yard

Frosty side yard