Christmas in St. Louis!

I guess day after Christmas is more accurate but who cares! There was snow and Grandma and Grandpa Lukie! Brie took an instant liking to Grandpa Lukie.

The girls took an instant liking to pool. They ended up making up their own game. I have no idea how to play it but there are actual rules. I am pretty sure Amanda was cheating at one point too.
We opened the remainder of the gifts when Aunt Heather arrived. Ava and Amanda got hats and gloves from Grandma Lukie. I think she saw the girls with socks on their hands, as gloves, one too many times and took pity on them.
Brie helped Chloe open her presents.
Amanda likes her hat and gloves!
Look at my regal westminster champion of a dog.
For the last 5 minutes before this picture was taken Grandma Lukie was trying to tell Amanda to open her fingers so each finger will go in the fingers of the gloves. After another 5 minutes Grandma Lukie said she should have just bought them mittens.
Siblings!
Chloe is looking (digging) for more gifts for her mama! What a nice daughter she has :)
Brie found a rocking horse was was pretty attached to it the whole time we were there.
I firmly believe we did not spend nearly enough time out in St. Louis. I had a great time with everyone and miss everyone quite a bit. Oh and I also learned that Megan (Justin's step-sister) is a huge Twilight fan. Another one in the family! There can never be too many.

Christmas Day!

Christmas Morning! Santa found the girls in Indiana and the girls were thrilled.

Ava found the loot.
So did Amanda.
The girls got into the gifts pretty quickly. Ava had the best reactions ever. This particular gift was a pair of pink tights.
I am pretty sure this was her other pink pair of tights. This girl is easy to please.
I wonder what could be in this package...
An elephant car!
Amanda's big gift was an set of instruments. She was really excited about the guitar.
Brie also got a baby and a stroller. Once she opened those she disappears through these doors, into the hallway and proceeded to push her stroller up and down the hallway.
I love watching her open presents. It's so cute.
Ava has wanted these sparkly shoes for at least a year now. She was SO excited to get these shoes from Aunt Rachel.
Amanda got a flashlight but it was broken. Poor girl. She was sad. Ava got a flashlight also and hers worked. Oh well.
Brie was pretty tuckered out after a late night on Christmas Eve and an early exciting morning Christmas Morning.
Just before the girls went down for a nap we left for St. Louis to see Justin's dad. And guess what? It was snowing! We had a white Christmas after all! There were a few gifts waiting for us when we got there and Grandpa let the kids open one each. Brie got this lovely book that has a special little button on it. Do you know what this button sounds like? Well I'll tell you, a siren. Yeah, a siren. Sigh.
Funny thing about that siren book, I can't seem to locate it in the house...

I love Christmas with family. I love my family and I wouldn't want to spend it without them. What a WONDERFUL day!!!!!

Christmas Eve

We opened extended family gifts on Christmas Eve because Grandma Lois had to be on call Christmas day, which I think eventually changed but we kept it this way anyway. After a yummy ham (not hot dog *sad face*) dinner, we opened gifts..

My niece Chloe wasn't too sure what to do with the presents. She would get them and throw them on the ground and use them as a tray. Whatever works. She was happy so it was good. Brie Played with Chloe's present the whole night, which was a stroller and a baby.

Amanda and Aunt Heather cuddling.
Ava helped with passing out presents.
Gina napped.
It was awesome!

Children's Museum In Indianapolis

On Christmas Eve the Children's Museum in Indianapolis was offering free admission. We jumped at the chance to go. Little did we know that there was a huge Barbie exhibition! How lucky for us! This was the first (and most pink) stop.

Brie found a comfy chair.
Ava chatted with Barbie.
What kind of question is this?!?! Of course you should Barbie. Hello?!
There was a big runway and loads of dress up clothes. I tried to get the girls to put on dress ups and strut their stuff but they wouldn't do it. They settle for the small barbie version instead. The runway was really pretty cool.
Brie even liked the Barbies.
Ava is running the turn tables for the runway show. She was changing music and mixin' it up. The pink you see at the top of the picture is the runway. There were flashing lights and even a camera. Every little aspiring models dream.
Next was the Yuletide Slide. We all started out in line but Amanda got tired of waiting so her and I went to the christmas exhibit where she proceeded to cook with the play cookies and oven while Ava and Grandma waited in line. After about 20 minutes they finally made it. Brie took a ride with Grandma. And I am pleased to see that Ava beat Grandma down the slide.
Ava trying out the indy race car. I bet she would make a good race car driver.
Next the tractor. I bet she would make a good tractor driver too.
Amanda was trying out her gardening skills.
And who can resist a slide?
Certainly not Brie.
The last stop was an Egyptian marketplace. This is a form of transportation they use in Egypt. Amanda wanted to drive. I am pretty sure she ended up on the sidewalk a few times.
Then Aunt Heather set a bad example texting while driving and having her baby on her lap the whole time. I sure hope Ava wasn't watching. Can you even imagine her texting while driving that race car?

Ava's 5th Birthday

Ava celebrated her 5th birthday with lots of family! For months now she has been telling me she wants a rainbow cake with Ariel and Thumbelina on it and she wanted Aunt Heater to make it. Ava ended up helping Aunt heather bake. I don't have those picture's they are on Aunt Heather's camera. Ava applied the sprinkles with great care.

This is the finished product. She LOVED it! It was complete with glitter candles. Can't get much more girly than that!

She couldn't keep her eyes off Ariel.
The paparazzi couldn't keep their eyes (cameras) off the birthday girl! :)
*Happy Birthday to Yoooouuuuuu!* Doesn't she look so happy?
On to the presents. This was a CD player Aunt Rachel got for her. She LOVED it. She played it often. I can't wait for Aunt Rachel to have a kid so I can get him/her a CD player :)
Giant art set. This girl is set for life with art stuff. Well...maybe not life, maybe a couple months tops.
She also got some markers, jammies and Hi Ho Cherry-o. I had never played Hi Ho Cherry-o before. It's a pretty fun game! Thanks to everyone for making her birthday party so special.