12.25.13: Christmas

The girls awoke to many wonderful surprises left by Santa including brand new Big Girl Bikes!  This year he accidentally knocked over some of the candles in the fireplace.  Next year the girls instructed us to move the candles too - as we already have to put the stockings on the floor so Santa isn't blocked from coming down the chimney.

Santa filled each girls' stocking with legos and they had a blast dumping their stockings onto the floor - the amount of legos seemed endless.

After stockings, we all opened presents.

Go Team Robertson!  (the kid table dinner cheer)

 Daphne riding her bike

 Stella riding her bike with Auntie Christina

Fiona riding her bike with Auntie Melissa.

Fiona, Stella and Daphne modelling their handmade winter hats by Auntie Melissa.

12.24.13: Christmas Eve

We had many adventures over the holidays with family in town.  We made cookies for Santa (and of course tasted a few along the way), skyped withe the Kochmans, walked to our future elementary school to play, and of course prepared the house for Santa  

 Brant, Stella, Daphne, Nana, and Fiona decorating cookies for Santa.
 
Family walk to our future elementary school (Brant/Stella, Fiona, Ragan, Christina, Daphne, Kari, Evan)

Stella and Brant swinging

 
Auntie Melissa sliding
 
Uncle Ragan, Fiona and Aunt Christina swinging
 
Uncle Ragan made it safely down the slide

We even discovered a new game where family members would hold an imaginary ball and the girls would try to squish their hands together - this provided an abundance of entertainment.  

Uncle Evan needed help trying to squish the imaginary ball.

Uncle Ragan and Daphne working together to squish the ball.

Yes, Santa was very busy at our house this year.

12.23.13: Crazy houses

Now that Auntie Christina and Uncle Ragan have arrived, the family had a group project:  Make Gingerbread House: 

Auntie Christina, Fiona, Daphne and Nana assembling the house. 

 Auntie Melissa and Stella patiently waiting to add candy

Uncle Evan putting on the final touches.

The completed masterpiece

Upon completion of marveling at the delicious creation, we embarked on a big adventure to Winterhaven, a neighborhood with an over-the-top approach to the holidays.  The favorite house was one with disney princesses all over it.  Last year, we didn't know who any of the princesses were - oh, what a difference a year makes.

12.22.13: Zoo lights

With Nana, Uncle Evan and Auntie Melissa in town, we took the crew to see the Zoo lights.  Somehow the girls (fiona/blue, daphne/gray, stella/pink) convinced each of us to carry them on our shoulders.  Even worse, we walked by a sign that said 'Nana's cinnamon rolls' and the girls read the word Nana on their own, so of course we had to then buy a cinnamon roll.
 
The polar bear at our zoo 'left' so Stella was really excited to see this one tonight.

12.15.13: Arizona 'snow'

Tonight we (Stella/pink, Fiona/blue, Daphne/gray) all adventured to the outdoor mall to enjoy the fake snow show.  Yes...I'm serious - this is what people get excited about here in Arizona.

12.14.13: Riding horses

Somehow the girls are lucky enough to have a friend with horses.  During her birthday party, Stella, Fiona and Daphne all got to ride around on the horses.  Horses coupled with a bounce house = big smiles all weekend.

 
 

12.8.13: Loving Santa

Oh what a difference a year makes.  Last year, Fiona, Stella and Daphne were relatively scared of Santa.  In fact every year at least one of them was crying or upset in the Santa picture - therefore forcing Brant and I into the photo.  We this year we have finally turned a corner, all the girls went running to give Santa a hug and willingly sat on his lap.  We had smiling faces during the picture and a even good conversation about our wish list to Santa.

12.2.13: Mama's family

With everyone together, we decided to get some professional photos of my entire family.

(Uncle) Rob, (Auntie) Kelly, (Cousin) Cooper, Penny (Nene), Kari, Brant, Daphne, Stella, Fiona 

Nene and her grand kids 

 The Robertsons with three squirming little ones. 

 The Kochmans (Kelly, Rob, Cooper and baby-to-be)

Our amazing little girls - so much energy - so much love.

12.1.13: Uncle Rob's Birthday Party

There are few things the girls love more than celebrating birthdays.  I would like to say it is because of their appreciation for the birthday party honoree, but in fact I think it is because they get cupcakes.  Regardless, we were able to celebrate Uncle Rob's birthday - complete with party hats, singing, presents and of course cupcakes.

 

Daphne, Stella and Fiona desperately trying to wait to eat their cupcake until Uncle Rob starts.

11.29.13: Thanksgiving fun

We had a wonderful thanksgiving with my entire family coming down for a visit.  Nene, Auntie Kelly (~7mo pregnant), Uncle Rob and Cousin Cooper. Here are some of our favorite pictures from the festivities.

Teaching Cooper about winter in Arizona - very similar to summer in Seattle.  Cooper's mom wasn't so sure about giving Cooper (~18mo) a metal shovel with lots of kids around. Auntie Kari said, "Go for it".  Notice a very pregnant Auntie Kelly coloring with the girls...impressive, I'm not sure I would have been able to get back up.

 Stella's self portrait.

Science Time:  Auntie Kelly made some (baking soda) eggs and supplied the girls with their own squeeze bottle of vinegar.  Fiona, Stella and Daphne weren't totally sure what to expect, but when dinosaurs appeared in the dissolving eggs, they were more than excited.

 9 people going to the zoo together, not too bad.  4 kids staying near each other, more of a challenge.

Stella decided to climb onto this block all by herself and stood very proudly until I interrupted.

 

Bringing a toddler to the zoo means bringing a stroller. Of course Cooper didn't want to ride in the stroller, so the girls took turns pushing it into walls, signs and of course people (sigh).

 

Fiona testing out her camouflage.