Piggy Nose

Maggie has been making a face which we call "Piggy Nose" for months now. It is so funny because she'll do it on demand. I finally remembered to catch it on film today. (Maggie got to take a bath without Jared tonight because of she had a blowout.)

Maggie is also in a cute stage where she softly says "Yah" to questions that I ask her.

"Would you like a snack?" "Yah."

"Are you poopy?" "Yah."

Jane Debate

Jane Eyre is my favorite book. I have read it probably eight or nine times, and I'm thinking I'm due for another re-read. Anyway, I got this version of the movie for my birthday several months ago:

And I just got this version for Christmas:

I am having a serious internal debate about which movie I like better. HOLY COW! I love them!!!!!!!!! The first version has a better-looking Mr. Rochester and is shorter (so more easily watched in one sitting). However, the second one does SUCH a good job building up the relationship between Mr. Rochester and Jane and includes more from the book. Thus I am indecisive. I will keep enjoying watching both. Anyone up for a girls' night?

Rapunzel

We got the movie Tangled for Christmas. Jared loves it. The past few days I have seen him with a long beige blanket wrapped around his head. He pretends it is his long hair. Then he drapes it over the banister. He is such a character!

My little princess

Playing with Christmas Toys

Jared in disguise

Maggie loves her new hat and gloves from Alan's parents. Especially the gloves. In fact, in the two weeks since Christmas, she is either wearing/carrying/sleeping with the gloves for at least 15 hours a day. She even tries really hard to pick up things (like cereal) while she's wearing them.

Christmas

Again these pictures are all out of order, but oh, well.

Usually Christmas is pretty straightforward: we spend the early morning at our own house, the late morning with Alan's family, and the afternoon with my family. However, Christmas was a little different this year with everybody having church. We played with our Santa presents before Church, went to Sacrament Meeting at 9:00, opened our Christmas tree presents and presents from my parents after church, then spent the early afternoon with the Stouts, then back to my parents house for dinner.

Christmas dinner. Everything was so good!!

More Christmas dinner.

Jared and Grandpa Stout. Grandpa likes to tell Jared tall tales. Ha ha!

Stout Foosball tournament

Maggie's new dress from Alan's parents! I think she looks like a snow princess.

This was taken right after church on Christmas day.

Maggie's Christmas dress from my parents was so darling! And Jared's sweater is from Alan's parents. I love getting new church clothes for the kids!

Maggie's new Elmo kitchen from Santa

Jared's crash cars from Santa

Santa, I think, knew that Jared would really like the big present he was bringing Maggie, but he thought it would be a good opportunity for Jared to practice sharing with Maggie. This video shows evidence of how much Jared likes the Elmo's Restaurant (which is technically Maggie's), but he also LOVES the crash cars from Santa (which are his own). Alan and I also gave the kids some fun Melissa & Doug wooden play food to "share."

Christmas Eve

For some reason I'm having a hard time rearranging these pictures in the order I want them to be, so we'll have to make do with this post.

We had a delightful Christmas Eve. First we had a delicious brunch with Alan's family. Jared and Maggie got some early Christmas presents from Grandma and Grandpa Stout and the amazing Aunt Shawna: darling new Sunday clothes and new pajamas!

Then we had a delicious dinner at my brother and sister-in-law's house and our annual Nativity. Jared, who had been a wise man at his preschool nativity, wanted to be an angel that night. What a funny kid. (I remind you that the previous Christmas Eve he told my sister-in-law that he wanted to be King Herod, and she reluctantly told him that King Herod wasn't going to play a part in the nativity that night.) You can see Elmo's eyes from his new pajamas peeking over his angel robe. Ha ha!

Maggie and Papa! We are so glad he was feeling pretty well this Christmas.

My dad has always been the narrator for the nativity.

Didn't you know that Elmo is part of the nativity story?

Maggie's new jammies from Shawna

Jared the angel

Random video of Maggie laughing: