I sat here in front of my computer contemplating a recap post--for about a second--before deciding to just pick up right where we are. So--this week began school for the girls! Mikayla and I had a girl's afternoon out to do some last minute shopping (because we still hadn't found the perfect backpack) and hanging out just the two of us. There was ice cream involved, too...(of course!)

Some shoes and accessories--and we were set.

Aubrey has been asking me every morning for the last two weeks if that day was the first day of preschool. Finally on Monday, the answer was yes! Here's my cute 3-year-old next to her cubby

...and next to all the daily charts. She did such a great job making new friends and following all the rules--I'm so proud :)

Mikayla started 2nd grade just this morning at our brand new school--Traverse Mountain Elementary (yay!). I had strict instructions not to make a big deal when she left with her friends to walk to school, so I did my best (but it was hard).

Isn't she beautiful? I'm the luckiest mom :)

Better late than never

Many thanks to my family for their support and encouragment--

Some highlights from December:

Watching the girls decorate and admire their little upstairs tree.

Aubrey liked it so much she wanted to sleep under it that night:

Taking lots of pictures and trying to get them to both smile naturally at the same time:

(Such a poser)
Making a gingerbread house (I dodged that bullet by pulling out the kit just before leaving to do some shopping--I hear grandma Cori and Papa Craig had quite the mess to clean up....thanks to the sweet little girl pictured above)

Christmas eve at the Wheat's...decorating cookies for Santa:

the nativity:

and opening presents Christmas morning:

But the best part was having my parents here for a while :) My mom spent a lot of time playing with the kids so I could get some extra things done.

Meanwhile, my sweet dad got to work on his "Papa-do" list :)

1. Fix the drapery rod in the guest room. Check.

2. Balance the door to Aubrey's room so it doesn't keep closing. Check.

3. Fix the hardware on the silverware drawer. Check.

4. Secure Mikayla's headboard to the frame. Check.

5. While you're in here....can you hang these??

Love you!!!

Oh. And I turned 31 on Christmas Day, too. We couldn't quite fit that many candles on my little slice of cheesecake, but we tried :)

Ready for a little change

Well, it was time to take the girls to get a haircut (No, Dad--we didn't just cut one hair--we cut all of them).

I had my camera in my purse so I had to whip it out when Aubrey sent me a panicked-but-trying-not-to-show-it look when a BOY started cutting her hair and then blowdrying it. What!?

There. That's better.

Getting off the freeway on our way home from Salt Lake the other day, Aubrey says "Hey, there's a plane over there!".

"Where, Aubrey?"

"Over there--on the ground".

"Oh--OK sweetie...whatever you say".

That night I saw this story on the news:

Guess I'll take her more seriously next time.