Sickler Family Christmas

It worked out really great that this was our Christmas to spend with Jaron's family - with us moving and all; it was the perfect excuse to go back for a visit.  Although, bittersweet!  We still have a chunk of our hearts there!
  Nana was able to get in some cuddle and reading time...Courtney is wearing PJ's made by Nana.  The two older girls recieved robes made from the same fabric.

We met Jess' fiancee, Joey and gave him a "proper" welcome into the Sickler family!  LOL  He's a great guy and we couldn't be happier for the both of them!!  The girls also enjoyed teasing Uncle Joey and getting into numerous pillow fights with him :)

Our pretty little ladies on Christmas day....

Helping PopPop with something, do you like Katie's expression?  "Not another picture, Mom?!!!!"  HA

The girls have really enjoyed playing with their dishes...they have quite a collection now.  Unbeknownst to either side of the family, they both bought the girls dishes :)

And it just wouldn't be a true Sickler family gathering without playing games of some sort or the other.  This time we added two new games to the mix:  Qwitch (lots of fun, highly recommend!) and Monopoly Deal.

We also did some wedding dress shopping...

Such a special time, so glad I could be there!  and Jen, we really missed having you along!! 

Then Mom Sickler treated us all to Olive Garden for some yummy soup and salad.  Please forgive the fuzzy picture - I think the waiter was nervous *wink*

We also fit in an Engagement shoot :)  About two hours of freezing fun...literally! 

We had a really great time, the only drawback to visiting any place at Christmas time is that most of your friends are all gone visiting their families.  We were pretty bummed about that!  But, we'll be going back in June :)  and Jessica is counting down the days - til her wedding, not our visit :)  LOL

Haynes Family Christmas

  We had Christmas with my family before going north. 
Courtney stylin' her new hat and shades :)  I can still hear her giggling with excitement over the presents!

Dad and a jar of pickles - one of his stocking stuffers

A knitting loom from Gammy and Grampa.  Katrina has shown a real interest in crafty things - she was pretty happy about this gift :)

Don't they all look SO CUTE in their hats?!?!!!

I was really excited about one of Angela's gifts from us this year; I had a Shutterfly book made from the pictures taken during our Annual Sister's Getaway.  Then unbeknownst to me, she made me a pillow with embroidery - a spinoff of a pillow I had seen on our Getaway.  I like her's better though :)

Aunt Angela bought the two oldest roller skates - they were over the moon excited about them! and of course had to try them on right at that moment!  HA

and a phone for Courtney, she is certainly 'in' to her phones right now :)

It was a good Christmas!

Family Christmas

Oh, they were so excited for Christmas this year!  Katrina kept begging me to "open just one present, please?!"

Reading the Christmas story.  This year we used this book, the illustrations were wonderful and the text  - straight from the Bible!  Love that!

Giving Daddy his gifts...

After checking this book out from the library, repeatedly; we bought it for the girls for Christmas!  Katrina was especially excited about it!  It's a great little book.  I was surprised to learn it was just published last year!  The story is darling and the pencil sketches, too!

Katrina and Katie have had so much fun with their boas...

Unfortunatley, it was a very short-lived gift.  The blue dye wore off on to the girls, they looked black and blue around the neck and their hands!  We didn't want the ink dye soaking in to them, oh well...it was fun while it lasted!  They were very good about having to get rid of them.

  I knew I had to buy her Dr. Seuss' "Nose" book when I saw it.  When she was learning her body parts, the nose was her favorite!

Courtney was so much fun to watch this year.  We got so much joy just from watching her open her gifts!  Her expressions were just priceless!

My baby is turning into a little girl - much to quickly!  I can't believe how grown-up she is looking here!!!

Loved seeing Katrina's face when she saw the horse on her shirt!  She was so happy about it!  It's true what they say about giving...much better than getting! 

Another of her adorable expressions...

We were 'mean' parents and made the girls wait till the end to open their "big" gifts...

They have just LOVED playing with their baby strollers!  They had asked for these for Christmas and originally I told them 'no'.  I'm so glad I changed my mind!!!  They are too...they've told me many times!  LOL

Katie with some new clothes.  Gotta train 'em right  *wink*

All three girls with their baby dolls and strollers.  Courtney already had her's from Nana and PopPop for her Bday.

 Me and my girls - it's a wonderful thing!

Merry Christmas

  We arrived safely in PA yesterday :)  Happy to be back in PA and loving the cold weather!  We just need lots of that white stuff to start flying :)

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Double Duty

Earlier this month I found this absolutely gorgeous wreath!   I knew it would be perfect for our unadorned front door!  It was easy to make and inexpensive...I already had the smallish ornaments (Target) from last year :)

 

  I did use the scented pinecones from Walmart - 2 bags like she said.  I love how when we come home we are greeted by the Christmas-sy fragrance!  Originally I hung it with a creamy ribbon, but that just seemed to melt right into the door ;)  The red gives it a nice color-pop!

  I'm counting this for Ali's Day 12 and for Chari's Finished Object Friday :)  I've been to her little home on the web and have seen some cute FOF entries...you should go have a look, too!

  Christmas is getting closer and closer...are you ready yet?  I'm almost there with the presents :)  Looking forward to having Christmas with my side of the family tomorrow ;)

The real reason for this season

*Stop the playlist first*

I want to be in the line to see Jesus at His throne!

December Daily Backwards

Since I'm nearly a week behind in posting my December Daily pictures.  I thought it would be easier to start with today and work my way backwards :) 

Day 10

Our first time to attend our libraries Storytime...the book was Jan Brett's "The Gingerbread Man" - love her stories and illustrations!  The perspective in this photo is a little close, but captures perfectly how we were sitting.  For some odd reason, Katie and Courtney decided to be shy and would not get off my lap for the reading :)

Day 9

Today's weather has been overcast, cool and drizzly all day.  Can't believe I'm saying this, but I LOVED it!  It's the closest thing to snow there is in Florida!  I love the way the water droplets lay on the Sweet Pea leaves.  Again, VERY uncharacteristic of our past winters in snowy PA!  Looking forward to seeing if we can actually get the Sweet Peas to bloom!!

Day 8

The girls brought home a tray of Snickerdoodle and Oatmeal cookies they made at Gammy and Grampa's house.  The best part - they're dairy-free, so Courtney can eat them too!  I confess this dairy-free business has slowed my baking w.a.y. down.  It's just not fun to bake and not be able to share with her.  Need to do more dairy-free cookie recipe research!

Day 7

Before bed tonight, you three decorated your little tree that sits in the hallway.  All of the ornaments are handmade by you - with Gammy's help :)  Falling asleep to the glow of the colored tree lights has been a special treat for you all.

 Day 6

Angela came over to help me hang things on the walls and style the end tables - not a Christmas-y activity for sure, but things are looking so much better now - "homey-er" you know?!  And isn't that what Christmas is about  - home and family?!

Day 5

Our Sunday School class enjoys breakfast together on Sunday mornings.  The ladies take turns on bringing in the goodies.  Today was my turn :)  In true "Andrea-fashion" I tried a brand new recipe :) (Jaron just canNOT understand why I would try out a brand new recipe on unsuspecting friends LOL) The Crumb Cake turned out wonderful and recieved lots of compliments!

Source

Day 6

We had absolutely perfect weather for the Hobe Sound Christmas Parade!  Jaron and a coworker built the float that holds all the beach balls that TCI/Rood pass out to the parade goers!  The girls were thrilled-to- pieces to be IN the parade!

Whew...I feel better to be caught up now :)

Jam Thumbprint Cookies

Jodi at Pleasant Home is having a Christmas Cookie Exchange Linky Party...you know it's been forever since I've participated in a linky party, but I just couldn't pass this one up AND to make it easier on me ;) this is a repost from last year's Christmas baking!  An oldie, but goodie!

Jam Thumprint Cookies

The recipe:

2/3 cup sugar

1 cup butter at rm. temp.

1/2 tsp. almond extract

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1/3 cup raspberry jam

1. Preheat oven to 350*

2. In a large bowl, combine sugar, butter and both extracts; mix until creamy - 1-2 minutes.

3. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour. Continue beating until well mixed.

4. Take a scoop of dough, about the size of a small walnut and roll in into a smooth ball. Place the balls 2 in. apart on baking sheets. With your thumb, make an indentation in the center and fill each thumbprint with 1/4 tsp. jam.

5. Bake for 15 minutes, until light brown around the bottom edges but pale on top. Allow to cool on the baking sheets for 1 minute, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Yield: 3 1/2 dozen

Sugar glaze: Mix 3/4 cup confectioners sugar, 1 tsp. almond extract and 2-3 tsp. water - enough to make a thin glaze. Drizzle over cookies and ENJOY :)

Day 3, The Nativity

I love that the girls LOVE to play (and fight - don't love the fighting though! HA) with their Nativity.  What's even better though, is that they are "getting" the Christmas story during their play.  It was so sweet to hear them talking about the shepherds and Bethlehem.

 

Day 2

Do you wonder if Christmas would seem less magical without all the twinkling lights?

 

 Being outside tonight, in the cool quietness while stringing the lights...a simple pleasure

December Daily 2010, December 1,

  I'm so excited about Christmas this year!!  This is my 2nd year participating in Ali's December Daily tradition.  This year I'm going with a real simple album.  One night I couldn't get to sleep and laid there sketching out what layout I wanted to do :)

 

(How do they look this old already?!!) 

 Tonight was the first night for the Singing Christmas Tree at our church.  The girls were snow children.  I should say EXCITED snow children!!  :)  They did a fabulous job waving at the crowd, I was pretty proud of them!!  I found their capes on Black Friday and finished making their skirts today.  I used Dana's Circle skirt tutorial.  This was my first time to sew with 'silky' fabric and use the faux fur trim; I love how they turned out!  I did add two layers of tulle under the skirts for a little fluff :)

Back to the Singing Christmas Tree, this is the 12th year our church has offered this program.  Jaron and I were in the tree in college.  We have a 100 voice choir in the tree, snow, and 'flying' angels...just to name a few highlights!  If you are interested in watching, they will be live-streaming on Fri-Sunday evenings at 7 p.m.

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions, new or old?

Christmas x's 3

Our Family Christmas

Guess I should get started on posting the Christmas pictures, huh?! Because we would be in FL on Christmas day, we had our family Christmas on a Friday night. Jaron had the great idea of getting the kids in their jammies before opening gifts :)

It is our tradition to read the Christmas story before opening presents.

After watching me make several crocheted dish scrubbers, Katrina had been begging me to make her one :) Each of the girls have their own now. Except they use them for bathtime :)
along with some Strawberry Shortcake mold-able foam soap.

A man and his tools = a wonderful thing!

Christmas tree crayons and personalized notebooks for church or anytime.

A few pop-up blocks.

This was my favorite Courtney gift. She plays with a retro phone just like this one at church. I thought she might like it just as much at home, although usually her sisters can be seen playing with it! HA

Last year we bought the Little People Nativity set, this year we added The Inn of Bethlehem set.

They each received some books. I just love how intent she looks here!

They now have new baby dolls! What could be better?!

Mommy with her babies :)

Sickler Family Christmas Festivities

6 cousins...ready and waiting. VERY eager to open presents....

I was shocked to realize I hardly took any pictures of the actual opening gifts!!! Guess that is what happens when you have SIX kids opening gifts all at the same time. it can get kind of hairy :) (Jess and Randy - it just wasn't the same without you!!)

We always look forward to our NY cousins coming down...and tradition demands a group photo...

The 'original' six

A Sickler Family shot...kids and grandkids (we were sorry that Randy was missing!!)

The girls really enjoyed Emily being here! Where ever Emily went she almost always had her two 'sidekicks' with her :)

The youngest of them all :)

and with all these girls, he has to be mischievous :)

Haynes Family Christmas

I was so happy to be home for Christmas!

I made a set of crocheted dish scrubbies for Mom, along with a skein of yarn and such so that I could teach her how to make more!

Mom bought Dad this gag gift alligator that laughed and laughed and laughed. And then you couldn't help but laugh yourself!!

The 2 older girls received these hamsters that look and act like the real thing :) Although after all these mice that have been in my house I'm not sure any rodent is welcome. HA!

My beautiful Sis and just the right size electric frying pan :)

I stencilled the design on her bag and then filled it with some things I thought she could use in her first apartment!

Aunt Angela bought the girls the "hit of the season Christmas gift" - a fairy dress-up set! I'm tellin' you these things are going to wear out fast and the rate they are playing with them! LOL

MORE tools :)

Courtney slept throught most of Christmas again this year :) Last year she was only about 2 months old She woke up right when we were done with our gifts, thus the reason she looks so 'bright-eyed and bushy-tailed' HA! I love her expression in both these shots!

This facial expression is her "don't even think about taking my toy from me" look :)

WHEW! MADE IT! Posted all those Christmas pictures, now I just need to get the rest of our Florida trip .....another time :)