10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1... Happy New Year!

It's been a tradition over the last few years to hold a New Years' Eve party at our house.  Everyone brings their own dinner for their family (since it is too hard for everyone to agree) and we all bring snacks or treats we are trying to get rid of from Christmas parties.  We snack, watch movies, play games and get on the Wii for a little dance party! And it's even more fun to watch the adults!

Christmas 2012

Christmas is the best holiday when you have children.  The magic they find everywhere is amazing and there are so many family traditions and moments that bring a great spirit to the season.  Sometimes, I worry that the anticipation will be so big, that there will be more disappointments on the actual Christmas day.  I think as parents we try to fulfill all the hopes and wishes (even if it means buying things we don't really want to buy yet), just so we can keep up the magic.  It's so hard to know what to do.  This year, Emma received a Nook Color from Santa!  She was beyond excited and could not wait to get it charged and set up so she could have it with her the rest of the day.  Brielle received an American Girl doll from Santa and also a Brave bow-and-arrow which she had been asking for since Thanksgiving.  Plus, the grandparents spoiled them with horses, clothes, and lots of arts supplies.  It was a great day...with no meltdowns!

Christmas Parties

Every year, the "real" Santa comes to visit the kids at the Wilson party.  There are a lot of kids there so it does take some time, but it is the best part of the party.  Then, the girls sat down with us to pose for some pictures (this never happens)!  We also had the Christmas party where our girls exchange presents with their cousins.  We had a talent show with all the cousins.  Brielle read a Berenstain Bear story and Emma played some Christmas songs.

Nick's Birthday

Nick's birthday was pretty uneventful because he only got one present-- a Kindle Fire! It was the only thing he wanted and I found a great deal right before Thanksgiving.  It became more of a family gift because all of us starting playing with it.  It is really convenient to have!  We had Nick's favorite pudding cake and had family over to celebrate.  Happy 35th Birthday!

Thanksgiving weekend

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... the girls and I spent the day after Thanksgiving decorating the house and tree for Christmas.  They love looking at all of the ornaments and trying to remember where they came from.  Then, Brielle spends the whole Christmas season pulling different ornaments down to play with.  She loves them.  As a family, we went down to Temple Square and looked at the lights.  It was so busy, I don't think we will go again over Thanksgiving weekend, but it's so hard to find time in December!  Brielle wanted to go into the Assembly Hall and listen to the choir singing. I think we sat there for about 20 minutes.  The music was beautiful and it was nice and warm!  Then, on the way home we stopped and got ice cream.  Somehow, ice cream always sounds good no matter what season it is!

Halloween

Halloween is not my favorite holiday as you can see by my lack in pictures.  This year Emma wanted to be a pirate, but she had a hard time explaining what she wanted to look like.  We tried to come up with several different pirate "looks" which she wasn't satisfied with so she finally settled on a poodle girl.  Brielle had her eye on this witch costume from the moment costumes came out in stores.  I think the second picture was her being a "mean, old witch with a hat?"  Anyway, the girls did their costume parade at school and went trick-or-treating around the neighborhood at night.

My Birthday + State Fair

My favorite activity to do around my birthday is to go to the State Fair.  The biggest event I have wanted to participate in was the "All You Can Eat Ice Cream" night.  We had tried to go one year and it rained.  This year we finally made it and it was definitely worth it.  It's like going through a ice cream buffet where you walk along and decide what kinds of ice cream you want in your basket.  There was a Aggie blue ice cream that was delicious and a snickerdoodle ice cream I went to get seconds on.  They also handed out Fat Boys and Creamies, so we got some to eat while we walked around!  We also went down the Giant Yellow Slide--a state fair tradition in our family!  And the girls went through the Little Hands on the Farm (not sure how much longer Emma will enjoy this activity but you do get a treat at the end!)  We saw lots of animals and it made my kids want a farm of their own!  I love the Fall!