Christmas 2016

We had a really great Christmas break. We went and looked at the Christmas lights at the Riverwoods on December 13th. We hadn't ever been there to see the lights, but we thought we would check it out. It was pretty nice, and the girls had a good time. 

We went and saw the Christmas lights at Temple Square on December 15th with my parents, Kristen, and Makenna. We first ate at the food court at City Creek, and then we looked at the lights. It was actually a pretty warm night so no one got really sad about being cold.

Claire, Lily, and Makenna

My mom and dad

Claire and Makenna really liked to hold hands even though they were in different strollers.

The girls really liked the squirting fountain.

On December 17th we had a big Christmas party with all of the extended Mendenhall family. It was fun to see everyone, and the kids all dressed up for the Nativity. Claire was really excited to be Mary.

Lily, Claire, Malia, Breckin, and Lyncoln

Rusty's mom and Lily

32 weeks on December 24th.

We had another big Christmas party on December 18th with the Hurst side, but I didn't take any pictures from that party. Then we had our annual Christmas Eve party at my Grandpa Wilson's house. We had delicious Mexican food, the kids acted out the Nativity, and we had our $5 present exchange game.

Christmas morning was nice because our girls are still young enough that they didn't wake up any earlier than they usually do. They were happy with all their gifts. Lucky for Rusty and me they are quite easy to please. 

Claire and Lily in their Christmas dresses. This year Christmas was on a Sunday.

Rusty and the girls before we left for church.

After church we went down to Rusty's parents' for lunch and to open presents. Malia got a new microphone, and Claire and Lily thought it was the greatest thing ever and kept singing in it. That evening we drove up to my parents' house so we could open presents with my family. Claire, Lily, and Makenna were very excited while we opened presents.

The girls in their new matching Christmas pajamas from my parents.

We slept over at my parents' house that night since we had done enough driving for the day. It snowed a lot Christmas morning so we brought our sled and the girls' snow clothes. They didn't want to come back inside. I had to bribe them with hot chocolate because I was tired of being out in the cold.

Rusty pulled the girls in the sled.

Kristen was nice and pulled them around the yard.

My dad pulled them around in the snow. They wanted to keep riding in the sled.

It was a great Christmas break because Rusty got seven days off of work. We got to spend a lot of time as a family, and the girls really liked Rusty being home so they could play with him. It was nice to sleep in a little later than we're used to since I didn't have to wake up early to shower before the girls woke up. Many mornings I was woken up by Lily standing right next to my bed saying, "Mommy." She is really good at getting out of her crib in the morning. It's always sad when the break has to come to an end.

Lily and Claire pretending to be fairies during Christmas break.

Fall 2016

We had a fun fall this year. Things definitely are slower in the fall than summer. We were sad that Rusty had to go back to work when school started.

One day we went to check on Clair during nap time, and we found that she had put all five of her stuffed animals in her white blanket and then put it on her head. We thought it was quite amusing.

I have found Lily playing with my eyeliner several times.

We are excited to say that we are going to have another baby! My due date is February 18th, and it's going to be another girl. I think we both thought it was going to be a boy, but we're happy to have another girl. We're all ready to go with girl clothes, blankets, and toys. Claire and Lily are excited. I don't know how much they really understand, but they both like to point to my belly and say there's a baby in there.

20 weeks on October 1st.

Our best picture of the girls to announce we are pregnant.

Claire and Lily loved playing in the leaves this fall. All of our trees are pretty small, but they still loved any leaf pile.

One day a couple weeks before Halloween, Lily, Kristen, and Claire found some Halloween costumes and then went trick-or-treating to me parents.

Lily sneaked into my pajama drawer and ran away with my pants. I found her in her room trying to put them on.

Claire thought it would be a great idea to put on all her puffy skirts at the same time.

Lily wanted me to take her picture, but every time I did she kept closing her eyes on purpose. She thought it was so funny.

24 weeks on October 29th.

Halloween was a great time for the girls. Claire had a lot of awesome costume ideas throughout the month of October, such as Fairy Newsie, construction worker, and sheep, but she decided to be Tinkerbell. We borrowed both costumes from Malia. Lily wore a Belle dress, but it puzzled us a little since Belle usually wears a yellow dress.

28 weeks on November 26th.

Claire and Lily love to read. I often find them looking at books that they have taken off the bookshelf.

One day we were getting the girls in their snow clothes so they could go out and play. Lily jumped on the horse after she was all bundled up. I thought she looked funny riding it in her poofy snow suit.

We had a big snow storm after Thanksgiving. Claire and Lily had the time of the lives playing in the snow. They love to get pulled on the sled around our yard, but it sure wears Rusty out! They have such big giddy smiles the whole time.

Sometimes the girls like to put all their animals, blankets, and pillows in Lily's crib and pretend that it's time to sleep.

Lily reading the Princess book.

Claire reading Winnie the Pooh.

On December 8th Cara and Chris had their new baby Conner. The night before Makenna stayed over at my parents' house. I decided to come up with Claire and Lily so they could all sleepover. Claire and Makenna thought it was so great that they got to share a bed. It took them quite a long time to fall asleep because they kept talking. Now Claire and Lily really like to talk about baby Conner and how he's so cute and little.

The girls all got to have a bath together.

Lily and Keith watching a movie together.

One day before church Rusty made the girls into a blanket burrito. They thought it was hilarious.