Ahhh, Merry Christmas...

I hope everyone had a happy holiday this year. Ours was good. Like every Christmas I ate too much and worked out to little but that is why a week later I resolved to eat better and work out more often. The girls were thrilled to find out that despite their terrible behavior during the year, Santa came to our house anyway. Among other things, Bella got a couple of Barbie dolls and Ayva got a rockin' elephant. (Thank you Grandma and Grandpa Hallstrom) Peter got a new snowboard, boots and bindings and I got an ink refill for the printer. (I guess Santa was watching the times that I was bad.)

Part of our Christmas tradition is to get the girls picture taken with Santa. In Seattle we liked the Santa at Alderwood Mall because he had the real beard, was old enough to play the part and wore goofy Christmas shirts with red pants and suspenders instead of the red suit. So we were so happy to find a very similar Santa at Southtown mall here in Utah. Ayva on the other hand wasn't so thrilled.

After we saw Santa we took the girls over to a carousel that was also in the mall. Ayva's "bah humbug" attitude continued there as well.
Isabella is practicing to be on a float someday. No matter what chaos is going on around her at the time, if she is getting her picture taken she remains focused and poised. That's my girl!

I am in total shock in this picture because as Bella opened this book she read the title of it perfectly. I thought it was a Christmas miracle. "She can read" I screamed to Peter. I don't know how she did it. Unfortunately it turns out it was just some kind of fluke. She couldn't read anything else I tested her with the rest of the day.

And here's Ayva on her rockin' elephant. Isn't she cute! She finally got happy about Christmas and decided to have some fun.