It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like...

...I'm getting caught up! What!? Christmas time is finally here! We agreed that we wouldn't do as much decorating this year since I'm not much help these days and will be even less help to take it all down. But, once you get started, it's so hard to stop! The girls love decorating for Christmas so much (and Jeff really does, too!) so we decked the halls and skimped on the outside this year.

Kinley is topping the tree

To eliminate fights over whose turn it is to (fill in the blank) we started a system of alternating days. One day is Kinley's day, she picks the show, snack, opens Advent Calendar boxes, etc. The next day is Kallen's. It has worked beautifully. They love "being in charge"of decisions on their day :)

Loving the Advent Calendar

Kinley's class invited the Dads to school for a special lunch and gift. Kinley was so excited to have her Daddy there! He works so far away that this really was a big deal for him to be able to come and bring McDonald's. Though I'm sure he wouldn't have missed it for the world :)

More December randomness: The girls were upstairs playing so quietly one day... always a bad sign, ha! Kinley emerged like this:

No, she was not trying to put on make up to be pretty, this was her super hero face paint. Ahhh. Super Kinley to the rescue. More like Super Mommy's scrubbing power!  Love her imagination!

Another thing we do in December is help decorate our church. This was the first official year for my partner, Beth, and I to be in charge. Wow, it's so much work that probably no one else really notices! But we've been working all year to come up with some new ideas. Even Jeff and the girls helped out! :)

Despite a couple of setbacks, I think it turned out pretty well. Hopefully next year will be even easier!

The girls both had the opportunity to be in the Arlington Christmas Parade this year! So fun! Kinley's cheer squad had a float as did Kallen's ballet group. They were so excited!

Kallen and Lacy about to get on the float

Kinley's float. Unfortunately, you can't see her in this picture! We were on the wrong side of the float and she sat down just as I took the picture. Oh well. She had a great time and that's what really matters!

Wrong side for Kallen's float, too! Grr. But if you look closely in the middle of the back you will see Kallen smiling at us next to Lacy's mom, Jennifer

One more December "tradition", the annual hip check! Every year we go see Kallen's ortho doctor and have an xray to evaluate how her hip is progressing. So far, there hasn't been much change in the socket growth :(. The hope was (is) that the surgery she had at 7 mos would stimulate the ball and socket to grow and the socket to deepen. Unfortunately, it is still shallow. Next December is the real test, we will have to decide then whether she needs another surgery or if her hip is one that will last her several decades. As it looks right now, if we don't do another surgery she could face severe hip pain/problems and need a hip replacement in her 20's or 30's. 

Yeah, boo! That face says it all! Luckily, we have another year of prayer and time for God to heal that precious little hip. And if we do have to have surgery, that will be okay, too...right? Ugh, let's not think about that until next December :)