Silent Night

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year - lots more pictures to come!

Eat your Heart out....part deux!

Eat your Heart out!

Eloise had her dance performance last night after her first 8 week session of ballet and tap. It was the cutest thing that I've ever seen and I'm pretty sure Alan was tearing up! Sorry that the music is quiet in the beginning, we had the mic covered up.

Where in the world is Mali?

Pray for Alan as he's there for 10 days (and for us as we are without). He arrived safely tonight and thanks to technology we got chat with him face to face on our phones and he was able to say goodnight and blow kisses to his girls before bed.

We miss you lots, babe!

At the park with cousins

so big, I can't even believe my eyes sometimes!

Margot has certainly started the "Emma" worship that Eloise oozes with. She screams "Emma" as we drive near her house, see a white van or even now when we go to Ikea (as we've gone twice with Emma in the past)

Somehow, I don't have any pictures of Davis.....he was just running around too fast to be bothered with the paparazzi!

Ready for the main stage!

I especially love how Eloise's elbows are helping her do a plié and Margot opening her mouth with each ballet move!

Halloween 2011

recognize the dresses, Claire?

Mary Poppins...

..and her chimney sweep (everyone called Margot a boy all night-we just went with it instead of explaining that she was a girl and really had a raggedy ann costume but her older sister INSISTED that she must be a chimney sweep. She was pretty darn cute though!

even this old ladybug came along with us for a few houses

Eloise was most entertained by seeing all the other trick-or-treaters' costumes. Margot was all about the candy. She could pocket lots and lots while the unsuspecting adult was squatting down and listening to Mary Poppins exhaustive monologue about her Cinderella birthday party and Emma's Rapunzel party.

Boo at the Zoo

Disney Princesses on Ice

This picture isn't great, but you can still see her smile from ear to ear! Grandma took Eloise and I to see the Disney Princesses on Ice for Eloise's birthday and she loved every minute of it!

She was a little nervous being high up in the stands, she thought one of her glass slippers might fall off and down to the ice. I assured her that if it did, I would go retrieve it.

One of my favorite parts was watching a thousand 3-foot princesses walking through downtown Atlanta descending upon Phillips Arena. Eloise loved seeing and pointing out all the other princesses too!

Sisters

Halloween Festival

My parents' church was hosting a little community outreach festival, so the girls and I got to go and enjoy the fun. Grandma was the face painter and Pops was running the dunking booth (we tried to get him to volunteer to be dunked, but he stayed dry).

Tryin' out the new clothes

Eloise is starting ballet and tap on Friday and is so excited. I think I'm even more excited!! We shopped for the new gear yesterday and had a little dress rehearsal.

You can take a girl out of France...

but you can't get the scarf off of her neck!

Can I get some privacy please???

Happy 3rd Birthday, Eloise!

For months, Eloise has been talking about, planning and anticipating her birthday cake. For awhile she wanted a Toy Story party and a Jessie cake. We would sit for long periods of time checking out each of the pictures posted on Google images for "Jessie cakes." Then she had a change of heart and all we care about these days are princesses and especially Cinderella, as Eloise's favorite color is blue. So, the Toy Story party supplies were returned to the store and we then searched "Cinderella cakes" more times than I care to count. The last words as she went to bed and the first as she awoke on her birthday were about the Cinderella cake. Oh, the pressure! So, my mom and I started baking the cake Friday night only to start out the project like this....

We laughed so hard that we nearly wet our pants and quickly hid the evidence from Eloise (as she was still awake). So, after 4 containers of icing, I managed to piece it all back together and create a little girl's dream come true. She loved it and had a wonderful birthday party! Thanks to my mom for transforming our dining room into a Ball

(including using the bows from our wedding).

This little one refused to put on her Cinderella gown and ran around for the entire party only wearing a diaper, tiara and sparkly silver slippers.

waiting to blow out the candle while we all sang to her

all the little girls crowded in while we opened presents

Eloise and her cousin, Madeline, giving each other tattoos

after we got them high on sugar we sent them out front to burn it off/sweat it out in the 90 something degree heat

At the park

Margot tasting the railing?!?