Christmas Time!! (And more pics...)

 

 

Our family loves Christmas time!  The music, the smells, the treats, spending time with family and friends, etc... :)  It is also such a great time to reflect on the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ and think of all that He has done for us.  As we remember Him during the season, it helps us to keep an eternal perspective. 

This was our Christmas card that we sent out this year... don't be shocked that we finally did one!  I had good intentions last year... :)

 

We were able to get a new tree on Black Friday!  We love this new tree!!  But, I can't decide if I like the colored lights...

 

Or the white lights more... :)  But, I love having options!

 

Notice that we have the tree in the corner, between our two couches.  This has been a LIFESAVER, as Madi has been getting into everything lately!  She hasn't been able to reach the tree yet... So cross your fingers!

 





 

Here is one side of the entertainment center...

 

 

And here is the other. :)  (Hmmm... it looks better in person, in my own opinion...)

 

 

We have a snowman shelf!

 

 

And I love this glittery nativity!

 

 

Speaking of nativities, we love putting this one up!  Mike's parents were able to travel to Israel last year, and they brought this back for us.  It is made out of olive wood!  It's so beautiful!

 

 

 

We have had so much fun so far this holiday season: Christmas parties, the Mo-Tab Christmas Concert, the 1st Presidency devotional, and many other things.  We look forward to these next few weeks as well!

 

Now for some random pictures:

 

 

 

This has been Madi's hang-out for the last little while.  She loves cleaning out the bottom shelf of our entertainment center and climbing in there. What a goofball!!

 

 

She was suppose to be helping me rake up the leaves... But she kept trying to eat them.  Maybe she needs more fiber in her diet... :) haha!

 

 

Madi and I get plenty of snuggling time, as I have been instructed by my Doctor to be "more lazy" for the end of my pregnancy.  With a 14 month old?  Yeah right!

 

 

But she does have "her spot" on the couch.  :)

 

 

So let me tell you the story behind this one:  One day, I am making dinner, and I had strapped Madi into her highchair and had given her a few snacks to enjoy and keep her busy.  I got caught up in what I was doing, and turned around to this!!!  She had climbed out of her highchair, onto the table!  Not only had she climbed out, but look at the straps of her highchair... That's right!  They are still done up, around her pants!  She had climbed out of her pants to climb onto the table!  This is what I get to deal with all day, everyday!  She totally outsmarts me on a daily basis! :)  And don't you love this look?  It's like she's saying, "What mom?"

 

 

Mike has been working like crazy during the holidays, and with the end of the year coming up.  He has 5, sometimes 6 days a week, working 10 to 12 hour days!  We are super grateful to him for being willing to work so hard, but it's not easy, for we miss him so! 

 

 

 

Check out this hair!  After her bath one night, I towel dried her hair, and this is what we got!  Some people work really hard to get a look like this!! :)

 

 

The girl loves her mac and cheese!  Which ends up being really nice for me, since I hardly ever feel like cooking lately!

 

 

It was too quite one evening, and I found her eating all my chocolate covered raspberry sticks!  She loved them!  And because I am a nice mommy, I decided to share... ;)

 

 

I have been having some pretty crazy heartburn the last few weeks.  One day I was reading the label on the bottle of antacids, and I read the last line for managing heartburn, and laughed right out loud!  Duh!!!

 

This picture shows what an example we set for these babies... She is putting sunglasses on her head!  Is that because I do that all the time?  I had no idea she was picking up on that!!

 

 

This was the day she found the baby powder... :(  She was walking all over, shaking it up and down!!  It was hard to get mad at her, when it was really cute to watch.  Needless to say, I make sure the bottle is closed tightly all the time now!

 

 

Oh yeah... here is another one of her climbing out of her highchair... (big sigh...)

 

 

This was so funny!  She loves carrying around the wii remotes.  The other day she had all four on her wrists.  As she was walking, she dropped one.  She picked it up and put the band in her mouth!  I was trying so hard to get a good picture of her, but guess what?!  She didn't want to hold still! :)

 

 

We are also very proud of my little brother Peter!  He just got his mission call to serve in the Missouri Saint Louis Mission.  He will be speaking English, and leaves February 13th, 2013.  That is two days after my due date, so hopefully he gets to meet his little nephew before he goes!  We were able to go through the temple with him this week, and it was a great reminder as to what is most important.  It is critical that we center our lives on the gospel.  What better time to do that, then at Christmas time!  We should remember what President Monson has said, "The spirit of Christmas is indeed the Christ spirit."

Happy Holidays to you all! 

 

Much love,

 

The Robbins Family