HollyBrooke: December 2006

Merry Christmas!

Christmas morning Holly woke up with her eyes swollen & watery. We're not sure why. That sure didn't stop her from going crazy opening gifts. There was wrapping paper flying everywhere! :) Both girls had a lot of fun. It rained ALL DAY long so they had to try out some of their outdoor presents inside.

Holly loved her new musical instruments!

Playing hopscotch in the house

Holly's new rollerskates

December zoo trip

Daddy & Grandma took the girls to the zoo while I was gone. They said that both girls had a blast. Holly got to pet a giraffe & feed some birds that landed on her hand.

Petting the giraffe

Checking out the fish

The night before the night before

Our neighborhood has a Christmas party every year and it's fun. They have a horse drawn sleigh, Santa and tons of kids and food. Holly rode the sleigh 4 times. She would have just stayed on it all night if we'd let her. Here are some pics

On the sleigh ride

More sleigh rideAmy & Bop

Holly, Reid, Heyward, Missy & Laney riding the sleigh ride

Hanging with Santa

South Dakota

In South Dakota I got to spend a week with my brother Dave, my Mom, my 2 Aunts, my cousin Anneliese and my Uncle Tom while in South Dakota. It was a very emotional but enjoyable week. I don't think I've ever been to the ranch in the winter and it was cold. I just missed the bad storms in Denver by a couple of hours. Here's a pic of my Grandma with my brother Dave and cousin Anneliese.

It was fun checking out all the places that we used to ride horses and explore when we were kids. We did lots of driving around taking pictures and shooting at things. :) Annie Oakley - I am NOT! I did manage to hit a paint can a few times. Dave and Anneliese were much better than me. (It might help if I didn't close my eyes every time I pulled the trigger) :)

There's my paint can with holes in it!

We made stockings with our names on them to hang up

I think I saw over 100 deer while we were there. I made Dave drive me around chasing them so I could get their picture.

Dave and I

Holiday pictures

We went to a Santa dinner at Selva Marina and Santa was kinda being a turd when he got to our table so we never really got any pictures with Santa that night.

I went to visit my Grandma in South Dakota for a week in December so Grandma Maher came out and helped Daddy take care of the girls. Brooke started calling her "Ga-Ga" and really bonded with her. Holly, of course, made her read 100 books a day and kept Grandma very busy!

When I got back from South Dakota, we took Bop to see Santa at the mall. She just kinda sat frozen in his lap. I'm just glad she didn't scream or cry!

Holly and Reid goofing off under the tree

Shheeesh

How hard can it be to take a picture of your two kids for your Christmas card? These two made it as difficult as possible. Either one was crying, they wouldn't sit close enough together, or neither would smile. :)

Brooke

Brooke (everyone calls her "Bop") is definitely my monkey child. She is into everything!!! I will give her credit for being a better photo subject than her not-wanting-her-picture-taken sister Holly! Bop is really starting to talk a lot. She mimics just about everything you say to her. She is also very dramatic and if Holly even touches her she comes screaming for Mama!