Giggling Girls

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Christmas

This was our year to stay in WI/MN for Christmas. We had a really nice time with my family (as usual!). Our drive to my parent's house was very snowy! It was so fun to have a white Christmas! We spent Christmas Eve at my parent's house with my brothers and their families, and then we celebrated Christmas Day at my Grandma Haglin's house...

Lillian and Rachel enjoying my mom's rocking sheep

My mom made all the girls bonnets like Laura Ingalls Wilder. They were a big hit!

So happy!

We do gag gifts with the adults and some of the older kids joined in this year. This is what Abigail ended up getting...

This is Christmas Day at my Grandma's house. Lillian, Abigail and Alan are helping cousin Ayla with a gingerbread house.

BINGO anyone?

Back at my parent's place, Rachel liked watching this little remote controlled car.

I think they like eachother :)

Abigail snuggling with her two new dolls from Christmas

This past Sunday we finally had the chance to open gifts at our house.

Daniel is holding a little frame that Lillian made for him to bring to work. Lillian is holding an Indiana Jones tree ornament that she also gave to Daniel.

This was THE gift that Lillian had really been waiting/hoping for -- her very own camera! Sometime I'll have to post pictures that she's taken. It even takes videos!

What fun would Christmas gift-opening be without Duplos or Legos?

Poor Rachel, she didn't get one gift! She doesn't seem to mind though...

I KNOW! You can lift your jaw off the ground now!! Your eyes are not deceiving you! DANIEL GOT ME A CELL PHONE!! :) What a guy!!

After receiving 6 dolls this Christmas, I thought it would be fun to take a picture of ALL their dolls (15 to be exact!)... I spy the cutest one!!

I guess this is what happens when you have 4 little girls...

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Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Church Christmas Program

The girls had their church Christmas program, A Mini Christmas Musical, on Sunday evening. Lillian, Abigail, and Rebecca were part of the Christmas carolers who sang songs, played handbells, and had small speaking parts (except Rebecca). They did such a great job! The pictures aren't very good because the lighting was dim - my little flash can't make it all the way up front! I tried to lighten them a little...

Here's Lillian singing, "Happy Birthday, Jesus!"

Lillian and Abigail

Lillian and Abigail listening to a story (I couldn't get a picture of Rebecca because she was all the way on the other end of the stage)

Here are all 3 girls. Rebecca and one other 2 year old girl got to wear the cute fluffy headbands!

Having fun with the props after the program was done (notice how the manger is sagging to the right!)

Enjoying some yummy Christmas cookies after the program.

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These videos are mainly for the grandparents who weren't able to make it. You can't see the girls at all until someone takes a picture and their flash goes off! But you can atleast hear them!

This is all the little kids playing handbells (ages 5 and under). They each had their own colored bell (Lillian and Abigail each had two bells to keep track of!) and they had to follow the color-coded music. They did a really good job! I wish you could see Abigail... she stayed so focused on the music and when she played she would ring her bell very tense-like! It was very cute! Rebecca was given her own little bell that she could jingle whenever she wanted!

This is Abigail saying her 'big' part... (they were telling what each letter in Christmas stood for)

Here is Lillian's 'big' part...

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This was their first Christmas program and they loved it :)
We hope you enjoyed it too!

Getting our Tree

We went searching for our Christmas tree last Saturday at a nearby tree farm. Here the crew is on the look-out for the perfect tree.

Abigail wanted her picture with this tree because it was just her size!

For some strange reason, it has become a tradition that the tree falls on Daniel (aka: Daddy) after it has been cut...

... but Rebecca didn't remember this tradition and didn't think it was very funny! She was worried about her daddy!

Here is our tree all decorated and ready for Christmas!

Let the Christmas Season begin!! :)

Monday, November 30, 2009

Time with Family

Daniel's oldest brother, Nathan, wife, Sharon, and their 4 kids, Lydia (8), Jacob (6), Sarah Beth (4) and Philip (9 months) came from Pennsylvania to stay with us for about 2 weeks over Thanksgiving. Our small house was hoppin'! It ended up being a really fun time with family... family that we usually only get to see about once a year.

The kids making a train (and scene ;)) while shopping at Ikea

Playing at Legoland in Mall of America

Rachel playing peek-a-boo through her carseat

6 little monkeys enjoying the view of Legoland

The girls watching some American Girl dolls get their hair done (for a hefty $) at the American Girl store in MOA

Lydia and Lillian went for a ride on the swings... sorry, not the greatest picture

Chuckle and Daniel on the carousel

Philip and Rachel at home getting to know eachother

Uncle Nathan put this dress on Rachel... those silly uncles!

Hey there, cuz!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Arriving late to the Taylors Falls Lighting Festival
(we missed the parade!). Notice Jacob's "coat"... he forgot his coat at home so Daniel gave Jacob his fleece shirt he had on under his coat. I guess that's what happens when you're rushing to get 8 kids out the door!

Listening to Mrs. Claus read a story

Precious (I spy Nathan)

Going for a hay ride through town

The girls wanted me to take this picture of them...

Not sure why I even posted this picture :)

Lillian's balloon wreath

Our sweet little Abigail chose the guitar...

Lydia up a tree (like I say, it's in the Birx blood) at the Danforth cemetary. Nathan took us on a family history field trip...

Rebecca checking out her great great grandpa and grandma's headstone. They would be Daniel's mom's dad's parents (I think) :)

Another little monkey in a tree

Abigail using her stunt double

The two curlicues

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Thank you, Nathan and family, for making the trek all the way up here! We LOVED having you here! :) If anyone would like to see more pictures of their stay, click here http://unshakeablejoy.blogspot.com/ to go to Nathan's blog... his is much more exciting to read!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Abigail's 4!!

HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY ABIGAIL!!

After I made this Hello Kitty cake Abigail told me that she had wanted a frog cake! I have no idea where she got that idea from! She's never once mentioned anything about a frog cake!