Christmas in a nutshell

know, I know... it's February. I'm just getting around to posting Christmas pictures.

Thanks Mom for these awesome new Christmas stockings - even for the Parker pets!

Luke D., Becca, and Rosie (not pictured) came over for a gingerbread house making activity. Lots of fun and lots of mess. :)

Eve's masterpiece.

Christmas Eve with the Stevenson family and our good friend Dave. Dave is a wiseman - sweet crown. Matt wins most appropriately dressed for a nativity scene.

Here we have our nativity mermaid and fairy (who appears to be poking baby Jesus in the eye). So, not the most reverent nativity recreation ever, but creative and memorable for sure.

Christmas morning!

Best gift opened on Christmas day goes to Grandma Oldroyd who knitted us each these house slippers. Bless her sweet heart! She can't see well and has 17 grandchildren most of whom have families. I can't believe how much she does. They fit us each perfectly and they are ideal to wear around the house on our cold tile floors.

Travis made out well in the video game department. Call of Duty 4... fantastic.

Using my fancy new fry pan from Mom.

These girls must have been GOOOD this year because they made a killing!

My first attempt at 7 layer jello. Not bad, eh? If I'm going to try to fit in here on Kauai I've got to learn to master this.

For a cheap thrill we watched Lina chase this remote control truck all over the house.

try to find the wee puppy in the Christmas wreckage

Puppy Love

ho needs school on Fridays when we can do this??

Ballet recital

he girls had their holiday ballet recital themed "Nutcracker Sweets" in December.
Veda's class did the Chinese Tea dance.
Eve and her best friend Ella. Aren't they the cutest???
Watching the big girls dance.
Eve's class did a dance to Frosty the Snowman.

Dad gave them each a bouqet of roses for their grand performances. Good job little ballerinas!

chop chop

ana came last month to stay with the girls while Travis and I went to San Francisco for our 10 year anniversary trip (pictures to come). The girls were thrilled!



While she was here, we took the girls to get hair cuts. Eve had been begging me for weeks to get her hair chopped short, then Veda decided to also. I tried to talk them out of it, but in the end I think it was a great idea. No more snarles and tears in the morning. And they look darling! I realize all the pictures are in reverse order.

The best Christmas pageant ever

This is Eve's preschool Christmas pageant. She is the angel on the far right (the cutest one). They sang cute songs and looked absolutely adorable! Afterwards, they had a birthday party for baby Jesus.

New Year's camping trip

We decided to take a spontaneous camping trip after Christmas. Our dear friends the Stevensons joined us and we unexpectedly met up with some friends on the beach who had the same idea. The weather was hit and miss, but shaped up quite nicely in the end. The moon was full and bright, and the scenery breath taking.

Matt Stevenson, the resident spear fisherman.

Poor Veda got stung by a Portugese Man of War jellyfish.

Here's what the little demons look like. They are small but give a good sting.

She was incredibly brave. She held ice on it for about 10 minutes, then got up and carried on like it never happened. She still has the welts to show friends though. :)

Travis is excited he has finally found a way to get me to go camping. Beach camping is the only way to go.

Matt, Veda, Becca, and Rosie Jo. We are excited to have camping buddies now!

Evie and Rosie