Christmas Time is Here!

The culmination of all of our holiday events has finally arrived!  We had a wonderful Christmas with our family - my parents, Papa and his friend Myrna, along with Betty Lou and my Grandpa.  The girls both enjoyed the day and really had fun opening their presents.  I put a selection of my favorite pictures of the day below the video, even though most of them are featured in the presentation.  We had a happy and joy filled day, which is all we ever really want for Christmas!

Christmas Video!

The house all decorated on Christmas Eve.

Jocelyn

Kathryn

Jocelyn hiding out behind the tree.

Kate and Jocie enjoying some quiet play together.

von Wasmuth family photo!

Decorating Cookies and Other Things

In our continuing effort to get the girls involved in all of our festive activities, we let them participate in cookie decorating for the first time this year.  We set aside a group of cookies just for them - not for public consumption - and let them go crazy with the frosting and sprinkles.

About an hour before we were ready to decorate, I found Jocelyn on the floor, joyfully dumping out the entire container of sprinkles that we bought earlier in the day. In hindsight, I should have seen this coming. She played happily in this mess until her hands and feet turned completely green and red.

Jocie sampling the frosting. We think she ate nearly 1/2 cup of straight frosting, which is surprising given her dislike of all food.

Not to be left out of the sugar high, Kate joins in on the frosting feast.

Kate frosting her first cookie.

Jocie mostly tapped the cookie with her knife but she gave it a shot, too.

Sprinkles!

Jocie was a little more delicate with her sprinkling.

Twin sprinkling!




A little video of the decorating process.

Feeding daddy some sprinkles.

Very pleased with herself, post sprinkle feeding.

Kate found delight in all of the different kinds of sprinkles.  She gave up cookie decorating quickly for wax paper and table decorating.

Aftermath!

ZooLights!

Yes, we do go to the zoo a LOT.  There is no other place in Portland that captures the girls' attention like the zoo.  ZooLights is a favorite family tradition and another great reason to go to the zoo. This year we took Max directly to the Washington Park station instead of searching for parking, which turned out to be perfect. Kate and Jocie loved their first trip on mass transit so much that we plan to use Max more often, just for fun.

The girls loved their Max ride to the zoo - and it was so much easier than trying to find parking!

My Uncle Mike, Aunt Patty and my parents joined us for the Zoolights festivities.

Kurt, Kate, Me and Jocie by the decorated Zoo train. We try to take this picture every year.

As usual, the crocodile is a favorite sight.

Group photo.

Kurt and his girls.

Jocie taking a break.

Yet another group shot.

Kate caught a ride with my dad as we departed the zoo.

Festival of Lights at the Grotto

Portland offers such a wide array of holiday activities. The Festival of Lights at the Grotto is something we haven't attended for a few years but really missed. It is a wonderland of lights and choral music with a rich, religious theme.

The gorgeous view as you walk in to the Grotto.

The fam in front of the iconic red and green tree.

Twins at the Nativity.

Family photo - Jocie attempted to look directly at the camera but couldn't take the pressure.

Kate striking a pose. Love those red lips!

Jocie was a big fan of the petting zoo. The animals were out and walking amongst the guests and she got to get up close and personal with sheep, goats and a rabbit.

Kate preferred to look at the camera instead of the animals. No complaints here....

Jocie loves her daddy.

Grampa and Kate walking down the lighted trail.

Me and my girls.

Another family picture, this time surrounded by angels and light.

Christmas Trail

The Fantasy Trail that we love so much at Halloween is also decorated for Christmas!  This is the first year that we have managed to view the Christmas Trail and it was fabulous.  They do a nice Christmas display and it is really fun to be there at night.  The girls are quite comfortable with the trail since they have been on it so many times and they really enjoyed the lights and the festive holiday displays.  It was below freezing on the night we ventured out but the moon was full and bright. We bundled up and walked the trail twice!

Christmas Trail

Kate, Kurt and Jocie on their way down the trail.

Jocie loved this particular little house and the decorations inside. You can barely see her kneeling down by the window.

Neither girl was afraid of this animated Santa.

Kurt and Kate. Jocie liked the decor better than the photo op.

Me and my girls with the Nativity.

There was a bubble machine AND a snow machine in this tree. The girls loved watching it snow and playing in the bubbles.

Christmas in Dairyville

Kurt and I used to go to Alpenrose Dairy every year for Christmas in Dairyville.  It was right down the street from our apartment and we thought it was so fun and festive that we made it a tradition. There is a cute little vintage town to wander through, refreshments, toy train exhibits, choirs and other musical entertainment and (gasp!) pictures with Santa. Unfortunately, the year the girls were born, they closed down Dairyville.  To our delight, it was finally open again this year.  Kurt's friend from high school commands the 204th Army Band and they were playing at the Alpenrose Opera House on Saturday so we packed up the girls and attempted to attend our first concert and one of our favorite places!

Kurt and the girls in Dairyville

Jocie, Me and Kate outside the concert hall. The girls really enjoyed the music and were able to sit for 10-15 minutes at a time to listen to the band.  While they did some inappropriate talking and squealing, they did VERY well. Kate enjoyed naming all of the instruments she could see. Jocelyn liked the applause and listened intently to the music.

204th Army Band

Kurt and the girls in Storybook Lane.

Jocie loved the little replicas of the Alpenrose General Store and City Hall.

Running through Dairyville - Jocie had a major head start!

Kate, Kurt and Jocie in the gazebo.

Another attempt at a gazebo shot which didn't go as well!