Christmas Break

We have had such a fun time. The best part has been having Ben around! It has been a fun filled few weeks. We started the break getting things done around the house. Ben put in hardware on our kitchen cabinets which look really good. We then went to Ben's parents house to celebrate Christmas with them. Gracie loved the opening door house they got her as well as the rocking horse! She has lots of new things now to play with. We then flew to my Mom's house and spent a week and a half here. It was great having everyone back together. We played games, visited Grandma at work, sang Christmas songs at Margaret's nursing home, Christmas Eve at the Merkley's, went to Rosco's Chicken and Waffles, went to the movies, boys played racket ball and girls got pedicures, fed the ducks, played at the mall, and lots more. Poor Gracie got a high fever (105 degrees) on Christmas which was no fun. Poor baby spent her first Christmas sick, but she was a great sport through it all. We went back to Ben's parents and spent New Year's Eve with them. Gracie cried on the plane for the first 30 minutes (Grandma says it's because she was missing her) then slept after that. We had a great Christmas.

Gracie playing with her new Door House with Pop

Eating dinner together on Nora's dinner night (yummy)

Gracie loves her Grandma (and the rocking chair)

She also really liked her new maracas

Playing "beauty parlor" with Alli. Notice her straight hair.

Feeding the duck and geese. Some of us got a little nervous.

Walk to the park in the wagon.

These two are going to get into a lot of mischief together one day.

Decorating the tree

Riding the Carousel at the mall. This was Grace's favorite thing!

She really liked her first taste of a candy cane.

New Christmas outfit.

Christmas

The Graham Fam

At the rain forest with Nana and Pop.

Santa

Today at library time Santa came. Gracie sat on his lap and loved it. We got to take a picture with him for free. She's seen Santa at the mall a lot and even sat on his lap. It was much to expensive to buy the picture and no cameras were allowed. So instead of the Mall Santa we got the Library Santa. Gracie showed him her new trick of clapping and loved pulling at his long white beard.

Clapper

We finally have ourselves a little clapper. Gracie began clapping today and hasn't let up all day. She loves to show off her new trick. I think most kids begin clapping around 6 months and I've been wondering when she would start. It might be because she was too busy twirling her hands. Now we have a hand clapper on our hands instead of a hand twirler.

Christmas Parade

Downtown Temple had it's Christmas parade this Monday. Gracie went to her first parade and loved it. Even though it was past her bed time and very cold out, she loved all of the commotion. She especially loved all of the lights and music. She was kicking her little feet the whole time. We got her a light up spinning ball that she is fascinated with. We will have to make this a yearly tradition while we live here.

We made an Elf of Ourselves!

click the link if you want to see...
http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1155995903