Holiday Recap

I know, I know.  This post is very late.  I have been slacking on blogging lately.  I'll work on it. 
Get ready for a lot of pictures! 

THANKSGIVING 2011

*On the way to the airport, Aslynn had to go to the bathroom.  This is where we pulled over so she could pee.  I thought we were so funny/punny!*

We spent Thanksgiving in Oregon with my family. 

We went to the cabin for the first couple of days. Aslynn and Luke were so excited to get out and play in the snow.  We decked both of them out in a in winter gear and let 'em loose!

 *Duces!*

*Teaching Aslynn to make snow angels.*

*The girls enjoyed snuggling with Papa and Jake.*

*The day after Thanksgiving Aslynn went with Grandma and picked out a real, live Christmas tree. Z was excited to decorate it!*

CHRISTMAS 2011

Christmas is a time full of Mecham Family traditions!  

A couple of weeks before Christmas we decorate graham cracker houses.  This is one of my favorite traditions because I love being able to pick the candy off and eat it whenever I go to my in-laws house. The secret to decorating a graham cracker house is to put a lot of your favorite candy on it; don't waste precious square inches of your house by filling it with candy that you could live without.

 *Eleanor was a little irked that she couldn't eat anything.*

 *My houseboat.  The blue frosting is water...obviously.  Don't ask me what the red swirls are because I don't know; I just wanted to be able to eat them later.*

 *Aunt Chelle helped Z decorate a house.*

*Luke just ended up pouring as much candy as he can onto the plate as he can.  When it comes to candy, the man is all about quantity, not quality. *

*Christmas village with all the houses.*

Every year we decorate t-shirts to wear Christmas eve and morning.  Using puff paints, we illustrate and/or write what has happened that year. 

Potato dumplings are the most important Christmas tradition the Mecham/Andreasen family has.  This year, with Grandma Andreasen's help, I was able to re-learn how to make them.

On Christmas morning we opened stockings and a couple of presents at our house before we headed over to Luke's parents' house. 

*Our Christmas tree. The top third of the tree is mine - I picked out the blue ribbon because it was Luke and I's wedding color.  The middle third was supposed to be decorated with Luke's childhood ornaments, but he decided that he liked the tree without them.  The bottom third was Aslynn's - she picked out little pink ornament-balls to decorate her part of the tree.  When we were shopping for tree decorations, Z and I couldn't agree on a star so we went home and made one out of yellow construction paper, tin foil and a toilet paper roll.  It was the prettiest star ever!*

 *Coming out into the living room.*

 *"Eleanor!  Look at our new toothbrushes!"*

At the Grandparents' house.

Before Church.

 *Eleanor was fascinated with Paka's little robot larva.  It would most around and she would try and catch it.*

 *Love!*

*Luke's reaction when he unwrapped his tool chest.*

After Church.

 *Sweet potato face.*

The day after Christmas the entire Mecham family packed up and went to Oregon to visit family.

 *On the way to the airport we drive by the "salt flats."  The water pools are so blue!*

 *Opening presents at Grandma and Papa's house.*

We were able to visit with one of my best friends when we were in Oregon. Her twin girls are about two weeks older than Eleanor.  These ladies are going to be best friends forever!