Merry Christmas!

What a fun Christmas season we had!  We managed to squeeze a lot of things into a few days!

Our happy family

On the girls' last day of school, Jamie helped out with Maggie's class party, and we both got to see Evie's preschool concert.  Cute stuff!

Maggie's kindergarten class

Loved seeing our shy girl participating!

We went to Frankenmuth right before Christmas as always.  We decided to do dinner at Bavarian Inn on the 23rd instead of lunch on Christmas Eve... and learned that it takes about twice as long!  I think we'll go back to our usual schedule next year.  I was pretty proud of the kiddos though, they made it through a vvvvery long dinner without much whining.  It was great to have the entire Donoghue clan together.

The Donoghues

Proud grandparents

Going for a stroll across the bridge

My love

Our little family and Odglens stayed at Bavarian Inn for the night (also known as "the castle" to our kids), and had a really fun time swimming in the pool!  I was so proud of Evie - as soon as her water wings were on, she just swam all around the big kid pool without any help!  Did not expect that.  Afterward we hit the arcade and then a little dancing in the lounge... I think we were all pooped by the end of the night!

Relaxing by the hot tub

Evie was not into this - just let me go!

On Christmas Eve we went to Bronner's with my side of the family, and the girls got to sit with Santa.  Maggie asked for a fidget spinner and a special surprise (?), Evie shyly asked for a unicorn pillow and a toy house.

The big man

Very fidgety while asking for her toys

Trying to charm Santa

Maggie loved "taking care" of Sarah

The best we could do with five young kids

We drove home and then got ready for the children's mass at church.  The girls were very well behaved, and the homily was mercifully short.

Wearing their "fancy coats"

Really wanted a picture by the unicorn

Christmas morning was just wonderful!  So wonderful that we both failed to take photos of anything except the girls at the top of the stairs...

Can we go down now???

Jamie and I continued our tradition of homemade ornaments from one of our favorite shows of the year:

Holly's masterpiece - from Better Call Saul

Jamie's infinitely better and highly detailed masterpiece -
the mail cart from The Americans

We went to Grandma and Grandpa's around lunch time and had fun celebrating with everyone.

Baby V was a big fan of wrapping paper... specifically the taste

The cousins opening their big gift - ipads!

Later in the day we went to my cousin's house to visit with the Rabine family.  All the cousins had a great time hanging together... Evie had reached her limit by the end of the night though and went into full meltdown mode.

Playing Pass the Parcel

We had the day after Christmas to recuperate, and boy did we need it! 

The next day we went to my parents' house for our Christmas gathering.  Proud to say that my name is finally on the back of the Foosball trophy thanks to my partner Bobby!  Big day for us!

Peg-Leg Champions!

Eyeing the desserts

Singing happy birthday to Jesus and everyone else!

More singing

Luke preparing for his Calvin Klein add one day

Evie was super geeked about her unicorn PJs!

Yup, I'm related to these cool kids

The stand-up recliner chairs were a big hit as always

The pink pants club

All in all, a pretty successful Christmas week!

‘Tis the season

Maggie performed in her first Christmas concert this year with her kindergarten class.  She was very nervous because she was on the top row of the bleachers, but she did great!  She was proud to have all her grandparents there to watch.  I played the piano for all the grades, so I had an adorable front-row seat to watch her shine.  She said it made her feel better to have me close, and kept catching my eye while singing - these are the moments.

In her fancy Christmas dress

When you try to take Evie out after a full day of school... poor
Jamie had his hands full during the show

Grandma and Grandpa took the girls to the tree lighting in St. Clair Shores recently, and the girls had so much fun!  They even got to see Santa!

A fun night on the town

Note how Evie appears happy!  First year of not sobbing!

Life is super busy since it's December, but also very joy-filled.  I love this time of year! 

The pregnancy is getting to be very uncomfortable... I'm at 33 weeks but I feel like this baby wants to come out any day now (or perhaps I just want to be not pregnant anymore).  Jamie is being an awesome husband, I just have to stop being stubborn and start asking for more help!

Evie loves escalators!  I love not taking the stairs!

Some other photos:

With her school buddies

Making a decoration out of straws with Grandma, it
now is proudly displayed on our tree

Posing in the lego store

A stake-out?

Best friends 4 life!

Maggie is 6!

Maggie turned 6 years old this week!  Maggie is a genuinely sweet kid, who is pretty much always positive and smiley.  She’s really good at compromising with her little sister, and never has trouble asking us for more of something (which is exasperating at times!).  She loves to sing, but is very shy to do it in front of others, loves to dance, build legos, anything to do with horses, and loves dessert!  Maggie really enjoys tying ropes to “climb mountains” or “rescue animals,” and her imagination makes us smile everyday.

Six and proud

Happy-go-lucky

We had a birthday party at Stage Nature Center over the weekend.  Note – hosting 25 little kids while 30 weeks pregnant was perhaps an error in judgement.  So thankful to have all the grandparents there helping out!  Maggie had a ball, and I think the other kids did too.  We had pizza and games, and then Dan the Creature Man showed a bunch of exotic pets to the kids.  I really enjoyed it!  I told Maggie that if we had a big party with friends, then we were going to do a book exchange instead of everyone buying her a gift.  She was surprisingly totally fine with this idea, everyone got a new book, and I don’t have to find room for 25 additional presents at home!  Success!

The wild ones

Making a wish

Alligator!

Maggie said the two birds were her favorite

Hedgehog was definitely the cutest!

And winning the award for least-cute...
Maggie was not a fan

Cousins always know how to have fun

Pretty impressed that Maggie would even get near the snake!

Maggie got to dress-down at school for her birthday, selecting her new dinosaur dress from Grammer.  She had a great day at school and enjoyed her birthday crown (she specifically requested that I leave her hair down for the day so the crown would fit perfectly).  After school I made Maggie's favorite dinner of meatloaf (which she calls “meat-love”), and then Grandma, Grandpa and Uncle Jason stopped by with some presents and delicious ice cream cake!

Partners in crime

She's a jolly good fellow!

Going back time a bit (life has been a blur and I’m behind):  We had a really lovely thanksgiving at Amy and Rex’s house.  The girls are still scared of Finn, their goldendoodle, but warmed up a little bit throughout the evening.

Family photo... not too shabby with an iphone on a timer!

Evie really loves holding V

We went back a few days later for Violet’s dedication service at the Odglen’s church.  She was a little angel!

Happy family

Less happy with her aunt and uncle

Helping to babysit

Cousin sandwich

Snuggles with Grandma and Grandpa

The girls really wish we had a sweet tree swing like this

Some others:

Screams heard round the world when I brushed
her hair after this

Poetry in the tub?

Bringing out the Christmas decorations

My family convinced me to get a Christmas Unicorn
It is absurd and large.  But they love it, so I'm good.

Insisted on wearing her bathing suit all day despite
our 65-deg house....

Decorating cookie's for Foley's cookie walk

Pastry perfection

Taste tester