Live Nativity

 Every year we go to the "Follow the Star" live nativity and creche festival hosted by the Santa Margarita Stake.  It's become a tradition to get a picture in front of this tree and will have to suffice as evidence that we went since the outdoor pictures of the program never end up turning out.  It was amazing, yet again and we had a wonderful time, complete with Libby "baaa-ing" as the sheep came out, also turning into a tradition. ;)

Lexi looking so cute all bundled up!

Trimming the Tree

 Let the decorating begin!  

We got our tree through the Boys' Soccer team at my school this year, and though not the best tree we've ever had, it'll suffice.  After I got all the lights up while Libby was napping, it was time to break out the ornaments and enlist all of my helpers.

 Great face, Libby!  As you may be able to guess from this picture, by the time all was said and done, that spot just to her right was VERY well decorated!  She was a great helper!

 Brad helping out to get some of the higher spots.

 Lexi mostly just sat there and looked adorable.  She loved all of Daddy's brass ornaments from his childhood.

 I got the honors of helping Lexi put her very first ornament on the tree.

What a big helper she is, too!  Now we just need presents to go under that big tree! :)

Laguna Niguel Christmas Parade

 our city has an annual Christmas parade that we went to last weekend.  It was the same morning as our ward's Christmas Breakfast, so my parents staked out our spot and we joined them about a third of the way through.  It was really fun and Libby is definitely a parade fan!

 Daddy and Lexi enjoying the show.

 Libby with Grammy and Pops (who also treated her to popcorn to really seal the deal on parade-loving!).

 Lexi and her tongue - a common sight nowadays.  So cute!

Libby with the final float - a balloon Santa scene.  Everything was made out of mini balloons (except Santa and his elves which were real, of course!) and it was really cool.  A great Christmas tradition for us now, 2 years in a row.  And both years we scored on great weather!

Big Bear Weekend

 Last weekend we got to go on a little weekend-getaway with our friends up to Big Bear.  We had a wonderful time (despite the fact that there was not a lick of snow in sight!) and can't wait for our next adventure together!

This is the little cabin we rented and it was darling.  The view out the front window was the ski slopes (with just 2 runs open with all man-made snow) and it came complete with a hot tub, too! ;)

 The Changs

 Ok, terrible picture, I know, but that's what happens when you have to use the timer and are trying to get 4 kids and the slopes in the picture.  You get the idea anyway!

 The littlest best buddies:  Connor and Lexi (only two and half weeks apart, though you'd never guess it based on size!) enjoyed grabbing and eating each other's blankeys, socks, etc....whatever they could get their hands on, really!

 The bigger best buddies:  Ian and Libby. Those two sure love each other and were in hog-heaven to get to spend an entire weekend together, not to mention one VERY late night of running around the entire cabin while all the adults were in the hot tub thinking the kiddos were all snug in bed!  And thus it begins...

 Well, if there's not going to be snow, there's still plenty of fun to be had.  Here are Libby and Brad on the Alpine Slide.

 I got a turn, too!  The ski-lift was almost as cool as the slide.

 I haven't done one of those since I was a kid and it was soooo fun! But, turns out Brad was the cooler parent (surprise, surprise) and was elected as the "driver" for her third and final trip down the slide.  Spoiled?!  YES!

 The whole group at the Christmas tree in the Village area of downtown.

 It sure was fun to get all bundled up and into the Christmas spirit.  Libby loved her hat, jacket, and scarf so much she never wanted to take them off - even indoors! 

Our contraband shot:  Lexi's first time in the snow.  We went to the ski resort to try to get a picture in the snow (so what if it's man-made?!) and had to sneak up to the lift line and ended up getting yelled at by numerous employees in the process.  So, not much to show for it, but this was her first experience and we had to document it.  Hopefully we'll get lots more in WA for Christmas! :)

It was a fantastic weekend and it's amazing how just a short little getaway can make such a difference!

My Big Girls Being Big

 Lexi the sitter!

Though she's been sitting for awhile now, I realized I haven't posted any pictures of it.  So, here she is showing off two of her many talents:  smiling and sitting.

 She's also remarkably bright and innovative.  She came up with this keep-the-binkie-in-place invention all on her own!  How hilarious is that?!?

 And Libby is finally learning to smile for pictures!  Halleluyah!  Sometimes they're a bit crazy, but still a vast improvement from her former mad-dogging the camera self.

 Here she is in her favorite new spot at Grammy's house - sitting in her rocking chair coloring.

(I love the little crossed legs she's got going on!)

Well, perhaps this is REALLY her favorite spot - in the computer room donning a stolen pair of glasses and drawing pictures with confiscated materials.  Too funny!

Yep, I love these girls! :)

Thanksgiving

 Thanksgiving - southern California style!  

Once the turkey was in the oven, it was time to have fun!  So, we hitched up the bike trailer and went for a ride in the beautiful 75 degree weather.  Lexi enjoyed her cozy little trailer.

 Libby had some prime real estate checking out my hind-quarters the whole ride (lucky girl!).

 Our biker gang out enjoying a ride.

 And, yes, even in November it got so hot that I rolled up my sleeves and Brad rolled up his pants - we were a sight to behold, I'm sure! ;)

 Fortunately, we all cleaned up pretty nicely for an incredible dinner at my mom's.  The biker gang was joined by Aunt Jo, Debbie, and Randy & Cheryl.  Everything was extra delicious this year - or maybe we were just extra hungry from our ride! :)

 Our little family.

 After dinner our friends Annie & Eric joined us for dessert - and for Annie, the dessert was getting some smoochin' on Lexi time - they LOVE that girl.  (and who wouldn't?!?)

Yep, from the looks of it, I think Lexi thought Thanksgiving was pretty great!  Me, too, for that matter!

Lexi's First Solid Food

 "Would you people please get this thing started already!?!"

Lexi has been showing signs that she was ready for solid food (i.e. watching the food from your fork to your mouth with longing eyes) for a while so we decided that Monday night was the night.  Apparently we took too long getting everything settled and she let us know!

 And...success!  She loved it!  Look at that face - pleased as peaches, for sure!

 She loved it so much that she downed the little amount I had started with and was quite perturbed over how long it took me to go make some more.

 She was totally dive-bombing the spoon the whole time!

Yep, looks like we've got ourselves an eater! :)  Let's hope it sticks!