Christmas Break

For Christmas this year we opted to stay in Mississippi and get more projects done. We didn't want to be completely alone, though. So we invited some ward members over for Christmas Eve dinner/nativity.

our good friends, the Sandbakkens are moving away...we will miss them SO much!

Kate was our Angel...

We introduced Claire to the movie White Christmas...mostly just showing her the dancing and singing. :)

Kate's been so funny lately. When she wants one more of something she lifts her little finger up to her face and says, "1 more please?"

I did not do well at taking pics Christmas morning. I took a few videos but not enough pics.
Claire got a BIG BIG girl bed. (twin size) which is huge compared to her toddler bed.

We spent some time putting it together. The girls were a great help and loved using tools with dad!

Nana & Papa got Claire a new bedspread and she was THRILLED!

My sister got Shaun a new apron, "Shaun the Chef"

We LOVE getting produce from dad's work! Look how ginormous this strawberry is! Plus, Kate has been devouring strawberries lately! 

I just love this little 50s dress! So cute. I also took this picture to remind me of how hot it was over Christmas break! I was literally turning on the AC because our house was so hot! I think it got up in the 80s, which is rare for here.

Claire was feeling sad that she didn't get to be mary so for FHE we did our own nativity. I remember feeling that same way...I think Mary is the coveted one for she gets to hold the baby. (or Minnie Mouse, in Claire's situation.)

Thankfully Shaun was feeling much better from surgery and was able to work on the Kitchen during the break. He gets days off of work without taking vacation! Woohoo!
Kate is such a daredevil! She loves to climb to the top of the ladder or climb the nearest counter or table.

do you like my hat, Mama?

We were without a "functioning kitchen" most of the break. We were priming, sanding, painting, etc. Bye Bye green and yellow wall!

I took the girls out a couple of mornings to just get out of the construction zone. They were so helpful! haha
But I came home to find this painting note. oh, so sweet!

What do you think of the new colors?! We are loving them!

Here is big girl Kate eating at the bar. We have been sanding and staining the table...things are coming along! Grateful we had some good blocks of time to work on the house!
Shaun and I did take some time to watch a movie now and again just to make it feel like we were actually getting a break. :)

More Christmas fun!

Merry LATE Christmas from the Broderick's!

We got invited to our old Branch's Christmas party to play some music for them. They had a great Santa for the kids to meet.

Kate was not a fan...

Claire was a little freaked out too..

It was a PPJ party so everyone, including adults were supposed to come in PJs. I settled on pj pants and a shirt.

My Christmas Piano Recital

I made each of my students a Christmas ornament as a gift. This was their first recital. So I took their music and cut it up and put it in the ornament so they can remember their first recital.
One student said- That his was the best ornament on his entire Christmas tree. i think he liked it. :)

I was missing one student- who got the time wrong- but they all did great! Can you believe for only having 4 students here (and two are sisters) that I had over 25 people for my recital?! Good thing I made lots of food.

Kate turns 2!

Kate Kate Kate!

Our little kate is now 2! I cannot even believe it! She has developed a full blown personality that is so fun! She always wants to be part of the party, she often will throw her arms around me and say, "I love you," and she love to stretch herself by trying everything Claire does.

Sadly, Kate had been sick most of the month of December. Her Birthday was no exception. Runny nose, cold, just not her self.

We made some GF delicious cupcakes and enjoyed having our wonderful neighbors over for dinner and cupcakes.

Richard and Catherine

Kate has adopted Claire's fetish for Mickey Mouse...the coloring book was a hit!

It's so fun to look back at our sweet and mischievous girl! She even wore that same dress for Christmas this year that Claire is wearing at the hospital holding her.  

She loves to be miss independent. Most the time she will not ride in the shopping cart at the store anymore. I made her hold on to the cart or she has to ride in it. Shopping take SOOOO much longer when you are at a toddlers pace, but I still love her!

We love leaves!

Claire has been into dressing up lately. She talks Kate into joining her.

Important to brush babies teeth too.

We were making GF sugar cookies for Claire...I turn my back and kate had grabbed several cookies that were already ready to bake and was putting them in a nice ball. Such a helper...:)

Claire was giving Kate a lesson on how to say the mickey mouse character names. "Kate, can you say, Professor," ...good job

One of Kate's favorite past times is watching shows. I try to limit it to 1 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon.... during December Sick kate wanted "more shows."

Stickers, coloring, painting have been a new favorite. I'm learning pretty quickly that Kate is not to be left alone with such things. Magic eraser is my new best friend.

Fun things about Kate's birthday & Everyday:
When She got up in the morning I asked her how old she was now- 4 (her favorite number)
I asked her if she had a great birthday and she said- YES!
She got to have a bath in Mom's jetted tub!
She got to watch her favorite show: Mickey Mouse
It was a rainy day so no outside fun for us
Her favorite things right now are: seeing Christmas lights, the Christmas Tree, going to Catherine's house and looking at her outside Christmas lights every night, walking the neighborhood at dark looking at lights. (yes, warm enough in MS for that)
Kate gets SO SO SO excited about things!
After she opened her birthday gifts she thought it was time to open all the gifts under the Christmas tree... :<
She is a great eater and loves to have fried eggs for breakfast everyday
When she's not sick, she is an awesome sleeper...12 hours at night and a solid 2 hour mid-day nap.
She is not afraid to climb, jump, and run down hills.
She calls all of the Christmas decorations "disco balls" because that is what Claire called them when we decorated.
She loves to be chased around in her diaper before getting her clothes changed
She loves books
She can count by herself from 1-12
She LOVES treats!

Kate is so full of life and we are really enjoying her new stage of growing up.