Some Favorite December Moments!

Oh, how I LOVE December! Beautiful, Christmasey month full of sparkling lights, yummy treats, warm crackling fires, and the love of friends and family! Oh my gosh, I wish I could bottle up all the deliciousness of December and sprinkle it all throughout the year. Here are just a few of the highlights from our December:
(Note: not including Christmas. More posts about that later!)

*It's beyond awesome to hear Kirsten talk about Mary and Joseph and Baby Jesus. She loves to talk about them and gets really excited. She'll also drape a towel over her head and say she looks "just like Mary." Too precious for words!

*Going out on the town with the Van Dykes to see the holiday carousel and the amazing gingerbread houses at the Sheraton in downtown Seattle.

One of my favorite Christmas movies. . . the Muppet Christmas Carol. . . all made out of gingerbread! It was pretty spectacular!

*Taking Natalie on her first carousel ride! She didn't care too much about it. . . but I sure did have fun!

*Discovering the most scrumptious chocolate shake EVER at the Dilletante chocolate shop while we were in Seattle! I think I have a new addiction. . .

*Our beautiful weekend getaway in Whistler. Blog post about it and pictures coming soon!

*Getting to actually WEAR all my cute coats, hats, scarves, and sweaters during the COLD Seattle weather we were having. I think winter clothes are the cutest!

*The infectious excitement of Kirsten every time she sees Christmas lights. She yells out, "Bulbs!" every time!

*Natalie's new trick: She shakes her head back and forth, and she'll imitate us when we do it, too. Adorable!

*Natalie's other new trick: CRAWLING! Hooray! She started actually crawling across the floor on December 22'nd, at my aunt and uncle's house. So we had a crawler for Christmas!!!

*Playing with our fun friends. This makes me happy ALL year long, not just December. :)

*Stephen's job at Microsoft. Of course, this is a blessing ALL year long as well, but I just thought I'd mention how grateful I am for it. Love the awesome benefits, love the Prime card that gets us so many great discounts on stuff, love how much Stephen likes his job and how great he is at it. Only good things have come to us since he started working there!

*Natalie's hair! It's getting so much longer and thicker, and now it sticks up all over her head and it's as soft as a little chick. Her whole head is like a puffball!

*This was actually at the end of November. . . but I loved going to the So You Think You Can Dance tour with my friend Stacy. It was the first time I got tickets, and it was so much fun I want to go to more!

*I went and saw What About the Morgans? today with Stephen, and it was great and SO funny! I always love Hugh Grant, love Sarah Jessica Parker, and they were an awesome combo together. Go see it!

*Kirsten's funny sentences! One of the best ones from her bath a few days ago: "It's warm on my tushy!"

*Spending time with some of my FAVORITE people in the world! I love our new friends we've made in Seattle, all of my extended family who we get to see when we're down in San Diego, and all of my oldest friends that I grew up with. LOVE that I still get together with my old friends and stay up half the night talking and playing games. It means a lot to me!