Christmas Program and Parties

Last Thursday at school, we had a VERY big day. Jillian participated in her very first Christmas Program at Butterfly School. She has been singing the songs around the house, so we were very excited to see her in action. Of course, being a teacher in the school does have its perks....I already had seen the kids performing and watch my girl do her thing all week long! AND...since my sister/Aunt Summer is the Chapel teacher at the school...well Jillian just happened to be front and center during her performance! :) The kids did great and it always puts a big lump in my throat to watch my nieces and now my own girls perform. I am just always so proud at how they are just their own little people now!

After the program, it was party time. Jules didn't get to participate in the program since she is just a wee little one, but she did get to party...and my girl Jules sure knows how to party!

Here are pictures of our fun party day at Butterfly School!

A Star is Born!!! Ha Ha...Jillian right before showtime!

Where's Waldo...can you spot my girl?



Look at her go...she was really into Jingle Bells!

little kids singing together is just priceless

sweet

Playing the bells now...you should see 44 3-year-olds trying to NOT play the bells while they are being passed out...it is IMPOSSIBLE

Jules' party time. Don't be fooled by that face...she had just devoured an entire cupcake in one bite. She is the youngest baby in the class...and both her teachers were impressed by her timing because she was faster than EVERYONE else...by a lot!

See those eyes...it is like nothing behind them at this point. I definitely couldn't let her drive home that day...she was totally intoxicated on icing.

Jules and Ms. Carrie

Jules and Ms. Larissa



Jillian and Ms. Cheryl

Jillian loves her sweets too...she just eats in a little more socially-accepted way.

Jillian and her good friend Ella

all the kids opening up their goody-bags

Happy girl! Nothing pleases Jillian more than a bag full of "stuff" to carry around the house all day!

Christmas This and That

We have been very busy getting ready for Christmas this past week...and we have been doing all of the fun little traditions that every good American family should be doing. We started out Saturday by making a gingerbread house...and then went to see Santa Clause!!!! It was about as much Christmas goodness that my girls could take in one day! :) They actually BOTH did amazing with Santa...which completely shocked me. Jillian went first, and wouldn't touch or really go near the Jolly Ole Man, but she did stand close enough to tell him her list of wants this Christmas. Jules went next and just allowed us to sit her in his lap for a quick picture...but the girl didn't even shed one tear! Awwww...my girls are growing up right before my very eyes. Now, all we talk about around here is Santa...so I hope he doesn't disappoint! Here are some pictures of all our fun...

Me and the girls working hard on our house

Jules really just eating candy and not helping at all...but still looking oh so cute in her first set of piggy tails!

Jules thought this was her dinner...not decorations for our house.

My big girl working really hard to make her house look pretty.

That is one cute and chubby 20 month old hand!

A face only a mother could love...

FYI...Seth was in charge of pictures which is why this is the best one of Jillian! This is why I am usually behind the camera! (Kidding Seth...sort of)

The girls all bundled up waiting to see SANTA!!!!!

Jillian telling Santa everything she wants...this took a while.

She would NOT get any closer than this. Santa, being such a good sport, leaned in on the count of 3 so that they could be seen in the same picture!

Jules FIRST time to see Santa...and what a brave girl she was. Both girls were sick the entire month of December last year, and we never got out to see Santa.

The Patterson Girls and Santa Clause!!!

My Little Fashionista

To say that Jillian is into dress up, would be a HUGE understatement. The girl is always trying on new things, putting things together, noticing everyone else's clothes and shoes, and of course there are always accessories! She has HUGE opinions about EVERY. SINGLE. PIECE. of clothing that I choose for her to wear each day...and we end up fighting it through most morning when I am trying to get her dressed. We have made a rule that momma gets to pick out the clothes for going out, and she can dress herself in whatever she wants at home. And now, let me share with you just a few of her at-home outfits that she has chosen!

Please enjoy...

random long-sleeve t-shirt, bathing suit bottoms, and pink dress-up high heels

Christmas bow, blue headband, pink dress (size 2T from last winter), pastel-printed socks, pewter shoes

black headband, red High School Musical Dress (from the Dale's collection), pink butterfly wings, and white Easter shoes (also a-la-Dale)

pink princess nightgown, grandma-looking white sweater, house shoes

pink headband, Hello Kitty t-shirt, red and black plaid skirt, pink knee-socks, and pewter shoes

random hat, Sleeping Beauty dress-up dress, pink winter scarf, and pink flip-flops from last summer

teal bikini, white socks with red fringe pulled up like knee socks, and red sparkly shoes

pink bow headband, red bow headband, pink cheerleader dress-up, random printed scarf, and my tall black boots

pink bow, princess nightgown, and tap shoes

pink pigtail bows, pink cheerleader dress-up underneath Aerial dress-up dress, and red sparkly shoes

And those are just a few of the wonderful outfits that I see around here everyday. Who knows...maybe Jillian has a future on Project Runway or something!!!!!

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree.....

When each GRANDgirl is a baby, Mimi buys them a pink Christmas tree and starts a tradition with them to decorate that tree every year. I hear she even has a white tree in stock just in case the Allison side of the family EVER gets a boy! Well, a couple weeks ago, Mimi came over and worked with each girl to perfect their pink tree in their rooms Here are the girls working hard to make their tree just right!

Jules was really enjoying this tree-decorating thing

She likes it!!!

After about 4 minutes, her attention span had ended and she was ready

to move on to the next thing!!!

Mimi and Jules

Jules' tree

Jilly's an old pro at this tree decorating thing now!

Yep...Jillian must be in full-on Princess dress-up while decorating her tree!

the tree topper

Mimi and Jillian after all of their hard work


Jillian's Tree

Want To See a MAJOR Fit???

It is pretty sad when one of your girls is on the tail-end of the terrible twos...and your other girl is really starting her run into the terrible twos!!!! Aren't I one lucky momma?????

Witness for yourself my "sweet" little "baby" Jules doing her newest thing!!!!!

What??? I think someone is getting mad...

Drop to the floor...

scream and roll around...

and really make your anger known to the whole house!!!

This is Jules doing her new thing...the terrible-twos fit!!! LOVE IT!