Christmas Day

Here are some more of the highlights of our Christmas holiday....

Teamwork

Sophie very carefully opening her stool from Grammy and Gumpa - she demonstrated an amazing amount of restraint for a one year old!

"See! It's Nana and PopPop Meister...I told you PopPop would send me his picture - I'm keeping this forever!"

Sophie's boots from Aunt Racquel and Uncle Ryan - a perfect fit

There must be more in this stocking!

The girls and their kitchen

After the storm (Sophie is digging for more presents!)

A star is born...Emma and her rock star microphone from Grammy and Gumpa...

After a day of present opening and playing, we three girls snuggled on the sofa to watch Emma's Polar Express video (thank you, Ricky!)...Sophie only lasted about 5 minutes before she started playing again, but it was great to get even a little family snuggle in.

We are truly blessed, in so many ways. There is so much love all around us.

We love you daddy! Merry Christmas....

Christmas...

This holiday season has been bittersweet...a special, wonderful, magical time with the girls, though we missed daddy terribly, as well as grammy and gumpa, Aunt Renee and Uncle Craig, our cousins and Gigi.

Here are some of our highlights...

Twas the night before the night before Christmas. Mommy let us dive into our presents from Aunt Pat and Uncle Ed (Sophie is on the phone with Aunt Pat!)...

Emma hard at work opening presents.


Christmas eve morning - the princess atop her perch of presents.

Christmas eve at St. Anthony's Church

Cuddling up to our deer...

Setting out cookies for Santa...one for Santa, one for Sophie

The calm before the storm...mommy was up at the break of dawn waiting for the girls...noone stirred til 7:30 am - a Christmas morning record.

Sophie getting her energy to open presents - nothing like a few froot loops to start the morning.

Emma and her kitchen from Santa

Emma helping Sophie with her trike from Santa

More to come...we love you daddy....

A Super Sunday

Today was another fun day...we got an early start this morning with a visit to SeaWorld for a breakfast with Santa. It was a really cold day (relatively speaking, of course!) After breakfast we hunkered down at home for a relaxing afternoon. Before long, our special friends, Nesta and MacKay came by for a sleepover. We sure are going to miss them when they leave for Georgia tomorrow...

We love you daddy...

Snuggling with Santa

Sophie and Shamu

Mommy and her girls

Too cool in those 4-D shades - getting ready for a viewing of the Polar Express

A little painting, a little cookie baking, a little playtime make a great time with our friends!

The Christmas Spirit

Never have I felt the Christmas spirit as I do this year. Odd, I know, especially since I won't be able to be with Mark, my mom, sister, nieces and nephew or my friends. This is, without a doubt, because of our wonderful girls. While I am going to (and already do) miss everyone terribly, I have been savoring every moment with Emma and Sophia. Each day I think I could not love them more and yet, each day I do love them more. Whether it is Sophie's hugs, Emma's kisses or the pure bliss on their faces when they talk about Santa, they bring me such joy.

Tonight, after a busy day of ballet, cookie baking and walks, as Emma and I lay watching Frosty the Snowman, she snuggled closer to me, turned and looked right into my eyes and said, "I love you mommy". It doesn't get too much better than that...tomorrow we're off to breakfast with Santa at Sea World. I can't wait!

Here are some of our highlights from this past week....
Santa's biggest fan


Sophie and her babies

A visit to daddy's office
We brought some goodies for daddy's friends at work and left our santa's hat for daddy there for his return (at Emma's request). The girls loved their webkinz...

Me and Miss April

The holiday book exchange at school (Friday)

Emma's holiday ballet demonstration

Emma's teacher, Miss Jennifer, told me how well Emma has been doing - that she has great rhythm (thank you daddy) and is very focused - picks things up quickly (thank you grammy). I was so proud.

Cookie baking

Note the determined look on Soph's face before she was foiled by Emma. It was a lot of fun and reminded me of the days with Grammy and Aunt NeNe

Emma's love note

When I was cleaning up this evening, I found one of Emma's notes stuck to a picture of the two of us from our big girl day at the Nutcracker.

Our elf, Julie

Our Elf on the Shelf, Julie (Emma named him and insists on continuing to call him Julie even if he is a boy), poised to watch the girls for another day so he can report back to Santa.

Christmas Spirit

Our little menagerie. I've learned that lawn ornaments are a must-have / must-do...I can't imagine what it will look like next year when Mark is back (anyone seen Christmas Vacation with Chevy Chase?)....

WE LOVE YOU DADDY!

A Busy Sunday

What a great day! Started off with a good breakfast with our friends, Nessa and MacKay after a fun sleepover.



After breakfast, the Stromberg girls headed to Austin to see Emma's friend, Robert, and his mom and dad. We went to this cute restaurant called Shady Grove for a late lunch, then off to Zilker Park - a beautiful park on the river. They had a little train that took us around the park - the kids loved it. What a perfect day, it was sunny and warm - I can't believe it's December! We ended the day with some yummy ice cream - Soph couldn't get enough of it!

We are so blessed to have such an amazing family and so many special friends. Life, and those we share it with are so precious...definitely not something to take for granted.

We love (and really miss) you daddy....

In the garden at the Shady Grove restaurant


A very focused Emma and Robert

Soph and Miss Bethany

On the train...LOVE Soph's "Keep Austin Weird" T-shirt (a cool gift from our friends)


mmmm....ice cream

It's Saturday - ballet day! Emma dressed herself - she wanted to look like the ballerinas from the Nutcracker (hence the sweater and leg warmers)...


After ballet, we headed to the North Star Mall with Miss Wendy, Nessa and MacKaye to see Santa. Sophie was SO excited to see Santa - couldn't contain herself. Emma told him exactly what she wanted (a play kitchen and a rock star microphone)...Soph just bonded with him - she'd have sat on his lap all day if she could've - and I think he would've let her. Santa promised Emma that he'd bring daddy an extra special Christmas present.
Emma telling Santa ALL about it... Sophie bonding with Santa

Emma and Nessa

Our Mac girl...


When we got home, the girls decided to create a "beach" on the front lawn (definitely an advantage of being in San Antonio - no warm beaches in the Northeast in December!) We also got our deer up (as well as our little lighted trees).



After some pizza, some books and some cuddles, the little ones went to bed without any resistance and the party began for the big girls...milk shakes, movies (the Christmas classics - Frosty the Snowman, Rudolf and Santa Claus is Coming to Town)...

Mmmmm.....good....

Friday, December 11

Today was Green Day at school...Sophie showed her Philadelphia spirit wearing her Eagles cheerleading outfit. The best was hearing her say "Go Eagles" in her sweet little lilt. I picked the girls up from school early so we could go to the doctors (Flu shots!) and got Emma a little trim for the holidays. When we got home, a package was waiting for Emma from the North Pole (courtesy of Grammy and Gumpa!) - it was the Elf on the Shelf. Emma is so excited about the Elf. Can't wait to see where he pops up this week!

Emma in front of the tree with her Elf on the Shelf...

WE LOVE YOU DADDY!