it's the holiday season

And this is what we've been up to

(some of these are awful pictures, but oh well, it's a memory.)

making cookies (and messes),

 getting a Christmas tree (they wouldn't look because the men who cut it down were standing right there),

decorating,

 taking a break for hugs...
(they love to hug, and then one of them makes the other fall, and they collapse on the floor, giggling.)

Can you see how Emma hung the little red ball ornaments?  The tree is hardly magazine worthy, but we love it :)

 Maddie only wanted to open all the boxes and would say ouch when she tried to hang anything.

 I have really slacked this year on my Christmas cards, and I won't even be getting them until next week...but they kind of look like this :) Just so you know, you may be getting your card December 26.

 Emma helped make and decorate this gingerbread house.

 

And most importantly, today we saw Santa.  Emma shyly talked to Santa, and told him she wanted a REAL dog (um, what?) which Santa replied I will have to talk to your Mommy and Daddy, that's a big responsibility...and I chimed in, didn't you want a princess castle? Tell Santa that! 

Maddie did this:

 And now whenever I mention Santa, Maddie whimpers a fake cry and points to her belly (which I guess is where Santa touched her?)  But I did ask her if Santa is nice, and she nods yes (phew!)