December in Iowa

We spent half the month of December in Iowa and half in Utah.  Since it is too hard to pack all our Christmas presents up for the kids we decided to do our own little "Iowa Christmas" and then do a Utah one.  We celebrated Christmas about 2 1/2 weeks early.  It felt a little weird but the kids didn't know the difference.  These are pictures of our December in Iowa.

Decorating the Christmas tree.

Our faux Christmas Eve.  The kids are opening the pajamas I made them.

Christmas Jammies!

Christmas morning (kind of).  It's a tad blurry but you get the idea.

Valentina opening up her stocking treasures.

Qui Que opening up his remote control car.

Making pancakes with Mommy.

Christmas morning.

Valentina showing off her new slippers and barking dog.

Qui Que all dressed up for church in his Christmas outfit.

Why is it so hard to take pictures of kids?

Valentina hates pictures.

Valentina in her new Christmas dress I made her.

My kids match my living room stripes!

The whole fam.  Merry Christmas!

This year I choked on making the gingerbread house.  I am too big and pregnant and just couldn't bring myself to do it.  Qui Que had a great time decorating this cop out version of a gingerbread house.  Next year I will do a real one.

Valentina enjoying a sugar cookie at our ward Christmas party.

This winter in Iowa has been RIDICULOUSLY cold.  The worst yet- by far!  We have had a lot of stay in the house days.  The kids really wanted to go outside one day so we took a walk around the block.  We made it half way and they both started crying and telling me they were too cold.  I had to carry Valentina home (pregnant) with Qui Que crying and begging me to carry him too.  That is the last walk we have been on.  We are waiting for Spring.