almost 2011 and still thinking about Christmas...

Here are some more pictures from this year's Christmas festivities. 

We took Rolli and Vivian to Grandpa Roger's house for a short visit and a delicious meal on Christmas day.  The babies admired each and every Christmas decoration while Marshall and I sipped wine.  Bella came along too.  She played with her friends outside until she discovered that the doggy door was open.

Kona just wants inside.  Rolli slobbered all over the glass door, so excited that Kona was right there!  Eye-leave, sitting there, as long as Rolli wanted to talk to her through the glass.   

Vivian thinks Kona is sitting there just for her too.  Someday they'll learn that Kona only wants inside with her Master. 

Grandpa Roger and Rolli.

Rin gave the babies their very first ginger bread cookie!  They were the perfect little baby sized cookies.  A boy for Rolli and a little girl for Vivian.  Rolli isn't sure what to think of it but he ate it right up!  Vivian ate hers so fast we didn't even get a picture.

Christmas Eve!

The twins first Christmas started on Christmas Eve.  We went to Great Pa and Ma Dennis' home in Dryden for the family gathering.  Most of Marshall's family was there!  The family has grown so much lately.  There were plenty of cousins, aunts, uncles, grandmas, and grandpas for the babies to smooze on.  

Rolli and Vivian opening their presents.

"ya! this looks fun!"

cousins Miles, Anelise, and Vivian playing with one of the new toys.

Anelise is giving Vivian a 'look'.  It was funny to watch those two eat and play next to each other.

Two exhausted and hunger babies are being fed by their Grammie Kathy and Aunt Janice.

Christmas morning

 Merry Christmas!  yes, it sure was a Merry Christmas :)

Marshall, the babies, and I slept in till 9, had breakfast, drank coffee, and lazied around.

I made Rolli and Vivian stockings out of furniture fabric samples.  Honestly, I'm not that pleased with the way they turned out.  Rolli and Vivian don't seem to care either way.  I'm sure they'll like their stockings next year when they are all filled with treats and trinkets from Santa.

Vivian on Christmas morning.

Still looks like she is tired.  

Rolli on Christmas morning.

He likes the toys from Santa!

*I have lots more pictures that I will be posting later... when I have the time...

cousins and 2nd cousins

While we were in Oregon visiting my Grandparents we also saw my Uncle Dean and Aunt Lene, cousin Heidi and her boy Karson (4 months) and my sister and her family.

Vivian meets her 2nd cousin Karson.

Cute babies are in the genes :)

Uncle Dean, Grandma Pat, and Karson.

Everyone is in love with Karson... especially his Grandpa!

Cousins Hannah Ann and Rolli.

She found his ticklish spot... he can't stand it!

girl cousins Hannah, Rachel, and Vivian (just missing Madison)

individually beautiful!

the Greats!

Marshall, Rollin, Vivian, and me made the looooong (6+ hours) drive to visit my grandparents in Newberg, Oregon.  Grandpa Wally calls themselves the "Greats".  We stayed two nights.  The babies tore the house up and acted like cheese-balls for their Great Grandparents.  Grandma Pat cried when we left Thursday morning, I couldn't look at her or I would have cried too.  She said (with tears in her eyes) "just know that you made two old people very happy!".  I told Marshall that Grandma would probably talk about our visit for the next year... then I talked about it the whole way home and realized that I would be the one talking about our visit for the next year!  Enjoy the pictures!

Great Grandpa Wally and Rollin

Great Grandma Pat and Vivian

(Louie is off to the side.  He got moved down a notch while we were there.  Poor dog)

Grandpa brought the laundry basket to the living room after he found out how much the twins like to play with overturned laundry baskets.

Grandma Pat has so many VHS movies (one of the few people that still have VHS).

She just laughed as Rolli and Vivi took them all off the shelf, I put them all back, they took them all off again, I put them....

Great Grandma Pat and Rollin.

Love at first sight!

Great Grandma Pat and Vivian.

listening to Grandma tell her how she can't get into trouble at her house.

the twins meet Santa!

(Grandpa won this Santa years ago and they are now using it instead of a tree)

Rolli really liked Santa!  (Vivian wasn't that interested)

at little piece of baby heaven :)

on our way home... exhausted from talking non-stop to Grandpa Wally

on our way home... exhausted after exploring nearly every inch of Grandma's house and pulling most of Louie's hair out.

Before we left on Thursday morning Darlene and Jose (family friends) stopped by for a short visit.  They gave the twins hand-made sock monkeys.

I'll say it again...

Our trip to Oregon was wonderful!  Thanks to Marshall for driving, Esther for the dinners, Uncle Dean and Lene for lunch, Grandpa for the coffee, Grandma for the laughter, and everyone for the good company!  

9 months!

yep... Rolli V and Vivian Mae have entered the 9th month of their lives.  It feels like I'm the mother of 9 month old twins... and it sure is fun!

Rolli and Vivian.  Always (almost) having fun!

Rollin Von
16 lbs 9 oz
28 inches tall
loves to wrestle, drool, talk, push anything that will move, and ride on Daddy's shoulders.

Vivian Mae
16 lbs 6 oz
27 3/8 inches tall
loves to snuggle, take bathes, follow the cat, explore, and play with Mommy's shoes.

this is what most of the pictures I take look like.  Marshall trying to get the babies' attention with Duck and both babies doing their own thing.

 picture time is fun time!

family picture

(taken at Lindsey's house after Thanksgiving)

babies' first Christmas tree!

'Oh Christmas tree 'oh Christmas tree how lovely are your branches...
In the past Marshall and I have spent a day picking out a tree from the real forest, cutting it down ourselves, and then bringing it home to decorate.  But not this year.  With Rolli and Vivian tearing up the house we decided that a live tree loaded with ornaments and lights would be dangerous.  Not to worry though... we have a very beautiful tree to decorate for Christmas!

Helping Daddy put up the lights.  Bella... always in the mix

Vivian admiring her beautiful Christmas tree.

Family picture in front of the Christmas tree.
I don't expect to have a picture with everyone looking in the same direction until the kids are in high school.

The Wallace family at a Christmas party.

Enjoying the holiday season!

vote for Josh!

Nominations are in, vote now | Local news, sports, weather, blogs, opinion, crime, obituaries, business, directory, marketplace, education, high school, family, shopping, arts, entertainment, movies, books, cooking, auto, real estate, jobs, classifieds, photos, videos, comics, contests, and mountain pass webcams from Wenatchee, East Wenatchee, Chelan, Leavenworth, Waterville, Cashmere, Quincy, Entiat, North Central Washington newspaper

Click on the link above. It'll take you to the "Wenatchee World Christmas Lighting Contest". Our friend Josh Verellen is in the running! He lite up their front yard with a polar bear doing a sky jump and three penguins judging him. It's hard to see in the picture provided, but so much better if your able to drive by. Makes me smile! Vote for Josh. Just go to the picture of Josh's lighted house, click, then click on vote. Thanks!

spoons and bowls

I decided that it was time for Rollin and Vivian to start feeding themselves.  Using utensils.  Marshall bought bowls that suction to their highchair tables.  I mixed up some yummy baby food, suctioned the bowls down, and gave each baby a spoon.  The suction bowls worked great.  Vivian ripped hers off in no time.  Rolli did the same.  The spoons were not used, at least not in the proper manner.  We'll try again tomorrow.  In the mean time I'll be cleaning up the mess from the first attempt.  

Vivian and Rolli

Vivian getting the food in her mouth one way or another.

Rolli just being a boy.

Bella... we still love you!

When I was pregnant I would make Bella 'kiss' my belly and say hi to her baby brother and sister.  She was never very excited about that.  Then when the babies were finally born we brought them home when Bella was gone.  And when Bella got home she ran right too them and licked each one on the head.  That was it.  Not even 5 minutes and Bella was over the excitement of the twins.  

Bella.  Giving her best neglected look.

relocated to the patio furniture outside...avoiding the crying babies.

acting abandoned on top of the overturned kiddie pool. 

lounging on the baby boppy (it's the same material as her bed)

feeling sorry for herself on the 'off-limits' chair.  Sylvia has joined the pitty-party.

Bella has found love!  

Waiting, with her dog friends, for bacon treats from Monica.

Losing weight for charity | Local news, sports, weather, blogs, opinion, crime, obituaries, business, directory, marketplace, education, high school, family, shopping, arts, entertainment, movies, books, cooking, auto, real estate, jobs, classifieds, photos, videos, comics, contests, and mountain pass webcams from Wenatchee, East Wenatchee, Chelan, Leavenworth, Waterville, Cashmere, Quincy, Entiat, North Central Washington newspaper

Losing weight for charity | Local news, sports, weather, blogs, opinion, crime, obituaries, business, directory, marketplace, education, high school, family, shopping, arts, entertainment, movies, books, cooking, auto, real estate, jobs, classifieds, photos, videos, comics, contests, and mountain pass webcams from Wenatchee, East Wenatchee, Chelan, Leavenworth, Waterville, Cashmere, Quincy, Entiat, North Central Washington newspaper

trying to figure out the 'sharing'... besides this was a good article. I think you can just click on the link.