Go SEAHAWKS!!!!

I normally only post things to the blog that have to do with our entire family.
This was so cool, I just have to share!!!!
Mark and I got tickets to the SEAHAWKS playoff game last weekend.
You know, the one against the Super-Bowl Champion Saints.  The one the Seahawks WON!!!!
We rode the Sounder train from Everett with our friends Brandi and Chris.  The train was all about SEAHAWKS!!!! So....from the very beginning we were all pumped up!!!

And when we got to the stadium it was just as exciting!!

It was seriously an INCREDIBLE experience!  Yes...it's as loud as they say it is!!!!
There was actually seismic activity recorded near Qwest field during Marshawn Lynch's unbelievable 67-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

We had a blast!
Really....INCREDIBLE!!!!!
Go Hawks!!!! :)

SKY HIGH

The day after Christmas we HAD to check out the new trampoline place in Spokane called Sky High.  WOW!!!  It was AWESOME!!!!  The girls were a SWEATY, tired bunch after an hour!  You can see why!

We will definitely visit SKY HIGH again!  Next time we'll ALL be jumping!!!! :)

Christmas

Avery woke up late....and we still had to wake up Annalise. 
Annalise rolled over and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.  "Did he come?"...were the first words out of her mouth.  The magic of Santa continues to amaze me!!!!  I love the wonder, the excitement, the awe!

We headed downstairs....sure enough.  The man in red had been by.  Even the reindeer ate what the girls had left for them.  Avery figured Santa had filled up on cookies....he left one on his plate. :)

 Thanks Santa!!!!
Paul, Katrina and the girls came over for breakfast.  After we were all done eating, we opened presents from the family.

The girls were all soooo good about taking turns and waiting politely in between.

 

The girls played and played and played all afternoon.

It's so great when we have time together as a family.

Then....after a WONDERFUL dinner (with Katrina's sister and her family joining us), 

the kids all snuggled up on the couch again for another movie.

They were TIRED!!!! (Can you tell?! :) )

Another great Christmas.

We have so much to be thankful for....I love our life.

Christmas Eve

After a wonderful afternoon, we went back to Grandma and Grandpa's house for some quality family time.

The big girls did some caroling while we got dinner ready.

We had a great Christmas Eve dinner all together.

Aunt Katrina brought a recipe for some NEON orange reindeer food.
After dinner, Bella and Avery mixed it all up.

After a little play time, the girls snuggled up on the couch for a quick movie.

Before bed we were sure to get the food outside for the reindeer.

Then back inside to prepare a few snacks (and a little note) for Santa.
Annalise had fun helping Avery this year!

Once the snacks were prepared and the note was written, it was off to bed!!!
And....believe it or not....Avery slept until 8:30!!!  And we had to wake Annalise!!!
She was thrilled to find out that Santa had been by!!!

Christmas Eve with the Marciels

We left the Cota's and headed up to the Schneider's house for Christmas Eve.
It worked out that all of the Schneider clan could get together with all of the Marciel clan for lunch on Christmas Eve.  It's been 4 years since we were all together....all of the kids have changed so much!!!
(And we've added a couple since then! :) )  It's always like no time has passed between our get-togethers...we just pick right up where we left off.  That's what's so great about family.

 

Here are the original 4 kids in 1996. (We keep this picture up in our office.)

And here are the original 4 now:

It was a great way to start our Schneider Christmas!