Birthdays and Christmas time!

December is quite the month for the Hammer household. Sweet Ellie turned one on the 22nd and Preston turned three on the 28th. Throw in Christmas and all the festivities, and we have an exiting month, and I love it!

**I do have to document that we have had CHRISTMAS LIGHTS on our house since the beginning of the month!!! Preston absolutely LOVES Christmas lights, and this year he asked Steve if we could have some on our house. All of our neighbors were quite shocked. We are usually ba humbugs about putting up lights, but Preston has completely changed that**

Here is Steve being a trooper and putting the lights up!

Michelle and I decided to take that kids to University mall so they could meet Santa. Preston was so exited to tell Santa that he wanted a Monster Truck Mater for Christmas. After Santa, we went to Build A Bear and let the kids pick out an animal to stuff. We had all finished our animals and Michelle was setting up London's birth certificate. London was sitting on the stool next to Michelle and she wanted to help type on the computer so she got up to help and slipped and split her head open right above her eye! Michelle handled the situation so calmly! She quickly got London cleaned up, we paid for our stuff and then Michelle took London to get stitches! It's always an adventure with two moms and four kids.

Since Preston has a love for lights, we were exited to take him and Ellie to Temple Square. We went with my whole family. The night we went was perfect! It wasn't too cold or snowing.

On December 8th 2001, Steve proposed to me at this very spot! It was MUCH colder the night he proposed...

December 18th was the Hammer Christmas party. We had the cousins exchange gifts and I wish I had my camera! Preston's face was PRICELESS when he opened his gift from Blake. His eyes were as wide as they could go and he had on the biggest smile! After gifts Beth Ann gave each of us our Christmas book and matching pajamas. A fun tradition that I look forward to every year.

Decemeber 19th we had a birthday party to celebrate Ellie's 1st birthday. I can't believe she is already one! She is so sweetand fantastic! She loves dancing! Whenever she hears music she starts rocking out. She will do everything that Preston does. Preston loves playing with cars, so when he is pushing his cars around, she is right behind him. She has learned that the sound of the garage door opening means daddy is home. When she hears it, she runs to the back door to wait for Steve to come in. I absolutely love her!

Look how sad, but still so dang cute!

December 22nd was Ellie's actual birthday so that day I took Preston and Ellie swimming with my friend Becky and her kids. It was so fun! Preston and Alli (Becky's sweet girl) had fun jumping off the wall into the water while Ellie played in the water that shoots from the ground. When Steve came home we had Ellie open a few more presents and then we hung out as a family. A perfect first birthday!

Christmas Eve is my mom's family Christmas party. All the cousins exchange gifts and Santa comes. Preston loved sitting on Santas lap and again telling him that he wants a Monster Truck Mater. Ellie wasn't happy AT ALL with Santa.

This is Preston right after Santa called his name...







Sorry, this is the best picture we could get...

Christmas morning is always my favorite. I made Preston and Ellie stockings this year, and on Chrismas Eve I told Preston that in the morning he will need to come check his stocking for a present. That is the first place Preston went to when he came downstairs. He saw all the presents but wanted to check the stocking first. He was so cute and kept thanking us after each present. And yes, he did get his monster truck Mater. Ellie LOVED open her presents! She loved ripping the paper and then she would hold up the box for us to see. That afternoon we went to Steve's parents house and that night we went to my parents house.

December 28th was Preston's 3rd birthday! We celebrated it with cousins and friends at Monkey Island. It was SOOOO fun! That place is great! Preston was in heaven. So, Preston had been asking for Monster Truck Mater. If you asked him what else he wanted for Christmas and his birthday, he would say "nothing, I just want a monster truck mater." I always have these great cake ideas in my head, but then when it actually comes down to making them, they are a disaster. Well, this year is no different. Monster Truck Mater is a Mater, from the movie Cars, as a professional wrestler. So I wanted to make his cake look like a wrestling ring, and have Monster Truck Mater and Monster Truck McQueen on the top..well from the pictures you can see how it turned out...oh well, maybe all the years of practing will help me make one good looking cake later :0) We had all the kids jump for about an hour and half, and then we had pizza, sang to Preston with the Monkey Island monkey, had cake and icecream, then Preston opened his presents. It really was so much fun!

Here is the 'wrestling ring' birthday cake...



Thank you EVERYONE for coming! and thanks to my mom for watching Ellie so me and Steve could have all our attention on Preston and his party!

This sweet girl is our next door neighbor...She told her mom and dad that she is going to marry Preston! Don't they make such a cute couple?!
Silly girls!
Daddy and Preston ready to head home after a fantastic time at Monkey Island!

It has been so much fun watching Preston and Ellie grow up! I couldn't imagine being anything other than a mom, especially when I turn around and see this...

Here's to another great year!!