Where does the time go?

It's hard to believe that a month has passed since my last update. We've been very busy with the usual holiday season activities. Abby and Ellie seem to be growing by leaps and bounds these days. They're starting to talk by repeating what is said around them. We are excited with the progress and can't wait for them to start talking in full sentences. They seem like little people now, which makes it easier in some ways and more difficult in others. Every stage they have been through has seems better than the last.

Here are the outtakes from this years holiday card. Christie decided to take the pictures about a half an hour before bedtime. I came home from work one day and the photo shoot was in full swing.





Here's the one we picked for the card of the girls...


and we can't forget Rosie.



Here are some videos I took hanging out on a Saturday morning.



I tried to get them both to pose wearing the sun glasses. Abby was into it;

Ellie wasn't.

We took them down to Grandma and Grandpa's house for the annual Chanukah party. For the second year in a row, a big snow storm was headed our way. We decided to make the drive on Saturday, and plan to leave late Sunday. It worked out well and we ended up making it home in a reasonable amount of time.

Although I didn't take too many pictures, we all had a fun time at the Chanukah party. It was nice to see the family and the girls had fun. The girls got a few sets of dolls,toys and some clothes. One of the sets of dolls were twins. They talk and sing together. One of the songs they sing is, "Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star". That's one of Ellie's favorite songs and she does a dance to go along with the words. She gets so excited when the dolls sing, and starts dancing to the music.

Here's the picture I took at the Chanukah party. Abby was having fun playing under the kitchen table. We were so busy catching up with everybody that we didn't think to take pictures.



We returned home to 2 feet of snow on Sunday night. I was due to leave on a business trip on Monday, so I had to shovel the driveway that night. The snow had stopped and it was so peaceful out there. I noticed the camera in my pocket as I was shoveling and decided to take a few pictures of the snow.

Here's the front of my house.


This is the side door, before I shoveled it out.



While I was away, Christie gave Abby & Ellie a whole apple each as a snack and they loved it. Apple is now one of the words that Abby repeats over and over again.


For Christmas, the plan was to stay local. We went to Christie's cousin's house for the annual Christmas Eve party. This year has gone by so quickly. I can clearly remember being at the party with the girls last year. They had to be held the entire time, then we put them to sleep in their car seats. Here's a video and pictures from this years party.



When we got home from the party, it was time to put together the play kitchen we got them for Christmas. It didn't take as long as I thought it would, and before long it was time for bed.

Abby & Ellie had been battling a stomach bug for the days leading up to the holiday, and woke up on Christmas morning to a messy crib. So before they could play with their new toys, they had a quick bath. We had to cover their eyes walking through the living room so they couldn't see the play kitchen and would cooperate in the tub.

Here are some pictures and videos of them playing with their kitchen