Ice Skating-A Stratton Family First

We took the kids ice skating this morning for the first time. Bart went out with the kids and I watched with Kelsey. Jayda didn't like it at all and lasted one time around the rink. Sadie and Cole did great! At first, they were clinging to Bart and super unsteady. By the end of the hour and a half, they were skating on their own. Sadie liked it the best and went out again with Bart before we left. I wish I could've captured Bart's totally amazing wipe out. It makes me laugh out loud to think about it. :) He was a total trooper going out with the kids. Super Dad!! (Don't mind all the pictures taken through the glass...)
Cole skating with Dad

Cole taking a break

Sadie skating with Dad

Sadie smiling at Kelsey

Jayda skating with Dad

Jayda in her skates

Cole and Sadie at the beginning....

Cole and Sadie at the end...

Christmas Eve

We are backtracking a little bit... I couldn't get the slide show to work, so here are several pictures. Christmas Eve morning we headed into D.C. to the U.S. Botanic Garden. Gorgeous! Lots of trains, plants, flowers and replicas. This year that had replicas of D. C. monuments and replicas of monuments around the world. This year they were made out of acorns, nuts and other plant materials (bark, cinnamon sticks, wheat, bamboo, walnut shells...just to name a few). It was amazing to see!
The Eiffel Tower

U.S. Supreme Court

Kids in front of the "Happy Tree" (It helps with cancer treatments)

Jayda

Cole

Sadie

The kids liked this soilder

In front of the Christmas Tree in front of the Capitol (It was FREEZING!)

Merry Christmas!

We had the best Christmas! It was so nice to be in our home and to watch the kids excitement and anticipation! I think the kids were most excited about the bounce house that we got on a super great sale. Cole said "You are the best parents ever!" :)
Christmas Eve in their new pj's

Sisters!

Bounce House Fun!

Doll House (we love Craig's List)

Cole's haul

Jayda's haul (LOVES her Dora doll)

Sadie's haul

We ended Christmas Day by going to see the lights at the DC Temple Square... Gorgeous!

Let's go sledding!

Lucky for Cole, there was still some snow the day after we had our little storm. Of course, all the kids were outside to enjoy some sledding. Our neighbor has the perfect size hill for our kids and they were out there until I MADE them come inside!
Cole and Sadie going down together

Cole doing some shoveling and Jayda checking out a plane

Kelsey staying warm in the house

Gymnastics

This morning was Sadie's last gymnastics class. I forgot to take my camera, so this shot is after we got home. She was super excited to get a picture with her ribbon. We signed her up for a more advanced class starting next month. She's already counting down the days...

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

Yesterday, we had our first snow storm. The girls couldn't have been more excited to go out and play in it. Cole didn't have the chance to romp in the snow because his bus was an hour late getting him home from school. He's counting on it snowing again soon!

Mush!

Kelsey had mush for the first time tonight! She LOVED it! She ate the whole bowl! The other kids got a kick out of watching Kelsey eat. They kept calling her a big girl and laughing when it dripped onto her chin. Cole wanted to take some pictures, so here are his photos of Kelsey!

Happy in Red

The other morning, the kids came downstairs matching in red, ready for Christmas. So, I made them all sit down for a picture! Merry Christmas! :)

Night Out, Baby!!

Thanks to our awesome friend, Stacy, Bart and I had a rare night out Tuesday. We have been waiting a couple months to use our tickets to see Michael Buble!! We had fabulous seats (sitting next to a friendly guy who paid almost triple what we did, haha). It was an incredible concert! Michael (we are on first name basis) is an amazing singer and entertainer. His opening act was an acapella group called Naturally 7 and they were SO great! The following pictures aren't awesome, since they were taken with Bart's phone, but you get the drift.... a super wonderful evening! Thanks for the date, sweetie!