This past weekend, our friends Joe and Tanya Bender invited us to spend the weekend with them at their condo in Redmond, OR. We've gone with them 2 or 3 other times and it's really fun. The first year we went, there was a ton of snow and we had a blast playing in it. The other times there wasn't any snow, but it was still fun. They have 3 girls and a boy, and their kids are close to the same ages as our kids, so they all get along great. While we were there this time, we went to a Christmas parade, I think our first Christmas parade ever and it was a lot of fun. We decorated sugar cookies, drank hot cocoa, sat on Santa's lap, listened to stories by Mrs. Claus, looked at Christmas lights, watched movies, went swimming and just hung out. It was nice. I also had my friend Tanya take pictures of us for our Christmas card. (One of them is the new picture on the blog).
Getting a different perspective--Lydia thought it was too bright and Bella was a little freaked out.
Bella all bundled up
Watching the parade--Paige, Bella, Tatiana (Titi is her nickname), Garrett and Roman
At the parade--Joe, Natalia, Tanya, Paige (sitting), Garrett, Titi (in black), Alyssa, Maggie and Lydia.
Lydia getting excited when she sees Santa coming.
It's SANTA!!!! 
Bella and Santa
Maggie and Santa
Lydia and Santa (she wouldn't go see him last time--so we were happy to see her with Santa)
Decorating
cookies and drinking cocoa
Mrs. Clause reads Christmas stories
Girls swim in the hot tub and watch a movie in bed--with popcorn. It doesn't get any better than that!!
