OMG - Did I really let Lauren do this???

Thursday, December 29, 2011 ... Lauren wakes up, gets dressed and says: "I want to get my ears pierced today."  I was a bit taken back by this statement, but called Clarie's Boutique and asked if they could have two people do her ears at the same time and they said sure.  I waited and after her nap she said: "Let's go get my earrings!"  So I said - - - Let's go!  She was AWESOME!  She took off her coat, jumped right up in the chair and sat so still.  She picked pink simple studs and didn't even cry when they pierced the ears.  I was shaking, but she was a rock star!

Mackenzie has been whining and scared to get this done for 3 years.  She is wanting them done so badly now that her 2 year old sister did it and didn't even cry.  We'll see - - - I have four more days off.

Getting ready with purple marker spots on the lobes - she was happy to do this!

Guns up and ready to go

All done and looking so pretty! Not even one tear - what a BIG girl!

Christmas Morning

After a late night at the Crystal Lake Mertins house ... we got home at 10:00pm on Christmas Eve and prepared for Santa's arrival.  Mac, Lo and Chris went out back to sprinkle the "Reindeer Food" that we had then we set out milk and cookies and the "magical key" so Santa could come in (we don't have a fireplace).  The whole way home in the car, Mackenzie kept telling us she thought she saw Santa's sleigh in the sky - so funny!  The girls went to bed and Mac was up and in our bed at 7:00am.  Lauren slept until 8:00am (which was not making Mac happy).  We went down and opened gifts - put batteries in everything and played until noon in our jammies.  What a day!  We went to Grandma's house at 5:00pm and got a ton more - - - oh boy, the girls have so much to "organize" in the basement.
Thanks to all of our family for the wonderful gifts!

The girls sit at their new princess laptop desks with their new Barbie Dream Townhouse in the background.

Microphones were a total hit - and were a bit loud!
From Katy Perry's Firework to Kesha's Tik Tok to Taylor Swift's Mine ... rockin' all morning!

Lauren sings: "Baby I Like It ... the Way You Move on the Floor"

Mac sings the theme song to Disney's Shake It Up!

Christmas Eve - Mertins Style

We went to Chris' brother Tim's house for Christmas Eve this year.  It was great to be with family!  The girls were so much fun this year ... Mackenzie is the perfect age to understand SANTA.  Lauren feeds off of Mackenzie, so she was equally as excited - just not sure what about.  Mackenzie got to hand out presents this year since she can read simple words and can sound out names (she thought it was a HUGE honor and we were all relieved it wouldn't be us).  Sean helped her out.  What a fantastic evening of food, family and fun!

Mackenzie hads out the Mertins' family presents

Mackenzie was so excited to deliver the gifts to everyone

Lauren opens her gift - a microphone (with stand and hooks up to the iPod)

Mackenzie opens her gifts

Lauren opens her gifts (oh and mine, because she LOVED ripping the paper off)

Mackenzie holds up some books she got - - - she loves to read and is really doing well sounding out the words on her own

Is this Queen Elizabeth?  No, it's Lauren Elizabeth ... this is a look!

The Mertins Cousins
Lauren, Megan, Sean, Mackenzie, Alli, and Troy

Aunt Karen and the Girls (Mac, Meg, Lo and Alli)

All the ladies from the Mertins side

Chris and his siblings - Tim, Karen and Pat
They look so much alike!

How We Spent our Winter Vacation

After a couple of days of Christmas shopping ... it was time for a KID DAY!!!  I took the girls to the Treehouse in Lake Zurich, after hearing my sister rave about how much Max loves this place.  We got there and Mackenzie was a bit hesitant to cross any bridges (she is our cautious one) so she just went up the stairs and down the slide.  Finally I told her that she had nothing to be afraid of and in no time she was all over this place.  Lauren is our "slow-to-warm-up" child, so she needed her big sister to try the entire thing out on her own first, then she would try it out.  Mac was so sweet - - - she held Lauren's hand the entire time and made sure wherever she went, Lauren made it there too.  It was a great day!!!

Mac and Lo up in the "Treehouse"

Together ready to slide on down

Mac and Lo - - - love this slide

This face sums up how much fun it was!

Mackenzie made a friend - she is social just like her mother!

Mackenzie climbs up and then pulls Lauren up to the next level

Mackenzie's 5th Birthday Party

Mackenzie chose to have a bowling party this year. I made the invitations and we got cupcakes that were laid out in the shape of a bowling pin and ball. She had 17 kids join her at the bowling ally. It was so much fun to watch the kids 6 and under bowl - - - there were times we wondered if the ball was actually going to make it down the lane and touch the pins. It was a lot of fun!

Mackenzie's invitation - a Jen original. :)

Mackenzie trying to pick up her spare

Mac's friend Jake from preschool.  He had the theory "be the ball".

Mac's friend Sienna from dance.  She was so cute - pushed with both hands each time.

Mac's Pin Pals
Jake, Mackenzie, Becca, Tina, Braden (far back), Max, PJ and Sienna.

The older chicks from the neighborhood ... Mackenzie's crew during the summer.

Singing "Happy Birthday" to Mac.  Her cupcakes in the form of a bowling pin and ball.

Blowing out the candles.  Took a few tries.

Enjoying the cupcakes.  The older girls were more adventurous ... they ate the BLACK ones.

Lauren's favorite part of the party - - - cupcakes!

Mackenzie and her good friend Becca (from Fremd preschool)







The party favors