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  • Christmas Decorating Pictures

    We cut down our Christmas tree each year.  I always spend a lot of time picking out the perfect one.

    But this year... I saw it... and it called out my name...

    Lorelei was trying to figure out why we had a tree in our house.

    Ainsley is in a phase where she is ALWAYS in dress-up clothes.  I almost made her change for the sake of the pictures, but then I realized this is what she's like at this age and I'll enjoy looking back at it when she is older and those dress-up clothes are long gone.  This night she was in her ballerina outfit...complete with a cape.

    Ainsley got to put the very first ornament on the tree.

    Decorating the highest part of the tree is easy when you have a very tall daddy.

    My sweet baby is talking a lot. She saw the camera and said CHEEEEEESE!

    She didn't want to be left out.  Lorelei just had to put some ornaments on the tree.  So far, she's been pretty good about not touching it.

    Isn't this cute?  This is one of the the ceramic ornaments we got at the Yankee Candle flagship store on my birthday.  It was only $6.99 and it was personalized free.  Do you notice that one of the girls has really dark and one has lighter hair? 

    We put the girls to bed and then finished the decorating by ourselves... and we took this very cheesy picture.

    The finished product...

  • I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving.  We had a very nice, quiet and relaxing one.  My in-laws ended up not going to visit my husband's brother either, and they wanted to have Thanksgiving at their house, so we went over there for the day.  I brought along a cranberry casserole, stuffing I made from scratch for the first time ever and a pie.  We had a delicious meal and I still feel stuffed.  We are truly blessed in this country to have such bounty. 

    Josh is working today.  Getting paid triple time is a little hard to pass up and we are preparing for the possibility of a strike in our future; which will mean no paycheck for a time, of course.  We are praying hard that won't happen.  The girls and I are still in our pajamas, well, actually, Ainsley is in her dress-up clothes and is insisting on being called Cinderella today.  I wonder if I can get Cinderella to scrub my floors....

    Did anyone get up really early and go shopping this morning?  I've never done the get up really early thing, but I often go shopping on the day after Thanksgiving.  This year we have all of our Christmas shopping done, so I guess I just don't feel the need.

    As you can tell from the new look on my site, I am ready for Christmas.  I love this time year.  I love what it represents: the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I love decorating my house, I love giving gifts.  I think that's why I have that "no Christmas music, or anything else for that matter, before Thanksgiving" rule.  I think I would have my house ready before Halloween each year.  We will likely go get our Christmas tree tomorrow.  That's how ready we are!

    Is anyone else ready to decorate for the holidays or am I the only crazy one???

  • Snow Day

    This is what we woke up to this morning.
    It was an unexpected joy... especially for the three year old in my house.  As soon as she saw the first flakes she was putting her boots on over her feety pajamas and asking me where her gloves were.

    She played outside for an hour before I made her come in because it was so cold.  (I did make her come in and put on a hat and snowpants at one point, too.)

    We ended up with about an inch or so when  it was all over.  

    Today I'm thankful for unexpected snow days and the little joys God sends to our lives every day.  What are you thankful for today?

  • My birthday weekend


    Thank you all for your kind birthday wishes.  I had a nice day.  My husband decided to start the weekend off by bringing me home some flowers.  I love tulips.

    Unfortunately, this happened right before he walked in the door, so I didn't appreciate it as much as I should have.  The girls found a box of cereal I had just opened that morning and dumped the whole thing all over the kitchen floor.  I was not happy.  The girls thought it was so much fun.

    Josh took over clean up duties and that was taken of, and the girls went to bed well, so we got to spend a quiet night together.  The next day, we went to the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. He's the guy who wrote "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and many other picture books.  It's up in Massachusetts and since it was free on Saturday, I thought we'd check it out.  It was ok, I thought we'd see more large paintings of pictures we'd seen in Carle's books, and there were a few, but not as many as I'd expected.  The girls did like the library room where there were books, of course, and lots of toys associated with different books.  They also liked the art room.

    We then headed to the Yankee Candle flagship store.  I don't know how to describe this place other than it's huge and it's so much more than candles. 


    It has several themed rooms, and it's Christmas there all year round.  Here's Ainsley next to one of the displays.  She couldn't keep her eyes off of the twinkling lights.


    It snows real snow every four minutes in one room.  Here's Ainsley trying to catch some.


    And here's Lorelei looking at the stars on the ceiling in one of the rooms and doing "twinkle twinkle" with her hands.  She was so excited about them.

    It was VERY busy in there.  We bought our yearly Christmas ornaments and that was it.

    After that we headed home and my in-laws came over to watch the girls so we could go out by ourselves.  Josh took us to an Italian restaurant we had never been to before.  It was very nice.  We had such a good time together.  We were trying to decide what else to do and couldn't come up with anything, and our joke is always that we should just go bowling.  So this time, we really did.  We had fun... just doing something silly.  And I actually bowled over 100 both games!  That's impressive for me.

    For my presents, Josh and the girls gave me a sweater coat that I just love.  I wore it all day Saturday, but of course, I have no pictures of me in it.  They also gave me Jim Brickman's "Christmas Romance" CD.  (Hannah, is this one Jim got you last year?)  Do any of have any of Jim Brickman's music?  I love it.  It's beautiful piano music.  Some of the CD's have singing on them, but most of them are all piano.  They're just beautiful.  I even broke my "no Christmas music before Thanksgiving" rule to listen to it.  (That was a real rule written in the handbook at the college we went to.  Those of you who know where I went will NOT find that shocking.)

    Overall, it was a very nice birthday.  I think I'll enjoy being 29.

  • Only 365 More Days...

    Until I'm finished being a 20-something.

    Today is my birthday, and I am the big 2-9.
    I remember when 30 sounded so old to me, but now it sounds oh so young.

    I don't know what the plans are for the day.  I only know that we have a babysitter tonight and I get to spend a little time alone with my husband. 

  • MMMM.... Cheesecake

    Warning...  You may gain weight just by looking at this.


     (my dessert )
    Yum!  We had such a good time at the Cheesecake Factory last night.  I am blessed with such good, godly and fun friends.   We spent a lot of the evening laughing.  It was very relaxing. 


    This is our funny and sweet Pastor's wife with her GIANT piece of chocolate cake.  This picture does nothing to show just how HUGE that piece of cake was.
    Today the girls have made a little play area under my dining room table.  It's where they are hiding from "the monster" (Fenway, one of our dogs).

    Fenway played along with his role quite well.  He was so bothered by them being under there that he kept coming under the table to smell them and make sure they were ok, so of course that meant lots of screaming about the monster getting them and lots of running (and crawling) through the house.

    And I'm including this picture just to make you smile...


    She's too cute for words.

  • Is it Thursday already?

    The week is just getting away from me.  I can't believe it's Thursday.  I can't believe we're a week away from Thanksgiving.  I can't believe Christmas is right around the corner.

    Our busy Monday went just fine.  The girls were wonderful for their pictures.  They were very good and cooperated very nicely.  I was quite happy with the result. 

    During Monday's home school co-op the children made fruit baskets for some of the senior citizens in our church.  We were to drop them off to them ourselves.  We picked a sweet widow lady to drop our basket off to.   We went to her house Tuesday morning.  I felt so blessed to be a blessing to her.  That may sound silly, but I did.    I was just so thankful that God would allow me to be a blessing to her.  She was so thrilled to have visitors and to see the girls.  She wanted us to come in the house and fellowship with her and I was happy to do it, but very nervous.  I didn't want my rambunctious 3-year-old harming any of her pretty things.  She has these beautiful lamps that she brought with her from Portugal when she was in her 20's.  I would have been beyond mortified if anything had happened to them.  But my children were angels, and I came away feeling like I should do it more often.  So, I am planning to have some of the older ladies over to my house for lunch some times.  It will be nice for all of us.

    Tonight is girls' night out.   Some of the ladies from church and I are going out to a Cheesecake Factory that recently opened in a nearby town.  I am very much looking forward to it.  I have such lovely lady friends here.  I will have to bring my camera and post pictures tomorrow.

    It looks like it will be Thanksgiving for four at our house.  We were supposed to go to Josh's brother's house in Virginia, but the more Josh and I talk about it, the more we think we shouldn't go.  God just hasn't given us peace about this trip.  There is a threat of a strike at Josh's work beginning December 2, so that is weighing heavily on our minds as we will need some extra cash on hand if that happens.  Also, his commuter car is on its last legs.  We need to start keeping some extra money aside to replace it, if possible.  Yes, we could live with just one car.  But I would be one unhappy mommy, I think.   Everyone would need to seriously pray for me everyday if I was left without a car for months on end in the winter.  But God knows our needs and He will provide.

    I hear a little one crying for mommy.  I must go.  Have a lovely Thursday everyone.

  • A Quiet Sunday Evening...

    It's quiet in my house tonight.  We had a long day at church.  We had a special buffet lunch after our morning service, then an afternoon service in place of our evening service.  We had choir practice following that, and we didn't get home until after 4 p.m.  Lorelei won't take a nap at church, and of course, Ainsley hadn't napped either, so you can imagine how the next few hours were at my house.  We had the girls in bed and asleep at 6:00 p.m.  Josh fell asleep on the couch at 7:00 p.m.  That would sound funny if you didn't know my husband got up at 4:30 this morning.  He often works for a few hours before church Sunday mornings.  It saves him from having to work on our family day, Saturday.   I sent Josh upstairs to bed and here I sit in the living room... in the quiet... it's quite nice.

    I'm relaxing before our busy day tomorrow.  We have homeschool co-op in the morning, I then have to go pick up the printer (my printer search has finally ended) we bought online at Best Buy.  I love that buy online and pick up in the store feature.  We have our family pictures scheduled for the afternoon and then swimming lessons right after that.  It's going to be a busy Monday.

    As I sit here in the quiet, I've been bidding on ebay for a snowsuit for Lorelei.  I've searched all the consignment shops in the area, but there seems to a shortage of 18 month girl snowsuits this year.  So, I've been bidding like crazy on ebay, only to keep getting outbid right at the very end.  I've lost three like that just tonight. UGH!

    I took a mommy break yesterday afternoon.  I have been having major problems with Ainsley's attitude lately.  She must complain and whine about everything.  I just can't seem to get a handle on it.  Do any of you experienced mommies have any suggestions for curing the whining problem?

    Anyway, I needed a break yesterday, and my husband so graciously allowed me some time by myself.  I ended up going shopping, of course, and only bought things for myself.  That is a rarity.  I usually come home with things for everybody and nothing for me.  It was a very nice few hours alone.

    Oh, Friday night we went to Toys R Us because they were having a big sale.  We were able to finish our Christmas shopping, for the most part.  We usually buy some items from the dollar store for stockings, but other than that I am finished!  I know you are all really jealous now...

  • An "ootible" Day

     I was reminded yesterday to be thankful once again for all things.  I had to run some errands yesterday while it was pouring rain.  As we came out of a store I was trying to wrangle my preschooler while carrying a wiggly and very heavy one year old and my purchases.  As we walked into the parking lot, Ainsley stopped and starting looking around, I, in my very annoyed mother voice said, "Ainsley let's GO!"  She looked at me and said, "Mommy, I'm just looking at the ootible (beautiful in Ainsley-speak) day.  Isn't it a ootible day outside?"  I said, "You think it's beautiful?  It's all wet and rainy and yucky."  "It's still ootible though, mommy," said the wise three year old.  Ah, yes, Ainsley it is still "ootible."  And I should be thankful for it. 

    "This is the day the Lord hath made, I WILL rejoice and be glad in it."

    Today it is quite nice outside once again, although it is getting quite cold.  I think winter is right around the corner.  They're even calling for snow here possibly at the end of the week.  We spent a  little time at the library this morning.  It's been  good day so far.

    Thank you for all your kind well-wishes.  We are all doing much better, and little Lorelei is definitely feeling better. 

    I'm taking Ainsley to the dentist this afternoon.  She went for her very first check-up last week, and since it was her first visit, they just checked her teeth and got her familiar with everything.  Thankfully, her teeth look great and there are no signs of any problems.  We have to go back today for the actual cleaning.  I am taking her to a pediatric dentist, so she won't hate going to the dentist her whole life.  Of course, this place is so great with kids, she thought it was the best thing ever, so she's been asking all week if this is the day she gets to go back to the dentist.  Leave it to my Ainsley to be the one kid who loves the dentist.

  • On the mend...

    We've been feeling kind of yucky in our house this weekend.  Josh has a sore throat, Ainsley has a cough, I have had a mild cold with lots of nose and chest congestion and poor little Lorelei... she has a sinus infection.  Poor baby.  She has that look.  You know when you just look at your child and know they feel miserable... that's how she looks.  I got her into the doctor first thing this morning, and hopefully she'll be feeling better soon now that she's on antibiotics.

    With that being said, we didn't do much this weekend.  I did have six members of Josh's family over for lunch on Sunday, so it was dinner for 10 at my house... despite us all being sick.  They stayed until late in the afternoon and by the time everyone was gone and the house picked up, we were all tired.  The girls were in bed and asleep by 6:15 p.m. 

    Besides our trip to the doctor this morning, we've been hanging low today... trying to get all better.  I hope everyone else had a good Monday.