Christmas Time.

The girls had a wonderful Christmas! Thank you everyone!!! Here are a few highlights from our Christmas this year.
Be prepared for way too many pictures......

Christmas Eve morning we let the girls open some gifts. Thanks Uncle TJ!

Lil's face is AMAZING.


I love this expression (she has done this face since she was a weee baby!)

To Grandma's house we go to listen for Santa..........
And open gifts!
Home to watch the Christmas Parade and leave some cookies and milk for the man in the red suit.
Gotta taste it to make sure it's good.....

Christmas Morning. Thank you Grandma & Grandpa Schnell for the wagon!!!

There is always time to read a good book.

Mommy opening Paige's gifts she bought all by herself! I got a ring, picture, and a glass teddy bear that says "Mom"!
Daddy got a Speed Racer tire guage and a back scratcher!

Off to Aunt Jeanie's to see Grandpa John and even more gifts!

Gotta ride Grandpa's toy!

Who's The Boss?

Not me I guess. See Paige's story below for the proof that I'm not the one pulling the strings around here.....

Once upon a time there was a little girl named Paige. Her dad told her to go to the beach because it was her special day. Her grandma was there. Then her grandma left her all by herself and she didn’t follow directions from her dad. She did what her grandma told her to do. Her grandma told her to color so she colored. Her grandma told her to drink a lot of drinks. Then Paige had to go to the bathroom and her grandma told her to do that. Then she is going to bed. Good night!!!


The end.

Isn't she a smarty pants?! She wrote that all by herself....I typed of course. ♥

The Little Moments.

This morning at about 6:00 a.m., like many mornings before it, I awoke to the sound of my little girl asking me if she could go sit at my desk and color.

Of course, sleep being my favorite pastime, I agreed.

I always do.

She is quite the little smarty pants.

Not a moment goes by without a question of, "What does __ number plus __number equal"

Last night we even got a fraction. "What does 4 over 5 plus 6 over 7 equal?"

But mostly we get," How do you spell __________"

Those being a few of the questions in her never ending quest for knowledge.

I am grateful.

Yet this morning, half asleep, I can only remember " Mommy, how do you spell AND?"

"Paige can't this wait until I wake up? This isn't the best time to ask me how to spell.......It's A-N-D. Ok? Please wait until I am out of bed next time, I'm half asleep."

I didn't give my words much thought.

For all I knew I was dreaming.

Yet.....tonight as I got ready to go lie in bed and read my book, I noticed a piece of paper folded up on my nightstand.

I opened it.

She spelled it all perfectly.

Well.........everything looks perfect in my eyes.

P.S. I decided to leave her a little note for when she wakes up. I hope it makes her heart as happy as she does mine....and a little Hershey kiss won't hurt either. ♥

Soft.

"Mom? Do you know why I love you so much?"

"Why?"

"Cause your soft."

"Thank you Paige.........I think?"

I don't want to be soft anymore.

I mean, yes it's nice to be cuddly and warm.

Especially in the winter.....but I think I'm good.

I tried it on for a few years.....I'm ready to be.......... un-soft again.

Like I used to be.

You know, pre-babies.

But I am thankful that my family loves me soft

or

not.

♥

Getting Ready.

Last night we got ready for jolly Ol' Saint Nick.

We can't wait.......

Cut. It. Out!

My daughter has the unique ability to listen and follow directions.

Only.....not from adults or any type of authority.

She prefers the directions from her peers.

Because really, isn't it more fun that way?

Today, she missed out on a huge Thanksgiving celebration in class. She thought she would listen to __________ (insert classmates name) instead. He told her to cut her hair instead. Cause that is so much more fun than activities and pie...... So right there, in class, she gave herself some "layers", if you will. Looks fantastic. If you like that one-inch-bang-chopped-randomly-all-over kinda look. Which unfortunately for her.......I don't. When we got home and we had a little chat about her new do, I asked her why she did it. "Cause mom," she whispered " I get a little crazy sometimes." Wow. Right on Paige. Right on.

The culprit.

On a side note...I got her progress report. An overall 98%. So really. How mad can I be? She may look crazy but she is still learning something. ♥

"Mommy!"

"Mommy!!!!!"

"What Lil?"

"Paige!!!"

"Paige did what Lil?"

"Meeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnn!"

"Paige is being mean to you Lil?"

"Yeah."

Awwwwww. The first of "tattle" from the baby. How sweet. ♥

Happy Birthday Daddy.

♥ Happy Birthday Daddy. We love you. ♥

"My New Best Friend"

"Odin is my new best friend."

"Oh, really? That's cool!"

"Do you know why he's my friend?"

"Why?"

"Cause today on the playground I told him he was cute. He is my new best friend cause he's cute."

"Wow............ Awesome?!"

Patting My Own Back.

I am proud of myself.

Yesterday afternoon while feeling a little sorry for the loss of my "old" self and the things I used to do, I suddenly got some inspiration. I was mourning the loss of my younger days. The ones where I could read books. I could sit and write in my journals for hours. I could sleep. (But sleep is another post altogether.)

This one is about my eureka moment.

Finally.

After having my girls, I have been somewhat lost in being a mother. Which isn't all that bad. But sometimes I wish I had time to do some of the other things that I really love. Read more. Write more. Writing is something I never expected to ever get thrown to the wayside in my younger years. Still you will never see me without a journal and a good pen by my side. I set a goal at a very young age that I would somehow, someway, publish three books in my lifetime.

Yet, all I seem to be able to do is write quotes or blurbs for the books.

Most times I feel restricted by my own mind.

I have the stories. I have the characters. I just need to learn how to put it all down on paper. Maybe I have set my goals to high. Expecting myself to just sit down and write a 600 page novel might be a little out of my reach.

For now.

But last night, when the kids were fast asleep, Nick gone out riding, I finally did it. The ideas had been brewing in my noggin.

To the point of me jumping out mid-shower just to write them down.

So I finally sat down and began to write.

I think I am finally onto something here.

Can't wait to see where this goes.....

All Hallow's Eve.

(Mom & Dad getting ready for our night out.)

Hope you all had a great Halloween. We did.