Momentous Miscellaenous

Today, the last day of winter break, gave me many reasons to celebrate.

It is always hard to go back to work after a fun-filled holiday season.

This year may be even harder as the girls also have to get back into the school routine.

This last day of break for teachers and students is traditionally a day of mourning.

I will admit waking up and being bummed out.

But then...the day...well it surprised me...

just read on....and see...

The morning started with all three kids playing TOGETHER

with new Doh and tools from Santa.

Hallelujah!

Sam making "chocolate cookies"

Natalie rolling her Doh

Amelia twirling hers

Then to add to the reasons to celebrate...

FINALLY SNOW TO PLAY IN!!!!!

This year the girls can actually pull each other around.

Sam can't get enough of the stuff and has been checking daily

to see if the ground had turned to white from brown.

Amelia pouting or keeping warm?

I'll let you decide.

Natalie and Sam

Amelia and Sam

Then, you won't believe it...but this afternoon

3:30-6:30 to be exact....

these Snow Angels...

they played in their room with no fighting...

not one bit for three hours straight.

Ring in the New Year!!

I am loving the start so far!

Finally, the real reason that today is momentous...

It all has to do with this special big guy...

10 years ago today we had our first date.

So much has changed...

he no longer wears and earring.

I no longer have a haircut similar to Sam's.

Our house is loud, our bodies are weary

but without that first date...

well today I would not have had

these many reasons to celebrate.

Love ya- Mike!

Thanks for making the first move.

Holiday Hoopla

A quick post to share some shots from the holidays.

Enjoy!



Christmas eve at church

gifts at Nana's and Papa's house

Firetruck!!!

Cindy Bears a special surprise from Santa

The MAN crane

(really that is what it is called!)

construction gear

castle furniture and Grandma'a and Papa's

stuffed animals to represent sponsored real zoo animals

trucks assisting the tree

(usually they are laying siege on the castle Santa brought the girls)

Wordless Wednesday

Festive Activities

So its been one month since my last post.

I am a working Mom to three...I dare you to comment...really.

Life...well busy, crazy, all around chaotic..are just a few adjectives to describe the times.

We love it...well most days...

the days when someone isn't whining nonstop (Sam)

and hair pulling wrestling fights are not center stage in our living room. (Girls)

I am happy to report that the house is decorated

and at the moment the children are "nestled all snug in their beds"

possibly with visions of "sugar plums??" 

Nahh...more like monster trucks and

fairy tales dancing in their heads.

The cookies are baked (courtesy of the resident chef/baker )

and the stockings are hung with care (oldest to youngest per the girls).

Me...well I keep up with the laundry so we all have clean underwear.

(hey, don't knock it...it rhymed)

The activities left on our docket are a bit much

and we hope to pull them off with not alot of fuss.

The hunt for the tree was filled with rain. 

Bundling three kids up (and yourself) is oh such a pain.

By chance alone we parked by our tree.

It's funny how some things are just meant to be.

At the end of the event we thought we'd be sly

and bribe the children to sit with the holiday special guy.

We were pleasantly surprised when Sam took a seat

to earn the right to a tasty treat.

His sisters were not about to be shown up

so they decided to join in..and do what most would say..

"Man Up! (in this case Woman Up!)

So here it is in all its glory...

the end to this cliche' little story.

Merry Christmas to all...

and to all...a good night!

Extreme Flagging**

Its the time of year when almost everyday a new toy catalog arrives.

When you have three young children these advertisements put a parent in a Catch 22 situation.

The catalogs themselves keep the kids relatively busy and quiet for at least 15 mins.

But then for at least days after the arrival of the latest and greatest 

one must hear about all the wonderful things within it.

To curb the enthusiasm and make the Christmas spirit sparkle in our kids

we decided it was time to start working on their "lists".

While I was out one night last week 

Mike took the reindeer by the horns and started the list making process.

How did it go?

Especially with three kids who cannot write more than basic sight words?

No...you are not seeing double.

That is the true amount of post-it flags.

 I think if post-it flagging hit the X-games

Amelia and Natalie have a chance for top honors in

Extreme Flagging!

 Most flags where found on pages such as this.

No surprise there.

Others branched out a bit while still sticking to a more feminine theme.

 Now here Natalie strays from the norm in hopes of a new fishing pole.

Interesting since my Dad bought her a princess one two years ago.

 Christmas lights, Nat?

After seeing this I found out on one of our many commutes 

that the girls think the white lights we put on out house 

are "BORING" and we should put up "MAGNIFICENT" colored lights.

(note to self....colored lights...no matter the cost)

Ok...seems harmless enough $19.99 for a deer.

The girls like animals...alot.

So I am not surprised by this flag....

until...I read...

48" 3-D Deer Target

Inflatable 3-D deer with hook and target area

How is Santa going to explain the purpose of the 

large black circle?

Well I am not sure what to say so I certainly hope he leaves a note!

**this post is dedicated to my friend Chelsea...who needs and deserves a laugh or two.

She's just entered the fight ring with cancer and my money is on her.

love ya-  Chels!

Better Late Than Never

What more can I say?

I tried to get these posted sooner but life got it the way!  : )

This year I finally conceded I let the girls fulfill their princess dream.

It's not that I have anything against royalty I am sure they are rather pleasant.

I'll let you know if I ever meet one of the Royals...Disney or Windsor.

The princess thing at Halloween just seems so overdone.

Not to mention those types of costumes are in no way insulating for skinny little girls.

But as a good mother would I gave in made their Halloween dreams come true.

The decision did have more than a "making your kids think you are the best Mom in the world" payoff.

The costumes are replacing their trashed dress-up gowns...very economical, don't you think?

Sam... he was easy. 

A well known fact is he LOVES sharks.

especially Hammerheads...

too bad Old Navy didn't carry that kind of costume.

 Amelia as Sleeping Beauty

 Natalie as Cinderella

 Sammy the Great White Shark

This is a great picture of life around here...

princess wave, shark "roar", obligatory smiles

and chaos all the time.

Masterpieces

 This year the girls drew out their own pumpkin faces.

As you will see it was impossible to carve exactly what they drew.

Mike and I tried our best to keep the integrity of their plans intact.

We did however take our own artistic license.  : )

Sam was not so keen on pumpkins guts at first.

However he did finally succumb to a bit of peer pressure.

Its amazing what having older siblings will get a kids to do.