Have Yourself...

A Merry Little Christmas...

God Bless you and your loved ones!

Tuesday Ten

1. So, we had our first snow day yesterday! That is always exciting! I love a little unexpected change to the routine.

2. I'd rather have summer more, though. Clearly, I am living in the wrong climate.

3. Every night after Max gets out of the bath, he gets a renewed energy! Last night, he was naked and jumping on his bed (this is normal, we have to remind him over and over to stop jumping and get dressed after a bath), when I came in and looked around his room. He had taken off most of his books from his bookshelf and they were everywhere. I said, "Hey, I think someone needs to clean up their room." To which he replies, "Oh, I think I am getting really, really tired.... ::BIG FAKE YAWN:: ... Honk Shoo, Honk Shoo, Honk Shoo." All this while still jumping naked, mind you.

4. How 'bout a little candy cane holiday cheer for you?



I know I need to take the wrappers off! But this was just lighting practice for a different picture I will share later. I still like it, though.

5. So, every once in a while we go and eat breakfast at our local Waffle House. We sit at the counter so we can watch the action (the kids love that) and enjoy their good coffee. I don't know if they are all like this, but the waitresses at this one are so kind and nice and I love that. They make conversation and everyone helps everyone else. They know what their regulars want and get the drinks ready even before the person enters the restaurant. It just reminds me of a small town and simpler times and hard working people. Yep, all that from the Waffle House.

6. I had Pandora playing on the computer the other day and Zoey went up and read part of the screen that had music genres listed. She asked me what I liked the best... "you know, like jazz, rock, alternative?" I said it depended on my mood and she said, "NOT ME! I like ROCK! It's music that is like dancing and taekwondo all mixed in one!!!" I think she was influenced by Guitar Hero as a young child.

7. Example number 1: Her favorite song is still Pat Benatar's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot!" because that was one of the easier guitar hero songs she could play 3 years ago!!

8. She has other non-rocker moves too, however! I am not sure what this is... maybe vogue?





Photos by Ross

9. Max never leaves the house to get into the car without a book in hand. Today we were getting ready for school and I was giving him some gloves. He said he couldn't wear them because he wouldn't be able to turn the pages. It was said in such a cute, serious way.

10. And I am all out, so I will leave you with another holiday lights bokeh picture because I love them... That is my advent wreath in front, but I forgot the colored candles. The white makes for a pretty picture, though...



Happy, Happy Tuesday, Friends!!

Finger Knitting Zoey

The other day Zoey stayed home from school. She was sick, but feeling okay enough to really hang out with me all day. It was fun to just relax and be together since it is not something we usually do. We dropped Max off at school and went to the fabric store for some yarn to occupy our afternoon. Zoey learned to finger knit when she went on field trip to learn about life in the Pioneer days, and some kids have been doing it in their class during recess when it is too cold.



She showed me how to do it as well and we were finger-knitting away and watching Christmas movies on TV! What a fun afternoon!



She loved the yarn that changed colors. It really made for a pretty end product. We started small...


And then realized we could add pom-poms!


And Voila! A scarf for a doll!



She made a longer one, too, just for herself and proudly wears it. It is very cute and she did a great job. She wore it out the other night to a friends house, and our friends with two little girls were also there. Zoey showed them her scarf, and they said they liked it! Zoey loves little kids and she woke up the next morning before anyone else was up and quickly got to work making the girls a scarf as well...

Here she is modeling her scarf. This is before we added the pom-poms to it.

St Nicholas Day

The kids put there shoes out on the eve of St Nicholas Day. They received giant Gingerbread guys to decorate! As I was going to bed that night, I noticed a piece of paper under Zoey's shoes. She is such a sweet and thoughtful girl, and I don't even give her enough credit. She didn't even tell us about this card she made...



Here Zoey is decorating her Gingerbread Man the next day!





these were so nice... the fun of a house (almost) but they could do it all on their own.

Her finished product:



Max waited a couple of days to do his. Here he is concentrating so hard, with his tongue out...


Zoey helped Max out with the icing part.


We get crazy afternoon light this time of year. This is one of those pictures that I just love for an emotional reason... Love that they are working together and being sweet...

Perspective

On this day, they told me they were Great White Hunters....

I called them Bright Orange Dorks... (I'm such a loving, supportive wife, I know)

It's perspective, of course.



Ross and his brother, Chet... And this is AFTER I told them to get a little closer together for the picture. Apparently this is close enough. Boys.

10 on Tuesday

1. Zoey and Max did the whole turkey wishbone thing the other day and Zoey won. I overheard her say, "Max, this is good, I wished for a brand new puppy!"

2. Just not happening anytime soon. (she is persistent though)

3. I don't think I am doing Christmas cards this year. I haven't ever not done them, so that makes me feel weird. Oh well, I just have to get over that.

4. Well, the switch has been flipped to winter. No more wishy-washy make up your mind weather... it is straight up cold and snowy and gray.

5. Back to the Christmas cards (see, I have issues). I did make an attempt to get pictures of the kids... here's a couple cute ones...






6. I was feeling a little California nostalgia, and read that the show The OC was actually not filmed in Orange County but all around where we used to live! So, I started watching it (I never did when it was actually on TV), and love to see little bits of our old home... it is very recognizable, which is cool. There are lots of places in the show that are filmed where Ross and I hung out when we were first dating and married. And the bonus is that the show actually makes me laugh too. But it totally means I'm old, because in this teen drama, I relate to the parents and not the kids! HA! HA!

7. And I have a random picture too... because, well, I just do and want to share. No more bugs for a while though... today, pomegranates! (what a crazy word to spell...)



I asked Zoey to hold the spoon and she immediately got the hiccups! Pomegranates falling (and staining) everywhere! I ended up just holding the spoon myself!

8. So, I love the internet... I had this really yummy tea at PF Changs a couple of weeks ago and kept thinking about it. I drink a ton of tea in the winter because I am freezing all day long, but I get tired of the same thing over and over. So I just asked my friend Google, and got the answer! I have to order the tea online though, so it's only sort of instant gratification.

9. Our driveway is really long... when you have to shovel it. just sayin'

10. I haven't lived where my Texas Aggies get televised in over ten years! And I saw them play on TV twice in less than a week! Pretty cool and Zoey and Max watched and cheered with me and Ross answered all of our crazy football questions! I may even get to see them in their bowl game! I am not all crazy about it, but what can I say? I bleed maroon. Whoop!

O Christmas Tree

Just a short drive away from us is a Christmas Tree Farm where you can go and chop down your own Christmas tree! We have an artificial one, but the kids love this adventure so much (what can I say, Ross and I really do too!) that we take advantage of it now. Neither Ross or I ever did this growing up, but this is so convenient and fun here, that we all love it.



We chose a fairly warm and sunny day to go. It made the adventure last longer!


The first time we came, Ross and I said over and over, how pretty all of the trees are. In my mind, the real trees were all a little misshapen and round, but these are beautiful here. They have four or five different kinds, too, which is neat.

Rows and rows... here are some little guys, not quite ready yet!


Off we go! Ross brings his own saw and puts on his lumberjack flannel!!


Max rides in the sled with the map and guides the way for a while...


He quickly gets out and joins Zoey in the quest for the perfect tree... That way!




We found our tree... Ross is getting to work! Zoey is supervising...


Me? I'm looking around for this little guy and making Charlie Brown Christmas tree jokes! And cracking myself up! I do it every year, and no else thinks its funny!!


We put the kids to work next...




And then had hot chocolate and popcorn with their tree...


Fun day! And the house smelled so nice when we brought the tree in... And I got to practice taking holiday bokeh pictures, that you will be tired of at the end of December because I love it and can't get enough!! (that's the blurry circles in the background)


Here it is... our lovely tree... O Tannenbaum!

Wordless Wednesday - Mars and Venus Eat Nuts

30th Day of Gratitude - Just the Beginning

I could write a lot here, but I will save that for another day. Whenever I embark on something, even as small and simple as this, I do hope to come out a little better on the other side. What I do know is that I have so much to be thankful for, both big and small, and if you are reading this, you are a part of that. Thank you. And now, let December begin...

29th DoG- New Shoes!

So, my friend, Susie, has been rockin' November with different shoes each day as a challenge! She has some pretty cool shoes, stories to go along with the shoes, and neat photos to go along with each day! I warn you, though... you may want to go shopping! That's what I did!!

I needed a new pair of shoes, but my feet have issues, so I am really limited to styles and brands. I always look to see what nurses and hairdressers are wearing! When I was getting my haircut the other day, my hairdresser told me about her shoes, and after going to check them out... I had to try them...

The brand is Alegria. They are a little chunky and funky, but that suits me just fine. Plus, the nurses love them! I hope they work for me as well... They are certainly comfy to start out with...

Days 27 and 28 - Thankful for Random Little Things...

It's always a little exciting when you get a good deal, right? Especially if it is something you needed anyway. Well, Saturday I checked my e-mail and saw a couple of stores had a sale on-line for some clothes for the kids. The kids need new, warmer pants (not for Christmas, for right now!) so I was thankful to take advantage of all the deals going on, and get free shipping too!!! No picture for that, so I am cheating a little and combining yesterday with today.

Today, as with most Sundays, I am just full of gratitude to spend it with my family and enjoying our time together. Every once in a while I think I might get a job that takes me away on the weekends, but the truth is, I would hate to miss days like today. All four of us together... not always doing something together, but just being around... I know soon enough, they won't always want to do that, so I enjoy it now.

and Ross and I made homemade eggnog lattes... yum!!

26th Day of Gratitude - Gray Friday!

And what a difference a can of paint can make.

We didn't want to even leave the house today because of the crowds and shoppers (not really our thing). But, it was cold outside and we didn't have any other plans, and we figured Lowe's wouldn't be too crazy...
So, we decided to tackle a small room to paint! The laundry room. It is the entrance to the house from the garage and often gets marks on the walls from shoes, kids, groceries, Ross, etc. It has a utility sink that we wash up a lot of stuff from projects, and so splatters are everywhere on the white walls. So I figured a darker color on the wall would help that and make it look better altogether!

I didn't get an exact before picture, but this is good enough...


And this is what I am hoping to help hide a little...

You may have noticed that I didn't actually state myself as a reason for the marks on the walls, but I am probably the one who did this! I am so clumsy! So there, I confess.

And a finished room! YAY!


Thankful for the nice change it made and for just being able to do a quick fun project on a Friday afternoon.

25th Day of Gratitude - the reason for the month...

Happy Thanksgiving to you! How thankful I am for all of you that read this! You have touched my life in big and small ways and I am blessed.

I certainly have much to be thankful for. I miss my parents, sister and her kids, but enjoyed talking to them today! Love you, Mom and Dad, Tina, Rachel, Joshua! I am thankful to talk and communicate with them whenever I want to or need to.

We had a nice, low-key Thanksgiving, that in the end was really just the perfect thing. We had Ross' brother's family here for a short time, and then we have just relaxed, just the four of us, for the rest of the day! So many blessings, so much to be thankful for.

24th Day of Gratitude - Counterspace and Pie Memories

I am not a baker. HOWEVER, I enjoy making pies for Thanksgiving, and even look forward to it. It is all tied to the fact that when I was a kid, it was the job I helped with the most on this holiday. Peeling potatoes, too, but that just wasn't fun...

The memory that stands out the most was in a house in Ramstein, Germany and I was probably 9. Just older than Zoey. I made pumpkin pies and pecan pies. When Zoey asked for an apple pie and a pumpkin pie and said she wanted to help, I couldn't wait to spend this day with her doing just that. I don't even care if we end up eating the pies or not. Making it was worth it.

And I have to add... I am also thankful for my kitchen counterspace. We have a HUGE island in our kitchen and I think it is the greatest thing ever on a daily basis! I have had lots of kitchens, most with very little space, so this was top on my list! (I think one apartment had 18 inches... that was the worst).

I thought I would take some pictures of our baking day...






We made the Pioneer Woman's Decadent Apple Pie...


Our finished products! Yum!!


Oh, and hand turkeys! So, So, Cute!!