Happy Birthday Kelly!

Today is my sister-in-law Kelly's birthday! We hope you have an amazing day and can't wait to see you in New Orleans in a few weeks!

Snow Bunnies

Is there anything cutier then toddlers decked out in full snow gear? The girls "helped" Andy shovel the driveway this afternoon and it made me smile all day....

Ready to head outside

"Helping" daddy

Working so hard at getting some snow in that shovel

Christmas 2008

This Christmas has been incredible! It has been a whirlwind of family and festivities, gifts and giggles, excitement and exhaustion. Here is a brief photo recap of the last couple of days....

Making Christmas cookies on Christmas Eve

We went to Andy's Aunt Karen & Uncle Jim's House for Christmas Eve Dinner. We had a great time and the girls got a ton of super nice gifts. My sister-in-law Kelly brought her soon-to-be-husband Clive to Christmas for the first time so that was fun. He has been here before but never for the holidays. Thanks for a great night guys!

Our attempt at a family picture...

Sucking up to Santa one last time....

Santa came! Julia walked downstairs Christmas morning and said "He did come Mommy!" like there was maybe a little doubt that a fat bearded man was going to bring her presents.

Maria checking out her loot... As I guessed, despite putting an enormous amount of effort into getting them different things that I thought they would each like, they both just played with everything together. I guess I shouldn't complain, for the most part they share and play nice.

Julia with her Handy Manny tools. We set out her Barbie house and had a hard time tearing her away from it to open her other stuff because she was so excited.

THE MONEY SHOT! I can not tell you how many pictures have been taken of these 4 children together (Molly, Julia, Maria & Parker) and they never turn out. Someone is picking their nose or looking the other way or something. I LOVE THIS PICTURE! It was taken at my parents house where we went after the Santa Fiesta on Christmas morning. Grandma and Grandpa spoiled them like always, and even Andy and I a little too. (THANKS MOM & DAD!!) We had an awesome breakfast and the kids played and it was wonderful. It is always my favorite part of Christmas.

We went to my Aunt Patti and Uncle Ken's house in Hudson, WI Christmas afternoon and had a ton of fun. We ate to much and played a fun gift exchange game. My cousins kids were there and all the kids had so much fin playing. (I realized that I am no longer in the kid category anymore...) The picture above is my immediate family and for those of you who don't know I will list from left to right - Parker, brother-in-law John, my sister Missy with Molly, my brother Joe, my dad Roy, my mom Joan with Maria and then Andy, Julia and I.

So that about wraps up Christmas 2008. A little sample of our holiday. (I took 200+ picture...) We hope your family had a wonderful Christmas too!

Happy Birthday Kari!

Capri, Italy

Christmas Day is my really good friend Kari's birthday. I always feel like her birthday gets neglected with the craziness of the holidays. This year I made certain to set up plans to help her celebrate. We are going out on Monday with the girls and I am super excited. So, until then, Happy Birthday my dear friend and here are the top 5 reason why I want to celebrate you!

5. You are my "crafty" friend and always answer my annoying craft questions with a smile.

4. You let me call you and rant and rave about whatever is driving me crazy on a particular day.

3. You, unlike me, make a list for everything and actually do what is on the list. It is very impressive.

2. We can spend a week on a European cruise in adjoining cabins and come home better friends then the day we left.

1. I just really like you, know I can count on you, and am grateful for your friendship.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KARI!

We Wish You A Merry Christmas!

Maria Storage Solution

So I have been trying to liquidate some toys to make room for Santa's arrival this week and have cleared off a couple of shelves, okay one - kind of. (If by clear off I mean just move the stuff to the floor...) My little Maria has found a new hangout place and I think it is a riot! Now, what will she do when there are toys there? I'll give you one guess....
Please excuse the craziness of my toy shelves in the playroom. As hard as I try to keep them neat and tidy it is a losing battle....

And yes, she really did this all on her own...

Perfect fit!

Winter Wonderland

So we spent the last weekend before Christmas shopping and partying. Not to shabby, eh? Friday night we took the girls to the mall and out to dinner to celebrate the completion of another year of holiday dance shows. I have never been happier to be done. I think all the shows combined with Julia having a bunch of concerts and programs for the first time was just more then I could handle. I was exhausted before they were even half over. I am already trying to plan differently for next year. Maybe rent a place and combine some centers and have all my daycares on the same night? I am getting to old to pack 15 different recitals into one week.

Saturday night we had a progressive party with some friends, complete with ugly Christmas sweater contest. We had a few people who couldn't make it, either their children or their parents were ill, but the smaller crowd had a blast and still managed to get pretty rowdy. Andy and I wore VERY ugly sweaters and there were a few other doosies. We went from house to house in the freezing cold but after the first house none of us were feeling much, if you know what I mean. Julia and Maria got to sleep over at grandma and grandpa's and they were soooo excited! Thanks for babysitting mom and dad!

Why yes, my sweater does depict the 12 Days of Christmas in sequins.....

That my friends, is my attractive husband is a very unattractive sweater

Today we just hung around and then celebrated Christmas with some of our best friends. We watched the Vikings fumble the ball a few times and had pizza and opened presents. It was super fun. I spent this evening wrapping gifts after they left. I am done wrapping for Maria, but still have Julia to do. I have really struggled with gifts for Maria because I feel like we already have everything for her age, and she just wants whatever Julia has so I am reluctant to buy stuff to have it not get used. Never fear though, she will have plenty under the tree. I did better this year in the "don't go overboard" mantra that I like to spout in October, but still could use some improvement. Julia's pile is just plain obnoxious, but we have decided to hold a few things over until her birthday.

Maria & her boyfriend Jared after we opened presents

Did I mention that is has been snowing all weekend and the temperature is so cold that you can barely breath outside. Good times. Here is Julia all bundled up before it became to cold to play outside.

Programs Galore!

This has been a crazy week of Holiday programs for Julia's various activities and holiday dance recitals for me. She had a singing program for her preschool on Monday. Far and away the highlight was her singing Away In A Manger. I was blinking back tears..... Today she had her recital for the dance class that I teach at her daycare, and a little holiday show for regular dance class at the studio. Both were great! It was kind of weird for me to have my own daughter in one of my shows, but she did wonderful. The studio one went pretty good too. Her class is SO big! The dance mom in me was a little sad that she was in the back row on the very end. I am so worried that is where she will be for the spring recital and you won't even be able to see her. I am trying to let it go..... Below are a few pictures from the studio show. I forgot a memory card at the preschool performance and we were really focusing on videotaping everything so the still camera got a little neglected. If I ever figure out how to post a video I will share......

Weekend Recap

So this may go down as the craziest week of my life thus far so this will be short and sweet....

Friday night I went scrap booking and didn't get a ton done but had a ton of fun! I was too busy thinking about all there is to do this week......

Saturday Julia went with to my brother-in-law's holiday party because it is so awesome. Not so awesome, the glitter in her "crazy" hair-do that is now all over my bathroom and permanently stuck to her head. Oh well, I am sure Missy and John view it as pay back for any number of things I have done with or given their children. Either way, she had a blast! Thanks guys!

Julia and her "crazy hair"

Saturday evening we had little holiday party with some friends. We had pizza and the kids exchanged gifts and then all 21, yes 21, of us headed to the Excel Center for Disney on Ice. The show was great by child entertainment standards, we may be experts at this point, and they both loved it. Maria was clapping and pointing and rocking out in her seat and Julia was enthralled. It was money well spent. Until, enter theme from JAWS, I got food poisoning from some crappy mini doughnuts that I shouldn't have been eating anyways. I am certain that it was God's way of telling me to stop eating so much crap and get on a diet. I will spare you the details, but I was down and out the rest of the weekend. Andy was on 100% parent and spouse duty. Thanks Babe!

Maria got a Snap & Style doll & outfit - she loved them!

Julia got a Lite Bright - which I may play with more then her....

The group o' kiddos

At the Disney on Ice show!

I am posting this after being at the holiday party for the dance class I am taking. Yes, this overweight, under exercised mom is taking a dance class - and loving it I might at. I have met some fun women and really look forward to it every week. So, the fun is over and crazy week is on - like Donkey Kong as Andy would say....... Stay warm out there people!

Miss Manners

At dinner last night....

Andy: Hey Jen, do you want any ketchup?

Jen: No thanks.

Julia: Good no thank you Mommy!

Everyone in our house is praised for good manners! Excellent.

Wedding Countdown

So my sister-in-law Kelly is getting married in New Orleans in January. Her finance is Clive, or Uncle Clive as Julia calls him, and Andy and I couldn't be happier to welcome such a nice guy to the family. Julia is going to be a flower girl, or "wedding girl" as she says. Maria is going to be on standby. She may or may not participate, depending on her mood, but she will have a dress and look cute either way. When we tried them on at the store she had to be forcefully removed from the dress so I am guessing that she will do just fine, but we aren't going to push anything. Here is a sneak peak of the dresses, Maria is actually wearing Julia's so it is too big, and Julia could have used a good hair brushing, some tights, and a little alterations too, but you'll get the idea.....

We can't wait for the big day! It's going to be so fun going to a new place and celebrating with everyone! New Orleans here we come!

More Santa?

We finished off the weekend with a date night last night. We ate at Maggiano's and went shopping. We found ourselves buy more things for ourselves then anyone else.... Oh well. We'll finish that list one of the these days.... Thanks for babysitting Pat & Karen! Julia has been talking about coming back all day today!
Today we went to the Santa Brunch at Majestic Oaks Golf Club near our house with my parents and my sister's family. For you locals, I would highly recommend it. It is a wonderful breakfast buffet with tons of food, omelet stations, waffles stations, kids buffet, and pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus. As you know from earlier post, Maria didn't care for Santa, the buffet made up for it. She was free of charge, and I assure you they are rethinking that after the Maria Feeding Storm came through today! We exchanged gifts from the cousins and had a really nice time. I smell another tradition in the making....

Grandma & Grandpa & the kiddos

Present time!

Notice the food in Maria's mouth - she couldn't stop eating long enough to even open presents...

No, we did not subject Maria to another visit with Santa. We tried and she cried so we gave her the pass......

Here Comes Santa Claus...and a Few Tears....

We went to see Santa at the mall today with some friends. As expected, Julia did great and Maria not-so-much. Jules asked for a Barbie house, a new movie player, and a Barbie kitchen. (Thankfully there were no surprises like last year. I was searching for a particular dolly I didn't know she wanted at the last minute because she pulled that out of no where...) Maria screamed bloody murder the entire time. Even shooting glances at Julia as if to say What the hell is this? Who the hell is this? Why are you not screaming to? and finally SAVE ME!!! Julia did the same thing at Maria's age. Next year she should be on board with the whole Santa thing.

After Santa we rode the carousel a couple times, had lunch, and did a little shopping. It was a great day - and it is going to get better. Andy and I are going on a date! Yahooooo! Dinner and some shopping. I am really looking forward to it! Hope you all have a nice weekend!

I want a Barbie house, and a Barbie kitchen and a new DVD player and a ......

Seriously, I do NOT like this!!!

Family hugs!

Ready! Set! GO!!!

Andy and Julia have always played this game before bed called Ready! Set! Go! Julia stands on one end of the hallway and Andy sits on the other and the she runs as fast as she can at him and "knocks" him over. She thinks it's a riot. Well, tonight, Maria decided she wanted in on the action! It was so cute! First they went by themselves, and then they decided it would be more fun to hold hands and do it together. (Except when Julia went to fast and Maria would take a face plant because Jules was holding her hand... Only happened twice before they got the right speed down - thanks goodness!) I grabbed the camera and got some funny shots!

The Solo Run

The Drag Technique

Now they got it!

...and crash!

Niffty Nails

Today I took Julia to a nail salon for the first time with my friend and her girls. She got her nails painted, complete with teeny tiny flower on each thumb nail. She was so excited and so proud. It was really fun and $5 well spent. Next time I am going to have to let her get her toes done too. She really wanted to stick her feet in the bubble bath but I convinced her that it was too cold. (it really was.....brrrrrr! ) We went to lunch afterwards and then her buddies came over to play for a little while. Needless to say, Julia had a great day! (If you are wondering where Maria was during all this, she was playing with her boyfriend Jared at his house. His daddy was nice enough to watch her for me so I could take Jules. I think she had a great time too! Thanks E!)

Drying - not an easy task for a 3 year-old. Too much sitting still and not touching anything...

Work in progress....

Ready for action!

Taadaaa!

Julia, Bailey & Kendall