Thanksgiving Weekend - Part 2

So, Saturday we spent the day organizing, cleaning up and cleaning out. There is a clearance sale at the Hansell's and EVERYTHING must go! We have so much crap that Andy and I, together because otherwise it wouldn't work, have made a commitment to de-clutter our house. I know it won't happen overnight, but one room at a time we are getting rid of whatever we don't need right now or in the immediate future. It is hard letting go of some things, but when the box is covered in dust or has not been opened since you received it at your wedding 6+ years ago, it is time to let it go...
Saturday night we got a sitter and went to dinner at Big Bowl and saw Four Christmases with a group of friends. Andy and I both really liked the movie. There were some laugh-out-loud parts and it was nice to get out without the kids after a very family orientated weekend. We love the family time but need some alone time too....
Today we started what I hope becomes a yearly tradition. We went to my parents for a great breakfast and then spent the day making Christmas cookies. We attempted to make my late Grandma's recipe, but like most things, no one does it like Grandma. They are good but nothing like when her and my Grandpa did it. I know they were watching today getting a good laugh.... The kids had a blast playing and "helping" and eating. The perfect finish to a perfect holiday weekend. Hope everyone else had as much family, food, and fun as we did!

Enjoying waffles and pancakes and bacon and.....
Grandma & Maria

Parker and Jules doing a little measuring

Maria & Mommy

All this baking is making my hungry!

Following the leader....

Thanksgiving Weekend - Part 1

We have already had a wonderful weekend and there are still 2 more days to enjoy! What a great feeling....
Thursday we went to my parents for a turkey dinner bonanza! Good food, family, and football/ad reading. What could be better? It was a great holiday! I did end up with a stomach bug on Thursday night and went to bed super early and slept in late so I missed Black Friday shopping for the first time in a long time. I did wake up feeling better and made it to the mall to hit Gymboree where I felt like they were practically giving stuff away - between the sales and the coupons it was nuts.
Friday afternoon we ventured out to get our Christmas tree. I can already tell this year is going to be so much fun! Jules is WAY into all things Christmas and was so excited to pick out a tree. We got a big one and came home and decorated it together. It should be interesting with Maria - she likes to mess with the tree so we will have to keep a close eye on that.
Stay tuned for Thanksgiving Weekend - Part 2

The Girls on Turkey Day

Julia at the tree lot

Looking for the perfect tree

Girl hug

Trimming the tree

Happy Turkey Day!

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Turkey Talk

So we have been talking a lot about Thanksgiving around these parts the last week or two and it has been the topic of learning at Julia's preschool. I am pleased/proud/emtional/exstatic that Julia proclaims to be thankful for Mommy, Daddy, & Maria on an every time asked basis along with a host of others thrown in there every now and then. (Grandparents, aunts & uncles, Parker, Molly and Kendall - and a little boy named Zachery from her daycare. Is that really starting already?) I struggle with how to convey to a three-year-old just how thankful her Mommy is for HER. She doesn't understand "You are my dream come true" or "You've made my life better" so I am settling for I love you sooooo much. Doesn't seem to do the feeling justice, but I know she knows, in her 3 year-old way, that Andy and I are so thankful for her and her sister.
On a lighter note, Julia's preschool teacher asked her "How do you cook a turkey?" and this was her response:
"Stuff the turkey with pizza, put chocolate sprinkles on top, cook turkey in the oven at 9 degrees for 5 years."
That made me laugh so hard. They printed all the kid's answers and they were all pretty cute. Below is some pictures of all the turkey themed art work that has been coming home. We are really looking forward to Thursday and are very aware of all we have to be thankful for.

Maria's Hand Print Turkey

Julia's Foot & Hand Print Turkey

Barbies & Doughnuts & Spaghetti - Oh My!

We went to my sister's today to officially celebrate my niece Molly's 4th birthday. We had a ton of fun and as expected, Julia spilled the beans on the Barbie house. "Open the barbie one first Molly!" Oh well.... We had awesome food, watched the football game, and as an extra special treat, Julia got to stay and play with Molly and her loot for a couple of hours. Oh, and the doughnut cake was a huge hit!

Molly blowing out the candles on her doughnut cake

Maria, Julia, Molly & Parker

Buffalo Wild Children - Thanks Joe!

Today we went to my brother's restaurant and had lunch. Julia LOVES to visit Uncle Joe at work and to make it even better, Mimi and Molly and Olive, Ambee and Hazel were there too. Last time we visited Julia put crayons behind her ears so she could be like Uncle Joe, who had a pen behind his ears. She asked a lot of questions about why he had it there and she must have decided it was a good idea because soon she was following suit. Very cute! Anyways, the kids had a blast, lost a bazillion balloons in the ceiling which Joe kept replacing, poor guy. They even got to wear funny crowns and check out the kitchen. It was a WILD success!

Maria could not get enough of the crowns...

You can see why we may have lost a balloon or two...
Olive, Julia & Molly

Yum, this food is good. You should eat at Buffalow Wild Wings!

Buffalo Princess X 2

I am still here - physically anyways. My mind is another story...

Yes, I know. I have been neglecting the blog. Life has gotten in the way of my cyberspace addiction these past couple of weeks. I guess a couple of ear infections and the fact that I feel like it's 10 pm at 5 in the evening have gotten the best of me. The good news, maybe? is that I am back in the saddle and hoping to stay better on top of things. My friend Robynn and I decided we need notepad earrings so we can keep jotting down all the crap we need to do or keep forgetting to do. If it is not physically attached to my body chances are I will forget it somewhere too. It has gotten so bad I would forsake my fashion sense, which I don't have much of anyways, if it meant staying better on top of all areas of my life... I am trying. I guess that's all I can ask of myself.

So, a blogging I will go.

Happy 4th Birthday Molly!

Hard to believe but my one and only niece Molly is turning four today. She is a sweet and sassy and the best hugger around. She has the best little giggle and Julia and Maria both adore her. (So do Andy and I...) We are officially celebrating on Sunday, with a cake made out of doughnuts (She is definitely related to me. Doughnuts are their own food group in my diet....) and maybe some Barbie gifts? It will be interesting to see if Julia spills the beans on the Barbie Doll House - she helped me pick it out and keeps talking about it.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOLLY DOLLY!

Playing Babies at the Cabin - laughing like usual when they are together...

The Birthday Girl as Minnie Mouse

Yucky Cheese Please!

Thursday night we went to Chuck E. Cheese for Molly & Parker's friend birthday! It was Maria's first trip there and only Julia's second. They had a blast! That place is kind of crazy and luckily we had a small group of kids. Julia calls it Yucky Cheese, and not because she thinks it's gross. That is just how she says it. It's really cute. Everyone had fun eating pizza, playing games, and eating treats! It was a great night!

Maria and Chuck E. Cheese

Riding the pretend rollar coaster

Birthday Boy in his new PokeMon hat

Molly opened this and I asked "What did you get Molly?" and she replied "A NEW HEAD!"

Holy Cute!

Check out what will FINALLY be replacing the photos of Julia from when she turned one on our wall. (Sorry Maria, I know you are under represented in photos, but we are working on it!) My friend Clarissa took these, she owns Lily Pad Photography, and the hats are from Susie Knits.

Future Artist?

Maria's newest obsession is coloring. (I use the term "color" very loosely...) She wants to do it all the time. There is one major problem though - she likes to snack on her utensil. I have now bought 4 different types of crayons, ones shaped like animals, plastic ones, and so on, and she still takes a bite every time. You would think they taste like crap and she would stop, but she is bound and determined to make it part of her diet. I have decided that what doesn't kill her, will only make her stronger, or at least give her a more "colorful" personality....

Hard at work on a masterpiece

Maria very happy with her work

Trick-or-Treat!

Halloween was so fun this year! Julia was so into everything and Andy and I decided that we need to start doing a better job of getting in the holiday spirit, whatever holiday it might be. This year I bought some Halloween decorations for our house, both inside and out, that Julia LOVED, and really tried to do some "Halloween" stuff. We made orange cupcakes, carved pumpkins, and Julia help me pick out what candy we passed out.
Andy took Julia Bo Peep and Maria Sheep trick-or-treating for almost 2 hours! The weather was beautiful and they really had fun. He always goes with our friend (and neighbor) Eric and their kids and Robynn and I stay at our houses and hand out candy. Julia then came home and ate one piece and crashed. She is still an M & M fan and we discovered that Maria REALLY likes Twizzlers. All in all, a great Halloween had by all!

All ready for Trick-or-Treating!

Julia the sheep and Jared the Lion

Glinda the Good Witch (Kendall) Little Bo Peep (Julia) & Dorothy (Bailey)