Santa - Where art thou???

OK - so maybe I'm a little upset. Just a little. Alright maybe I'm just a bit down right PO'D (sp). Our yearly Santa picture is always taken at the same place with the same Santa - always. Last year we had to suffer through a change of venue for Santa, but STILL THE SAME SANTA. This year we were informed that Santa was just too dog-gone pricey and they weren't doing it. Say what??? Don't they know that I am an anal control freak that has to have everything just the way it should be ALL the time??? Didn't they get the memo? I think not. So, sadly this year we will NOT be sitting on our favorite jolly old elf. This year their will be no twinkle of our wonderful St. Nick's eye. Oh Santa - where have you gone? Our tradition has been diminished to just our priceless photos of all the years that the girls have sat on this SAME Santa's lap. Boo-hoo. So I keep searching. Searching for that ONE Santa (that doesn't cost an arm and a leg) and that REALLY looks like our wonderful Santa that we have used almost since my children's birth.

Oh Santa - where art thou??

Thanksgiving!

This time of year always brings about a feeling of nostalgia for me. We spend the time reminiscing of loved ones and thinking back to our past. It is such a sweet time of year. A time for decorating, singing, laughing, baking, shopping, and just enjoying our family. We have spent the past few days hanging out as a family and it has been wonderful. We went to Illinois to visit my family that lives there and we had a great time. Julia got to hang out with her cousin Nora and she really enjoyed herself. I was also so pleased at how well behaved and grown-up the girls were. It was such a great trip. So although Julia DID manage to break an unknown dish and get covered in water from head to toe (which we have NO idea where it came from - the toilet most likely) the trip was a success!

Yesterday we put up the tree and decorations and watched Christmas movies (after Black Friday shopping of course). Then I decided to take the girls' picture for our Christmas card. Sophie got a kick out of seeing her mommy jump around making silly noises so Julia would smile! It turned out really cute. What do you think?

To smile - or not to smile - THAT is the question!

Tomorrow is the day. Oh, yes. Tomorrow is the day that will either spark my blooming Christmas spirit or take me over that final edge! Yikes! Each year we tackle the task of lugging the whole family into the city to have our pictures taken. As one would expect and as one would assume this should be an easy task. It's just pictures, right? Wrong. Here is where my OCD comes into play. Not only will we be tackling Christmas pics - we will also be forging ahead with that grand family photo - but don't stop there - oh no - that would be too easy! Let's go ahead and throw birthday pics into the mix as well! How I managed to luck out and have not one but TWO birthdays in December is beyond me. So - tonight I will diligently lay out all of our outfits. Dresses - check. Tights - check. Shoes - check. Birthday outfits - check. Clothes for mom and dad - check. Hair bows (a necessity in our house) - check. Mom's sanity - check. Well, I don't know about the last one - ask me tomorrow!

Wish me luck!

Did you know Julia doesn't have a wiener?

Yeah - seriously - did you know that? Well - now I do! While listening to Anna and Sophia in the bathtub tonight I was VERY enlightened! Anna says to Sophie - "Do we really know what Julia is?" Sophie says, "she's a girl - of course." Anna continues on (just teasing) - "Well how do you know for sure?"
Sophie (dead-pan), "Does she HAVE a wiener??"
What can you say to that?

Actually - I'm speechless - and how often does that happen!?! :)

No, No, No, No, No -no no no no no!

No! Such a simple word. It is only composed of two letters. One consonant - one vowel. So simple. Well - this word has now graced the vocabulary of our very one and only Julia. The first time this one syllable word was uttered by our smallest daughter it was quite possibly the cutest word that her sweet little face could muster. She said it with a little up-talk at the end - no-oh! So cute! Fast forward...

Julia? Do you want your cup? No-oh.

Julia? Come here. No-oh.

Julia? Close that drawer. No-oh.

Julia? PUT DOWN THAT HAMMER!!!!

Ok - So the last was an exageration, but you get my drift.

She does talk a lot so I hope we can move on to another new word soon.

Little stinker!! But how do you resist??

One Proud Momma

Today was Anna's very first piano recital. She was very nervous because she has only been playing since September. She did fantastic! She played the two songs that she has been working on and she even got to play them on a grand piano - how cool is that?!? Her teacher is Mrs. Knutson. She is a wonderful and caring teacher and Anna just loves her. Grandma Deena and Tricia came to watch, too. I think it makes Grandma Deena happy to know that her piano is being loved and taken care of. I was one proud momma today!

Anna at the piano during the recital.

Anna and her teacher - Mrs. Knutson

Anna at our piano at home before the recital.

Sophie-ism of the Day!

I have to say that my Sophia is always the one to say the darnedest things. At any moment - at any given time - she has been known to make me laugh until I feel as if milk might just spew from my nose (if I was drinking it). The things she says - we call "sophie-isms". These are her words and I love writing about them, because I want to treasure them as she grows up. These are the things that just might slip our grasp and we might forget them - how sad would that be. So here it is - the "sophie-ism" of the day...

Sophie: "Mom, when I grow up I want to be a vegetarian."

Me: "Sophie? Why do you want to be a vegetarian - you'll have to give up hot dogs and you LOVE hot dogs."

Sophie: "Why would I have to give up hot dogs to help heal animals?"

(The light is dawning now!)

Me: "Sophie - you want to be a vetrenarian." (sp)

Sophie: "That's what I said mom - a vegetarian."

Yeah... Well... So there.


Then she proceded to tell me that she was gonna work hard and make lots of money - then she was giving it all to me! I said that she didn't have to do that and she told me that I do so much for her that she was working to pay me back!

I LOVE that kid! (horns and all):)