I wanted to share that we are trying, despite our busy lives, to decorate a bit for Christmas. I took pictures with my phone, so the color is poor, but everything does look very festive and sweet.
We hung our annual Oregon wreath on the front door. Daddy's mom sends us this as a way of adding a bit of Oregon into our holiday no matter where we might be. They are always beautiful and are one of my favorite things to receive.
We have our advent calendar that I bought on etsy.com. It is lovely and easy for little hands to handle and not break.
Stocking hung with care on the mantle. A handmade Christmas tree made from our Boy's sweet hands, and all of our annual Christmas cards displayed, showing our ever growing family over the years.
A little village on the piano...who Barbie is gracing with her presence.
We put a Charlie Brown train around the tree. Daddy said this was for the kids, but we know it was really about him. He loves it.
Our tree this year is a hodge podge of old and new and homemade ornaments. I love it.
We made a wreath snowman in the dining room...which turned out adorable. I have one to put up outside as well, but haven't, for lack of time. Maybe over the weekend.
We have our kids gallery hung with lots of Christmas crafts over our kitchen window and cards adorning the outside of our cabinets.
It really is a great season.
kiddos
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
christmas 2
Such Good Cheer Holiday Card
Elegant holiday invitations for your friends and family.
View the entire collection of cards.
Cards are coming in....
I love Christmas. I love sending cards and writing out names and addresses of friends present and past. I also love getting Christmas cards and reading people's letters and seeing photos of how their children have grown, of their new dogs, and their new haircuts. It is so nice to feel those reminders of dear friends who you never get to keep in touch with as much as you want. I keep them year after year and try to go through the old cards at least once through the season.
If you haven't gotten a card this year, for one reason or another...here is our card (in the next post, by way of Shutterfly...I love Shutterfly). Send me your address and I will get you added to the address book (I am still old school and don't have a "database").
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Party Animal
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Christmas Lists
We met Santa Saturday morning. Once a year the physicians in my practice host a Christmas brunch for families. Complete with delicious food, crafts, cookie decorating and a visit from Santa.
This Santa was exceptional in that he took a little time to really talk to the kids.
Boy was impressed by his "big black boots" and was very curious as to whether the reindeer and sleigh were on the roof. Santa let him know that he rode the Polar Express for this quick visit and would be off that evening to run things in the North Pole.
Boy told him that the Shelf Elf was at our house and that "I don't ever touch him".
Bluebird had a few sassy replies but I was not clear on what she was saying exactly.
Christmas Wishes:
Boy:
A Bicycle
A giant robot ("how big, as big as you?" I said. He said "No, not this big, shorter, I want a short robot.")
A garbage truck
A Shark Toy
Wishes for boy from mom:
5T pants, not jeans
Long sleeve t-shirts (he hates long sleeves, but needs them)
Socks
Swedish Moccasins
Bluebird:
Princess Dresses (or any fun dress up clothing)
Bicycle
Skateboard (mom says "not this year")
Wishes for Bluebird from Mom:
A doll
A tea set
Anything cute and girly for her room
Swedish Moccasins
Buttercup:
She had no individual requests.
Wishes for Buttercup from Mom:
a doll
a doll house
Swedish Moccasins
Me:
Silhouettes of all children (the real deal, not decals)
A pair of boots from Steve Madden
White dishes and serving ware. (I really need a gravy boat)
Sterling silver ware (I am looking to collect mix and match sets)
I would love homemade ornaments from each of my nieces and nephews
Sewing machine with embroidery- Sewing lessons would be awesome too
Need: New laptop
Daddy:
NCAA football 2012 for XBox 360 (Not Madden)
Clemson water resistant pullover
Clemson Polo
Socks
Dream list for kids:
Pottery Barn farm chairs
Pottery Barn farm table
Pottery Barn train table with bins on casters
Friday, December 2, 2011
It's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas...
Our Elf on the Shelf, "Tiptoe" returned this year to kick of the season with a wonderful breakfast fit for elves. We were treated with Santa hats, ornaments, fruit, snow covered donuts, and flashing cups of juice and milk.
He also replaced all of our family photos with photos of himself. The kids thought that was so silly.
They were delighted.
Later we ate turkey and wild rice casserole and we put up the tree.
We are trying to watch a Christmas movie each evening and keeping lots of Christmas music playing.
Tomorrow we get the meet Santa at my company's annual Christmas brunch. I will let you know what the kids ask him for tomorrow.
I love this time of year.
He also replaced all of our family photos with photos of himself. The kids thought that was so silly.
They were delighted.
Later we ate turkey and wild rice casserole and we put up the tree.
We are trying to watch a Christmas movie each evening and keeping lots of Christmas music playing.
Tomorrow we get the meet Santa at my company's annual Christmas brunch. I will let you know what the kids ask him for tomorrow.
I love this time of year.
Thanksgiving 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Mommy Bluebird
I know you have all heard me say that Bluebird is a "Little Mommy". I have never met such a nurturing child. Above is a photo of her putting Buttercup "to bed". Last night I went to her room and there were toys All over her room and she was not in her bed. I found her amongst the toys sleeping on the floor, with a pillow and covered with a blanket. I put her in bed and noticed that what at first seemed a mess of toys, was actually all of her babies, each with their head on a pillow and covered with a blanket. She had carefully placed each of them to bed, and I imagine sang to them and gave them all butterfly kisses, and then she laid beside them and drifted off to dreamland.
What a beautiful child she is!!!
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Local Control
The past few days have been the usual chaos of a family of five. Bluebird is so helpful, yesterday she helped me unload the dishwasher (she likes to put away all the silverware), she helped me make our laundry detergent, and she helped me put away all of the Halloween decorations.
What would I do without her?!
So...that is the gist of my evening and it sounds so sweet. And those few moments were. They were moments where we smiled and laughed and thought about how great it was to be a mom and a wife and live the best life on earth.
What is left out is the madness inbetween. Usually, I think we all leave these out of our conversations and blogs. Truly, only people who are mentally ill constantly devulge the ugly details of their lives.
I am not mentally ill (at least I don't think so)...but today, I feel like I must be honest and say that many times, the inbetween moments are complete madness.
My husband would say I bring this on myself. I did not need to take down the Halloween decorations, I do not need to put up Thanksgiving decor, I do not need to make my own laundry detergent (even though homemade is the best)....
So, husband is right...I do take more on than I need to. I try to do everything. I want to make cakes for the kids and get the "volunteer family hours" into the school so my kids can put their handprints on the wall (only to find out that Boy refused to put his hand in paint, ha).
I would love to say I could do more if I didn't work...and I probably could. But the truth is...I have found no one who has a smooth morning. Everyone seems to be chaotically trying to get kids dressed, fed and out the door and even the stay at home mom's seem to be having trouble making sure that breakfast is healthy and protien packed.
I try to make sure I am dressed before the kids get up. But guess what, we are still leaving 10 minutes behind my preferred schedule.
I try to make sure lunches and backpacks are packed the night before. Guess what? Still behind schedule.
I try to make sure clothes are laid out the night before. Including shoes, socks and underwear. Guess what? Still behind schedule.
I love dropping kids off at early stay, but we are never early enough. I love to get to work early and drink coffee before patients arrive, but I am always rushing through the door just in time.
I cannot say we are late, but we are not as early as I would idealize.
I idealize a life where things run smoothly and the house is always clean and I do not have a laundry basket with hundreds of mismatched socks...seriously, where do all these socks come from? Where is the basket of matches hiding?
I idealize a life where kids eat eggs and smoothies for breakfast and that they are grateful and happy to do so.
I idealize a life where the house is always clean and laundry isn't piling up by the mounds.
I idealize a life where I always read my bookclub book and can always have time to sit with friends and wine and discuss it.
I idealize a life where I am never trying to figure out where the next dollar is coming from.
Seriously Moms...why is it that if we decide one night to take a break and leave the house a mess...that it takes another week of hassle to get things back in order? If we don't do a load of laundry each day, how is it possible that we then can hardly breath trying to catch up.
I wake early and I work until the kids are in bed. It does not stop. It never stops. I am exhausted.
I can downsize, I can decrease hours, I can clean out closets...but it just keeps the madness manageable, it doesn't decrease the madness.
In cancer treatments we call it "local control". I feel like in my life, I am always just trying to control the madness.
In cancer treatments, that is considered successful therapy.
But in cancer treatments, death is also an acceptable outcome.
But of course, preferrable is always remission or cure.
I want to ask for advice, and I also want to hear from more mom's like me.
Because, I do not just think this is my life, I think this is life. Life as WE know it.
Humanity.
What is your life like?
If it is a life like mine, how do you keep from being a raging bitch to all of those you love?
What would I do without her?!
So...that is the gist of my evening and it sounds so sweet. And those few moments were. They were moments where we smiled and laughed and thought about how great it was to be a mom and a wife and live the best life on earth.
What is left out is the madness inbetween. Usually, I think we all leave these out of our conversations and blogs. Truly, only people who are mentally ill constantly devulge the ugly details of their lives.
I am not mentally ill (at least I don't think so)...but today, I feel like I must be honest and say that many times, the inbetween moments are complete madness.
My husband would say I bring this on myself. I did not need to take down the Halloween decorations, I do not need to put up Thanksgiving decor, I do not need to make my own laundry detergent (even though homemade is the best)....
So, husband is right...I do take more on than I need to. I try to do everything. I want to make cakes for the kids and get the "volunteer family hours" into the school so my kids can put their handprints on the wall (only to find out that Boy refused to put his hand in paint, ha).
I would love to say I could do more if I didn't work...and I probably could. But the truth is...I have found no one who has a smooth morning. Everyone seems to be chaotically trying to get kids dressed, fed and out the door and even the stay at home mom's seem to be having trouble making sure that breakfast is healthy and protien packed.
I try to make sure I am dressed before the kids get up. But guess what, we are still leaving 10 minutes behind my preferred schedule.
I try to make sure lunches and backpacks are packed the night before. Guess what? Still behind schedule.
I try to make sure clothes are laid out the night before. Including shoes, socks and underwear. Guess what? Still behind schedule.
I love dropping kids off at early stay, but we are never early enough. I love to get to work early and drink coffee before patients arrive, but I am always rushing through the door just in time.
I cannot say we are late, but we are not as early as I would idealize.
I idealize a life where things run smoothly and the house is always clean and I do not have a laundry basket with hundreds of mismatched socks...seriously, where do all these socks come from? Where is the basket of matches hiding?
I idealize a life where kids eat eggs and smoothies for breakfast and that they are grateful and happy to do so.
I idealize a life where the house is always clean and laundry isn't piling up by the mounds.
I idealize a life where I always read my bookclub book and can always have time to sit with friends and wine and discuss it.
I idealize a life where I am never trying to figure out where the next dollar is coming from.
Seriously Moms...why is it that if we decide one night to take a break and leave the house a mess...that it takes another week of hassle to get things back in order? If we don't do a load of laundry each day, how is it possible that we then can hardly breath trying to catch up.
I wake early and I work until the kids are in bed. It does not stop. It never stops. I am exhausted.
I can downsize, I can decrease hours, I can clean out closets...but it just keeps the madness manageable, it doesn't decrease the madness.
In cancer treatments we call it "local control". I feel like in my life, I am always just trying to control the madness.
In cancer treatments, that is considered successful therapy.
But in cancer treatments, death is also an acceptable outcome.
But of course, preferrable is always remission or cure.
I want to ask for advice, and I also want to hear from more mom's like me.
Because, I do not just think this is my life, I think this is life. Life as WE know it.
Humanity.
What is your life like?
If it is a life like mine, how do you keep from being a raging bitch to all of those you love?
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Halloween Nights
We had a great Halloween.
We carved our pumpkins Sunday. Boy wanted a scary one, and Bluebird wanted a happy one. They both got to do their own and they turned out cute.
Then we went out for costumes. Boy was set on a blue monster costume (which did not exist). I was set to make him something when he saw the Clifford costume and decided that would do. Thank goodness it was on sale and we quickly purchased. Bluebird was a candy corn witch princess and Buttercup was the cutest pumpkin EVER!
Then on Halloween I made a big pot of chili and we took off for trick or treating with our friends. We ended at our house, and the kids got to spread their loot out on the floor and eat a few pieces.
Buttercup was asleep as soon as her head hit the bed. The other two were too excited to sleep, so they stayed up and watched Charlie Brown (of course, Halloween isn't complete without Charlie Brown).
We carved our pumpkins Sunday. Boy wanted a scary one, and Bluebird wanted a happy one. They both got to do their own and they turned out cute.
Then we went out for costumes. Boy was set on a blue monster costume (which did not exist). I was set to make him something when he saw the Clifford costume and decided that would do. Thank goodness it was on sale and we quickly purchased. Bluebird was a candy corn witch princess and Buttercup was the cutest pumpkin EVER!
Then on Halloween I made a big pot of chili and we took off for trick or treating with our friends. We ended at our house, and the kids got to spread their loot out on the floor and eat a few pieces.
Buttercup was asleep as soon as her head hit the bed. The other two were too excited to sleep, so they stayed up and watched Charlie Brown (of course, Halloween isn't complete without Charlie Brown).
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