birthday, Christmas parties & fake snow!

I can't decide if I envy December babies or feel sorry for them. They get so many presents in that month, but then they get so many presents THAT month it must be hard to wait a whole 12 months for some more. We have celebrated a half birthday for Elaina, and that was fun, but I just can't let the 18th of December go by without celebrating her and the blessing that she is to our family.



Make a wish big gurl!


You can hardly see the birthday gurl behind all those presents!

My little chef in the making is thrilled to get an Easy Bake Oven! (I had one as a gurl, so secretly this gift is "really" for me.)

Cupcakes at school during snack time!

On to Joely's pre-school Christmas party. Here she is singing to Santa Claus. I am so happy she stood with the other children and sang instead of running over to me crying. (that's what I expected)

The children are wagging their fingers at folks singing, "You'd better watch out, you'd better not cry, you'd better not pout..."

I'll take a fake smile sitting in Santa's lap over wailing about the Big Guy any day!

At Elaina's "Winter Party," as it is called, they made a gingerbread house, but there was no gingerbread, with LOTS of white royal icing and candy, candy, candy.

Her work of art!

Seriously, who is teaching my kids to do the cheesey smile?

Here is a rare, but cherished, moment. Big sister reading to little sister. Why can't they always be this way?

We went the Gaylord National Hotel to see it "snow" inside. I didn't know that the snow would fall at 9:30 at night, so we walked around and looked at all the Christmas decorations until it was time for snow. Joely was so taken with this "Ho, Ho, Ho" as she calls him.

So, do you see the little white spots?

Joely was reaching up as far as she could to try to catch as much of the snow as possible.

OK, I'll confess, it was foam that was blown out onto the crowd, but it did look like the real thing while it was falling. Not being a fan of snow, at all, I could handle this snow: not cold, no clean up/shoveling, and you can walk in it.

Stay warm and remember: You'd better watch out, you'd better not cry, you'd better not pout...

my shy gurl

Elaina is so much like me yet does not have my DNA. How'd that happen!?!?!?!


I was horribly shy as a child. I finally got into theatre in junior high and loved it. Now, I can get really shy in certain social settings, and especially one on one, but getting on stage or giving a speech no longer bothers me. I can either "become" another person or use the podium as an imaginery wall. Elaina has hidden behind my skirt. I did the same when I was little. She will sometimes whisper when someone says hello to her. I did too. So when she had the opportunity to get on stage at our church and sing a Christmas song with other kids in her Sunday morning group I was SHOCKED that she wanted to do that.


All day long Saturday she kept saying "I can't wait until tomorrow." The group had to sing their song at both morning services. The song was written by a staff member and included some speaking parts, and lots of humor, so it was not a song that they knew readily. They all did beautifully. Elaina even told me she wanted to become an actress one day.


I love it! However, I am totally surprised at her.

I had to take a picture of little sister too! She is the ham in the family, as never met a stranger, has a great sense of humor, and she can cheese it up for the camera. She is standing in front of some decorations in our sanctuary

Our church likes to incorporate pop culture and all types of media into our services. The theme for this month/this Christmas is "You'll Shoot Your Eye Out!" If you are as big a fan of the movie "A Christmas Story" as I am then you know that phrase. Each Sunday this month our pastor talks about our lusts/desires for things that take us away from our desire to know God, grow in Christ (e.g. material things, the love of money, selfish wants, and yes, the "traditional" definition of lust). One of the numerous great scenes from the movie revolves around a lamp the father won in a contest. The lamp was a plastic leg covered in fishnet stockings and a high heeled black pump shoe. The lampshade had black fringe on it. The thing was the height of an average woman's leg and was so tacky. Our art and prop group did a fabulous job of recreating some of the other icons from that movie including that hideous lamp. (Although secretly I would LOVE to have one of those lamps. That's how much I L.O.V.E. that movie.)

what a FUN weekend!

Sorry I haven't written in a while. Last week I was CONSUMED with reading Tricia's, Helping Mayan Families, and Mayan Families blogs/websites I just didn't get to my own. Last week 25 AMAZING women went to Guatemala to provide Christmas parties, gifts, medicine, love, and all around cheer to HUNDREDS of people in The Land of Eternal Spring.


I cried every day, happy tears, reading about all the work that was done down there in just a week. But so much more is needed.


I want to go on this trip next year.


I also noticed I have not shared pictures of my gurlz in a while. So here are a FEW of the things we did this past weekend. I will spread out the events over a few blogs, to make it worth your while to come on back for more! :~)


I broke down and took the gurlz to see Elmo's Green Thumb. Not money I should have spent, but the memories and happy times are worth the extra month of paying it off. Joely is crazy for Elmo, Elaina likes him, but my almost 6 year old is moving on from these simple characters. However, she enjoyed the event as well. They both were dancing in the aisles, but those pics are either so blurry or so dark I didn't want to waste your time with those.


We had good seats on the floor, so the gurlz could see all the action.

Elaina sang at church (for another post). If you know my shy child then you are wondering if that is a true statement. Now, it was with about 20 other children, and she did not volunteer for one of the speaking parts, but I'll take these baby steps.

El and I also went to a Mother Daughter Tea with area Girl Scouts (she is a Daisy). (this will also be another post) But in between church and the tea, I snapped some photos of them, and then us, in front of our little tree. (I used the timer, so I will blame the camera for the poor quality and NOT the person who pushed the timer button.) :~P

I LOVE the happy smiles in the above picture.

Somebody tell me where to get a grant for an eye lift!!!!!! (I'm starting to age.)

Love my gurlz.

Will find it hard to...

concentrate on work.

I am like a little kid at Christmas, I just can't wait. The gurlz and I are driving to Oma's house on Christmas eve (13 hours) and I am sure my foot will be glued to the front grill. I am so excited.


J is so fascinated with older sister's school bus, I thought she needed one too. (glad she can't surf the net just yet)

Since becoming a mommy, I don't have a wish list anymore. It's all about the gurlz. They both have girlie-girl tendencies (yea!) so there are a lot of wishes for dolls and BARBIES! So it is really as if their gifts are partly for me too. After all, I get to play Barbies and kitchen and shopping and dress up and with baby dolls too!

Life is good!

The Desperate Housewives dolls. No, the gurlz are NOT getting these, but aren't they funny?!