happy christmas day's

i have been VERY behind at blogging lately, BUT....

i just wanted to take a moment and wish everyone a little holiday cheer!!

may all the blessings of christmas be with you and your family!! :)

the MOST beautiful holiday decor!

what happens when you need christmas decor but are on a strict budget?

when it is too cold to go outside...and paper grocery sacks, are lying around waiting to be recycled?

when mommy has an excess of sharpie markers and kid's paint?

AND she refuses to get everyone dressed for the entire day?

happy little children spend the day making holiday wreaths!!

yeah!! (and yes that is baby jesus, mary and joseph. we are making a conscious effort around here to put a little less commercialization and a little more CHRIST in christmas!)

sundays

one of the many things i like about our new church is that the service is at 9. this means you are home by 10:30, and still have time for lots of this...

and this...

and some of this....

and maybe even a little of this! yep, sunday's are good around here!!

setler's here!!

cousin set came to spend the night last week, but i quickly learned that 4, 2.5, and 2. mean only one photo, and this was it!

aunt susan brought gifts from gege though, and as a thank you, i thought she might like to see how excited it made the kiddos.

even bauer could hardly wait to open his...i can hardly wait until christmas!!

wishful thinking

last friday i spent the day with aunt sissy, decorating the outside of their house (amongst other things). this left cliffy at home with the kiddos. it was BITTERLY cold out, and normally i would have suggested a few activities....BUT....

it doesn't look like they needed any help finding something to do.

apparently a day of playing beach was the "best fun EVER" according to vivian. according to daddy, all was well until sally the babydoll got an extra dose of sunscreen. oh well, at least it wasn't chocolate syrup!

oh and btw, THIS is what they looked like on the way to school the next morning....yep, a brisk 40...burrrrr!!

it's a girl (again)!!

um....ooops, apparently i forgot to mention (via blog, anyway) that right after halloween we found out we are having a girl!! unfortunately, (come on folks, we had been in that office for 2.5 hours, and i had already used my secret stash of suckers) i forgot to get a print out of the little bean...but did manage to get a picture of dr.deed with our first two blessings! next appointment is monday, and i promise lots of bean pictures (cathy)!!

thanksgiving

this year we spent thanksgiving with the clark side of the family.

it was very simple and LOADS of fun.

after a lovely late lunch, the cousins romped outside, and even went to fly kites.

then, after a few more family photos...

we headed outside to roast marshmallows. this was a first for both my kids...but hey, with genetics like ours you can bet they caught on quickly!! ;)