And To All, A Good Night

Merry Christmas, y'all. I hope yours is full of meaning, love, good food and good company. Catch you in 2010!

Beginning To Look A Little Like Christmas

The girls and I are working on some Christmas cheer around here.

Who loves helping mom?

And who's here for the sugar?

Showing off their masterpieces:

I wanted to come up with a gift for Abbey's friends that she could actually help me make. Ashley from lil blue boo came through again (I love her blog!) We made almost 40 bean bags for Abs' buddies out of fabric scraps and food storage :)

Now off to bake/wrap/snuggle/deliver/sew/assemble some more Christmas goodness. This holiday is a lot of work!

(random pictures; i just can't get enough of this mug)

A Pretty Chloe Monday

Sorry, family. You get a repeat. My cousin posted this the other day, and I begged and 'pretty-pleased' her into letting me use it for Pretty Monday. I can't believe we missed living by Ms. Chloe by just a couple weeks. I have a feeling she and Abbey could rule the world together.

Fashion Tips from Chloe

1. Every occasion calls for a crown.
2. You can never have too many patterns.
3. Never leave the house without a scarf . . . even in the summer.
4. If you can't wear a boa, wear a bow.
5. Only buy shoes that sparkle.
6. Every outfit can be improved by adding a princess dress on top of it.
7. Don't wipe spagetti sauce off your face. It makes you seem more down-to-earth.

And you're welcome.

(Here Chloe demonstrates proper attire for taking your older brother to school.)


*thanks melissa*

It's Just Better Homemade

A few months ago I randomly got two requests for crocheted flowers in the same week. Nicole wanted some clips for her sweet Bridget and Tristie wanted yarn ones to go on her sweet beanies. In return? Perfect matching Halloween bags from Nicole, and to-die-for handmade beanies from Tristie. Not a bad reason to bring the ol' crochet hooks out of storage.

I started this hobby last Christmas when J's mom saw me looking at crocheted flowers on etsy. {My cousin, Jen, sent me some attached to hair clips for Abbey when Hayden was born, and I was smitten; I had never seen anything like it.} My mother-in-law can figure out anything crafty and by that afternoon, she was showing me how to make them myself.

I love working with my hands on stuff like this. My New Year's goal is to learn how to knit, I know I would really enjoy that. People here think I'm odd. I stay at home, I sew, I crochet, I grind my own wheat (that one really got them!) I was finishing up a flower at my friend's house on Sunday and she said I'm the oldest 26 year old she's ever met :) But I just can't think of many things more charming than something knit with love.

Tristie wrote me a sweet note when she sent the beanies and said she loved thinking of my girls as she made them. And every time I put them on, I think of that and her. You just don't get the love feelings with an Old Navy hat.



So it's been a while since the kids have had the lens stuck in their faces. They didn't know what to do with it. Here's pretty much what I was getting this morning:

And my personal favorite:

The Paparazzi

I found this on my memory card. J really likes the telephoto lens. And I wasn't aware it was being taken. And I'm glad my stalker's good lookin'. And I think Abbey totally looks like a celebrity's kid in this picture.

And I really hope I don't always look that angry and intense.

Thanks Dude

I'm noticing a trend. For the last 4 out of 5 Thanksgivings, we have been miles away from family and enjoying a feast with dear friends. Turns out we have picked up some pretty awesome ones along the way.

Last week we headed down to the Lifferths, some of our favorite friends from college. We had a beautiful dinner at Alanna's mother's house who quickly made us feel part of the family. She had two of her good friends there as well. Friends that over time have most definitely become family.

Over the next year, my family will just become more spread apart. It's hard. More and more I want all my siblings to leave their adventures and move home. But it was so good for me to see the Kiel family and their loved ones. Alanna's mom's friend watched the girls so we could eat, carried on easy conversation, then kissed me goodbye as we left. It was nice to see the familiarity and love between these women.

:: other highlights ::

-the coolest (albeit dimly lit) children's museum. And the sweetest, most endearing Santa I've ever seen. Seriously, how great does he look?

-lovin' on each other's kids. If you love your friends, I suppose it's natural to love their offspring. Hayden spent more time snuggling with Alanna and I ended up with more pictures of Keira than my own girls. And no kid can resist Randy.

-keeping our kids up all day then leaving them with a babysitter to go out to eat just as they're about to lose it :) That was brutal, but I think they crashed pretty early for her.

-introducing Randy and Alanna to Modern Family--have you caught that show yet? Love it.

-and, of course, global domination! What trip with the Lifferths would be complete without it?



J always intimidates me out of Australia and I flounder around Europe. Yeah, he took me out pretty early in the game. Blast his power of persuasion! But Randall gets to have the bragging rights until we meet around the map again!

Monday, Monday