Thankful

This morning I wanted to share what I was thankful for. MY LIFE and everything about it. The good, the joyous, the hard, and the bad. It's a cliche but "Life is a journey", has really fit this year. If I could have looked into a crystal ball and seen this year before it unrolled I would not have chosen it. But, in the end it is and will make me look at life a little differently and not take anything for granted. So... I am working on taking joy in all the little moments and day to day life knowing it all means something to someone. I thank God for all the blessings he has given me, my family, friends, (one in the same), my girls and Eric, and all the opportunities I have had. I have already had so much wealth in blessings it makes me teary just to realize how much he has given me. I hope all my loved ones can find a piece of this joy this Thanksgiving. I know we still have some hard times to come but those will be wrapped in the joys that he has in store for us ten fold. That's the blessing.

Previous Holiday Fashions

We got the news today that the Chrsitmas dresses are done!! So... I thought I would share the previous dresses that Grandma has created. She works so hard on these. Lillian is going to be able to start wearing Madeline's previous dresses and Madeline is still able to wear the last two. So they are going to get lots of use. The girls always love the dresses. I do too!! We'll get pictures of this years soon.

Madeline: Age 3 and 1/2 Lillian: 2 months





Madeline: 4 and 1/2 and Lillian 1



Madeline: 5 and 1/2 and Lillian 2



I should have done a slide show but this seemed quicker. Maybe next time. For some reason I think of a couple of blog entries on the same day. I need to space these out better sorry.
I worked on the schedule and explanation of the daily bustle in our house for when Grandpa is here with the girls. I told him I would email the document to him and there would be a pretest on Thursday when we are there for Thanksgiving followed by a final on the following Tuesday with a clinical to follow. He chuckled but deep down on some level I think he's a little nervous.
The rest of the weekend was spent helping friends paint an basement on Saturday and cathing up on Sunday. Hope you had a good one. TTFN

Yes!! Christmas is almost here!!

Yes, I know Thanksgiving is first but if you know my family's track record for something disasterous to happen on Thanksgiving you might start to realize that I get nervous about Thanksgiving. It seems like ever since my grandfather passed away on Thanksgiving when I was a sophmore in college callamity has followed as a tradition. There have been snowstorms almost everytime we travel for the holiday that seem to know exactly where we are in our travels and target us. The last time that happened was when Lilly was two months old. We got stuck in the very last motel room in Gothenburg Nebraska. This is not a motel I would choose to stay in!! It just so happened that we were traveling with my brother Coyde who became ill with food poisoning five minutes after we got into our room. FUN!!! We were there for 2 days. All roads closed. What a mess. The next year, my brother is once again with us at my parents-in laws' house earing turkey dinner when we receive a phone call that our dad has had a heart attack, been admitted to Chadron hospital and is being life flighted to Rapid City. Needless to say I have to think twice before calling Jill my supervisor the weekend of Thanksgiving becuase when she sees my number on this weekend she immiediately assumes it's not good news!!
Anyways, a friend of mine, Rachelle, had this on her blog and I thought it sounded like fun. So here goes.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Both ~ I like to have presents wrapped but if I'm pressed for time I will throw them in a gift bag. I'm also fortunate because Eric is great help with this.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial. I grew up with real trees cut from our pasture. They were posderosa pine. But with My allergies and Madeline's allergies developing over the recent years we've referred to artificial. I must say I miss the smell f a rel tree but love the ease of the artificial.

3. When do you put up the tree? Typically we don't decorate until after Thanksgiving but this year we decorated two weekends before Thanksgving because of our trip right after Thanksgiving. I was afraid that if we didn't do it early we wouldn't get it done.

4. When do you take the tree down? Sometime in January. It's gotten leter and later. I like to try to have it done right after New years but sometimes that doesn't happen.

5. Do you like eggnog? Yes, but I like it plain, no alcohol. Shocking I know.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I always remember my dolls that mom gave us each year. My favorites included the homemade dolls made my Lynne Plooster and the dollbeds that her husband made. Another one was the horse "Star" that my siste and I received. I think this was fun because we couldn't believe they had kept her hidden for weeks without us knowing she was there and she bit dad's ear on Christmas day. She never did like him.

7. Hardest person to buy for? I have the hardest time with Melissa, I don't know why because it should be easy but I lament over this one each year.

8. Easiest person to buy for? My girls. Actually I have to put a stop to it!!

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Several, I have a willow tree set in my living room, Fontanini set on my piano, and the girls each have a Little People one in their rooms. Oh and I have a cute little set in my room.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail. We just have too many people that would not see it on the blog or on an email. Although this year I'm nervous no one is going to see it until after Christmas!! It's not exactly on my priority list just yet.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? A basketball. If you recall, I'm not the athletic type, I lived on a farm where cement was non exsistant, and I never really understood why my dad would pick this when he hates the sport and didn't really ever want us to participate in such things? I've always chalked it up to "It's the thought that counts."

12. Favorite Christmas movie? Polar Express.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Months before. But I always find that I'm still running around shopping for loose ends.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes, but I'm not telling what it was.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? All food!

16. Lights on the tree? Yes, White ones in the living room and blinky colored ones in the dining room.

17. Favorite Christmas song! Away in the Manger and Silent Night

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Travel. Are you kidding we are always gone!!

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Yes, but for the sake of time not here.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star in the living room that lights up and sparkles with reflection off the crystal and an Angel in the dining room that Eric's family used growing up.

21. Open presents on Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning.

22 . Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Cold and people saying they don't like Christmas.

23. Favorite Ornament theme or color? I have so many. The tree in the living room is my dream tree because it's fancy and themed but the tree in the dining room is special because it's filled with odds and ends that the girls have made or that are from my childhood or Eric's childhood.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? My mother-in-law makes prime rib for Christmas Eve. Yum, Yum!! Love it. This was a good tradition to start. I also always like the home made noodles and beef that Great Grandma makes for Christmas Eve. Oh and her home made carmels. THE BEST!!

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Happiness. And pieces for my China set:)


WOW that was alot!! MERRY CHRISTMAS. Remember it's all for the purpose of remembering what Christmas is about. It's still possible with glitter, and presents.

News

This weekend we had the chance to surpirse Eric's parents for their 60th birthdays. Mark turned 60 on October 28th and Pat turns 60 on December 11. Our friends snuck into their house and snuck up on them while they were talking to Melissa, Chip, and Connor through the camera on the computer. It was a great day/night. Madeline, Lillian, and Reese played well together despite all of us thinking Madeline might be coming down with the stomach flu. It turned out it was an adverse reaction to the flu shot!! Whew....for now. Anyways, it was great seeing everyone and Mark and Pat really truly enjoyed their surprise.

Custom Glitter Text

The rest of the Weekend!

One of my co-workers, Trisha, was kind enough to call us and invite us to ride on the combine. Her husband, Chris was gracious enough to put up with the chatterboxes. They had a great time. Madeline has us collect some corn for Grandpa Gary's horses. And Lilly seemed mesmerized by the whole thing. It was gorgeous day so we hope they can have a few more to allow them to finish.

Thanks Chris for letting us ride with you!!! We really enjoyed it!!

Nope, it's not for Halloween, just a normal day for Lilly. She was showing us her dance moves for the "Dance Recital". She was on the "stage" and we got told to please leave the stage! Big sis Madeline loves to "teach" moves. They were working on their ballet positions before Lilly broke out with her own style. We'll call it interpretive dance.

TTFN, DJ

Trick-or-Treat

Once again Grandma Pat did a great job with the costumes. The girls loved them. We had a full week of Trick-or-Treating starting with the Columbus Downtown Trick-or-Treat, followed by Trunk-or-Treat at Lillians Preschool, and then on Halloween. Needless to say we have enough candy to give all of cavities!! Lillian collected enough M&M's and suckers to keep her busy for quite a while.

We also got to see Uncle Coyde this week. Yes, as usual he figured out how to tease. He helped with carving pumpkins and in true Unle Coyde Fashion he couldn't resist teasing the girls with the pumpkin goo. This was not a hit. But they had fun. It was a great week.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!! This was Halloween night as we got ready to leave the house. The weather was perfect and they had a great time. Madeline was disappointed when we came home and found that most people were done as she wanted to pass out candy. She got to hand out some as she stood out on the front steps and waived people down!! Till next year, TTFN, Delanie