Yes, there is a Santa

My heart is full.

My friend just came to our door with a box full of goodies for our family.
(from friends at church - because they love us)



THANK YOU!!
I just can't say it enough!

What Shall We Give?

I Love these short video's my church puts out.

JOY

liked this dance

Santa Claus

WE Love to go see this Santa! I think he is the best! When he saw Miss M this year and she ran up to him to give him a hug he wished her a Mele Kalikimaka! (He is the real one!)


Miss M also sang Mele Kalikimaka to him this year. Each year she sings him a new Christmas song.
He was so cute with Mr. G. He pretended to nap while we tried to capture cute pictures of G.

The girls wished for via Miss M

• A salon so we can do each others hair (not going to happen, I already talked with Santa about this)

• Barbies

• Barbie house (the big one with the elevator - also not going to happen, well the big one anyway, maybe a small one?)
  

• Dora - ANYTHING (that's all Miss A kept saying Dora Dora Dora)
  

• Easy Bake Oven

• I told Miss M to tell Santa that I would like a Self Reliance shelf for my pantry, a new computer and a Wii. I wouldn't mind a Cannon or Nikon ... just throwing those ideas out there. ; )

• And Miss M said Gavyn needs diapers and maybe some wipes. He like pacifiers too.
  

The Spirit Of Christmas

K -I- S- S- I- N- G

(image found here)

Seen at the playground

My DAUGHTER KISSING A BOY!!!!!!! yup, that's right a KISS on the CHEEK.
I stood there open mouthed, in shock.
Me - "Did you just kiss that boy?!?"
Miss M - "Well Ya" (as if to say DUH Mom!)
Me - "WHY?!"
Miss M -"Because he told me to kiss him goodbye when Mr. New wasn't looking."

and I just didn't have anything to say after that...

Miss M-ism

(sorry if you already read this on Keenan's face book, but I wanted to make sure I blogged it down too)

*Miss Bella, is Miss M's friend from school
Over heard, while they were doing their homework

Miss Bella "I wish I could read."
Miss M " I wish I could drive!"

and that is SO a Miss M thing to say! She really is growing up WAY to fast!

I am Thankful...

Dora Dora Dora and BOOTS

For Miss A's 2nd birthday I decided to look for a Dora house. They are VERY expensive so thought if I couldn't find one on e-bay or craigs list, we wouldn't be getting one. We did find one on e-bay the seller gave us a great deal, sent the package fed ex so it would be here for her birthday and even threw in a few extra's! TOTALLY AWESOME and a HUGE HIT!!! She still loves to play with it.

Happy Birthday Miss A - you are wonderful and completely fill up our hearts with your sweetness!

A little of this A little of that

Just some of the crafty things I have been up to lately. The cards were for K's Japanese class. The hair bows were for a birthday gift and just for fun.

Preschool and a Birthday party

Along with babysitting, I have also started working as a preschool teachers assistant.
Lucky me, Miss A gets to come with me, and I get to be with these totally awesome kids twice a week. I love working with them and with Ms. Nancy.
On this day, we also celebrated Miss A's birthday. Our big 2 year old!!

Because I was feeling so frazzled this week, I asked Miss E's mom if she wouldn't mind making cupcakes for the class. She did! I have such amazing friends. : ) The little mini cupcakes were
a hit. And the kids enjoyed adding their own sprinkles.

Hanging with Miss M

Miss M has made some cute friends in kindergarten. This was their first sleep over. And they had lots of fun (especially because it was a school night sleep over). K made a yummy breakfast for us all. And Miss A was happy that the girls included her in their sleep over.

SPIRIT week at school!!! The first day of spirit week was SPORTS day, dress in your favorite sports team gear. WELL, Miss M LOVES sports and all sorts of teams. So she had to show some support for them all. (well almost all, she loves the Dolphins, but we couldn't find a jersey in time.) So, she has on a cubs t-shirt, a packers sweatshirt and a Bears hat. GO TEAM!

A little Mommy and Miss M time. We planted tulips for the spring. I am not sure how well they will do since those dirty little squirrels kept digging them up. My sister pointed out that they probably didn't eat them, just replanted them, so I may have some tulips show up in the middle of my lawn. Oh well...

Exploring

I started babysitting my friends cute little girl on Mondays and Fridays early in the fall. It's been great for Miss A to have a twice a week play date and good for me to get out of the house.
One rainy day I decided that we needed an outing. So we headed to the exploratorium. My sister and Gavyn came along too.

A few of things that I liked best,

• it was perfect for Miss A and Miss E.
  
• Everything was in one room, I could see them at all times!
  
• They had a play yard inside - we LOVE slides
• and a CRAFT room! The girls had so much fun making puppets and coloring
  

I know that we will visit this place lots more!

Farmers Market

This summer and fall our little community has had a farmers market every Wednesday. It has become our favorite afternoon activity. Especially since the school year has started - it's the after school hang out. The fresh fall air, the yummy crisp apples, the fun neighborhood friends, the great music, just watching the girls run around outside and eating picnic dinners.

The girls loved dancing to the live music. With our busy days of running here and there its great that we can take time out with each other and watch these girls 'dance through life'.

We Heart Wagner Farm

I can not believe that I have lived here for 11 years and this is the very first time I have visited this fun little farm! The girls had SO much fun. I am glad that we went and hope to make this bonfire an annual tradition in our family to kick off the fall.
What a perfect way to bring in the autumn.

Celebrate Good Times!

Hooray for Keenan! He passed his state CNA exam. And to celebrate the occasion Aunt Jesica treated us to Chile's YUM! As you can see from the pictures the girls really
enjoyed their mac n cheese and broccoli.
Keenan we are super proud of you!!

Little Jamo

I just love it when new babies curl up and sleep its just SO yummy!!!

1 month old, and not happy about having his picture taken - but he sure is cute when he cries.

We are all loving every moment with this sweet little baby.

Miss A loves doing art work with these foam stickers. She kept sticking them on herself and Jamo. Even Aunt Cuppy joined in on the fun.

watching babies sleep is so sweet
(no matter what age they are)

*by the way these are also posted on my sisters blog just in case you think you have seen them some where before...

1 month already

It's already been 1 month since this little guy came into our lives. I think we have adjusted all quite nicely. Even Miss A is fine having a new little one around. She is always concerned when he is crying and loves to help out. I am sure learning to be more soft will come soon.
Anyway, I haven't had a chance to download his one month pictures so I just put a couple of my favorite ones up. Happy one month little J-mo.

the light was shinning just right on the kids. I love the natural lighting.

It is still amazing to me, how fast little ones change. He can hold his head up, loves to look around, already has favorite songs that sooth him. Has different cries for his different needs. Does NOT like a dirty diaper (can't blame him) and has a fussy time between 7 and 9 pm. Not very convenient, but is it ever? And LOVES his mommy, just as all little boys should.

Hey, Soul Sister

My BFF shared this song with me and I LOVE it!!!



happy weekend!

Mmm, Brownies

My brother in law captured these pictures of Miss A sneaking on the counter to eat some more brownies. Girl after my own heart - or daddy's He's the brownie fan.

Little Star

lately Miss A has been singing a lot. However, I pull out the video and nope she won't sing. She just wants to take the camera from me. But I was able to capture a couple of her songs. And the cute way she says "I LOVE YOU" with OUT her pacifier. She is just such a joy - if I do say so myself.

Beautiful Lake Michigan

Miss A enjoying the big rocks by the lake

I L O V E living by the lake! Especially when its beautiful weather and we can just head over there to enjoy the lake, the breeze and some sweet Hawaiian music.

First and Second weeks of school

It seems as if the time is flying by. Miss M LOVES LOVES LOVES kindergarten. And she is excited to tell you ALL about it. It's great to see her love of learning. Her teachers (she has two)
have told us how great she is doing. She is kind to the other students, always willing to help, she listens well and gets her work done. I am happy to hear all about it - she likes to tell me about recess. Miss M gets to take a Spanish class as well, she loves to come home and practice her new words. Especially to our neighbors.
She does get homework to work on during the week. I wish she was enthusiastic about it, hopefully it will come and she will take after her dad NOT her mom!

Miss A has been a little lost with out her sister. She sure knows when it is time to go pick up Miss M. She will be sleeping so soundly and her internal alarm clock wakes her up just in time to get
out the door to pick up her sister. I think we all look forward to the end of the school day.

Crafty birthday gifts

Miss M has been invited to a couple of birthday parties - and lucky me they were both girls who love to wear things in their hair. Last week's party was for our neighbor who had a super fun fiesta - with a three tier pinata! She LOVES to wear headbands. I went to the dollar store and found a few headbands, added some ribbon, bows, or buttons to jazz them up. Then of course some matching hair clips. And I made a quick one for Miss M to match her outfit for the party.
So glad that I know how to make hair clips/bands! Now if I could just get my girls to wear all the
hair clips I make...