Embracing Life

First, I wanted to welcome all those visiting from the Multiples and More website!  Welcome! :) Second, thought I'd share the top gifts of the year: Cars 2 DVD The yellow wiggle A green tractor with yellow stripes that goes VROOM! Princess Belle Stick-lip (Lipstick) ((really lipgloss from Avon)) New bedding! We were so blessed this year by great friends as well. The kids received personalized disney blankets, which they LOVE! Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Can you find the cat?

A couple of weekends ago, we took the kids to the library's Christmas party.  Keira had big plans to stand near Mrs. Claus, and not cry about Santa being nearby. As you can see, that did not happen the way she planned: Rather, I got to enjoy her screams from the other side of the library..... But she did have fun a little later:

  Yesterday was my birthday. I like to think of it as Sarah's Holiday. I still worked. For a few hours, that is. I decided to use some personal time, and treat myself to TIME ALONE. Well, first I met Keith for lunch at a yummy cheeseburger place. Then I had over 3 hours. ALL. ALONE. I got to wander around Kohls for over an hour, without checking my cell phone, or trying to hurry through to get back home.  And I didn't look at anything for a child. Just for me. The bonus - a 30% off coupon! Combined with a little birthday cash, I was able to get some smarttouch gloves, a pair of jeans for about $9, and some new boots. They are so pretty. After Kohls, I headed to a couple other stores for Christmas gifts. Then treated myself to a Caramel Apple Spice from Starbucks.  It was my first time trying it, and I think it will become my new drink at Starbucks. Yum! Dinner was at home with the family, and Keith had picked up a cake from Jewel. The kids insisted on a candle (wh...

Due to Keira's extreme fear of being near Santa, we skipped the traditional Breakfasts with Santa in the area. Instead, we headed over to my parents' house on Saturday to have donuts and see Santa... from afar. Even Lucy the dog was excited to see Santa! 

As a little girl, before the age of DVD players and OnDemand Christmas shows, I waited eagerly for the one night that Frosty the Snowman or Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer would be on tv. Over time, as toys were replaced with books, and books with boys, and boys with life. Frosty and Rudolph were of the past. Yet every year, my grandma would call on some random night, a few days before Christmas, to say - "Frosty's on!" I'd turn it on maybe for a few minutes, but why watch something I've seen 15 or 20 times before? So I'd move on. Last year, both shows were on later than the kids' bedtime, so I dvr'd them. Connor would ask to watch the shows, but around February, we needed the space. He hadn't asked for awhile, so they were deleted. Out of the blue, every so often, he'd ask if we could watch one, but I told him we had to wait until Christmas. In November, when the Black Friday toy ads were abundant, he saw both movies advertised for $5 each....

Today, over at Working Mommy Wednesday , one of the writing prompts is to talk about the toys that your children are interested in. Connor is all about Cars 2.  He wants the Cars 2 movie, Cars 2 race tracks, all of the cars from the movie, especially Finn McMissile (!), and even a new bedding set.  Keith is making him a headboard, and we are going to finally get him a regular size bed, so Nana, I mean, Santa, will be getting him a new bedding set.   Keira wants princess stuff, Minnie Mouse stuff, and pink and purple stick-lip (lip gloss).  Santa will be bringing her this: And because God chose Colin to be my difficult child, this is what Colin asked Santa for:  I'm thinking Santa may disappoint one child this Christmas.

December 6 is celebrated as St. Nicholas' Day.  I grew up with the tradition of leaving our shoes by the back door, and while we were sleeping, St. Nick would stop by and leave us a small gift. Keira's excitement over her new sparkly headband. She won't take it off, even for bed. She told me she would show it to her teachers at school, and they would be so happy to see it. This year, St. Nick left my kids some Mickey Mouse ornaments and a Christmas sing along with Mickey and friends DVD. They got to watch part of it last night and loved singing along with their friends! St. Nick also stopped by Connor's classroom at school, but he left their gifts (a snowman pencil, a candy cane, and a note about remembering the true meaning of Christmas) on their tables.  What's funny is I remember being in the same grade school, and we would leave a shoe in the hallway during class.  I had totally forgotten about it until Connor mentioned St. Nicholas stopped by his ...

Falling behind... here is day 5... Last Friday, we were able to go to the Polar Express.  The kids loved the train and hearing the story in the old school house. Santa was a different story. We walked into the building where Santa was, although from the hallway, you could not see him.  Keira caught a glimpse, and yelled: We gotta get out of here guys! And promptly ran out the door. Please open your eyes Please close your mouth Come ON! Please turn around! Good enough

For the last three years, I've been lucky enough to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra in concert. Their music is amazing, and the show is filled with loud rock music, lasers, and fire.  The fact that it's Christmas music makes it perfect. Not only is it a wonderful show, but the words of the songs are beautiful: Kyrie among nations Kyrie among nations Kyrie among nations Hear as they ring through the night Listen to the bells as they ring Listen to the message they bring Listen to the sound As they sing as one voice in the night Hoping that we'll all understand Every dream we have's in our hands And for every bell May they ring all through the night Sorry these are only cell phone pictures, I forgot the camera amidst some chaos.  Someone, not naming any names: dumped out the full laundry hamper so he could wear it on his head right before we left.

Christmas Countdown Day 3: We put up two trees every year. The big one goes upstairs in the family room (we live in a tri-level, and the main floor has the living room and kitchen). We may be the only people you know that only have one television, and it's located downstairs in our family room.  That is where I put the smaller tree. Day 3 of the Advent Calendar was putting up the downstairs Christmas tree. 

I bought this ring yesterday. Pro: It jingles. Con: It jingles. But I love it anyway. (And I may have developed a slight addition to picnik.com because they helped me make that pretty picture.) 

Welcome to my Christmas countdown! Above is a picture of my Advent calendar.  One of the best dollar store purchases ever! Each day in December, the kids are able to move the candy cane to the current day.  And each number has a pocket underneath, which has a slip of paper in it with a Christmas activity. Tonight, for example, we are going to put up the small tree in the downstairs family room. (It's the room with the tv, so I like to have a small one down there so I can see it while watching tv.) The kids had great fun decorating our big tree, and I've saved some of their ornaments to put on the small one. The month is filled with a lot of other fun activities, such as Polar Express, making Christmas cookies for their teachers, Holiday Lights at the zoo, seeing Santa, and more. And for fun, here is a picture of Santa's sleigh. Apparently the Three Wise Men, the innkeeper, and an Angel are also needed to help the sleigh fly.