Let me introduce you to the Christmas culprit.

• My girls are awesome!  Annie loves to spell.  She knows that B is for Bob, V is for Violet, A is for Annie, and C is for Grandma.  Smart girl.  Grandma Cindy is quite proud.  V is talking up a storm as well.  Lots of dadada and nanana and, if I'm lucky, a mamama.

• I miss them SOOO much when I am at work.  I have this slight problem of getting super duper annoyed with stay-at-home moms who complain.  I need to lighten up but seriously, I cannot WAIT to be home bound with these two perfect girls.

And the countdown begins.  May 23rd and they are all mine all the time!

• Here is my little family at our church Christmas party. Ollie loves to cuddle and her favorite as of late is this little rag doll that Annie named Angelie (where she came up with that I know not).

 Annie was never much of a snuggler so V is making up for it big time.

•  In case you were wondering, we did make it to and through Christmas.  It took Annie three days to open her presents mostly because our holiday was jammed pack with family events.

•  Poor thing.  Grandma Polly broke her wrist in two places.  She is not very hindered by her injury, she says, because she chose which arm to break when she fell so she chose her left.

•  Let me introduce you to the Christmas culprit.  THIS is the exact photo I sent in for the furniture warranty claim.  The couch happens to be the only thing in our house we bought the warranty for.  Lucky us because Annie decided to decorate it along a 10 foot span that is quite visible from our entry way.  She did it right before Thanksgiving so, along with all of our guests, we had the good fortune of enjoying her foray all through the holidays.

Getting Ready

It's a bit after-the-fact but we were so excited to get a real Christmas tree this year, I couldn't let the thrill go undocumented.  We also hadn't seen many of our ornaments since New York... that's like 6 years ago (are you kidding me).  How fun to finally pull all of them out.  Am I the only one soooo for the sentimental tree instead of those perfect trees with all the matching and color-coordinating ornaments?  Now where is the fun in that?  Annie helped us decorate by putting almost everything on herself... and taking them off... and putting them on again about 300 times.  Her favorite this year was the Cinderella ornament Grandma Polly gave me when I was married.

Anguish and dismal is that road.

One perfect fall Thursday when Q was gloriously home from work (rare occasion), I sent the girls out to help him rake up the leaves.  Oh how we love our front yard.  We dream and dream and dream of the backyard being finished this spring.  Anguish and dismal is that road.

11-15-2012

This is all I have of Thanksgiving weekend.  I hate it.  I'm thinking I need to finally break down and get a smart phone so I can instagram.  I admit, though,that smart phones come with heaps of trepidation in my book.  Add to the list that I hate my hubby always being in a conversation with a friend.  It feels like he is never present.  Then there is Annie who could spend hours playing with his phone without a second thought.  Other ramifications as well.  My students' access to instant information is killing their patience and ability to search for answers or determine relevant and reliable informational text.  Any parent who provides their teenage boy with a smart phone is allowing incredibly easy access through gates that should be locked tight shut. Yep.  Sooo hesitant to jump on the smart phone lemming train.  Afraid I won't last much longer.

11-23-12

 SEVEN7 girl cousins right in a row!  They are completely lucky beyond measure to have each other.

Here are the oldest 4.  I must admit- it's awesome.

 12-8-2012