Prayers, Please

Tomorrow is my surgery.
7:30am.
Nervous. Scared. Tired. Annoyed.
Prayers would be appreciated more than you know.
Thanks.
:)

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

Today was the big show at dance class!!! The girls in Grace's class put on a Christmas dance(see title for the name of their big number) and it was pretty darn cute! For the finale, they sang "We Wish You A Merry Christmas"...ugh, my eyes welled up w/ tears...nothing like little kids singing Christmas songs. :) Glad that not one, but both Grandmas braved the cold and slippery streets!! :)

The dancing star...the girls were asked to wear something Christmasy...

Nice moves, girls...

Grandma's turn...

Just for good measure because she's cute...it's COLD out there...

Guess what we did yesterday...

Road Trip to Bethlehem

Okay, so it's been just about 2 wks now since this event, but it was so cool that I still want to share.

Our neighbor's church put on an excellent re-creation of Bethlehem at the time of Jesus' birth. The entire upstairs of the church was devoted to the re-creation, primarily the marketplace. Complete w/ costumes and guards at the entrance to the town, who were so great...didn't even crack a smile when I retardly(not sure that's a word) said we came from Harrison street when asked from what land we had traveled!! "Is that in Jerusalem?" Ummm..why didn't I think of that? Smooth all the way...that's me.

The kids re'cvd a bag of money to be spent w/in the marketplace. We all had to sign in in order to be counted for the census...Emerson, too! It was such a great way to educate the kids and adults!!!

At the top of the stairs, we saw the beautiful manger scene...put a lump in my throat. Of course, Mary, Joseph and Jesus were there, however I felt weird taking their picture, so I did it after they were gone...

Real live animals...ooooh, aaaaah...the hit of the show for Bug...

In line to do a little fishing...

The net goes in the water, honey, not the boat. ;) She got it eventually.

Ahhhh..now we look like everyone else...

A little Bethlehem bowling...

Making a slingshot..."What's a slingshot, Mommy?" Ummmm...not sure I want to tell you...she hasn't been pleased w/ the existence of Emerson as of late, so...

A little basket weaving...

A little purse sewing...

She got to make her own bread...

...and eat it.

The best part of all:
"Have you seen the baby yet? What's his name?"
"It's Baby Jesus! I saw him!!"

It was just excellent! Job well done, Brookside!!! We'll be back next year!!!

I just love this orange picture...

I look at this picture and just can't get over everything Tiny Boo and I have been through this last year. I am forever humbled by the presence of this little girl.

How We Decorate

We clean...

We get unexpected surprises...'My own tree in my room?!'

'Do you know why I put the blanket around the bottom of the tree, Mommy?'
'No, Grace, why?'
'Because that's what Charlie Brown did so his tree wouldn't get cold.'

Sometimes, we even decorate in our underwear...

...but, we always take pride in our work.


Christmas decorations are just better when you let a four year old put them up.

And I Quote...

"Wow, he sure is tall, isn't he?"...Grace after discussing how old Uncle Jay will be on his next birthday(which is 3 days before hers).

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Every day since I was born,

My mother cared for me.

Now that’s a lot of caring,

As anyone can see.
Please, Lord, protect my mother,

And keep her safe from harm,

For she is a cherished person,

With great wisdom, love and charm.
Lord, it’s my mother’s birthday

So please, help her to see

Just how much she means to us,

Her loving family.
(Karl Fuchs)

Happy Birthday to my mom!!!! We love you and wish you nothing but happy, healthy years ahead!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'm thankful for...

My girls, my gifts...


My best friend...

My walking buddy...

My Mom...

My Dad...

My Mom-in-law...

My Dad-in-law...

My Grandmas....89yrs and going strong...


My brothers(Kim and Kate, too!)...


My sister-in-law and new nephew(Jeff, too!)...

My niece...

My nephews(Brendan, too)...


These guys are my family. I love them and thank God for them every day.

(I realized, while searching for pics, that I have a lot of my kids..not so much of everyone else. Sorry Kim, Kate, Brendan and Jeff...you guys are most certainly included!)

A Day at the Doctor's

Emerson had her 4 month check up today. Her stats: 23.5 long(16%), 12lbs 9oz(19.5%) and head size 42.5cm(83%). The %s indicate where she falls compared to all the other little babies her age...as you can see, she is a tiny baby w/ a really big head. I don't think it looks abnormally big, but apparently, it is. Her doctor is keeping an eye on it, which is never what you want to hear when you take your child in for a check up. More than likely, it's nothing...let's pray for the best.


Grace had her flu shot today as well. Let me tell you, some day we're gonna have more money than we know what to do with. Why? Because Grace is gonna take all the drama she dishes out these days and put it up on the stage!!

Don't get me wrong, I know she's only 4 and I know those shots hurt... it makes me sad to watch these girls go through any kind of pain... but the routine Grace put on was so classic...so Grace. She barely let the leg that got the shot touch the ground afterwards. She was hopping/hobbling and saying things like 'Oh Mommy, I don't think I can make it to the car'...'Oh Mommy, can you get that toy for me, it will hurt if I get it'(let it be said that the toy in question was right next to her). I was trying hard to be the doting mommy, but it was hard not to giggle a little...just a little...is that wrong? :)

Sick!

Alright....I took tons of Vitamin C....thought I missed Grace's illness, but I was so, so wrong. Let me moan for just a minute. I have a fever of 102.2....I do not know the last time I had such a fever. I feel like I'm dying....really, I do...this has to be what it's like. Burning up, dizzy, shivering non stop. Good Heavens!! Trying reeeaaalllllly hard not to breathe on the Tiny Boo, although I think she has a touch of it already.

Okay, that's all...just wanted to update you all. I'll go back to moaning and groaning on the couch now. :)

Girl Talk

"We're sharing secrets, Mom"(Grace)

I See You...

Follow the Snore

I'm working downstairs, while my tiny one is sleeping and my big one is in her room(one too many pinches to the tiny one's cheeks will get you there real fast).
I walk upstairs and hear snoring...loud snoring. I literally walked around my entire upstairs and finally found the culprit...behind the couch...

...that sure doesn't look like her room.

And I Quote...

So, Grace will kill me some day if she sees this, but it's too funny not to share. A little gross, too, but so it goes.

Let me set this up: Grace has been pretty sick..today she is feeling much better...temp is gone...just a lot of gunk in her head/chest. As you may or may not know, sometimes that gunk finds it's way down to the lower half, resulting in less than solid stools. That is what poor Bug has been dealing w/ today. So, she found me downstairs and announced...

"Mommy, ummmm...something just landed in my pants. I think I had a baby or something."...Grace, while experiencing the joys of being sick.


(This pic is not from today...just a day I found her reading through Rolling Stone magazine while using, well, you can see...again, she's gonna kill me some day)

**I mentioned to Grace I did this...she gritted her teeth and said "embarrassing".**

Sick Kid Blues

We have a sick Bug. Poor thing started in Monday w/ cold symptoms and high fever. She is still struggling with it. Makes me sad. :( Her highest temp came in at 101.9...today, so far 101.4. One more day of that and the doctor wants to see her.

She is the best sick kid though...so easy going. I'll ask her how she feels and she just says, 'Mommy, can we stop talking about me being sick now? I'm fine.' Hee hee...what a love!!

Sending prayers out that the Tiny Boo doesn't catch it!!! A sick 4yr old is tough...a sick 4 month old is tougher.

(An old pic...just for fun)

And I Quote...

"I like Target. It's so relaxing, you know?"...Grace, on the way home from church today.

Dancing Daddy

I just had to share that today it was visitor's day at Grace's dance class. Daddy was inside the classroom, while I stayed outside w/ Emerson. So, when it came time for parent participation, guess who had to do it?! Hee Hee...NOTHING BETTER than watching a Daddy do curtsies w/ his 4 yr old to Princess music. Classic.

Happy Birthday, Dad/PaPa

I'm a few days late...the big day was the 4th, but we had his party tonight so...I'm still late. :) We still love you tons, Dad and wish you nothing but good health and happy days for many years to come!!


I am officially lame...these are the only two pics I have of my dad on my computer...LAME.