Back To Normal ~ Fa La La La La La La La La

Our lives have finally slowed down a bit from the crazy busy Christmas holiday. We enjoyed every minute of it, but it is so nice to be back to the norm. A couple of days ago we took down all of our Christmas decorations only to leave one lonely little snow guy in the living room. He has been left out to help bring a winter of nice, fluffy white snow instead of the sleety winter ice.

Preschool and gymnastics don't start up again next week so we are enjoying a few days of being at home...yes, I said that right, staying at home! The girls have been easily occupied with their new toys and surprisingly have done a pretty good job of sharing them with one another.

Wes has tested out our new vacuum sweeper that we received from his mom for Christmas! Thank you Grandma Penny! The light weight Oreck is awesome. Even Jaidyn is able to push it around. We don't have her vacuuming yet, but when she asks to try it out, we definitely don't stop her.

I think that powder blue is a good color for Wes! :)

I just love this picture! So sweet! On the downside, she is still a thumb sucker. She only sucks it when she has her pink "Bear" security blanket in hand. She loves that blanket so much that I hate to take it away.


We spent a couple of days at Papa JR and Mama LaLa-LaLaLaLaLa's house. We caught up on some great movies, sat in the hot tub, ate out most of the time, and I even got in a nice nap one afternoon.







Jaidyn and Addy pestering their Uncle Heath. I would stop them, but he deserves all of the pestering he gets as he is pretty good at dishing it out himself. :)

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

My Christmas Wish...May you all have a Merry Christmas, and enjoy the day for all that it means to you. I wish everyone health, happiness, and joy. And for everyone who is struggling through difficult times, I wish you peace, strength, and comfort.











Merry Christmas, my friends!

~ Going Digital ~

My New Year's Resolution for the year is to buy and learn how to use a digital scrapbooking program. With the obsurd amount of photos that we take throughout an entire year it has become impossible to keep up with 2 little girls scrapbooks. I can't even begin to imagine adding a 3rd childs book to the mix. I can't take all of the credit for the pages that we have finished as my sister is the creative one (who can also cut straight). I took full advantage of my sister being in town for a couple of days and planned a scrapbooking marathon. My mom even joined in on the fun (she can also cut straight). My sister's only request was a bottle of wine while she worked.

My mom and I sipped on lemon water the entire afternoon as she wasn't sharing her bottle. Where is her Christmas spirit? Ha! Ha!

Over about an 8 hour time period we completed quite a few pages in their books, but still have more to finish...that will all have to wait until another day. I have decided to complete their albums to the end of 2008 and then will start in 2009 using a program to make scrapbooks through the computer. Anyone have any suggestions of good programs that I should look into purchasing? I hope this New Year's Resolution doesn't end up like most of the ones that I have committed to in the past. :)

80 Years Young!

This past weekend many relatives and friends gathered together to celebrate my Grandma Velma's (my mom's mom) 80th birthday. She had a wonderful open house party with lots of gifts, cards, and a table full of fabulous food. Santa even stopped by for a visit...I wish I had taken pictures of Santa, but was caught up in enjoying the moment.







Happy Birthday, Grandma!

~ Preschool Parties ~

Jaidyn and Addy both had their preschool parties on Thursday and Friday. I subbed both days at the high school so Wes was given strict instructions to take lots of pictures so I wouldn't feel like I missed out totally.


Our little Snowflake Princess.


Like Mother, Like Daughter. Hmmm, I have got to stop using my teeth to open things. Bad, I know.


Opening her preschool Christmas gift.


Preschool Playtime.



Addy must be modeling me in the kitchen. NOT!!! I give all the credit to the grandma's on this one.


Tiny little Christmas Caroler.


Merry Christmas!

Covergirls

We kind of had suspicions that Jaidyn and Addy might make the paper when Grandma Penny said that the newspaper reporter took their names after taking their picture with Santa last weekend. We had no idea that their picture would make the front page and be in color. Wow!




Before I had a chance to buy the paper, our post office clerk mentioned that our whole family is famous and that Wes and I were also in the paper. Immediately, all these crazy things were running through my head as I was trying to think of why we would be in the paper. And, on page 9, there we were making crafts at the Parents as Teachers Christmas party. Apparently, a picture with Wes and I in it just wasn't as cute as the one with just Jaidyn and Addy so it was only in black and white. Ha! :)


Paper purchases revenue should be up this week as we had proud grandparents and relatives who wanted a copy. I think I about cleaned out one of the paper stands.

Move over Covergirls, you have some competition. :)

~ Christmas Came Early ~

Ho! Ho! Ho! Grandma Penny arrived at our house this past weekend bearing all kinds of gifts for the girls...Dolls, games, coloring/work books, Littlest Pet Shops, and chapstick. We were so glad that she was able to stay with us for the weekend.







The girls are really enjoying their Let's Go Fishing game. The Papa's better start practicing as their grand daughter's are going to be able to out fish them.


On Saturday, Grandma Penny took the girls to the library to get pictures taken with Santa. A staff member from the local newspaper was there and also took their picture with Santa and got their names. I have to remember to get a copy of this weeks paper to see if they made it in.


Wes and I were able to meet up with them a little later in the morning for the parade. Temperatures were in the lower 50's, but it sure didn't feel like it with the bitter winter wind.



The Good Samaritan Christmas float was throwing out stuffed animals. Just what we need is more stuffed animals. I really think those things multiply overnight. Of course, Jaidyn would be the stuffed animal lover and thinks she has to keep all of them. I was hoping to return them sometime this week.


Here comes Santa Claus, right down Santa Claus lane!


The horses rearing up the parade were Jaidyn and Addy's favorite part.

Our Christmas Tree ~ The Story of Us

Every ornament on our tree has it's own story and means something to our family. Our tree definitely isn't decorated in perfect splendor and is almost a hodge podge of a theme. But, I wouldn't have it any other way. It tells the story of US as a family. Our tree also seems unbalanced as the girls continue to move and rearrange ornaments on the tree and of course many of them seem to be moving towards the bottom half as far as they can reach. Oh well, it really doesn't bother me as it makes our tree even more personalized.

I haven't picked out ornaments for the girls yet this year, but here are several of their homemade ornaments that have recently decorated our tree.


This is Jaidyn's picture ornament for the year. I am still needing to get Addy's done.


My mom gave each of the girls a pickle ornament. The Christmas pickle is a pickle-shaped ornament hidden in the tree. According to German tradition, the pickle brings good luck. After all the other ornaments were hung on the tree, the pickle ornament was hidden somewhere within the branches. On Christmas morning the first child to find the ornament was rewarded with an additional small present left by St. Nicholas. The pickle tradition encourages youngsters to enjoy the many ornaments on the tree before checking to see what St. Nick has brought them. My mom also has a pickle on her tree and everytime we visit, they look for the pickle hoping to receive a piece of candy once they find it.

Dad, even if this wasn't a tradition at your house when you were young (as we seem to recall grandma telling us it was), we have started it now. :)

The girls brought these cute little "candy" art pieces home from preschool last week.
"I think you're sweet as candy. Your love always makes me smile. Please keep these hands to remind you, of when I was a sweet little child."

Addy wouldn't let them put any paint on her hands, so hers is only a tracing of her handprint. Today they were playing with shaving cream (Santa's beard) and they told me that she didn't want much of that on her hands either. I am thinking we may have a Miss Priss on our hands. Agh!

One Year Ago Today...

One year ago today, we were officially placed on the ICAB of the Philippines list of approved families for adoption. We have now been waiting for our referral for 1 year. After talking with our agency a couple of weeks ago, I had high hopes of receiving our referral sometime this month. Even though the month is coming to an end with the Christmas holiday right around the corner, I am still staying optimistic and hoping that they maybe will squeeze in our referral before the holidays. There is still time. God is really teaching me about patience. Patience, patience, patience. Good things come to those who wait. :)

Two families that we have met (one through Holt and one through blogging) are traveling this weekend to Manila to meet and bring home their sons. They are even staying at the same hotel. You can visit the Nalagan family and the Ribar family through their blogs and wish them safe travel.

Tonight was the Parent as Teachers Christmas Activity Night and we went specifically to see the big guy in the red suit. Even Addy sat on Santa's lap, but not until after Jaidyn did and she knew it was a safe situation. Santa was super nice, but was wasn't as round and chubby as the books that we have been reading all month have led us to believe. We are definitely going to have to set out some cookies and milk, up his calorie intake and fatten up ol' Santa.

~ Peaceful Moments ~

Peaceful, quiet moments at our house are rare. Earlier this week, I walked out of the bathroom to find this...



I let the girls hang out in their bath towels for as long as this moment would last.

~ You've been Elfed by the Collins Family ~

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

~ Christmas On The Square ~

Brrrr! It was an extremely cold (freezing) evening, but we dug deep for some Christmas spirit, toughed it out and enjoyed Christmas on the Square in a nearby town.


Poor Jaidyn, her snowsuit from last year is way too short, but it was the only one I had for her to wear and it was too cold to go without. We tucked it into the boots so she didn't look like a complete goon with highwater snowpants. However, we all could hardly stop laughing at her all night as she looked just like Ralphie wearing his snowsuit from The Christmas Story movie. Too see her run was hysterical. Sorry about all the backside pictures, but I just couldn't resit.






The sleigh ride lines were too long so they settled for riding the cows.


Jaidyn wasn't about to sit by the Grinch all by herself, so the picture with the Grinch and the Cat in the Hat ended up being a family event. We rented How The Grinch Stole Christmas today from the library, so Jaidyn can see that the Grinch ends up being good and kind hearted in the end.

A Jaidyn Funny:
Jaidyn - Mommy, Why did you wear Daddy's underwear last night?
Me - Laughing...Jaidyn, I wore a pair of your Dad's long underwear last night so my legs wouldn't get cold.
Glad I had the chance to clarify that it wasn't actually his underwear that I was wearing. Poor girl must have been thinking about this for quite awhile since she didn't ask me this last night.

Today Addy was wiped out from preschool this morning and fell asleep in the car. She even stayed asleep after I carried her inside. She was so proud to wear her little red shoes and told her preschool teachers that they were Wizard of Oz shoes. Jaidyn is all snuggled under her blanket and pillow watching a movie while Addy naps.