Out of the mouth of babes

Retold by grandpa:

My girl, "What are you doing?"
Grandpa, "I'm putting lotion on my head."
My girl, "Why are you putting lotion on your head, grandpa?"
Grandpa, "Since I don't have much hair, my head gets dry."
My girl, "Don't put too much lotion on your head, more hair might fall out grandpa!"

We've had a week packed with Christmas festivities. My family is exhausted. Currently we are recovering and antipicating the last of our Christmas celebration this weekend.

Merry Christmas

I hope your Christmas is filled with sweet memories

of your family as you celebrate

the birth of our gracious Lord and Savior.

Blessings - Jen

My girl is three

My sweet little girl is now three.

It's so hard to believe.

She is growing up before my eyes.

She is smart.....

fun and outgoing.

She is our early morning conversationalist. I mean real early in the morning.
Lover of things little.
Capricious.
Devourer of jelly sandwiches.


We had her Curious George Birthday party this weekend.
Her only interest was of her presents. Can't blame her.
Thankfully she is not too girlie.
Me: "What do you want for your birthday?"
My girl: "a little princess and a race car."
My boy: "Girls can't have race cars!"
Hubby: "Little princesses like to drive race cars."

That's my girl!


Happy birthday. I love you! - Mom

No Christmas presents please....

...we have cardboard!

The week before Thanksgiving we resurrected this

pirate ship from storage and placed it in the

kids playroom.

I did not think much of it until I heard thumps and giggles, thumps and giggles.

I went to find out what my kids were up to and this

is what I saw.

They were placing the cardboard pirate ship upright and then falling down with it.

*

This week we received a package in the mail.

Once again the cardboard was up for grabs.

It became a ramp for my boy's cars.

As well as a run and skid across the living room floor toy.

(Not pictured)
No need for toys when you have cardboard.

Christmas card options

Here are a few Christmas card options for my little sis.

What you think? - Jen

five and a half

My boy has been counting down the days until he will be officially 5 1/2. Well today was the day. He was so excited. Coincidentally his class had a field trip today to see the play "Babes in Toyland." When my boy came home today, I asked him about it. He said, "Mom, the play wasn't really a play. It was just a show. We didn't get to play." He looked disappointed.

Here are my favorite phrases that my little guy currently says often :)

"Really? Sweeeeeet!"

"You're kidding me. That's awesome!"

Not too posed

Most of my favorite shots are not posed. I seem to prefer the more candid shots. Here are a few photos of my kiddos with their cousins. Just wondering....which one do you prefer.

The favorite pic will be given to the grandparents and great aunt/uncles.

My sister

Over Thanksgiving I got to spend a few days

with one of my favorite people... my sister.

She's a great friend and

as you can tell she's an awesome mother.

I enjoyed our time doing the black Friday shopping. Love you - Jen

Laugh Out Loud

I'm sure you are wondering...

What would make this sweet young girl (my niece)

LOL

Could it be my stellar jokes?

Nah

Could it be the little jig I danced for her?

Nah

This my friends

is what was so funny...

Her cousin had this snake over my head unbeknownst to me.

Yuck!

I'm sure my reaction afterwards was even funnier :)

Sporting a new look

My little guy

got his first

pair of glasses.

I will have

to say

he is looking

pretty cute and handsome.

He is such a thoughtful, smart guy.

I'm so proud of him. I love him so. - Jen (mom)

On the trails

I went to an absolute fabulous location for a photo shoot. It was in this family's backyard. I am so jealous! Their backyard extended onto a walking trail adjacent to a creek. Way too cool!

The moment I met this little guy he talked about his light saber. It was very important to him that I took a picture of him with it.

I love it! Darth Vader beware......

Fall reflection

If winter is slumber and spring is birth,

and summer is life, then autumn rounds out to be reflection.

It's a time of year when the leaves are down

and the harvest is in and the perennials are gone.

Mother Earth just closed up the drapes on another year

and it's time to reflect on what's come before. - Mitchell Burgess

At one time, I did not like autumn because it reminded me of the things to come - Winter. I have the tendency to forward think instead of being in the present. I've been striving to be in the "here and now" and to enjoy what is before me. This fall has been unseasonable warm, radiant in beauty for this I am thankful. - Jen

Don't cry over spilled milk

There are moments in a mommy's day

where things can get a little exasperating.

But I need to realize that

there really is no reason

to cry over spilled milk.

Here's one of my

many reasons.....

My little girl can be accident prone.

I have no idea how this happened.

I turned around and this is what I saw.

Love her!

Behind the scene

I have been scoping out to find great photoshoot areas, and a friend of mine suggested this park that is only 15 minutes from my house. What a find! The trees were gorgeous and golden, the lighting was perfect. With cute kids in tow (since they are mine, I am a little bias) I thought this was the setting for the "perfect" photo shoot. I think at times God chuckles from above :)

I did get some precious shots of them playing and posing for the camera.

But that my dear friend was short lived. My little girl decided that this was a playfest instead of a photo shoot. Poor kids, they have to endure their trigger happy mom :)

Anyway, my girl played away while my son tried to comply and pose for the photoshoot.

What patience and endurance! He'll make a great husband some day.

A few moments

passed with

my trigger

happy self

and this

is the response

of my kids

after my son

became quite

disgruntled!

This shot makes me laugh.

My daughter really adores her brother.

Whether he likes it or not.

Making Patterns

Just in case

you are

wondering

what my kids

do before

bed.....

Me: "It's time to get ready for bed."
Son: "Hold on mom, I want to finish my pattern."
Daughter then preceeds to point and say. "Blue, red, blue, red, blue, red."

Mud obsession

My little girl has a fascination for dirt of any form. While we were at the pumpkin patch this past weekend, my little one touched the mud/dirt everywhere she saw it. In the pumpkin patch, on the pumpkins itself it did not matter, she was obsessed with the feel and texture of it. We had to frequently stop as she observed and touched the freshly wet substance.

Notice the dirt on the pumpkin, well she sure did. My little dirt obsessor played in that area for 5-10 minutes enjoying the dirt on her fingertips.

Childhood bliss.