A Photo Shoot for Grandma

A photo shoot for Grandma.

It's only fitting, since Grandma supplied the outfits. Literally hand-making their shirts in fabric from our favorite Christmas movie, and in record time to boot!

I threatened to withhold doughnuts for non-participants. It worked, somewhat....

Somehow we ended up on the floor....

But look at the pretty face I captured.

Eventually, I gave up on the baby. She was the problem all along.

Thats a Squinkie in Capri's hand. She got it for her birthday.

How cute is this one????

And, here's that trouble-causing baby....

One last one of the birthday girl....

who loved her boots, in spite of the oppressive heat wave she wore them in.

THANK YOU GRANDMA!!!!!

Those are pretty good looking kids, if I do say so myself!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving 2010.

Capri's party at school. She is thankful for her bed, bunny, and toys.

Her Thanksgiving party was the first time I got to see her interact with her classmates. All the girls kept calling her over to play, but in typical Capri fashion she blew them off to play her own game! She does have one little boy that she really likes to play with, Ethan R. They're quite a pair, those two!

The night before Thanksgiving we drove up to Big Bear to my parent's cabin. Here we are for breakfast on Thanksgiving day. The kids love the cabin.

Nevermind the fact that it was freezing inside...... the heater broke the night before!

We did manage to stay warm, by layering,

having a fire going at all times, and a small but powerful space heater. Did I mention the kids love the cabin, and the snow?

They also love sledding! The cabin is on a double lot so there's lots of room to sled and play!

We made snow angels....

and tripled-up on the sled.

I tried to get a picture of me & James since it's dawned on me that we have NONE. Well, we have one. But I was pregnant with our first baby and that was 6 years ago. We've, um, aged a little since then. And I'm sporting a new hair color since then too .... but this is the best I got.

I like it.

Six things I'm sharing on Saturday

1. I have new hair! Hooray! My MIL gave me the gift of "new hair" for my birthday and I just got around to getting it. I spent a lovely day in Newport Beach, lunching with my MIL at Panera, having great conversation, and coming out looking way better. Now if you'll just look past the lack of lipstick in this picture.

2. The rain today caused us to pull out our Christmas decor just a few days early. Usually we wait and wait. But this year, we'll be gone over Thanksgiving. We're going to the cabin in Big Bear to have our feast. So, we pulled it out early. And it kept us busy most the day. Eventually it looked like this.... watching the Grinch.

3. Rudolph is a big deal here. I've posted about that before. I hesitate to tell you this, but at Build A Bear they have Rudolph, Clarice & the Humble Bumble...... with all the clothes, shoes, accessories, AND THEY TALK TO EACH OTHER! Soo cute. I didn't want to tell you in case you buy them all out. Unless, you are one of our grandma's, then of course you have permission to buy as many as you like! Ha ha!

4. Capri's always loved hats. She's been wearing them for years now. I find that hilarious.

5. Tella grabbed this Christmas babydoll immediately. Doesn't my baby look big suddenly?

6. A Christmas preview. Bought these stockings last year after Christmas from PBK. LOVE 'em. They are perfect for my kids and I've been dying to put them up. Starting at the bottom of the stairs, the reindeer with the hearts is for my valentine baby Donatella. Perfect. Hanging in the middle is a reindeer football player. No explanation needed, clearly it's JD's. Perfect. And hanging at the top is the princess reindeer, for our resident princess, Capri. Perfect again.

Happy Saturday!

The perfect pet for us

This wild child loves animals:

This mommy does not. As the founder and president of the "I hate all animals club", I have solemnly sworn to hate all animals that would like to make my house their home.

Unfortunately, no other members of this family are members of this club. Animal lovers, the whole lot of them. Blah.

I have successfully managed to eradicate all animals who have tried to make their home here up until this point. But that wild child pictured above has finally wore me down.

So, without further adieu.... I give you-

The perfect pet for us.

The perfect pet for us lives in a cage...

(that is maintained by Daddy)

The perfect pet for us is one that can be held...

and brings us great joy and excitement...

The perfect pet for us gives us love and snuggles...

and is named Moe Z. Pirahna...

(I don't know why)

The perfect pet for us inspires handsome boys to give dreamy looks...

The perfect pet for us gives the baby a healthy amount of fear...

and is tolerant of all petting styles...

The perfect pet for us makes Daddy look silly with bunny ears on his head...

and also entertains Daddy.

The perfect pet for us is competely free, potty trained, requires nothing of Mommy, and makes ZERO noise. The perfect pet for us can live outside if necessary, doesn't smell, and doesn't require costly vet visits. The perfect pet for us doesn't have strange diseases or require vaccinations.

The perfect pet for us, Moe Z. Pirahna, welcome to our home. But watch your back, this mommy doesn't tolerate any funny business.

Sometimes in Fall - a Classy little update, thats really pretty long

Sometimes in Fall, if you're looking for a knight in shining armor, you can find one at our house.

Sometimes, right around Fall, we visit the pumpkin patch. But, we always need a wheelbarrow for transportation.

Sometimes we are happiest when we can be around animals.

Sometimes the pumpkin patch makes us happy.

We all need to take a seat at sometime or another.

Climbing on the pumpkins is sometimes the very best way to locate the perfect one.

Unfortunately, sometimes the best pictures have trash cans in the background.

Sometimes the rain just makes us freezing and we gotta warm up!

And, not frequently, but sometimes, there is a beautiful "real" mermaid at Sea World named Capri. Imagine our good fortune!

Sometimes the rain brings out the snails, and we bring them in the house and give them a name - Carmel (?).

Sometimes we cheerlead. Go EAGLES! (or "go eggles" if you're Tella)

Sometimes mermaids like to accessorize before a party.

and bring her knight in shining armor with her.

Sometimes the most beautiful of mermaid dresses get ruined when used in a jumpy. They tear right down both sides.

Sometimes we ride the ponies a few times in a row!

Sometimes we all look at the camera at the same time! And, sometimes we have a backup costume to replace a ripped one.

Sometimes costumes are annoying, but are just too darn cute to remove.

Sometimes we bump into our best friend dressed as Spiderman.

Sometimes we ride ponies, for the first time!

Sometimes we are veteran pony riders, and hang on with one hand!

Sometimes.... (without pics)

Sometimes we lose our makeup bags (or they are stolen) and our heart is broken over all the wonderful products now gone that will take a long time, and a lot of effort, to replace.

Sometimes a family takes turns getting fevers, therefore trapping the whole family in the house for almost 2 weeks.

Sometimes a mom goes to a dentist not knowing this time it will be " a little more invasive" than last time. Hurray for surprises, right?? Sometimes!