Cutest Nativity Ever

Jesse's mom gave this little felt set to Madeline on her first Christmas. It definitely is one of my favorite Christmas items we have in the house.

Unsuccessful Christmas Gift

I came across this article about how to make snow globes, and I thought that they would be the perfect gifts for my family. I made so many for all my family and they turned out so great....until....a week after I made them all the water went foggy. I am not sure what happened, I followed the directions and didn't take any short cuts. Ugg. By the time that I realized that they were not going to be clear I didn't have enough time to make new ones or get presents for my entire family. So, sorry everyone who got an overcast snow globe.

Nothing is worse than giving a handmade gift that you are embarrassed about. O well. Next year everyone will get something sewn, I can't mess up that- or can I? ha!

Music All Around

Our friends and neighbors Jeremy and Jenna came over during the big snowstorm last week for dinner. Jeremy, Madeline and Jane really had a blast singing songs during dinner and decided they were going to start a band called "Music All Around" and their hit song was going to be called "Milk and Cookies."

We gave Madeline and Jane a guitar for Christmas and Madeline has been practicing the new hit single.

Christmas Recap

Christmas was completely magical in every way! On Christmas Eve we put a small Christmas tree in the girls playroom (right outside their bedroom) so when they woke up Christmas morning the first thing they saw was a new tree. They freaked out!

Opening Christmas presents was a blast as well. Everything Madeline opened we would say "it's just what I always wanted!" which was pretty comical. Jane's favorite present was the Hello Kitty electric toothbrush that was in her stocking- so funny!



After we opened all of our gifts we headed to my parents house for Christmas breakfast. The girls, of course, loved opening more presents from their aunts and uncles and grandparents and great grandparents. Breakfast was delishous (my mom's cooking is always so good) and my little brother made gingerbread cookies for everyone to decorate. It was a lot of fun. What a great idea!

After my parents we headed over to Jesse's parents where the girls opened even more gifts and ate more sugar. Ha! We stayed and enjoyed dinner and each others company until it was time to take the girls home and put them to bed.



Having kids makes Christmas so much more fun! I truly love my family, those little girls are my life!

Christmas Eve Recap

I think that we had the most magical Christmas Eve that I have ever had in my whole life. After a lazy morning we went down town to the Macy's light show in the old Wanamaker's building.





Afterward we went to get lunch at Max Brenner's. Lana had given us a gift certificate before she left for Portland.





I love being down town around Christmas time. It is funny how I live 3 miles -or less- from down town but I never seem to go. (It is pretty difficult with the kids but I always enjoy going.)

We invited our good friends Matt and Bess over for Christmas Eve dinner and to sleep over and enjoy Christmas morning with us. I was so happy when they said they would. I guess most people (people with out kids) get to go out to Christmas parties and vigils on Christmas Eve but we have to stay confined to the house, so it was very nice to have the wonderful company.




I was really excited about making a fancy Christmas Eve dinner. I made gorgonzola raviolis in a creamy parmesan, portabella, florentine sauce topped with shrimp, scallops and calamari. It turned out really yummy! I think that Penny liked her sweet potatoes a little too much!

All I Want for Christmas

It probably won't happen, but all I want for Christmas is for Penny to say Mama. How great would that be!

Oh, the Internet

Jesse showed me this picture on the internet followed by my Gram, so sorry if you have already seen it. I thought it was pretty funny.

Make sure you read the little blurb at the bottom.




"Good news is that I truly out did myself this year with my Christmas decorations. The bad news is that I had to take him down after 2 days. I had more people come screaming up to my house than ever.Great stories. But two things made me take it down.

First, the cops advised me that it would cause traffic accidents as they almost wrecked when they drove by.

Second, a 55 year old lady grabbed the 75 pound ladder almost killed herself putting it against my house and didn't realize it was fake until she climbed to the top (she was not happy). By the way, she was one of many people who attempted to do that. My yard couldn't take it either. I have more than a few tire tracks where people literally drove up my yard."

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas from all 5 of us!

They Didn't Care for the Snow

On Friday night the snow started and we didn't leave the house until last night. We decided that it would be nice to walk a couple blocks and go get some Mexican food at Que Chula. Once we arrived we were sad to see that it was closed. We headed back and Jesse helped 2 people get their stuck cars out of the snow and the girls stared to freak out that all the snow on their mittens was meting and freezing their little hands. When we got back home it was pretty intense.

Before:



After: (I did ask them if I could post this- I know they are only 2 and 3 but hey- it could be embarrassing. They don't care.) It is really hard to see what is going on in the video but you can hear it loud and clear.

Benefit Show Tonight

We (Adam and Dave's Bloodline) are playing at the M-Room in Philly tonight at a benefit for show Dave Sommer. We will play an all-cover song set with songs by Neil Young, The Undertones, The Band, Carole King, Guided By Voices, Jim Carroll and more. I am really excited. I don't know Dave Sommer but I know the other boys in the band do. I am excited to be part of helping raise money for him. It seems and feels really good.

His Story

Also- very very excited to sing "I feel the Earth Move" by Carol King. I love her. I remember (from when I was little) my mom would always put on her album when she was cleaning.



Show Info:

Friday, December 18, 2009
Time:
8:00pm - 11:00pm
Location:
The M Room
$10

Christmas Island

Really wishing that this was what my Christmas was going to look like. I need a vacation.


Christmas Island Link

My Favorite Christmas Ball

Every year when I was a little my Gram would give my siblings and I a Christmas ball. These were usually dated with our names on them and specific towards our interests. My mom used to hang them all on the tree so each year we could count on 4 more ornaments. When I got married my mother happily handed over mine.

My favorite one (and always has been) is my very first Christmas ball. I love everything about it. I love the how it says "baby's first Christmas" and how wonderful the drawings are. They just don't make ornaments like this anymore.





My mom has carried on this tradition by giving ornaments for my girls. They loved decorating the tree and finding the ornaments with their names on them.

Gingerbread House

On Sunday we decorated a gingerbread house. I was so thankful that my mother-in-law dropped one of those "all in one kits" by the other day. I remember last year I baked and constructed 8 houses and took them to a playgroup that my friend Martha and I ran. All the kids loved decorating them. This year, well, I frankly just forgot about gingerbread houses. I am glad the girls enjoyed decorating it. I don't remember ever making one when I was little.
One of the best things about being a parent is that you get to do all the fun "kid stuff." (Already living vicariously through my children? eeeh.)






Thanks to my friend Veronkia I came across this photo application. I love it.

Abominable Snowman

A couple of days ago I put on Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Jane got so scared of the abominable snowman she screamed at the top of her lungs and fell off her chair.

I mean really- I guess it is pretty scary for a 2yr old. Ha!! Well, she thinks anything with "sharp teeth" is very scary.

Sick Little Ladies

I have been really excited about some of the presents I have been making for Christmas. I wish that I could snap a picture of them and post them, but I can't give it away- pictures will come post Christmas. Needless to say I have been very busy crafting.

The girls have been recovering from a long weekend of being sick. I hope they are ok to venture out into the world today, it is Madeline's big Christmas party at school. This is a little clip of the 3 sick ladies drinking some apple juice and commiserating together.

The Book is Up

My book is finally up on my Etsy site! That took forever.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=36826880

Fire Department

Yesterday as I was driving the girls to their very last dance class and on the way I had to run an errand for a friend. I pulled up to the house I was going to and got out of the car and closed the door. Well, thanks to Dodge, when you start driving the car the doors automatically lock AND the doors do not unlock when you open them SO when I closed the door I locked all 3 of my kids inside with the car running. I freaked out- poor Sue had to witness my craziness of crying and pleading with the girls to try to unbuckle their seat belts (which they have no idea how to do.) After calling Jesse 100 times from Sue's phone I gave up and called 911. Soon a huge fire truck rolled up with about 7 fire fighters and opened the door. Of course as soon as they pulled up I burst into tears and couldn't pull myself together until they left.

With all that said, I got to dance class on time but the girls were a little too shaken to dance. I don't blame them. I don't think they were scared to be locked in the car, I think they were upset that they saw me upset. Lesson learned: keep my cool.

Dance class was a disaster until they had about 15 min left. At least they let me snap a couple pictures of them with their classmates.




I was pretty shook the whole day and then I got an amazing email from my friend Matt's mom, Deb. What an encouraging woman. Thanks to her encouragement I was able to get through the day. Thank you Deb!!!

Keep on Moving

Man, I really love the BabyCook that my Gram sent me. I usually make one batch at a time that would last me 2 days, but yesterday I went nuts (not literally, I know babies are not allowed to have nuts until they are over a year old.) I made a whole butternut squash (BS- heehee), an apple carrot mix and green beans into baby puree.



It didn't take too long, but after a morning full of grocery shopping, 3 loads of laundry and my weekly down stairs cleaning I was pooped. (keep in mind we woke up at 5:30) I couldn't believe when I looked at the clock and it was 4pm. Most days I love when 4 rolls up. I start planning out dinner- then bed time - then..... aaaaahhhh. but yesterday the day slipped by without me having a chance to sit and just, be.

I know I will probably get burnt out eventually, but for now I am happy that I can keep up. At least to keep our heads above the poopy diapers. (Which reminds me I need to do a load of fabric diapers this morning- Penny's little bum is so spoiled, she gets a diaper rash if she has a paper diaper on during the day.)

Baby Peer Pressure

Jesse and I woke early (5:30am) today to poor little Jane crying up in her bed. She came into bed with us with a wicked cough and a fever. We pumped her with some motrin and she seems to be doing better. Poor thing- the saddest part of it is seeing her frustration when handling Penelope. We told her she was not allowed to kiss her while she was sick and it is driving her crazy! I love how our kids love each other.

Carina posted this picture of Penelope that she took from Art Shop last weekend. So funny! Even babies fall victim to peer pressure.




p.s. i love carina and miss her living with us

Oh, Hello Christmas

On Sunday we got our Christmas tree. It was nice to decorate it with Madeline and Jane. They always love putting on the candy canes and handing me all the ornaments. I love that.

The weekend before we hung up lights outside (the first time since kids) and we love turning them on in the late afternoon. When we are out in the evening it makes it magical to come home. (Don't get me wrong- our display is kind of sad looking, but for our house it is delightful.)

I have been putting off making stockings for 3 years now -ha- because I keep getting pregnant and I want them all to match. This year I have no excuse. Maybe I will try to pick up some fabric at the end of the week. I was inspired by "this" mantel.

So Glad it's Monday

I am so glad the weekend is over- am I really saying that!?! Art Shop was Friday night and all day Saturday, then Sunday was Christmas tree time, band practice, church and some drinks later on. It doesn't sound like that much, but add in 1 pre-schooler, a toddler, a 6 month old and a house that continually needs to be tended too, and the never ending laundry= stretched too thin.

Parts of me (most all of me) thrive on it; I love feeling needed and like I am taking care of business and that I can still resume a "sense of self" through the craziest of times. The other side of me is so tired of house work and doing...anything.
Jesse always says I don't know how to relax, which is true, I really don't. Maybe I have grown comfortable with everyday life being so full. I have noticed that my anxiety level has been through the roof! I was telling Jesse that the benefit of this is that my abs are tightening up so nicely because the unusual amount of anxiety. Well, at least some part of me is benefiting. Ha!
Tis the season, right?

Art Shop Success

Art Shop was a huge success! I did better this year than any previous year and I only had a small basket of goods to bring home. (I will post them on my etsy site very soon.) I really had a blast! The snow was a nice touch to make it feel extra Christmas-ee.






Again, thank you everyone who showed their support. This is a big deal for me and it means a lot that you liked my goods, read through my book, and encouraged me. Thank you!

Flying of the Table

Art shop was so fun last night, I am really looking forward to today- I will try to snap a couple pictures. I am so excited that I already sold half of my goods! Thank you to anyone who supported my little project and "see you there" to everyone who is going to stop by today. It really meant a lot to have the support of friends and to see and hear the great feed back.

xoxo

4-No Way!

Today as I was getting dressed Madeline inquired about my belly button. She wanted to know why it looked different than hers. I told he it was because I had had 3 babies. She then asked if there was another baby in my belly and I told her that there was not and I was happy with 3 babies. She insisted that 4 babies would be "just fine." Sorry Madeline but it's not gonna happen.

This reminds me, Madeline and Jane both get a kick out of tapping my boobs and screaming "BOOBIES!" and then sticking their fingers in my belly and saying "Squiiiiiiiiishy." Awesome, not really.

Reality is a Mess

What my desk always looks like:


(yes, toddler-smudge-finger-print-nasty all over the screen. I just don't really care that my desk always looks like this. I can close the doors and not have to see it. Ha!)

What my sewing room looks like post Art Shop sewing:



(the other side of the room is worse- now I am feeling a bit embarrassed and regretting this post)

Squeezing in Some Sewing

The girls have been excited about all the sparkly fabric tutus that have been made here but I can't help but notice how they are frustrated that they don't have one. Every Thursday morning they have dance class so I whooped up two for them to wear today. I have it down to a science now, so it didn't take too long.
So, here are the girls modeling their dance wear. I hope it will keep them motivated to dance their little hearts out this morning.

Don't Forget!!!!

Buy local and handmade!!!


I have been so busy these last couple of days finishing every thing up for art shop. I keep remembering all these little things I have to do.

The baby is calling- short post.

No More Bunk Beds

The girls wanted us to take the bunk beds down so they could have beds like Jane and Micheal. It was a little hard trying to figure out how to put two beds and a crib all in a little bedroom. It is a bit crammed but i think that it works. I am constantly trying to make their bedroom and playroom a place where they go and play, but they always end up in the living room.

My sister painted the awesome bird mural when I was pregnant with Madeline. What a great baby gift! I love how it makes the whole room magical!



This cradle was my step-grandmothers that her father made for her when she was a little girl. What a great heirloom that she passed down to me. Thanks Omi!




On a side note: The girls sometimes remind me of a little old couple. They are so funny reading their "papers" during breakfast.