Santa Claus

A few weeks ago, we went for our annual visit to see good old St Nick.

Despite his blue shirt and the $18 bucks I had to pay to get this bad resolution photo on a CD (cheapest "package" available), he was the nicest, jolliest Santa we've visited at this mall in years, and was so adorable with the kids.

Which made it all worth it.

I love nice people.

Especially nice Santas.

 

I'm happy and surprised to report that we've continued with our record of no crying upon visiting the Big Man in Red.
 How does that happen you ask?
I 've figured out that P & E turn on their charm & flash those big smiles and good manners to score points with him, because they know good and well that their behavior record isn't exactly flawless.
Mmmhmmm. 
Don't let those dimples fool you, they've learned early how to work the system as well as they know how to work their Daddy's Iphone.
Better than me, that's for sure...and somehow it always seems to work...

Parker asked for a "SURPRISE" this year (he's an adventurous child), and Emmie asked for a dollhouse (she came up with it on her own and has had Santa's elves scrambling at the last minute to ensure her Christmas fantasies aren't shattered on Christmas morning...it seems even the North Pole is sold out of all the semi-desirable dollhouse furniture!).

Since we were prohibited in taking our own pictures with Santa, I admit we snapped a few outside the perimeters, stealing a little of their backdrop. Afterall, we did pay $18 bucks. It's the least they could allow, right? 
 I don't know if there is a candy cane shortage or what, but the last few years they give out these See's candy suckers - my sweet-toothed children's favorite part. On Christmas morning we have to hide the stockings until the very end, or all they want is the candy in them. Forget the plethora of too many gifts under the bedazzling lights of the Christmas tree. All they can focus on with their hypnotized eyes is the blasted chocolate. Don't worry. I've already been brain storming of how I'm going to instill a love of cardio activity into them throughout their lives. It might involve some chocolate bribery, but hey, whatever gets them moving, right?;)

And of course, after all that hard work to get all dressed up, we had to snap a few pictures at home of the Christmas cuteness.

Poor Roxy SO wants to be a part of this threesome. Like always, she's pretty good at weaseling her way into the picture.
Poor dog thinks she's a human.

MeRrY ChRiStMaS!!!

2 months

Lexi turned 2 months old on Sunday!

As you can see, her little cheeks are filling out and she's even sprouted another chin! We took her to the doctor last week due to her tummy troubles (she was put on some meds), and she weighed in at just over 10 pounds! That is a 3 lb increase since her 2 week appointment so I am happy to know she is putting on weight despite all that she is spitting and throwing up. She has her official 2 month appointment next week. She just started fitting into her 0-3 month clothes so girlfriend will finally start fitting into some of those darling outfits that so many sweet people have brought by for her.

She has been flashing contagious smiles and has been testing out her little voice with coos and mimics the sounds I make the last few days.  So fun!

She is SUCH a sweetheart and it's pretty safe to say that we all adore her around here!

Grateful

Someone pinch me.
Am I really a mom of 3?



Yep.
Here's the proof.
Count 'em yourself.
It feels great.
Especially that they all turned out so darn cute.
How'd that happen?
Okay, so I might be biased.
But they ARE super smart. Destined to be geniuses for sure.
O-kaaay. So I might be biased on that one too.
Well whatever I think they are or are meant to be, I just hope I don't go messing them up along the way.

Anyhow, on Thanksgiving morning we woke up to an extra special surprise and found that one of our basement bedrooms had flooded from a dripping faucet by the window well outside. Perfect. It ruined the dry wall by and around the window and the carpet was nonsalvageable. So for the moment our basement is in chaos as everything had to be moved out of that room & into the family room while it sits in limbo and waits for a new wall and carpeting which won't be in for another 10 days or so. Not fun in trying to get ready for Christmas, and not so good on my sanity as the clutter moved from that room is driving me a bit CrAzy. But it could have been much worse so I'm trying to breathe deep and count our blessings that the whole basement wasn't effected...

Back to Thanksgiving...

We try to just stick with visiting one family per Thanksgiving. Otherwise it's just way too hectic. And way too much food. And way too much toting around napped deprived kids.
We save that special day for Christmas. :)
This year we were with the famous Hansen crew.

It was Lexi's first Thanksgiving, and as you can see, she was a popular guest.
Maybe the most popular of all, in fact.

The food was delish and the company delightful.;)

But the star of the night seemed to be playing old school Nintendo from back in the day in Uncle D's room....

Go figure.

BOYS.
Throw these Nintendo-playing fellas in with a room full of 15 year old Nintendo-playing dudes and I dare you to tell me who are the twenty and thirty somethings versus the high schoolers.
Okay so maybe the receding hair lines would give it away.
Darn receding hairlines.
I kid, but really, if this is the way they bond, so be it.
I'm happy for them. ;)
Really.

Seriously though.
Thanksgiving.
I am so grateful for a great husband who works hard for our family, for my beautiful three kids who keep me on my toes and put up with me even when I'm sleep deprived (not that they have a choice, bless their souls), for good health and the survival of this latest pregnancy, for a nice home in an area I absolutely love, for my treadmill that I can finally use again, for Christmas cards from friends we've made over the years who have touched our lives, for the molasses spice cookies I anticipate making all year and will finally make this week since 'tis the season!', for the perspective I am blessed with through the gospel, for Amazon.com for making my holiday shopping not only a possibility but a dream come true, for Hobby Lobby moving in within 12 minutes of my home this last year, for Baby Gap sales that provide this deal-hunter a shopping high with prices better than Target, for avocado turkey and parmesan lunches, for a husband who rubs my back without me asking and in all the right places, for a church calling that allows me to work with young women I adore and women I admire, for TLC for giving me some quality television to watch while I nurse my sweet baby (Say Yes to the Dress, Sister Wives, The Little Couple anyone? What...they're good!), for the Today Show for keeping me informed in the few minutes I manage to catch of it each week, for Emmie finally catching onto potty training this last week and for the way she dances and sings throughout the house and whose creative thinking and stories always have me laughing, for Parker who is suddenly so grown up and helpful and whose high-pitched voice always makes me smile (okay maybe not always) and whose dimples make my heart sing, for Lexi who loves to snuggle and doesn't make messes (besides in her pants that is) and who is finally HERE and HEALTHY and who has me completely SMITTEN!

I could go on and on as I have much to be grateful for...but I'll wrap it up right here since my cute baby Lexi is finally asleep and I should be too. :)
HaPpY ThAnKsGiViNg! :)

Here's a Story...

I think if you visit this blog at all, you can quickly assess that this last summer I became quite smitten with the Thanksgiving Point Gardens. In fact, I'm sure that all three readers out there rolled their eyes everytime I posted new pics from another summer stroll through this beautiful place.
As behind I am in blogging these days, and in realization that I am at risk of more eye rolling, (hey ya'll don't have to read, alright?) I have to give overdue credit one last time to these acres of wonder before year's end...and before I forget...as that is something I do often these days...
See this hill?

If you're 37+ weeks pregnant and ready for that baby to come, go hike it, baby!
 It worked for me. And if it can work for ME...
 Just sayin'.
Yes. My love grew even fonder for TP Gardens and I will forever be grateful for the part it played in it's assistance in kicking me into labor in the early morning hours of October 4th. Alright so I'd already been in labor for weeks at this point (hence my misery), but this made it a done deal. A done deal at last!:)
Mmmhmm. You catch my drift.
 Filled with that crazy, "I need to have this baby NOW or I might just kill someone" adrenalin, I dragged begged Chris to go hiking through here just one more time on the afternoon of October 3rd. So off we went, and even though the irregular contractions I was having hurt like (fill here words that I don't say), I busted through them hard and fierce, with fueled determination that I could not, & would not stand ONE MORE DAY of this pregnancy.
It's so nice when your body listens.

{Of course I had to take a slew of pictures, are you kidding...}
...And so here they are, the last hours that these twosome siblings would be mere twosomes!
At 4 a.m. the following morning my water broke and
 I WAS NEVER HAPPIER.
And then a few hours later I met this little bundle and became even happier...


(pic taken at 4 weeks)
And ever since, life has been a bit of a whirlwind.
But yes, I have never been happier.
{Ok except when I haven't slept. Then I've never been meaner..funny how that is}
I truly adore adore ADORE this little munchkin.
The end.