A Christmas Visit to Santa's House

Christmas morning
Go Cowboys!!!!
Bunco Anyone??

The Day After Christmas

As I sit here at 10:15pm waiting to pick up my mom and step dad at the airport in about an hour I thought why not blog.
Christmas came and was enjoyable. Ashley's face when she saw all the presents under the tree was priceless...I think that she forgot it was Christmas morning. The girls happily torn through their gifts and enjoyed all that was under the tree. Chris and I got each other Romo Jerseys( Dallas Cowboy Q-back) and a photo will follow ....Mommy with pjs and no makeup a blog first for me.
Grandma came later in the am and brought bags of gifts!!! More unwrapping and now there is fun new stuff to play with.

The day after (today) Daddy was back to work and the girls and I stayed in our PJ's until 3!!! I got so much done. All the unwrapped gift boxes are in the trash/recycling and the gifts are slowing finding a place in the house. I got some of the garage cleaned up and now we can get out of the car with ease. I was tried of having to step around paint cans and mops and brooms. I even got some exercise in as well. Dinner out and a quick trip through the lights in PQ at Christmas Card lane and we were home in time for some Bible trivia DVD game and bedtime.
So here I sit waiting to drive to the airport when i am usually in PJ's and dreamland. I am looking forward to time with mom and mike and I know the girls are SO excited to see them in the morning. Guess what we get to do tomorrow .....open more gifts!!! have a great week i will post pictures next time.

Look Who Turned 7!!!!

Happy Birthday Emilee

It is hard to believe that our little girl is 7. Someone told me once that as soon as your children start elementary school, the time flies. I have to agree with that. Where has the time gone?

Emilee's morning began with breakfast in bed and the opening of her gifts which began at 6:30 !!! Her day continued with a Birthday celebration at school and a evening with family and more gifts from Grandma. Emilee's Birthday dinner request was Pat and Oscars for their famous bread sticks. Her favorite birthday gift was a Disney Princess Diary set. The most fun gifts was her High School Musical PJ'S and Webkinz.

We love you Emilee and pray you have a blessed 7th year.

The countdown...

...to the craziness
2 days until Emilee turns 7 and the unwrapping begins
6 days until Christmas and the unwrapping of the gifts
7 days until my mom arrives and more unwrapping of the gifts
11 days until Ashley turns 5 and the unwrapping of the gifts
12 days until I have to find a place to put all the gifts



...to the peace , joy and love that the birth of Jesus brings. This is a gift that we do not have to put away but keep the whole year through.

Merry Christmas and may you all find peace in the craziness of the season you are in.

Christmas Cookies

It is really the only time of the year that we make cookies. The girls were really into it this year. Emilee had to get all the sprinkles in the right spot ...........
And Ashley just sprinkled away to her hearts content. I stayed out of way and let them do their thing. I ate some of them , of course!!
The finished cookies.........Yum Yum Yum

Fun Family Time

Just having a little family fun with the Rudolph the Reindeer antlers and glowing nose. Vote for your favorite reindeer. I think that Daddy Reindeer was feeling alittle crazy that night and Mommy Reindeer looks a bit tired from all the flying practice.

This one is just too cute..Daddy's little girls!!

Christmas Lights

Our new neighborhood is full of beautiful Christmas lights. Without any rain gutters it is hard to hang lights on the house, so we did all we could for this year. The girls' favorite is the snow globe.

10 on Tuesday

1. I love getting Christmas cards in the mail, they are a blessing to me.
2. Yesterday the City of San Diego bravely came and fixed our sewer pipe. After hours of carefully digging around all the utilities under the sidewalk they found the problem.
3. The sewer crew, as I like to call them, are my heroes!!
4. If they would not have fixed the pipe yesterday, we would have had a sewer back up again within just a matter of a few flushes.
5. Thanks to GOD for getting them here just in time.
6. Emilee is reading Christmas books to Ashley, where is the video camera when I need it?
7. Just as I was getting into our church Bible Study, they are taking a break until January.
8. I was encouraged today by a testimony that I heard a friend give this morning.
9. God is amazing in the way He gives us all different stories to tell of His awesome love for us.
10. Time to make dinner, bye for now

A little flashback

This is a recent visit to California Adventure. The girls are perched upon Bear Rocks. The below photos are a flashback of the girls on the same Bear Rocks about 3 years ago..Wow have they changed!!!

An Unexpected Gift

Yesterday two packages arrived and they for me. An early Christmas present from my Aunt Karen and my mom. For a few years now I have wished to have the Willow Tree Nativity and that was what I opened!!!! Thank you Aunt Karen and Mom
You made my day and touched my heart with your gift. I love you both.

Our Thanksgiving

Ashley made this cute turkey napkin holder at preschool. We had to include it on our Thanksgiving table.
My attempt to create a festive table. Pretty flowers from Eleanor. I am thankful for my mother in law.
Getting crafty...it spells Give Thanks
Got Mashed Potatoes

Making Pumpkin Pie

Feast and Fun

Ashley at her Preschool Thanksgiving Feast and her favorite thing on the playground...the bike!



Emilee smiling in front of Minnie's house in Toon Town, Disneyland.




Ashley wanted to have her picture taken alone in front of Minnie's Christmas tree. Pushing big sister was caught on camera. Gotta save this one!!

Ten on Tuesday

1. We did not get dressed until 11:00 today! (that is very late for us)



2. Our house smells like Thanksgiving...pumpkin pie is in the oven.



3. This past weekend we braved the crowds at the Mother Goose Parade in El Cajon. We got to see Mario Lopez and some Disney stars from Hannah Montana and High School Musical. The girls were thrilled!!! Photos are above



4. We will probably not be braving that above mentioned parade again unless Brad Pitt is in it.



5. Tomorrow we will brave the crowds at Disneyland. Yes, we are crazy but Chris has off and it is not a blackout date.



6. Since we are going to Disney tomorrow, I am making my pies today.



7. I am hosting Thanksgiving for 5, I think that I can handle that. Hopefully the turkey will defrost in time.



8. Have you ever tried Trader Joe's Candy Cane Joe-Joe's???? Yummy, it is a mint Oreo!!



9. Speaking of Joe's....while visiting yesterday, I was asked by the man in front of me to move my kids out of his way while he was paying. They were trying to get a prize out of the basket and I did not realize they were in the way. I was insulted and a bit embarrassed. I will avoid the lunch rush from now on.



10. Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!!

Matching Outfits

After an hour of trying on fancy Christmas dresses at Kohl's last weekend a decision was finally made. Emilee had the hardest time choosing and at first was determined not to match Ashley. In the end they certainly match. It was all because of the matching purse that came with the dress. Emilee just had to have it. That was great with me, the price was right!! I still like the fact that they are dressed alike. Well, at least the tights and shoes are not exactly the same.

Top 10

1. Chris's ER visit with chest pains threw us for a loop. He is doing GREAT!
2. Praying friends ROCK!! Prayer does change things.
3. I am still trying to unpack and get this new house in order.
4. The drywall and carpet are still torn apart downstairs in the area around the bathroom.
5. I do love our new home and feel very content here despite the above comments.
6. Emilee is loving her new tennis session, she moved up with the bigger kids and Daddy gets to take her.
7. Ashley loves her tap class and does very well..I knew she could follow directions, she just forgets how when she comes home.
8. I plan on taking some new photos soon. My Blog seems so boring without them.
9. I really need to cook dinner sometime this week.
10. The Holiday Season has begun, just check my to do list and school events calendar. Oh, I have to fit the girls birthdays in there somewhere as well.

Pumpkins and Candy

Halloween for us is the time to carve pumpkins and go to church for the Country Fair celebration. Each year the girls have more fun dressing up and playing games and of course getting all the candy. We have looked through all our candy and picked our favorites. Mom ate her favorites already and the girls will get though theirs by the weekend I am sure.

Here a few shots of craving pumpkins and country fair celebrating.

What is that smell??

Those were Ashley's words as we were getting ready for school this morning.
We went to bed last night knowing that we were having some clogged, backed up toilet issues. Do you know where this is going??
We had sewage coming out of our downstairs toilet and shower stall and it was going all over the bathroom floor and out onto the carpet.
We got it to stop with lots of towels that are now in the trash.
A few hours later we learned that our sewer had backed up and was coming into the house. A camera that was used showed that a tree root is to blame. We have a DVD on the exploration of the sewer line thingy if anyone is interested.
It was so gross!!! The restoration people came and cleaned up and cut out carpet and drywall. We will be replacing the carpet. Praise God for our home insurance!!! They have been great so far. Right now we have an "Air Scrubber" and 4 dehumidifiers blowing. It is so loud but necessary.
Keep you posted on the progress.

Face Painting

The girls and I were in the need for something fun and new to do. After a morning of bowling with some friends from school we headed to Michael's Craft Store.

Face paint crayons were inexpensive and easy to use. They also clean up nicely. Here are some of our creations.