Santa delivers the most precious miracles.

Not really.

Rather, an amazing woman delivered a baby girl in the midst of all the holiday chaos.

Supported by a proud papa.

One of my best friends welcomed their second.

Baby girl, Gracie.

Big Brother Tommy will protect her.

I got a sneak peek.

And look forward to seeing Miss Gracie grow and become a playmate of our Miss Sydney.

Welcome to the world Miss Gracie.

I know it is a shocker...but really, you have entered the world in one of the most mild Minnesota winters.  Stay cozy.  And see you soon!

What a way to ring in the new year.

With new life.

Enjoy the ride Kim and Cory.

Friday Night Leftovers

Friday morning ramblings...or Friday night leftovers....
- Christmas is down and stored away for another year. It feels incredible to have your house back, the cluttery decorations (only cluttery at the end of the season) removed. Taking down Christmas always puts me in a cleaning mode. So the pantry, closets, and other nooks have been attacked as of late.

-Sydney has been sleeping later in the mornings. Kind of a gift. Kind of bizarre. She typically naps pretty promptly too. But she isn't giving me two consistent naps lately. I think she is teething.

-Sydney still LOVES avocados and will devour an entire one at one sitting. I have gotten really good at picking out good ones and cutting them up into nice chunks. Her other new favorite is frozen mango. I buy it in the frozen fruit section and don't worry about trying to cut a real mango. I let it thaw for about 10 minutes so it is still cold. I cut it into small little squares and I am thinking it feels good on her little teething gums too.

-she is also obsessed with her yo baby smoothie drinks. If I give her some she doesn't breathe until the whole thing is gone. She loves it.

-The boys have kept busy together so well this week. Poor Henry is going to go into big brother withdrawal next Tuesday when Charley goes back to school.

-Still no snow. And tomorrow they are predicting temperatures in the mid to upper 40s and rain. Crazy. I told the boys that it will probably snowstorm the day Charley goes back to school and Henry needs to be taken to preschool. When driving is a necessity and they can't go out and play in it all day. It really is a bummer.

-Do any other mamas just crave time, when they aren't pooped - meaning after the kids are in bed, to read a new book they got, putter with a new gadgets or computer program, browse a new cookbook and attempt a new recipe, watch a new movie, or write something with a new pen....I do. These three tribe members are getting in the way of my new Christmas gifts :) Wouldn't have it any other way. Just sayin'.

-Other winner gifts this holiday: Charley's Rush Hour Jr game, Henry's electronic Guess Who game, Star Wars ships, silly putty, Nerf guns, little Super Mario guys, Lego Indiana Jones for the wii, horses on sticks (classic), and Lego Harry Potter for the PS3.

-Miss Sydney could careless that she got a new purse with little things to putter with, a baby cradle, a new doll for the bathtub, or another doll. She is only interested in crawling into new nooks, pulling up on furniture, finding random puffs that had stuck to her in the highchair and fallen off throughout the house, and crawling under the kitchen table and getting lodged under the chairs.

-It is Friday and we are pumped to have daddy home tonight for a three day weekend.  No big plans for the holiday that causes me more distress than any other.  It has always had these big expectations and really, in this season in life, it is just nice to say, heck with the expectations and just chill as a family.  My boys love to have snacks and appetizers so maybe we will do a round of family game time with shrimp cocktail and cowboy caviar.   I do however, love the idea of a fresh new year.  I am going to try my hardest to not fall for a new paper pencil calendar and really utilize my icalendar and reminders app on my phone.  But I am addicted to calendars, planners, and pens.  I also love to attempt new years resolutions...so let the brainstorming to becoming the new me begin. HAHAHA!

For more leftovers, head here. 

hmmm...

Today we tear down.

The amazing thing.

We really didn't have snow this year for Christmas.

A dusting here and there to give a little taste.

But we were not surrounded by a wonderland of white.

We wonder when we will get the big dump of white stuff.

So today we tear down.

And I am kind of sad that we didn't have a day where we had the tree up and the snow fell like a snowglobe outside. 

However, no snow meant great travel.

And it proves that it is the family that makes Christmas.

not the snow.

If it was snow...

we'd still be waiting.

Great song:

When you're still waiting for the snow to fall
Doesn't really feel like Christmas at all.--Coldplay

piano.

Okay, one of my very favorite blogs to read is this one. And she posted about piano music today. I LOVE piano music. I play it alot around here because it makes me feel calm and I truly think it helps the boys calm too. Anyways, there were a ton of links but this one I did click on and boy am I glad I did. AMAZING. Worth it. TOTALLY. The transition from one song to the next. And watching the two guys play. Just love it. Definitely worth a listen. At the end he explains how he came about playing the songs together for his 7 year old daughter.



I hope that one of my children shows interest in piano.  Everytime Charley asks for drums, and he does every birthday and Christmas, I tell him he has to start with the piano.  I think it would be a fun talent to have in your pocket for life. 


It is Thursday morning.  We were supposed to go on a playdate this morning.  But Charley has hints of a cold coming on.  Sydney didn't nap yesterday but slept incredible last night and just woke up.  So we are hunkering in for a day of cozy play.  It is really disappointing that there is no snow out there.  And really no predictions for much in the near future.  Unbelievable.  I will say that it is because my good friend bought a snow blower around Thanksgiving and I bought some new SNOW boots.  So, why would it snow now!?

who needs the zoo?

Determined to give Charley a splendid holiday break...

I self-talked myself into a trip to the zoo with my little tribe of 3.

The boys were excited.

Indoors we would focus.

We had to park a mile away.

We had to wait in a long line.

We saw lots.  Walking through the tropics was a glimpse of summer.

Sydney even spied out a few animals and giggled excitedly.

But even the boys were ready to go after an hour and a half.

Sometimes, it is good to just be home.

Doing your thing...

whether it is playing with your carseat,

reading books curled up on the couch.

Building red solo cup towers, placing miniature super Mario guys on the tower, and trying to knock them down using Nerf guns - our version of Angry Birds.

At home.

Life is good.

Who needs the zoo.

The crowds.

The big guy hacking and sneezing everywhere.

The germs.

The parking.

The overpriced pretzels.

not us.

 

home for the holidays.

As I sit and go through pictures and think about all the celebrations that we have had.  I can't help but think of the word illusions...when I am sitting here blogging. 

Blogging has the tendency to only showcase the magic.

We had incredible holiday celebrations.

But smattered among the magical (HUGE surprise gifts, sleeping in until 9, waking to pancakes and sausage, Santa work with the guy you love until 11pm, 2 1/2 hours in the car when all three tribe members are sleeping, watching cousins ride circles on their new stick horses, yummy food, my mom's enormous wine glass)  were moments of pure insanity.

Moments in the car....always the last 35 minutes of the ride (can I hear a, Hell Ya, I can relate) when the driver probably wants to run the van off the road.  The assistant who's job is to deal with the backseat passengers wants to throw open the passenger door and throw myself herself into the ditch.  All for the sake of their own sanity.  Kidding aside.  The travel can cause dicey moments.

 

I don't share that there were tears before we even started opening gifts Christmas morning.

I don't share that sleeping can get dicey when we aren't at home, unless there is the perfect laundry room for Miss Syd.

And I don't share that for the second year in a row, I whipped out these frozen UBake Cinnamon rolls and relish in the fact that I know they will turn out.  And they are a treat. 



More holiday moments to come.  Just always know....there is spazzy chaos among the beautiful berry shots.  Thanks for the compliments on the berry shot, friends. 

north in pictures.

but again.

my favorite.

I'm back...

Could life really get much better?

A really balanced holiday - our first course in southern Wisconsin with my family, with a dash of Great Grandma Penny, followed by a second course including a wonderful northern Wisconsin celebration, a side of too much travel but always worth it, ending with an almost too perfect cozy celebration here in our own house - the dessert.  

We are left stranded at home today, after daddy realized half way to work that he had all the carseats still in his car.  So we'll go with it.  I have big plans.  Already this morning we have  play that goes from Star Wars to garage sale to Christmas.  Meaning - they have literally pulled out SO MANY toys and arranged them around the living room and it is making me cringe but they are playing so nice I am just going to let it go and will crack the whip later when they ask to play Lego Indiana Jones Wii game.  "Must. CLEAN. UP. before. YOU. get. To. Play." - said in a firm robot toned voice.

At the moment I have been distracted enough that they were about to stick these awesome glow in the dark stickers they got from grandma Charlie on paper and instead are constructing posters for their room.  Charley's is a space poster.  He is working on a spaceship to go along with the planet stickers.  Henry is working on a jungle poster...with trees and grass.  Yipee for a moment of constructive play with mama.  These posters will compliment the cool Star Wars wall clings that Grandma Charlie gifted them.  They have been waiting and waiting and waiting for them to be done flattening.

A 'Thank you note factory' will start up business later.  I am going to try a combined effort where each of us picks different people and we will use paper that will allow us all to add a picture, words, or signature.  I don't want to make Thank you notes a chore so we'll work together, make it fun using lots of stickers, stamps, and writing utensils.  Crank them out with a mug of hot cocoa with extra marshmallows for nourishment or celebration...whatever works. 

The boys also got Star Wars cookie cutters from their Grandma Charlie.  So we might try these today.  Since we definitely haven't had enough cookies this holiday season.

I guess it is a day for lounging in pjs and puttering around here.  We have enough milk, bread, and eggs.  We are set and busy.

Sydney is determined to get under the kitchen table and find random puffs that she has "tossed away".  Thanks Grandma Charlie for the toss away habit.  HAHA!  Just kidding.   Her nap is calling which means I will have an hour and a half to go from doing "my thing" to helping conquer another level on the Indian Jones game.  Charley just informed me, with a huge proud smile, that last time we played "We didn't really need help all that time, I think you just got sucked into it."    You are right, my son.  darn it all. 

I just downloaded over 400 pictures that I have taken since Thursday night...starting with the arrival of a new little friend for Sydney, welcome Gracie.  Can't wait to sit down and sift through and share all the "LIFE" I have been enjoying and ready to get back to the blogging thing. 

Happy Tuesday folks.  I hope you have had a tremendous holiday week with moments of celebration, coziness, quiet, and chaos.    I hope you are welcoming a week with gratitude.  I sure am loving the fact that we don't have to march Charley off to school and it is just plain awesome to have all my tribe under one roof like the old days.  Let's see if I am still saying that by Friday. 

What's on your agenda for today?
GO!

Looking for ideas...

I have had a few people write and ask me about my camera or ideas for kid activities...recipes...etc. As the New Year comes bounding down the way here in about a week...lots of goals and thoughts are running through my mind. I would like to keep posting regularly and am looking for any ideas that you would like me to babble on about. Sometimes I am lacking inspiration and I hate letting a day pass because then two days pass and soon I am in a blogging funk. So if you have any ideas - throw them my way.

Ideas that would allow for readers to comment and share their ideas and thoughts would be EXCELLENT too.

Today:  Overwhelmed with a little girl who won't nap.
Packing, baking,  keeping two soon to almost four year old boys busy.
Luckily, I got my hair cut WAY too short so there was no time wasted doing that. 

Are you ready for the holiday weekend?  Are you travelling?  What upcoming holiday moment are you craving?

Me, I can't wait to step foot into Ed's parents house and see their 20 foot Christmas tree.  I can't wait to just sit in their living room and "be".   Maybe with some eggnog or a glass of wine in hand. 

Gingerbread house moaning turned into CHEERING!

While doing my last minute shopping before heading to my mom and dads I came across a good sale on gingerbread houses.  I bought three and then called my mom to tell her I was bringing them.  EVERY. SINGLE. PERSON. moaned when they heard I was bringing these. 

But I was jazzed. 

Bonding time with Aunts and nephews.

(Soon to be) Aunt Liz was pumped.

Aunt Raina is always up for a little competition.

Grandma Barb narrated the showdown.

And the Uncles/dads judged.

We did it on Sunday morning in our PJ's.  So excuse the lack of makeup, hair do-s, etc.

It ended up being a blast. 

I think it might be a new tradition. 

 

Team 1:  Aunt Liz and Henry

Their house below won most sturdy...but I LOVED the use of holiday symbols.

Team 2:  Aunt Raina and Charley

Their house won for most classic gingerbread house.  There were lots of similarities to the picture on the box.  It was a very clean look.  AWESOME!

Team 3:  Aunt Sarah and Eli

We won for the yummiest house.  We used every single piece of candy...well, minus the pieces we nibbled.  Eli worked so serious and hard on it.  So. much. fun.