christmas time has come and gone

this year was our first shot at a charlie brown tree. we're sold. not that we're against full trees, but everyone should try it. they're so sparkly.

lily really got in to the decorating. good thing my ornaments are plastic.

we got to see santa at a family friend's home. lily was so enthralled by it all. mrs. clause told us if we wore our hats we would magically know the words to every song. here's lily waiting for the revelation.

zoe did pretty well on santa's lap. she asked for new binki's.

lily of course wouldn't sit on his lap, she would only stand by him. and not without mom. she asked for a hippopotamus pillow pet.

good morning! the traditional stair picture.

there's no need to try for a decent picture. it's early, they're excited. let's get the show on the road mom!

santa brought the girls this great kitchen that both girls have loved. ok, zoe really loves sucking on the various food and dishes, but that counts!

zoe sat screaming on the couch all morning!

oh, so cute;)

the one

Merry And Bright Christmas Card

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ok, not an airline deal, but shutterfly is offering 50 free christmas cards!

every year as the holidays approach i wonder what i can do for christmas cards. i mean what i can afford for christmas cards. it's no secret that the economy is down, we're young moms trying to figure out finances for an ever growing family with ever growing needs (and appetites!). so, who wouldn't want to jump on the chance to share their family's smiling faces through shutterfly's gorgeous card designs?!!

this year i'm looking forward to their selection of good old christmas cards. some years i choose a "happy holidays" or "seasons greetings," (http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-cards) but not this year. i don't really know why, but i guess i just want people to know i celebrate christmas. i celebrate christ, his birth, and all he's done for me.

shutterfly has a great selection in the christmas specific department, (http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-photo-cards) which, amazingly enough, is harder and harder to find each year. so thanks, shutterfly, for giving me just what i wanted this year. merry christmas!!!

p.s., still wondering what to get your parents? who wouldn't love this idea to remind you where you're at in the yearly grind?!

http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars

halloween

i got gutsy this year and made peacock costumes for the girls. i am in love with them, what can i say? too bad it was absolutely freezing and we only made it to the end of the street and back. actually, we stopped as lily grabbed a piece of candy from the neighbor and i prodded her with "what do you say?"

"i need to pee!"

i think the neighbor knew she was thankful.

so home we went!

lily and carter

lily and her slaugh cousins. what a trick or treating bunch!

6 mo

my baby is officially closer to one than birth. that freaks me out. the day we left on our forever long car ride, she had her appointment. here's where she's at:

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weight: 13 lb 12 oz, that's 12%

height: 25", that's 23%

head: 15 1/2", that's 1%

so basically, no surprise, i have another little nugget. she's a little heavier and shorter than her sissy, and she's obviously got a little bit of a pinhead. oooooo i just love her. lately she's been:

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-babbling "dadadadadadada"

-sitting up pretty much on her own. definitely not to the point i can just sit her down and walk away

-sleeping around 11 hours at night. thank goodness!

-eating her fruits in the a.m. and veggies in the p.m. i need to be better about those green veggies, but they just smell awful!

-crying when i leave the room. which really doesn't bother me, i love to be wanted!

-giggling and giggling and giggling. she's soo ticklish and thinks i'm funny. i love that too!

-making raspberry sounds with her lips. it's pretty cute.

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thank goodness for little kids, they're just hilarious and such a blessing, even when they don't want to sleep, eat, cooperate, listen (maybe that refers more to lily, but anyway)...

on the road again

warning: LOTS of pictures to follow

we were lucky enough to spend the last part of october in southern cali. after waaaaay too long in the car, we beheld this lovely sight:

my grandma's house in sunny, warm, plam springs!

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lily was so good going to sleep that night, she needed to brush her teeth, "i do it myself!"

we went out to the living desert, the local zoo which amazingly enough i have never been to. where have i been the last 26 years?!

lily and jerry are quite the independent duo!

our first weekend there we got to drive up to long beach and spend some time with aunt becky and uncle david. thankfully the girls rode like this:

our first night we walked out on the pier and had a burger at ruby's.

the next morning the older girls got to have mani/pedi's. this was lily's first experience. she went for just a pedi, and when the lady came at her feet with the clippers, she yanked back her foot and said "no!" so really her pedi turned into just paint. and stickers of pumpkins and spiders, but they were picked off in no time!

that afternoon we headed to the elementary school nearby and played.

i snuck a pic of becky enjoying herself. now we all know what she does in her spare time;)

the next day we went down to seal beach again so lily could play there. how fun to have a playground in the sand.

zoe's first visit to the beach, of course we had to dip her tootsies. she didn't hate it...

and of course we had to leave with a seashell necklace to remember our time.

zoe pulled this face on our way home.

so lily and i did too!

grandma jerry and zoe

back in palm springs, we came across the witch from snow white at the mac store, and lily really wanted her picture taken. she said, "we have that!"

our good friends drove down from yucaipa and we went miniature golfing with them. of course my camera died as we started, so this is my only proof!

zoe and macy

on our way out of town we stopped to spend a night with my uncle richard and aunt bonnie. due to some unforeseen circumstances, their guest bedroom was occupied, so the put us up...

at the four seasons! talk about spoiled! i didn't take any pics prior to the bed being jumped upon.

they had a nice crib for zoe all set up, complete with diapers, wipes, and a johnson's travel set with all the necessities.

and this little tent set up for lily to sleep in. talk about star treatment!

thanks everyone for an amazing vacation!