A Whole New Girl

Keira has had a loose tooth for a while and today it finally fell out..it became really loose at lunch and then while she was showing the cashier at Kohls that it was loose, it popped out..ha ha ha..Shane said her face was priceless...So we are starting the new year with a whole new little girl..

We didn't have a tooth fairy pillow or bag or anything so i had to improvise..Amazing what you can do when you raid your craft box..some left over felt, some ribbon i picked up from the $1.00 bin at Micheal's just because, some left over iron on bling from Christmas shirts and the butterfly we HAD to have to put on a Christmas wreath that we never made...TA-DA..Tooth Fairy BAG !!! ha ha ha..oh well, she's thrilled

Momma's Braggin' Again

We all know that I like to brag on my kids (hence the whole website dedicated to them..ha ha ha), but I had to share this pic...Keira comes out of her room last night and showed me Austin's manga doodle..

"Look Momma, I drew a book about me and that's me holding the book" ..OMG !!!

It's Sooo Hard...

After destroying a whole town, running around outside, tearing apart a house and being sick it's nice to just sit back and relax with your laptop and catch up on things...

Email Notifications

Since some of you are still confused (soooo not pointing fingers, you know who you are)...If you see this in your email inbox it's bcuz you are on the notification list..everytime I post it goes to your inbox, but you won't see the pics....especially if I do a slide show in the blog...you need to go to the blog to see the pics or slide show..if you want to see the pics larger, just double click on the slide show and that will take you to the photo album.....got it??? ha ha ha

Really?

Austin helped Keira set up the zoo..look closely at the trees and tell me what's wrong with the pic?? HAHAHAHAH

Gazelle?

Giraffe?? Sure, all giraffe hang out in trees

Our Down Day...

Austin is sick again and the kids are plum wore out (did you see the previous posts????), so we had pajama day today !!! Keira and I built a whole town and then Austin destroyed it, then we built it again and Austin stole the trains Keira was playing with (do you see a pattern here?)

our airport

The whole town

Keira, setting up the zoo

Austin tearing apart the bucket..ha ha ha

From left to right...Airport, farm, construction site, zoo, raceway and then our train depot (we had like 4 different trains running at once..)

Hmmmm, I will put the tree?

One More Time.....

Christmas just keeps going and going (which means we are truly blessed to have so many wonderful people in our lives)...Monday night after Shane got off work my Dad and cousin Johnna came over to eat some food and celebrate Christmas...once AGAIN, the kids were spoiled WAY TOO MUCH !!! But, that just means they are loved and we have lots of family...we really tried not to go overboard this year, unlike some people (who shall remain nameless) that buy 1000 stickers, light up wands, a 2lb. candy cane or a t-ball set WITH A BAT !!! Yes, a bat !!! He bought him a t-ball set with a BAT !!! oh boy !!!

Christmas Afternoon

Christmas afternoon brought my mom's side of the family over for some good times and good food...Shane got a ham from work and we all contributed some side dish...It was great!! We had some warm Glogg, good treats, and great company...The kids had a blast and although I KNOW they were spoiled this year, it seems that we (as in Tammy and I) were able to better control ourselves this year...ha ha ha...Thanks for all the wonderful presents guys !!

Christmas Morning

Christmas morning came with a whole mess of presents from Santa...Mack had gone home and will be missed...Keira went looking for him, but understood that he was needed at the North Pole until next year...Grandpa came over and watched the kiddos open the presents and then went home to bed...we had belgian waffles and strawberries for breakfast (even the Dolf got one) and then we relaxed and waited for the rest of the family to head over...it was a great morning, Santa really went overboard..Austin had a whole couch and Keira got the chair, which included a GIANT Cinderella castle...They had so much and we are truly blessed that we are able to spoil them rotten...lol..

Tis Was The Night Before "Kris"mas

Tis was the night before Christmas and all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even my spouse
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
In hopes that she would somehow be there

The family was nestled all snug in their beds
While memories of her danced in their heads
When out of nowhere there arose a little light
I jumped from the bed, looked out into the night

Away to the Christmas tree I flew
While standing there alone, I knew
With the Christmas light blinking so bright
I knew in heart it would all be alright

When what to my wandering mind did occur
Visions and memories, so fast, a blur
This was something different, a new twist
I knew in that moment it must be my sis

More rapid than eagles, the memories came
And I sat there and listened as she called us by name
Oh Keira, Oh Austin,  and Abby
Oh Mommy, Oh Daddy, and the rest of the family

To the top of the pain, on top of it all
Dash away, dash away, dash away all

As the tears fell down my face,
I knew at that moment, in this place
The joy would flow again
Fueled by the memories of our family and friend

And then in the twinkling, I heard in the tree
The laughter and the joy and I let it be
As I drew in my hand, and was turning around
Down the chimney a feeling came with a bound

She was dressed all in purple, comfy shoes on her feet
Her clothes were all sparkly, in her hand a Christmas treat
A big smile she had plastered on her face,
And she looked like she did before she left this place

Her eyes, how they twinkled
Her laughter so merry
Her cheeks were near to bursting with the message she carried

She spoke not word, just gave me a wink
She filled the whole room with her laughter, and then in a blink
She layed her finger on the side of her nose
And into the great bright light once again she arose

As she sprang to the heavens, she gave one last look down
And she told me she was here, she would always be around

Then I heard her exclaim as to heaven to flew....
Merry Christmas to all, I love you !!!!

Christmas Eve

The Christmas season has started...We also head over to Shane's family on Christmas Eve and this year it was hosted by his Uncle Joe and his wife Krista...The food was good and the family great...

Mack The Elf

Well Mack's last night with us was Christmas Eve...Keira woke up on Christmas Eve and found him dancing and hugging the singing Mickey Mouse, one of her favorite things to play with....She did look for him Christmas morning, but we explained that Santa sent him til Christmas and we are sure that he will be back next year....She was upset, but consoled herself with the mass amounts of presents...

Brushing Teeth

We sent Keira to brush her teeth last night and Austin went screaming after her "teef, teef teef"...We told him hold on and then we were here...."hold on Austin, open up, I got it "

Ahhhhhh, the family that brushes together, stays together....lol

Most Original

Well I have to bite my words...I told Shane that our "inner Griswold" got slapped by the neighbors bcuz their lights blinked to music...well, I was shut up good...

Came home tonite and this was in our yard !!! YAY !!!

Mack The Elf

That little stinker was found this morning trying to hang Keira's reindeer candy cane in the tree !!!!

Mack The Elf

Mack decided to hang out on the advent calendar, the kids had gotten behind..i think this was his way of reminding them to move some ornaments...

Mack The Elf

It took Keira a few minutes longer today to find him today...he was just hanging out, watchin' everything going on...

Gingerbread Men

Just getting a little taste

No Momma, I didn't eat any of the candy !!

Well since Mack wanted to, we had to make the Gingerbread peoples yesterday..The kids had a blast and my kitchen got destroyed...oh well...lol..it is killing them though, they want to eat one..

Mack The Elf

I am a day behind...

Mack really wanted to make the gingerbread men...I heard Keira talking him to before she even got me up...lol....

He dumps the towels on the floor, I pick them up and fold them a'nd get told.."no,no,no...this.. And grabs them, throws them on the chair and lays on them?!?! Laughing and giggling!!!

Mack The Elf

Opps, I forgot to post where Mack was hiding the first night...We wanted to keep it easy for the first couple of nights..

Keira told him "Mack, that's not the real Santa"..lol..."Mommy, he must miss Santa bcuz he's playing with this one"

Mack The Elf

Mack must have gone back to the North Pole last night because he was in a completely different spot today..

I told Shane that the kids would have a hard time finding him..NOT !!!! Less than 2 minutes....oh well..Mack was up there bcuz he "sat down after putting things in the stockings"...I love the minds of kids

Mommy, I think there is something in our stockings

SQUINKIES!!!!

Zhu-Zhu (He was still kinda outta it and choo-choo was on)

Mack the Elf

Mack makes an appearance

The first letter

The mantle with all the stockings

Santa's Letter - Day Two

Santa left Keira another letter tonight...

Dear Keira and Austin:

Mack came back to visit me tonight and told me all the fun you had today. He is very happy with his name, even though he thought Albert was pretty cool too. I am glad you were both very good today. Keira, I heard that you were especially good when you went with your Grandma to see the Nutcracker. Good manners are very important, especially in a little princess. Austin, you were also very good today, and I very proud of you for not giving Mommy and Daddy a hard time at nap time. Naps are very important for a growing boy. Santa wishes he had time to take more, but Christmas is very close and the Elves are working around the clock. You also both did a very good job eating all your dinner. I know it’s hard sometimes to sit still for so long when you just want to go. Have fun tomorrow and remember, be good!!!

                        Love,

                        Santa

P.S. Santa is so proud of you, he left you a little treat in your stockings. Keep up the good work and you might be surprised.

Santa's Letter

Here is a copy of the letter that Santa left in the mailbox for Keira when he left us the Elf..

  

Dear Keira:

I got your letter that you put into our special mailbox and I will try very hard to get you what you want for Christmas. I know you finished out the school week on green and I am very proud of you. Things have been so busy at the North Pole with all the good boys and girls that I am having a hard time keeping up with all of you. I am sending you and Austin a special little friend; he will help keep an eye on you. After you go to bed each night he will come back to the North Pole and tell me all about your day. He doesn’t have a name yet, because he is waiting for his new family to give him one. Please take care of him, but you mustn’t play with him or he will lose his magic and be unable to come back to the North Pole. Keep an eye out; you never know what kind of mischief he might get into. Have   fun this weekend with Grandma (I hear she has something special for you) and with Grandpa. Be a good girl.

Love,

Santa