Superstars!

Thanksgiving 2008

We had a nice 36 hour visit in GI town over Thanksgiving. Short sweet and tons of quality time!

Wednesday we hung out with my side of the fam...my mom and grandparents. My mom took the girls to feed the ducks at this park in town. The same park my grandpa would always take us when we were little. It was sweet!

Here are some pix...

(Pucca wasn't too sure about
the big bad geese...they were
getting pretty close! Good thing
dad was there to protect her!)



We spent the bulk of Thanksgiving with John's family...just hanging out and driving my mother-in-law nuts! Dinner was awesome...the table was beautiful and everything was perfect! Thanks, Nancy for all you did!


Just chillin with gpa- reading some books!




Just waiting for some of that yummy turkey goodness!! and wishing gpa would carve a little faster!

Fun times! Hard to believe the girls will be on Christmas break in 3 weeks and we get to do it all again!

Stockings

We don't really have special stockings at our house...I take that back- the twins have some really cute Noah's ark ones from when they were babies with their names stitched on them. The rest of the 14 Christmas stockings we have crowding the holiday packing are a mixed jumble of oddities collected through the years. We never spend Christmas at home so filling the stockings is no biggie and the kids don't even care. They know Santa stops at Gma and Gpa's anyway. :)

So I'm thinking its time for new stockings...ones that hang well together but not necessarily match. Here are a few that I've found...




I like the whimsy in these...but they are little too 'who-ville" for my theme...but still seriously cute!




(photo from BHG.com)








I like that these are knitted and argyle...notice the little poofy balls (and yes that's a technical term) embellishing the top cuff...adorable!


(photo from personalgifts.com)








I like that these are mismatched but still look amazing and collective! But I would prefer cozy wool and cotton knits to fabric...




(photo from BHG.com)









I like these alot - getting closer to what I'm picturing on my festive mantel... vintage-straight-off-my-foot-from-the-1800s kind of stockings...

(photo off of some site on google search??)



I've looked around town and still haven't really found what I'm envisioning...so my plan for next week is to head to the local thrift store. Grab some heavy knits and sweaters (most cream in color) and cut out some stockings. I haven't decided if they are going to all be the same pattern or random sizes...there is something about the itty bitty ones that's so stinkin CUTE! We'll see...

inspiration

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Christmas...actually the holiday season spanning from Thanksgiving until New Years... if you want to get specific.

There's something joyous and magical in the air; the mix of Christmas songs, chilly breezes, yummy warm wool pieces (sweaters, hats and OH YES scarves!!). The spirit of giving shines just a little brighter and if your lucky - you may even see a stranger performing a random act of kindness for their fellow man. heart warming. perfect.

I'm typically a strict day-after-Thanksgiving gal. The tree and decorations patiently wait in boxes until that superbly cozy Friday, when the children, John and I (usually still in our pjs) bring out the boxes one by one and pour over the ornaments and goodies from Christmas pasts. Its usually an all day event complete with a pizza delivery, hot chocolate and a scrumptious fire in the fireplace.

Alas- this year has been quite different. We bought a new tree this year- they were 50% off...and our old got thrown out last year. It sat in my van for 4 WHOLE DAYS because I knew if I brought it in- I would put it up. I finally couldn't wait any longer...last weekend our ordinary ranch became casa de navidad! I love it!

But I'm struggling with the mantel...I've found these inspirational photos (courtesy of BHG.com)...hoping it will push me in the right direction.


I've got a good start on it- but still looking for the right finishing touches...I'll post a pic as soon as its complete!

Stopping time

Its finally hitting me-- my babies are growing up waaaaayyyyyy too fast! I mean I always feel like time is just flying by...but lately its really hit me!


Pucca is reading simple books, writing sentences and spelling words on her own. She told me last night that her 'goal' for the weekend - is to learn to tie her shoes...I know, I know- we are a little behind on that one...but little miss fashionista rarely wears tying shoes... she more of a boots, flats and maryjane kind of girl. Alas- I will dig out her tennis shoes and we'll get started on the shoe tying thing...


The twins are quickly approaching the dreaded (for me not them) teens...one more year and they can detassle (first real paying job)...they're talking about boys- not so much liking them and having boyfriends, but how boys and girls at school like each other and send notes to each other. Not to mention Kynna's love sick puppy, who sends notes home almost everyday for her. She's shows them to me and laughs them off..."boys are so strange".... yep, dear! they sure are!
Kwynnie is miss leadership- taking on leadership group and other extracurricular activities at school. She's already talking student council for middle school and wanting to be senior class president. She definitely has the spunk....


So onto a new chapter in our lives...gone are the days of pack and plays, fisher price toys and diapers...onto ones filled with emotional girly drama, clothes, boys, feminine issues, malls, clothes, boys...can't wait ... total sarcasm right there- just incase you couldn't tell:D

So sweet

I went to school today and had lunch with the twins...it was wacky Wednesday...so everyone was dressed spectacularly silly! I didn't actually 'eat' lunch with them, the girls have cold lunch and I gave up cafeteria food some 15 years ago...but I was able to visit with them and their friends. It was fun. Kynna has a boy- well actually a kid who's crazy about her. He sits by her at lunch most everyday. It was fun talking with him. Cute kid.

I was also able to checkout some class projects before I left...the girls made architectural drawings of their dream home...very cool! Kwynnie's was a tree house and Kynna's very natural and 'green'.

The day was full of running around; exercising, visiting teaching, having lunch with a friend, getting lost with said friend on our way to another person's house...oh ya! fun times! and I bought a Christmas tree! yeahhhhhhh- can't wait to put it up! But that's a whole separate post!

Too funny

A friend sent me a bag of Christmas treats with funny sayings...this one I found particularly funny...maybe because some years I really feel like giving this treat out...








Its a bag of brownie mix (could use cookie mix too) and a tag that says :

Poinsettias are red
Christmas is sweet
I'm stressed out
So make your own darn treat.

nice- huh!? love it!

odds and ends

Trying to think warm thoughts on this cold blustery day...

The girls did awesome in their church program...all the kids did! They were so well behaved and sung beautifully! The girls made it through without crying- not one tear and that's BIG!

I was flipping through the channels before going to bed and ended up watching the last hour of The Notebook...and cried like a baby.

I went to exercise this morning and got my butt kicked by the Taebo video...

Then I went to a clothing store that's going out of business (BIG SALE) and bought the girls some cute Ts, pants and shorts (for next summer)...I bought 40 articles of clothing and only spent $50...I saved over $300 off the original prices...wooooo stinkin' hooooooo!

One of my favorites

One of my favorite stores is Hobby Lobby- so many stinkin cool things! I went in yesterday to grab some ribbon...they have bags of ribbon remnants for only $2!!




Here's my stock pile...I don't go in very often (our budget prohibits it) but when I do...I grab a bag- can never have to much...girls hair, finishing touch to a gift etc








My main point was to get some fabric for a baby blanket- my sister in law is pregnant and so is a close friend...I scanned the clearance rack (fabric remnants) and got enough to make at least 5 baby quilts...and I only spent $16! Crazy!!!




Here are a couple of my fabric combos...


I hope to work on the quilts this weekend and post one/some next week!

If only...

The church building I grew up attending is renovating its chapel, including all new pews. They are giving away the old ones next Monday. I wish I had a truck big enough to haul one of those suckers. I wish I had a place in my house to put one of them. I wish I had a place to store one until I found a place to put it or had a house for one to fit in. I wish i wish i wish...

I love old church benches and these are beautiful solid oak- the seat would need to be recovered in some kind of funky eclectic Audra fabric- but it would be really cool...if only

Maybe I'm just sentimental to 'my pew'- the one my family sat in every Sunday. I love how families have their own spots- reserved for them each week. I remember bringing my coloring book and using the bench as a desk to color during sacrament. I remember thinking there wasn't near enough room on that pew, between my brothers and I, to avoid the bickering and teasing. I remember taking the twins to church for the first time in that pew and Pucca too when we go back to visit. If only...

little things...in the morning

I love how the twins only need me to turn on a light to get them going in the mornings.

I love how when I turn the light on in Pucca's room- she covers her head with her pillow and buries herself in the blankets...then promptly falls back to sleep.

I love how the twins are 90% self sufficient in the mornings i.e. getting dressed, getting school stuff ready...

I love how even though they can do it themselves- they still let me make their lunches and fix their hair. Its one of those mom things I'm not ready to let go of.

I love how Pucca wants to wear dresses and look 'cute' even when its 20 below.

I love how John has an 'I love you' for each of us every morning before he walks out the door.

Brrrrrrrrrrrr

Kwynnie and I braved the howling wind and frigid temps to root our Huskers onto VICTORY!!! Well, actually only part of the game...we left a little early...I had to draw the line when I couldn't feel my feet anymore!

It was a great game- lots of mistakes but hey, we won!

Some super cool things...

The fly over... they had a stealth bomber fly over and it was perfect timing- right in the middle of the National Anthem. But the cool thing was that it was flying really low and you didn't even notice it until it was right over head. It was that quiet...then the engines roared...so COOL! One person next to us said "That's why we use those stealths- nobody knows where they are until we're dropping bombs on their a@*es (butts)." So true So true

the balloons. After the Huskers score their first touchdown- everyone lets off balloons. But today the wind was whirling around and in the stadium- so when the balloons were let off the twirled around like in a toilet bowl...a balloon tornado if you will. It was pretty cool!

And half time- KU brought their entire marching band and they performed. But the neat part is -they performed Thriller- complete with dance moves and zombie walking! It was stinkin awesome!!

Belated Birthday Shout-out!

Wednesday was my brother-in-law's 35th bday!!! I don't know him all that well- he's kind of the quiet type. But I do know he's a great father to his children, a wonderful son to J and N, a superb husband to Amy and a swell older brother to John.

Not to mention he's super smart...like MacGyver smart! And a wizard with computers!

I realized while writing this post- that I don't have all that many photos of Luke...so I had to do some digging!

Happy belated Birthday, LPK!

Last Days

The last days of fall- cool winds and sunshine are upon us...and oh how I'm going to miss them! Fall has the perfect weather; the sunshine, the light breeze, the clear cool nights.

Fall reminds me of apple pie, pumpkins, colorful leaves, light sweaters, cool mornings just enough to turn noses pink, and smores. A small wonderfully fun moment we love sharing with our kids!

too funny

On our walk home from school today, Pucca and I took our time and admired all the pretty leaves that have fallen: red, yellow, green, orange, deep purple...

We were a block and half from our house when we came upon the 'perfect' leaf yard! It had leaves in all colors and tons of them to boot! Pucca couldn't decide on one and said "oh- how I wish I could just take them ALL home with me!"

The prettiest ones were along the street on that little strip of lawn between the side walk and street. And for a split second...one tiny moment...I thought of asking the owners (who we barely know beyond a friendly wave every once and awhile) if we could rake and bag up those particular leaves to take home. We kept walking as I contemplated that completely insane thought...of going up to a neighbors house, knocking on the door, asking if we can rake up a small portion of their leaves and take them home...

What would they say? How would they react? Am I seriously this crazy?

They would make such a pretty backdrop for some fall pix with the kids, and I love Hollie's photos of her and her daughter in the leaves...maybe just one bag full...hmmmm

naaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!

tired randomness

I feel the need to blog- but I'm beat...tired...exhausted...drained...ka-poot!

I LOVE vacations ie spending time with my kids and husband- going shopping, enjoying the little everyday things without worrying about the household must do-s...but the unpacking and cleaning and putting away and getting the house back in order for the week ahead....that part is exhausting!

We were so eager to get home Friday night (got to the homestead around 10:30pm) and didn't get to bed until after 1am. Saturday was spent laundering, and going through the rest of our bags. I was busy most of the day yesterday doing stuff- even while I was watching my DVR-ed shows I was multi-tasking. Then I couldn't get to sleep last night until after mid-night, which typically isn't a big deal except our school day starts around 5:30am...so that made for a short night!

My to-do list for today is long and just looking at it makes me wish I drank coffee double espresso mocca non fat latte pick-me up drink of champions...but I don't (sigh!) guess I'm on my own.

I'm sure by noon- I'll be back in the swing of things! I really think there should be a technical name for this adjustment period after vacations...a version of jet lag...hmmm....what wonder it should be called...

Halloween

Last night was bea-u-ti-ful! In fact, Kwynnie was running around barefoot!

Which is completely crazy to think about...I always remember it being cold and frigid...I even remember one year when I was kid- it snowed so much that Halloween was canceled! CRAZINESS!!

Anyway- lastnight was a lot of fun! We spent the whole day on the road coming back from CO... and then made a pit stop in GI town to see some friends visiting from SD. While we were there, John's mom and I 'quickly' put together outfits for the girls (mainly Kynna and Pucca) just so they could dress up...Pucca was a chef aka Gma Kelly. Kynna was some kind of freaky military cammo guy aka Gpa Kelly (ha ha ha... just kidding...we love you!) Kwynnie was....well I'm not quite sure...some weird lady in a scary mask and crazy blond wig. None of the girls really wanted to trick or treat really - just dress up! So we obliged! Thanks gma!

Here are pix of the girls, their friends (the children of our friends), and some pix of my niece and nephews- SUCH CUTE LITTLE KIDDO-S!!! I won't tell you who's who with names because I'm not sure if they want them out on the world wide web...protecting the innocent and all!!