Things I Never Thought I'd Hear.....

One day I was in the kitchen, and I overheard Clare yell, "I lost baby Jesus!"

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A few days later, Clare wanders out of her room with this:
A basket and blanket from her closet.
She calls it "the manger."

So, of course, each girl has to take turns being Baby Jesus.

Now, I think these girls are pretty special, but even I have to draw the line somewhere.

A Flurry of Christmas Activity

'Tis the season for fun Christmas activities! We have been busy little elves around here!

We've had friends over to make Christmas Crafts,

and we've been to Christmas parties,

We have also started a few new traditions.
We made Christmas cookies with all of the grandmas!

(Deedee was manning the camera.)

And on December 1st, we began our advent calendar. Everyday has a piece of paper with a special activity on it. Some are as simple as getting a piece of candy and some more involved like going to look at Christmas lights, doing a special craft, or memorizing a Bible verse. The girls and I have had fun doing it!

Early in the month, the note said "Open box of Christmas toys." The girls enjoyed getting out all of the Santa hats, Christmas books and nativity scenes.

Christmas is only 10 days away...we are counting down!

Many Mini Milestones

Lately we have had a few occurrences that may not seem overly significant, certainly not first steps or first words, but I still think they are are noteworthy.

First, when we went to Clare's Thanksgiving feast at school, Jane and Sydney sat and ate their "feast" in big girl chairs. No highchairs to be seen at our table! Since then, we occasionally let them eat in regular chairs, but we are hanging on to the highchairs for a little while...just for the sake of keeping them contained! However, I feel a highchair free table is in our near future.


Our big girl has gotten even bigger! When we moved Clare to a big girl bed, we put a rail up to make sure she didn't roll out. After over a year in that bed, we took the rail off. She now sleeps in a bonafide big girl bed!


Speaking of sleeping arrangements, Sydney decided to send my heartrate through the roof a week or so ago when she climbed out of her crib! I think she hurt herself a bit, so I have been trying to play that up BIG TIME! So far, she hasn't done it again, and I am hoping that it stays that way.

Last but not least, Sydney got her first hair cut! She did great, and I think the result is adorable!

Clare's Letter to Santa

Dear Santa,

I have been a good girl this year. Please bring me a Yo Gabba Gabba movie, a camera, and some girl toys. I like make-up and cookbooks. Please bring some toys for my baby sisters, Jane and Sydney. I also like Mary Poppins. We went to go see it. I also like art stuff, princess books, and crayons.

Merry Christmas,
Clare

It's a Zoo...

With TWO Turning TWO!

We opted to have a family birthday party with a zoo theme because, well, it seemed fitting! Here is a mostly picture filled recap of the fun event!

The Invitation

The Decor

The Birthday (Cup)Cakes

My Two Monkeys!

Jane

Sydney
Let's just say that nowhere else was the zoo theme more appropriate than when the girls opened presents. Having two toddlers open presents at the same time with big sister right up in their face is crazy. Fun, but crazy.

Although Jane looks uncertain about it in the picture below, both girls enjoyed their cake and ice cream.

Clare was so hyped up all day long. She could barely contain herself.

How cute are these two in their coats and new birthday backpacks?

The party was a ROARING success!
The kids had a good time and the birthday girls were in good spirits throughout the party.

I think Clare said it best when she looked up at me and said, "Are they really two?"

Happy Birthday Jane and Sydney!

It boggles my mind that two years have past since these two precious girls joined our family. Here is a little bit about Jane and Sydney at the ripe old age of two:

Janie Jane. What a sweet girl. She has this tiny voice that is music to my ears. Jane loves her fingers, her mommy, and food. She is a great eater and a fabulous sleeper. I think in the past two years, she has never woken her sister....only the other way around. After a slow start getting up on her feet, Jane has taken off. She runs everywhere and has mastered jumping....on the ground, on the trampoline, and on the couch. She talks quite a bit, when she can get a word in edgewise. I am told that many of her expressions and mannerisms are similar to Casey's at this same age. She is such a sweetheart, and we are blessed to have her in our family!


Sydney Syd. This girl is dainty, yet fearless. She is a tiny little thing, brimming with fiery personality. She isn't scared of anything, yet scares me on a daily basis! She is talking up a storm, using 5-6 word sentences regularly. She knows the words to several songs, knows her colors, and she knows how to push my buttons! Her sassiness makes me laugh everyday. Her spirited personality is balanced nicely by her willingness to cozy up and be held at times. She will snuggle up with whoever is rocking her at night and is as sweet as they come. I pray that her fierce determination will serve her well in life. Sydney has added so much to our family in the past two years.


Both girls love playing babies, play-doh, playing in Mommy's car, and being outside. They also really love when their Daddy gets home from work! They sleep about 12 hours at night and nap for about two hours every afternoon. They still share a room and will continue to do so indefinitely. Jane and Sydney love each other one minute and are pulling each other's hair in the next. Their differences in personality and appearance are becoming more apparent everyday, and we couldn't be prouder of each of them.

Jane and Sydney...you've come a long way!


Happy 2nd Birthday to my two favorite two year olds!

The Stockings Were Hung by the Chimney With Care

When Casey and I were married, I was very excited about our first Christmas together. That fall I decided I would make our stockings. I had a very definite idea about what I wanted them to look like, and I couldn't find just what I wanted anywhere in a store.

And so the project began.....

I wanted the foot of the stocking to be "patchwork" like with a variety of fabrics and the cuff to be a deep red velvet. The first order of business was getting the fabric. Like only a newlywed husband would do, Casey went with me to each and every fabric store. We went through the stores getting swatches cut of fabrics that contained any of the "Christmas" colors that I had lined out. We literally stuffed our pockets with swatches of fabrics!

The next thing I needed to figure out was a minor detail....how exactly to make these things! I used Casey's great grandmother's very old little black sewing machine, and I slowly worked my way through this labor of love. Finally I finished, and I have to say that I was and am quite proud of them. While certainly not expertly crafted, they were just what I wanted!


Those stockings hung proudly in our first apartment, and six years later they still get used every holiday season. Every year when I hang up each stocking , I take a trip down memory lane and remember Casey and I laughing in the fabric store asking for a million swatches and then celebrating our first Christmas as a married couple. I loved them then, and I still love them... I love even more that we have added three more stockings to our mantle (none of which I made.) I often joke that if our house ever catches fire, I am going to make Casey climb up to the attic to save the stockings!!!