Christmas is Coming

We are getting ready around here for Christmas. Now, can I manage to blog it all this time?

Maybe I could at least manage to brush that hair...

And figure out how to make two children have a "normal" face at the same time for a photo...

and enjoy the man who puts up with us all!

Happy Birthday To Me

This past week was my thirty-upper-something birthday and these days it usually passes by rather quietly. But this year, Helen decided I must have a party so she made...coerced...cajoled... a couple of my friends into getting cake and balloons. She was very excited and it was very cute. Then the party was followed by some kid-free shopping with said friends and a fancy French dinner (their treat)! What good friends I have and what a great daughter.

Surprise!

The excited hostess (and yes, she has on three different pink patterns...)

More than enough candles but never too much chocolate!

Hmmm...Chocolate, my favorite.

Homemade Traditions

Voila! I just had to post my advent calendar. Made in plenty of time for advent! However, very, very late for last year's advent, which is when I started it. I really love the way it turned out and can't wait to use it for years to come. Maybe even, this will be one of those things that is a sentimental heirloom for the girls. Of course, for now, they are primarily concerned with what treats will go in all those pockets. I got the idea from this blog post.

Before, After, Together

Finally, a real smile on camera. Helen is the queen of weird smile face when the camera is pointed at her so I'm in love with this picture.
Here's her a few years ago. She was the queen of super cute smiles back then!
Now, here's Daisy in the same clothes. I think I'm going to make a photo album with pictures of the two of them in the same outfit.
It's finally cool around here- high of 60 people- so I'm starting to get in the holiday mood. We are going to have friends over for Thanksgiving so that will be fun and Daron will be forced to take a couple days off work. Hopefully we can stay healthy. We've not been good at that so far this fall. I am starting to get excited about Christmas and the fact that we are going to be here all the way until Christmas Day this year. Time to get some of our own family traditions going.