Cider Mill

This fall we visited a local Cider Mill and I couldn't post the pictures of the girls because they were wearing their Bear Feet shoes.
Bear Feet Shoes has now released pictures of these shoes on their website (click here).
They are the cutest, most adorable childrens shoes ever~!
And they are hand made right here in the good old USA!
On a really fun and exciting note-and a small wish of mine-Bear Feet will now be making shoes in woman's sizes (click here for more info).
I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!

(Eden)



I can't remember what happened here, but I am sure I was putting out the flames from some little battle or skirmish


(Elle)

Christmas Song

Anna Kuperberg-photographer, linked to this song on YouTube-an old Stevie Wonder song. The melody and lyrics are profound, beautiful, haunting, touching. I hope someone finds this girl. Simply moving.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9glSOtFQAo&feature=player_embedded

Christmas Day 2009

Christmas is a time of Miracles as we reflect on the birth of Christ.
What a wonderful celebration!!!
Today, I took some time to reflect on my own three little miracles that I've been given.
What a wonderful celebration-and I own it all to Him! Merry Christmas--!

My three little miracles

Eden


Elle



Evie---with Abbey



The cousins


Cousin Kyle

Merry Christmas

Blaine just read the girls the Christmas Story and off to bed they went. As we were tucking them in and kissing them goodnight and saying their prayers, Eden said "Merry Christmas Mommy, Merry Christmas Daddy, and Merry Christmas Bed!" Than she crawled into her 'floor bed' and there hasn't been a peep out of her since. (more on the floor bed later--I am hoping this is a short lived two year old thing)

So Merry Christmas Everyone.

May God Bless you and your loved ones!

2 days to go

THE Christmas Tree!

Everyone knows I LOVE Christmas and everything about it. I have white lights twinkling in some form in my house all year round. When we first moved in our home, we had 16 foot fresh trees.....UNTIL......kids! The tree was eliminated and the first year when the twins were babies we had Norfolk Pines in elevated planters. Last year there was no tree. One reason, I had two 1 year olds and newborn (insert chest pain here) and secondly, the twins can climb Mt Everest and I was worried they would think the tree was fair game. This year, we thought we'd attempt it. We went very traditional- a fresh little evergreen from Home Depot (very original.....not) and the extra heavy duty Christmas tree stand. Add to that the wonderful shatterproof ornaments Sam's Club made especially for families with small children (or at least I'd like to think they were thinking of me) and ta-da, we had a beautifully and FULLY decorated tree with bulbs and lights all the way from to the top to the bottom. That was the "first" day the tree went up.

Here is the tree now:



can you see where the ornaments are now....................................!

The rest are in a plastic bag in the cupboard awaiting another trial run next year.

a day in the life...........

This morning in the middle of breakfast, Eden said, "Momma, sing Frosty The Snowman". Now where did that come from in her brain in the midst of eating french toast. So, I began singing and than got to a point where I forgot the words. So what does a mommy do these days? I ran to the computer, Googled Frosty the Snowman Lyrics (and there were hundreds of them from Harry Connick Jr to Randy Travis' version) ran back to the table and finished the song. How's that for technology.

The rest of the morning was spent dancing to the Nutcracker Suite-their favorite song is The Russian Dance.
I wish you could've watched all three dance.

This week the girls and I were talking about farm animals (I think we've about exhausted that subject) and we were going through animal noises. Lo and behold, who joins in, but Evie. I said what does a Sheep say...."Baaaa" she says. What does a cow say? "Boooooooo!". And a dog? "Whoof Whoof". And our cat Dolly to her is "Dah Dah" and Blaine is "Daa Daa". Not too shabby for 13 months.

Little Sopie

I met a very talented lady at a local art fair who was able to look at a few pictures of baby hats I emailed her and whip up some very cute baby hats and a sling (Thanks Sue). I was DYING to try them on a little baby---and along came Sophie Lynn. She is Precious......and so are her doting parents!!! At 2 weeks old and on her first outing since birth, Sophie Lynn came over the river and through the woods in the snow to our home and had a most wonderful time sleeping--yippy! Welcome to our world little Sophie!





Isn't this hat to die for!!



Kyle was cracking up about the 'naked baby with a hat thing' -----so he joined in--well, not the naked part... ha!


what a tiny little peanut!

Tiger Woods-WHAT????????

The whole Tiger Woods thing is unreal. Though I am not a golf fan, I can't help but be drawn to this story. A friend of mine wrote a piece on Tiger Woods that blew me away-she sums it all up. It is definitely worth a few minutes time to read!!! Thanks Kim for sharing! Here is the link below:

http://bobandzoe.blogspot.com/2009/12/whats-tiger-to-do.html

The Ducky Pond

Last week, before the temperature dropped and the snow fell, the girls and I took an outing to the duck pond. Last time we were there, we didn't know we weren't 'supposed' to feed the ducks. Though we didn't feed the ducks this time, we were still swarmed and the girls had a blast.

Watch out little duckies-you better run for your money




Come here ducky ducky


Eden


The Christmas tree in the gazebo was being set up and I think the twins must've run around it about 20 times shouting "Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas!"


Eden kept hollaring "Hurry Up, Elle!"


I guess there are times that you may want to just hang out in the Christmas tree....at least Eden did.


"Hey Mommy-look-a Barn!" (too bad it wasn't, we have been talking about the stable and a manger and Bethlehem everyday---and of course, baby Jesus)

Elle



Elle





Eden


...I don't think the baby likes riding in the wagon as her sisters are having fun chasing ducks and running around trees...........but she isn't walking yet and so the wagon it is. I am betting we will see steps by Christmas. She is soooooooooooooo close.


She learned a new word this week and is using is quite appropriately and way tooo frequently....the word is "NO!" Oh dear, at 13 months old we are in trouble!!!! She is one strong willed little girl. So now there are FOUR strong willed females living in this home....poor Blaine!! (We love you DaDa)


All three girls got one last swinging session outside before the snow was flying.
Ella Bella Della


mmmmmmmmmmm...................can you tell what is happening here?


My little Eden-who all week has been randomly and sincerely saying to me...
"Merry Christmas Mommy!!!"

Peyton and Austin

I had the privilege of taking pictures of Peyton and Austin, whose mommy is an old friend from work. The baby was a dream baby-slept like a rock the whole time and Peyton......if all little children could sit as still and smile as pretty as her. It was so fun-thanks for letting me take your picture!


















one of my all time favorite pictures ever-she looks like an angel


what a wonderful little Christmas present

Shaving cream

I was so happy when the SKIP program changed their playtime hours back to the morning and we were able to go-instead of their original time which was right during the girls' naptime. Anyways, in the SKIP newsletter there was a brilliant idea! After meals, let the kids play in shaving cream. They get clean, the table is clean, they get to play in it and when I wipe them up-everything smells great! Win Win for everyone!!!!

Eden

Evie

Elle

Ordinary and the Extraordinary!

The blog has been quiet recently since Blaine took the computer apart and added more ram and hard drive space. Not all of the programs are re-installed.

Here are some snippets from our lives the last few weeks

--this morning the twins took Q-tips and were swirling designs on the front of our bedroom dresser using toothpaste (They are such little artists!)

--this week during breakfast, Elle swiped a raw egg from the container. Her and Eden managed to crack it open in the middle of the living room rug and rolled several of their stuffed toys in it-as well as themselves (They are such little scientists!)

--Elle busted off the top of the Christmas Amaryllis that gramma had just helped them plant-we're crossing our fingers and hoping it will bloom yet (What little gardners they are!)

--We've watched the 1978 vintage Christmas Eve on Sesame Street movie about a zillion times in the last few weeks and the girls dance and iceskate and make snow angels right along with the DVD. I have been hearing constant chatter from them about chimneys and Santa. (Seriously, I think this is the best Christmas movie ever-well, it's right up there with Irving Berlin's White Christmas!!!)

--Evie is saying new words like 'button', 'Hi', and 'kick'. We were rolling with laughter this week as the twins were being donkeys and kicking their legs about and the baby joined right in saying 'kick' and than throwing one leg back to kick too-and than she would just bounce around and laugh hysterically.

And the BIGGEST, MOST AMAZING, MOST WONDERFUL NEWS THAT WE'VE HAD HERE IN A VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY LONG TIME......................




drum roll please....................................................






Eden went POOP in the Potty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just like that!

It is near miraculous!

We are on our way to buying less diapers around here! It will be a Merry Christmas!