enjoying the winter wonderland

we played in the snow in mimi and papas backyard. there wasnt much snow, but it was fun and worth purchasing new snow attire.

i taught addie how to make a snow angel. she made a whole choir of them.

callie just wanted to be pulled around the yard on the sled. enjoying the outdoors, being outside, so content. until it was sisters turn.

my cousins son, Jacob, who is 5, hauled addie all around the yard, and he WANTED to! he was a good sport. they had so much fun together while we were there. they became great playmates.

i wore this hat when i was a wee one. i love it! when addie came out of my moms closet with it on, i squealed!

there was a little dirt hill next to my moms garden that was perfect for the kids to sled down. this is callies ride.....

and addies......

wish we lived where it snowed!

Christmas day was here

the kids woke up at six o clock. it was still dark out. the girls found treasures in their stockings. we waited for daddy to get home! addie was so excited to see chairs for her dolly. i wish i could download the video i took of them seeing the tree for the first time. priceless. i didnt bring my cord to the snowy mountains. darn.

the girls playing with their chairs. this was my favorite gift of theirs. :)



santa brought addie a "pee pee dolly". it was the only thing she asked for for Christmas.
(shhhh... i am trying really hard to like the pee pee dolly, but it is like having another kid that is potty training, not fun at all. the dumb thing peed and pooed peas all over my kitchen table!)


a good stack of books to expand our library.


callie was so upset the whole time. she wanted to rip every gift open one after the other. she even hid under the tree.
oh sweetheart,



i finished the dolls, what do ya know! i love how they turned out. my fav, their striped stockings. this is callies ( with the piggy tails) ,



and addies, with the short bob.






merry christmas!
ours was merry and bright!
wishing the same for you!

**** i am secretly ready to be done with Christmas. i am ready to take everything down. i am anxious to get to the gym, i ate too many sweets. welcoming the new year with open arms.
**** i did mention i am at my parents in Show Low, right? today we are trudging out in the snow. cant wait. winter wonderland pictures coming soon!

christmas preparations

we spent christmas at home with just our little family. it was really enjoyable with just us. we spent the day in the kitchen. lots and lots of treats where made... lemon bars, caramels, peanut butter fudge and ginger bread cookies for santa.

a lot cleaner than last year, and less hair.

we created our own winter wonderland by cutting some paper snowflakes to hang on the fan.

it all looked fab until little miss addie decided she want to see a blizzard and turned the fan on. a few flakes weresaved.
we listened to bing and nat king cole, boiled cinnamon, orange and spices on the stove. the evening was spent at grandma and grandpa higbees singing carols around the tree and sipping cocoa. the night was magical. i felt it.




:::: right now i am looking out the windows at snow falling from a cloudy sky. my toes are cold, the tree lights are still on and i am so sweeted out. we are enjoying family, and the weather. tonight there will hopefully be more hootin and hollerin at game time. maybe we will make a snowman tomorrow.
:::: tomorrow i will document "christmas day"

Merry Christmas to all.....

and to all a good night!

trimming the tree

i have always wanted to string white popcorn and deep red cranberries and lay them on the tree. this year we did. the girls munched the popcorn and daddy and mamma "sewed". something about having my family around me, underneath the tree, doing this simple activity made my heart swell. i love addies excitement for Christmas and teaching her about baby Jesus. It takes me back to my childhood and all the excitement i had for the season. makes me feel like a kid again.

there has been a lot of dress up in our house recently. a lot. addie is hardly dressed. hear she is in the cowboy spirit.

i was in addies room this morning and caught this in the corner of my eye. on her nightstand, sitting beautifully arranged, leaving all the shepard's behind, was Joseph, Mary, and the baby Jesus. so sweet and simple. made me feel proud that maybe one thing i tried to teach her... stuck.

things on my mind, things to do, things going on

:::i have a lot on my mind right now. when i write things down i am put at ease and can relax a little. it is written, down so i dont have to worry that i will forget it. make sense?

:::mark just left with the girls to run errands. i am left with a quiet house to finish the wrapping, sewing, planning, decorating. ahhh, thank you mark.

::: i will updating my etsy shop with more earrings and necklaces soon. be on the lookout!! :)

:::addie has been doing a lot of pretend play recently. we got rid of our cable and it has been the best thing i could have ever done for her. she is busy, she has better naps, we are more calm, the house is more peaceful. her newest invisible friend is Mogley (off of the Jungle Book movie). she marries him everyday. he goes to work. i have to comb his hair, buckle him in the car, get him dressed, hand him crayons. i dont mind it. she is happy and using her mind instead of staring at a box all day. it is amazing how much transformed by just getting rid of the tv.

:::callie is changing everyday. she talks so much and never stops. you can tell she is so proud that she can say more words. she is so polite. she says thank you to everything i give her. everything. and i am going to brag, she is the most adorable, cutest little thing. i love the age she is at. love it.

:::i was able to get 10 full hours of sleep last night! you heard that right! i havent gone to sleep no earlier than 12 the last few days. it was a much needed slumber.

:::i am getting more and more excited for Christmas. now i am kicking myself that i didnt make a count down chain with addie, that i didnt put the garland on the stairs, that the stocking arent up, that i didnt do more holiday crafts with addie, that i never made goodies for our friends and family and so on and so on. i was in a blob kinda mood this last little while, now i am feeling the Christmas cheer.

:::more festivities will be recorded in the next few days.

happy planning, wrapping, baking, making, crafting, to everyone!

pictures before church

i wish i could have gotten pictures of my kids in their sunday christmas best in front of a grand, beautiful tree adorned with bulbs and garland..... but my tree is very sorry looking at the moment. so we pulled off the side of the road on the way to church and snapped a few. o they are so grown up from last year!

when we got home their hair was fuzzy, ribbons where undone and smashed, and they had sticky fruit snack hands. glad i took them before hand. :)

merry christmas!

in my workshop

my lips are raw and chapped. i tend to bite them when i am nervous, stressed, in deep thought, anxious. i swore i would get my christmas shopping done with early this year, like in july! but as always, i am a procrastinator, and here i am. but,,,, i am almost done. one more item on the list. my sewing room is messy.

just one corner of the cluttered workshop,

silver and gold wrapping have just naturally become a theme.

sadly these are about the only handmade gifts this year, other than quilts, but still. i had my hopes hi that i would have the majority or christmas be handmade. o well. who am i kidding. i dont have that kind of time. but i am loving how these are turning out. i just need to get them DONE!

i was able to sneak out of the house yesterday with no children and take some pictures of my cousin, whitneys little family. they are so cute and little emily was such a good baby and never made a peep.

isnt she gorgeous! i know! they are such fun and good people.

now, i need to get my hands on those dolls.

ta ta.

candy cane legs