Christmas Morning

Santa made it to our house again this year!



He brought everything that Cannon and Harper asked for, and then some!









There were lots of books, puppies, Legos, movies, figurines and Kindle Fires to be had!





And stockings full of candy and prizes!


And chocolate for breakfast!









And a little girl with wild hair, and serious-faced boy!








A great start to a great day!

Our Christmas Eve

It has become a Christmas Eve tradition to have a pajama party with our family. This year, Grandpa Gary, Uncle Aaron, Aunt Kim, Elsie, Angie and Qiana came to our house. We ate pizza, and lots of snacks. We played Christmas bingo, and find the ornament, and we listened to the Nativity story, and Olive the Other Reindeer.

The kids had a TON of fun playing together!





When everyone left, we discovered that SANTA had sent video emails to Cannon and Harper! HOLY COW! Luckily, he let them know that they were on the Nice List!




Last, we put out the reindeer food we made, and all snuggled in for a nice Winter's nap!

Happy Birthday Baby Cakes!

Harper turned THREE!!! That seems huge to me. Three is a big jump from two! She is very independant, opinionated, and very talkative. And very funny!! She cracks us up on a daily basis!


The Disney Dumbo movie was re-released this year, and Harper has fallen in love. She has 2 Dumbo stuffed animals, and she wanted a Dumbo birthday cake this year. Not easy to find!!! Obviously, there weren't any Dumbo options at local bakery/grocery stores. I couldn't find anything as far as figurines to put on a cake. Then, as a last chance, I talked to a friend of mine who manages a bakery at the Draper Harmons. SCORE!!! She told me it would be no problem, just bring in a picture. They did such a beautiful job! We were so thrilled!

Harper got to blow out her candles twice, because she jumped the gun and blew them out before we sang! So we re-lit them, and sang, and then she blew them out again.





We are so lucky to have our families around us! There are so many Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins in Harper's life who came to help her celebrate. She is loved, and she can tell.



She loved every second of her party! Her cousin Austyn stayed after to play. They tried out all of the toys, and played, and danced. So cute!!!


















Today was Harper's actual birthday, and we decided to call my mom and go and see The Muppets at the theater. She seems so big in that theater seat with her popcorn, laughing at the movie!


And, of course, lunch afterwards at the good old Sizzler!


What a great weekend! Happy Happy THIRD Birthday, Harper Kate! We love you so much!!!

Project Harper

As of a few months ago, this was Harper's room. Her closet looked like it PUKED THREE CHRISTMASES!!! It was the worst. It always looked horrible, even when the toys were picked up.

What a joke. I hated it! I mentioned this to my good friend Jenn. She IMMEDIATELY got to work! That is a true friend, one who will help you clean up your daughter's vomiting closet. I am so lucky she lets me benefit from her OCD! ;) but really, she is super, SUPER organized, and good at EVERYTHING she does, and I hate to admit it, but she is always right! She even drew up schematics and emailed a multi-page plan to me!

Well, on Monday, it was finally THE day. Jenn and her daughter Liz came over with a gigantic bag o' bins from Ikea, and we got to work. I was really dreading this, I thought it would be a big pain, and a lot of work getting this mess contained. I was WRONG! The "Bin-And-Purge" only took about half an hour. That's it! And it is beautiful! And it is functional!

And the best part? It's still clean and organized, three days later. It's like magic! Thank you, thank you, Jenn Gray. We love it! xoxo

An Evening With the Thackerays...

Sunday SUNDAY!! We went to Stacy's house to make Pumpkin Roll and Pumpkin Pie Cake. 'Tis the season!!!

The kids got to mixin' with Michal.

Always something new to learn at Aunt Stacy's.... cooking, baking, games... you name it, the kids are allllll over it!









And Harper LOVES her Uncle Jay! (I think he likes her too. Just a little!)




Cute Uncle Jason taught Cannon how to play Chess.















And you've got to try out some of the final product!

Filtered

Yesterday was a bad day. I was a YELLING Mom. I was an IMPATIENT Mom. I was a CRANKY Mom. Yuck. It was Yucky. For everybody.

Today, I was done feeling sorry for myself. Today, I focused on the good. Today, I focused on what was right in my world, rather than what's wrong.


I decided today would be a good day to take them out and snap some pictures of them. Snap. Snap. Snap. I snapped over 200 pictures and I SNAPPED right out of my funk.

Looking through that camera, I was removed just enough to realize some things:






:That they always listen to, talk to, and confide in each other.







:That they always like to be silly together. The sillier the better. Life is just that simple.












:They always giggle and laugh together. They make each other happy. They are siblings, and they will always have a history and a life to share.

















:..... and one day, a day that will come sooner than I think, they will grow up, and move away, and our lives will change. Change is good, but for the time being, I learned I need to get over myself and enjoy the little moments in life more often.

xoxo Cannon and Harper. Mamma loves you.

Bookish

On Friday, Cannon checked this book out from the library at school. He actually walked off the bus reading it, and read it as he walked home from school. Yes, he is a wonderful reader, yes, he LOVES books, but, I have never seen him THIS entranced by a book before!



I quickly discovered why he was so interested in it. It's a Star Wars book, and it's a comic book format. (Or, Graphic Novel, if you will)




Today is Sunday, and he has read it TEN TIMES. Really. I love it! So naturally, the Momma said, "Let's get some MORE!" I will always say YES to books. I will always say, YES, leave your light on and stay up late if you're reading!!!!




So, we went to Barnes & Noble, and they had 3, count them THREE books from the series!!! WAHOOOO!!!

They are so good, he couldn't even wait till we got home!!

Harper's book was so relaxing she fell asleep! ;)





So, was it worth it to stop and buy 3 books for my Cannon Boy? YES.





Is there anything better than curling up with a book and your favorite blanket on a cold day? NOPE. Nothing that I can think of!!!



Happy Reading, Cannon!!!

Best Halloween EVER!

Oh what a wonderful night we had last night! We asked some family and friends to join us for Halloween. We ate chili and baked potatoes, then all the kids got ready to Trick or Treat.




Funny how many things Harper, Qiana, and Elsie have in common! They all dressed as Disney characters, and we didn't even plan it!! All the kids looked so wonderful in their costumes! And Cannon was such a great "big brother" to all the girls!





We lucked out in the weather area this year. It was warm, and nice. The kids didn't even need coats, and I was wearing flip flops!






Our neighborhood was busy! Lots of candy and Trick or Treaters, I loved it! And I heard lots of "Trick or Treat!", "Please!", "Thank You!", and "Happy Halloween"'s from the kids, and that made me happy too. They all got LOADS of candy, and came home with tired feet and sagging Trick or Treat bags. SCORE!








We came home, and let the kids decorate cookies, and watched the sugar rush happen. HAHA!






We all had a fabulous time, with grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, and friends, how can you go wrong?





Happy Halloween!!!

Signs of Fall

Apples at Aunt Stacy and Uncle Jason's house are ready to pick!!

The costume that Aunt Stacy is making is in the works!!

Pumpkin Picking!

And Halloween Crafts!

In Harper's World...

This is "Fin-dee-lella".






The color of this shirt is "Oh-wee-ange".






The part of your body between your eyes and your hair is your "Fork-Head" .




And this is how you wear your flip flops. Even though it makes your mom CRAZY!












Any questions? ;)

Austyn's Sleepover!

Yesterday my great-niece Austyn came to spend the night! We have been planning this FOREVER!!!!! Finally, Cannon was out of school, and the time was right! My kids were so excited! I think they were even more excited about the sleepover than the 4th of July!



The whole way to pick her up Cannon and Harper argued over who loved Austyn. "I love Austie!" .... "NO! I love Austie!".... and so on...


We took her with us to play with some cute friends at Bear Park. Then we came home, had ice cream, and the kids played and played. Then we had pizza for din-din, and after baths we did pedicures. SO fun to paint Lou-Lou's little toes!

Austie entertained us with many stories, my favorite one began, "A long, long time ago, on April 26th, my dog Tilly ate a white spider!....."

Then we made some popcorn, and settled in the bed for a movie. I put on Ponyo. A Japanese film, which I thought was pretty cute. A bit looonnng in some spots, so the kids got a little fidgety. It was after 9:30, and I was wondering why NONE of the kids had passed out yet! High on sugar and excitement I guess.


Tinkerbell And The Great Fairy Rescue was on TV, and that settled them down very nicely. (even Cannon!) But still, 11:00 rolled around, and even Harper was still awake! So I gave up on her, and put her to bed. She protested for about 3 seconds, and then passed out cold. I should have done that earlier! By the time Harper was asleep, so was Austyn.

Cannon finally followed after the TV was turned off. :)


Luckily, they all slept in, and woke up to a waffle breakfast. After lunch, I had this great idea to make tye-dye shirts. YIPES. I have never done this before, and as I sit here typing with my blue and green fingers, I wonder if I'll ever do it again! HOLY COW what a messy process! AND... AND you have to wait 8 hours for the dye to set, and then wash the shirts before you can even wear them.... needless to say, all the kids bailed right away and I finished the shirts.. Perhaps I'll post pics if I ever get them finished!! Oh well, they'll each have a new shirt to wear anyway!

We love love love our Austyn!! She is the sweetest, funniest girl, and we can't wait to have her over again!!!