1.1.11...

Four ones? I can work with that :D

I've spent the day with this princess . . .

who dresses to dance . . .

to Bruno Mars!

(one of his songs plays in the movie Tangled - thrilling when you're almost 3!)

These next few pictures are of some signs that have brought me great joy as I walk past them multiple times a day!

Tommy, Joey, and Anna made up a game to play with Joey's rubber duckie collection (20+ and counting!) It has something to do with the duckies earning points/money - and then they can choose where to spend it. They each opened some "stores" in hopes of the other duckies coming and spending their points/money there. :) I have put them in order of amusement:

This is one of Anna's...

Another of Anna's .. . (cold = called, hou = who)

Joey's . . . (please note the fine print at the bottom! It says:

price $15. holiday store is not responsible for the injury of you, or your kids. No refunds.)

hmm - - is his dad a lawyer or something?

Anna's . . .

(the only thing she asked for help with, on all of these signs, was

"how many zeros come after the 2 in 2 billion?")

And, MY FAVORITE!

Anna's swimming class:

:D Joy, I tell ya! Just Joy!

shhhh. . . .

don't tell . . . but mom didn't make any resolutions for the New Year.

That way

*Target can keep that feeding tube - it's attached to the checking account*

*the laundry can stay in a clean, mangled, wrinkly pile in the dryer*

*those extra 6 pounds don't have to pack up and move - 'cause really, who likes to move?*

*all those unread books can keep that cozy layer of dust*

*as a matter of fact - it's safe to assume that the whole house will keep it's cozy layer*

*the candy can stay in the cupboard*

*and, seriously . . a big fat savings account for braces, college, weddings, and/or rainy days is overrated*

LIFE IS GOOD - WHY shake it up just 'cause there's a new calendar?

Plus, it's an odd number year . . . . no good can come from making resolutions in an odd year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR ;)

Hope it was Merry and Bright!

Just wish it could've been white . . .

These are a few . . .

of my favorite things . . .

Four of the cutest kids I know ...

Never met a See's chocolate I didn't like . . .

I LOVE Target . . .

Do you know how fun it is to play with flowers? Heavenly . . .

The Primary Songs . . . LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them...

Oh, how I LOVE Target . . .

Nothing beats a cloudy day . . . except maybe a rainy day . . .

I have recently formed a bit of an addition to this stuff . . .

and this place . . .

Any kind of pie = dessert heaven ... LET THEM EAT PIE . . .

Fancy shoes. Well, any shoes really. Can't think of a problem that fancy shoes can't fix ...

TARGET

I'm not sure why, but this is my zen spot. I can just walk in there and feel better!

Don't even have to buy anything - for some reason this place makes me feel good. Is that bad?!

I now share a quote from Sara's prayer a few nights ago (keep in mind that she is almost 3 and now INSISTS

on doing EVERYTHING herself. Including saying her prayers . . .)

". . .thank thee for Christmas and the snow. Bless Daddy to be safe at work, and bless Mommy

to be safe at Target . . ."

oops.

Thankful the Turkey . . .

I made "Thankful the Turkey" out of a cereal box

when the boys were about 3 and 4 1/2.

He's been with us ever since.

We have MUCH to be thankful for!

Updates . . .

This:

Is now this:

'Twas a "no".

Lost to a girl.

(though he did get enough votes to be a vice president!)

'Twas a "no".

Lost to a girl.

And the run to Hawaii is still lost to this girl.

:)

Hal o een . . .

Mr. Monopoly, Zombie Scout,

S'more!

(the s'more costume was inspiration born out of desperation! She wanted to be a mummy, but I was having NIGHTMARES trying to figure out how to keep her wrapped while at school, pack meeting, and through all the other activities, including putting the costume on and taking it off! She was reading a book where the little girl dressed up as a bunch of grapes - and DING! For some reason THAT turned the light on in my head!)

Spooky Spider ... or as she calls herself "pooky pider"!!

And, as I call her - "sweats on clearance at Target = you're a green spider"!

I've saved all her past pink chuck's, but when I put them on her extra legs, they were

so heavy! They made her look silly, so we had to improvise and make some faux foam chucks

for her four new legs!

Most of the cousins at the annual Cousin Halloween Party!

The best part of this Halloween was that I convinced the kiddos (in my happiest "this is a GREAT idea" mom/primary voice) that it would be SO fun to, instead of trick-or-treating,

go to the store and pick out one or two bags of their FAVORITE candy!

Then we wouldn't have to worry about all the crap candy that some people give out ;)

(i.e. the people that hand out left over candy from all the campaigning they did at parades this summer . . . oops. THAT WAS US!! Next year we'll return to having awesome candy!)

So, we hit up our two cute neighbors, my aunt and uncle's house, and my grandma's house.

Then, HARMONS! Where we were the only customers and had the ENTIRE

Halloween aisle to ourselves! Long Live Fun Size Candy Bars!! (And pixie sticks - Anna's choice!)