i got nothin

i don't know what to write tonight.
i'm watching football, sort of sinking into the sofa, warm from my favorite quilt.
man it looks cold in green bay. i'd much rather be on my cozy couch.

john went shopping this evening and i held down the fort at home.
he needed clothes for work and we had a ton of kohl's cash that expired tonight.
the kids were easy and fun while he was gone.
they spent most of their time playing legos and putting on a parade.


the legos are new to us, another craigslist find.
john brought home SIX bins full and couldn't wait till Christmas.
around here, they are priceless.

ben was all smiles, chasing anna around and around.
throwing legos everywhere, climbing on chairs and maybe even the kitchen table!


josh and i sat on the floor together watching the movie elf and just talking.
he is growing up so fast. i need to spend more time LISTENING to him.
he's changing so much.

one funny of the night--before i forget...
anna wanted to do something and john had told her no.
she was pleading her case when he told her he was the king of the house but she, however, was not the queen.
choosing not to be defeated, she countered back, "but i'm the queen of COOKIES!"
what do you say to that?!

ok. time to close up the laptop and recharge.
'night.

snow day

we woke up to a little suprise.


the winter's first snow.


the kids were so bright eyed and happy to be out in it.
never mind it wasn't even 7 a.m. yet!



nothing puts me more in the Christmasy mood than a little snow, rosy cheeks and warm cocoa.

it was so beautiful, so sparkly, and gently blanketed everything.




now, if only it would snow on a school/work day so we could have a stay-home day!

family portrait

a very good friend of mine owns her own photography business.
click here to check her out or here too.
lucky for me, she has photographed our children many, many times.
a month ago, she took ben's preschool pictures (yes, this is his PRESCHOOL picture! crazy, i know!) and we brought along anna and josh.
i couldn't help but love this one.


my heart feels like it's growing bigger and bigger every time i look at it.
that's when you know it's the one.
i know josh isn't looking at the camera, but i love the way he's looking at ben.

there i go again, i'm all mush inside. with a big heart.

paula deen furniture

i found this a few weeks ago and i'm totally in love.
well, we all love paula deen right?
if you don't, don't tell me. i don't want to know. you should love her.
she's full, up to her pretty little hairdo, in pure southern
goodness.

anyways, i digress.
i found a link to her new furniture line and i've been swooning ever since.

i think this piece might be my favorite:


ahh, who am i kidding?
i love this one too:



yes m'am. i love it y'all.
i love it. i want it. i NEED it.
to be honest, i have no idea how much it costs.
but i'm really HOPING that walmart starts carrying it!
hahahahahahahhaaaahahahhaaa.
fingers crossed.
toes crossed.
eyes too.
it could happen.

blustery

the sky was so wintry tonight.
it is cold and blustery and DARK.
you would have thought the clouds touched the earth they were so LOW and full.







as i'm sitting here at the computer, josh is next to me crying.
i'm helping him study for his spelling test tomorrow.
he can not get four of his spelling words right.
he's written them about 40 times by now and still, gets them wrong.
i'm frustrated, he's frustrated, and the tears continue to flow.

i think it's time for a break and a hug.
yes, i think many hugs are needed.
and maybe a mug of hot cocoa.

christmas trivia

saw this over at clover lane.
loved it. :)

1. Best childhood gift from Santa:
a pair of cowgirl boots and a fur coat.
pretty sure the boots were real leather, but the coat was not real fur. who cares--i felt like a supermodel in them both.
especially when worn together!

2. Best childhood memories:
taking pictures on my grandmother's steps with all my cousins.
boatloads of kids everywhere!



3. Favorite Christmas cookies:
Grandmom Briggs' butter cookies.
hands down.

4. Icky Christmas memory:
i can't really think of one. although i'm sure my mom would have to say the time i had my neighbor (and bff) sleep over every. single. night. of our Christmas break! it was a sleep over MARATHON! thanks mom, by the way.

5. It's not Christmas without:
music from Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker.
my Grandfather loved this and gave me a tape cassette when i was really, really little.
to this day, i can't listen to it without thinking of him.



6. Our Church Service:
usually an early evening mass or a candlelight ceremony at a nearby church.
i get choked up when the entire church is lit with candlelight and we all sing silent night.
in fact, i'm choked up right now thinking about it.

7. Christmas Pet Peeve:
all the rules about who gives who.
i just want to buy what i want for who i want.
no dollar amount or limitations.
makes it hard to enjoy the important stuff--like giving.

8. Favorite Christmas CD:
Harry Connick Jr.'s When My Heart Finds Christmas or Time-Life Treasury of Christmas.



9. Real or Fake:
hard to admit because i really don't like it, but fake.
we have a huge tree to go in our living room that is fake.
every year i throw a fit, make the declaration to buy a real tree, but john gives me "the look" and i say ok and help him get down the monster, er, uh, tree.



10. I spend Christmas Eve:
at church, then later we get in our jammies (all of us), and pile in the car with our hot cocoas and drive around looking at christmas lights.
the kids LOVE it.
then we go home, open one small gift, and tuck the kids in bed.
one year, john and i opened all our gifts to each other on Christmas eve, ALONE, and spent the morning enjoying the kids. that was nice too.

YOUR TURN.