notions

skinny jeans!

2010-03-04T22:12:00.003-06:00

I spent about 30 minutes this afternoon turning two pairs of flare jeans into skinny jeans. I used the tutorial on this blog. Really, this couldn't of been easier. It was a great way to upcycle jeans that still fit well and were in good condition but just a little too flareish (not a real word) for 2010.

rainbow cake for dummies

2010-02-22T19:39:00.003-06:00

Cakes intimidate me. I lack icing skills and the ability to stack layers one on top of the other. I know, those are relatively easy tasks but I really stink at them. So...attempting the crazy popular rainbow cake was out of the question. What to do? Copy the rainbow cupcakes from Skyler's blog. They were more on my level.

the problem with homeschoolers

2010-02-11T03:59:00.002-06:00

I snagged you with the title, didn't I? :)

I'm a reader. I just love to read anything. Magazines, books, the back of cereal boxes, blogs, whatever. I've read a lot about our educational choices and responsibilities as Christian parents and I've yet to come across an article, book, or blog post that I agree with 100%. Imagine that. So after much thought, here goes my uneducated, probably horribly flawed, opinion.

We home school. Why? Because we are afraid to send our kids into the big bad world of public schools? Because we think they'll get a better education at home? Because we are crazy?

Well, actually, no. You see, I always thought I'd home school my children. Even before I had kids, this was the plan I hatched in my head. I would birth them and school them and we would all live happily ever after. The only problem with that was, it was my plan. My husband was on board but I think I had just assumed that God was on board, too.

Then I had children. They came out with all sorts of different personalities, talents, weaknesses and strengths. Kids are fun like that. All of a sudden, it dawned on me that maybe there is no one size fits all, God approved education for every child. Imagine that. Maybe, just maybe, we should pray about what God would have us to do to.

So we prayed. And we keep praying. I pray daily that God would make it abundantly clear what he wants us to do with these children that he's loaned us to raise. I cannot find any verses in the Bible bashing public schools, or private schools, or verses that say as long as you live in a "good" school district then it's ok to send the kids. I've heard sermons that disagree with me. I've read a lot of books that disagree with me. They say there is a Biblical mandate for homeschooling. I have trouble believing that. I know what side the statistics are on but I also know wonderful, Godly kids who graduate from the public school system. I also know home school graduates who have walked far away from their parents' faith. I have learned that there is no right answer. I just know that God has told us to keep Maggie home for the past year and a half. I don't know yet what he will tell us to do for next school year or the years after that.

I have enjoyed having her home and learning with her. It's given us precious time together. Time that we needed to bond. She was the oldest of 4 children born in 5 years and her needs tended to get put behind the younger children. I am thankful that we've had this chance to connect. That's not to say that I don't have days where I really think it would be nice to have one less thing on my plate and a little more free time for me. That's also not to say that the other children won't be marching off to kindergarten at the local public school. I don't know what He has planned for them just yet.

I take my job as her educator seriously. I had her tested in Oct. by a first grade teacher and she will be tested in April again, just to make sure she's on grade level. We use amazing curriculum. I know she's getting plenty of time with her peers and she's not sheltered. I also make sure she is meeting SPS's instructional goals here. God's blessed me with a wonderful mentor and an amazing support group of fellow homeschooling families. All of whom I know would understand completely if we told them that God was leading us in another direction in the future.

Here's my point. I really do have a reason for sharing my heart on this issue. I think there is a great divide in Christian social circles when it comes to educational choices. Home school groups tend to be a petri dish for legalism (quote from Mark Driscoll, love him!). Public and private school parents feel judged from some homeschoolers. Homeschoolers feel judged by some public and private school families. I've personally gotten a lot of negative comments, many from close friends and family members. I'm sure you all have, too. All the judging makes us put up walls of defense and then it becomes an awkward subject. Here's the deal, I fully support you and your family's decision, whatever that might be.

This is probably the last heavy post I ever write. At least I hope it is. I like to keep things lighter around here.

It's 5:00am and I should probably go to bed.

snow day

2010-02-09T08:00:00.001-06:00

This is the best idea for keeping the kids busy on a snow day!
Bring the snow inside!
We've done this a few times now and it always entertains them for hours.
Literally hours, I'm not kidding.
I saw this idea on this blog.

2010-02-08T08:02:00.000-06:00

I had a bunch of felt scraps sitting around in the basement so when I saw this wreath, I knew what I needed to do! She said it was time consuming but I don't think it was too bad. I cut the circles out while watching 2 episodes of 30 Rock then I chatted on the phone with my friend Laura during most of the construction process. Even the girls were able to help, it was so easy.

a jumper

2010-02-06T14:47:00.005-06:00

It's been a goal of mine to try and use up some of the fabric that I already have before allowing myself to buy anything new. We'll see how long that lasts. This jumper is made with fabric leftover from Lucy's diaper bag that I made 4 years ago. I found the tutorial on Rachel's blog. Not only do I share a name and city with the author, but a midwife as well. It took all of about 2 hours to make and it's adorable! I'll be making a few more of these for sure, so easy. Thanks Rachel, for taking the time to write instructions that even I could understand. I really should of had Maggie stand in front of something cute for this picture.

I've been meaning to write this post for months.

2009-11-30T15:04:00.003-06:00

Once a month cooking. Or OAMC for those of us too cool to write out the actual words. Jenny and I recently teamed up for our fourth OAMC day. It's fun, it's exhausting, it's gross (lots of raw meat!), and it's so worth it. Here's what we made:

Mini meatloaves
meatballs
chicken bundles
lasagna
mexican casserole
potato soup

After she left I made a double batch of chocolate chip cookie dough and a triple batch of waffles.
We make enough of each entree to feed our families twice. The meatballs were an exception, we made enough for three meals. Of course, these are not the only options for dinner. We will still be having our usual homemade pizza, fajitas, etc. But, this does knock out a lot of the cooking for the next few weeks. Interested in doing your own oamc? Here's a few things we've learned:

1. Don't try to freeze anything with egg noodles. They turn to mush.

2. If you freeze a dish with potatoes or pasta in it, undercook them a bit so they can finish cooking when you reheat.

3. You will get grumpy and tired and wonder why you ever thought it was a good idea. It is worth it, I promise. It took us about three hours to accomplish everything in the picture.

4. If you make a dish with sour cream, add it after you defrost. Sour cream turns watery after it's frozen.

5. Have a partner. It really does save time, we divide and tackle.

6. Line your pans with foil and then lift the dishes out when frozen solid. Wrap up tight and stick back in the freezer. This takes up less space and keeps your 9 by 13 pans in commission.

Need recipes? Here are some good places to look:
oamc at recipezaar
once a month mom
Linda's bbq meatballs freeze wonderfully, just leave the sauce off until you bake.

Have any of you done oamc before? What were some of your favorite recipes?

I might be back...

2009-11-18T21:30:00.003-06:00

Skyler told me to start blogging again so here I am. I thought long and hard about what my first post since May should be about. The term blog means a web log. Like a diary for all the world to see. So, here's my diary of today's activities.

5:30am- I am awakened by a text from my friend Julie saying that she delievered a healthy (and hefty) baby girl at 5:15. Welcome to the world Ms. Molly!
5:31- I go back to sleep.
7:30- I am once again awakened. This time by a 3 year old who needs to potty RIGHT NOW! I get him settled with some PBS and go back to sleep, again.
8:00- The girls file downstairs and join their brother on the couch with the exception of Daisy who comes into snuggle.
8:15- Daisy convinces me it's breakfast time so I make oatmeal and we all eat.
9:00- Maggie's friend Elise comes over and the girls start school. I get them started then hop in the shower. I get dressed in jeans, after having worn my black yoga pants for 48 hours. No kidding.

The rest of the day was school, laundry, cleaning, reading, etc. but I'm sure you all are getting tired of hearing the mundane details so I'll cut to the good part.

3:30- I am in line at the post office. It's a long line and there are about 20 of us. An early 20ish man walks in talking way too loudly on his cell. The rest of us are quiet so we can clearly hear everything he's saying. His girlfriend has herpes (she's currently having an outbreak) and he's mad at his extended family for gossiping about how he should get a job. Awesome.
3:45- I walk over Hancock to buy felt. I overhear a mother yelling at her young child in the next aisle. Here's the conversation:

mother: "I said get back here, now! Put that up!"

little girl: "NO!"

mother: "That's it, I'm calling the cops! I mean it. Where's my phone? Get me my phone! I'm dialing, 9....1......1!"

The daughter called her mom's bluff and still refused to put up the item. Apparently mom has used that line before.

And that's that.

Disneyworld

2009-05-18T21:20:00.008-06:00

Kendra was right, I didn't realize how much I'd love it. We had such a wonderful week. Big thanks to my mom and Mandy for keeping Daisy for us!

You know you haven't blogged in awhile when...

2009-04-07T22:08:00.002-06:00

...you realize you've forgotten your blogger password!

Greg has declared the blogs are dead, and while I do realize they've slowed down, I don't think we should be calling in the hearse yet. I've had plenty of blog ideas swimming around in my head, I just can't seem to find the time to put finger to keyboard. While I've yet to post Daisy's first birthday party and I've had the "10 ways to know you were adopted by rednecks" written for weeks, this subject seems a tad more urgent.

As many of you know, my husband left town for a few days (8!). He went to Guatemala to help install a security system in an orphanage. We knew we'd miss him and that taking the trash out every day wouldn't be any fun but we hadn't planned on "someone" feeling orphaned here in the states. What started out as aggressive and naughty behavior early in the week turned into full blown rage by Friday. Our little guy was having a rough time and he wanted to make sure we all were, too. While it was difficult and heart breaking to see Oliver hurting like that, I'm so very thankful for everyone who helped. I hope I don't leave anyone out....

Thank you to....
Chad and Skyler- For lightning my load so much around here. I really appreciate you two taking care of dinner, dishes, Daisy, and well...the list could go on and on.
Ashley- For writing me a note of encouragement and praying for us. Your friendship is a gift that only God could give.
Missy- For being ok with your baby leaving with less hair in his scalp than when he arrived. You handled the situation with such grace. I treasure the words you wrote concerning it all.
Valerie-For allowing me to flood your inbox with questions and taking the time to answer. Your wisdom is amazing and I'm so very, very thankful for your friendship.
Crystal and Tiff- Thanks for cooking us (all of us!) dinner. So tasty! You two are so fun and such honest sounding boards.
Holly- First of all, the dinner you brought over was amazing. Second of all....WOW! Just when I was about at the end of my robe, you swoop in with your babysitting husband and take Oliver and I out to a Korean lunch. Something about sitting in an establishment, surronded by Koreans, smelling the smells, and tasting the tastes.....it just brought it all back home. You knew that was just what he and I needed.
Grandmas- For babysitting and helping out like you guys are always so good to do.

I just had to publicly thank everyone.

Before Matt was even out of the gate at the airport, Ollie launched into a full sprint, jumped over the furniture that stood in his way, and threw himself onto his daddy. He's been back to his sweet self ever since.

-

2009-03-14T20:52:00.004-06:00

Let me be completely honest here, I am not a baby person. Shocking, I know. Seeing as how I've had 4 babies in 5 years. Now, don't get me wrong, I love children. I just tend to enjoy them more when they communicate in ways beyond finger pointing and screaming. I can vividly remember when Maggie was a baby and I saw Shannon and a school aged Katelyn at Hobby Lobby. It made me so excited for the day when I could walk up and down the aisles of craft supplies with Maggie, both of us equally interested in all the pretty things. You know what just dawned on me? That day is here! I've had several epiphany moments with my new 6 year old lately. Like when I had a migraine (only my third one ever!) and she made lunch for everyone, including me. Or the other day when we had so much fun baking together for hours and she turned to me and said, "I bet this is taking you a lot less time than normal because I'm such a good helper now. " The funny thing was, she was right! She was actually helping! Not "helping" but really and truly helping! She can change diapers, and pick out weather appropriate attire, and write me notes like the one I received today that tell me I'm her best friend. I just love this new stage we are entering. I really believe it only gets better from here. I cherished Teri's blog about how they were enjoying Lauren's teenage years. I just adore watching the relationship between Skyler and Cindy. Oh, I can't hardly wait!!!!!

*I need to be sure and clarify that I very well realize that I am not her best friend yet, although I do hope that day will come, I am still very much her mother.

I really like this guy...What a great individual!

2009-03-09T13:41:00.001-06:00

"generally" fun

2009-03-06T23:34:00.005-06:00

I was very blessed to go to Pershing Elementary for 4th, 5th, and 6th grade. It was and still is a small school which is just great. We knew all the kids in all the grades and every teacher knew us. These were my best girlfriends from those years. Through the magic of Facebook (is that a dirty word around here?) we are all back in touch with each other. We met for coffee last night and giggled like the school girls we were for hours. We chatted about bikes, tight rolled jeans, trampolines, tether ball terminology, Nike windbreakers, big hair, teachers, 4 square, and crushes. It was so fun to be all together for the first time since 1992. We plan on making it an annual occasion.

first family night

2009-02-24T22:31:00.005-06:00

If you are fan of blog star Heather like I am, you know all about her fab family nights. I've been meaning to do one for awhile and we finally made it happen. The girls were all about wearing their bathing suits last week so we had a beach party. Someone woke up from his nap angry and did NOT feel like participating in the dress code.

The kids dined on octopus atop the sea. It goes against all I hold dear in regard to nutrition and feeding my children well to give them hot dogs and ramen for dinner. But to keep with a theme, I will bend the rules.

We introduced the kids to The Beach Boys which was fun since they will be at the fair this year. I can't wait to do a family night again. Thanks Heather for the inspiration!

Valentine's day

2009-02-15T17:09:00.005-06:00

My parents kept the kids while Matt and I went to Maria's on Friday night. They had their own little party with a heart shaped pizza and this delicious strawberry cake.

Old Navy had a deal where if you took in a valentine your kids had colored, they got a $5 off coupon. Well, you know I wasn't gonna pass that up.

I let each child pick out an item to spend their $5 on. The girls all picked out balls and flip flops, Oliver wanted a dog bone. We don't have a dog.

Free Andy's!!!!

Our group shot before heading to Ocean Zen.

The boys had flowers delivered to our table at the restaurant.

Mark thought that this was the only celebration of his 40th birthday that would take place that night.

While we were at dinner, the Wilson and Hillenburg kids were doing more than babysitting at our house. They were busy decorating for Mark's surprise party.

We set a new record for the number of people in our house at one time. It was so fun! I can't believe we pulled off a true surprise. Good work Cindy!

Like all good parties, the night ended with dancing in the basement.

50

2009-02-04T12:40:00.005-06:00

We all have a blast
when you drive
the boat really fast.
You have a thing
for snakes
and you used to look like Blake.

We love you Uncle Randy!!!!

the neighborhood hero

2009-01-22T21:48:00.002-06:00

While the three littlest ones were napping today, us three oldest ones were jumping on the trampoline. We had been enjoying ourselves for awhile when Maggie stops and tells us, "Hey, I think I see smoke over there!" Matt got off and went to our fence to investigate. Sure enough, there was a fire a blazing three houses down.

Matt called the fire department while using a garden hose to try and keep it from spreading.

Here is Maggie calling her grandma, nana, and Mandy to tell them that she saved the day!

blogging

2009-01-13T21:16:00.003-06:00

One of my new year's resolutions was to blog more. Not because I think you all care what I have to say, I'm not that disillusioned. I would like to eventually make a hard copy of this blog for each of my children. I may stink at scrapbooks but I can blog! So, yesterday I thought I'd do a "day in our life" post. You know, to document what we do around here. Everyone was dressed and done with chores before 9. We had school done by noon. My mom stopped by, Sky ate lunch here, it was shaping up to be a great day at the Burch house. It all started falling apart when the Parents as Teachers lady stayed too long. Daisy's nap was way too short. The 2 year old, who always takes wonderful 3 hour long naps, refused to nap at all. The final straw came when I found a soiled Oliver diaperless in my closet. When I heard myself repeatedly asking him "Where did you put your poop*?", I knew that I was just not ready to share what really goes on around here. So, back to my trusty picture collage format.......here we have Lucy turning 4.

*down the laundry shoot

Finally, some "official" word

2009-01-09T21:51:00.000-06:00

Read this.

2009-01-07T13:10:00.002-06:00

So there seems to be a lot of confusion about this new law. I am now hearing that garage sales and consignment sales (like moms of twins sales) will be allowed. Other than that, I haven't heard much reliable information. I know of 3 people who have called Children's Orchard in the last few days. All 3 of them received different information. Scroll down on this blog to read the latest. Or google the consumer protection act.

A call to action

2009-01-06T15:48:00.002-06:00

So Jen did some crackerjack investigating and discovered that we are not completely helpless in this situation. Call Roy Blunt's office at 889-1800 and let them know that the Consumer Products and Safety Act is going too far. I called and they said that there are some stipulations on it that could make it far less blanketing than the press has led us to believe. I hope this is true but I still think it is important that we call and let our voice be heard.

stunned

2009-01-05T07:50:00.004-06:00

I had just returned with an adorable vintage dress from the D.A.V. yesterday when I read this. I'm sure I'm the last one to hear, like usual. It honestly brought tears to my eyes. The Consumer Products and Safety Act goes into effect Feb. 10th. To save our children from lead and such they are barring any reselling of childrens' items. While it is a noble cause, the law takes it WAY too far. Think about what this means. Resale shops, such as Children's Orchard will be forced out of business. No more buying cute baby clothes on Etsy. No more donating used clothing and toys to the thrift store because they would just have to throw it away. No more reselling on Ebay or in garage sales. How will this affect our family? No more justifying the cost of Gymboree clothes by knowing I can recoup some of it on Ebay after the girls have worn it. No more cleaning out the toy closets before Christmas and selling the items to Children's Orchard. No more scouring thrift stores for vintage dresses and books. Now what to do with all of my childrens' out grown clothing? I give a lot of it away to friends but what about the not so nice stuff I normally just donate? Well it looks like the only option will now be throwing it away. But, when all is said and done, we'll be ok. I'm not so sure about the moms who depend on half price day at the thrift store to cloth their families. There are a lot of moms out there who can't afford retail, even on sale. What will they do now?

a tale of two presents

2008-12-31T16:56:00.003-06:00

Santa brought a new trampoline. With an enclosure, don't worry. It just wasn't assembled yet in the picture. He also stuffed the girls' stockings with craft kits he bought for $1 at Michael's. I know they were only $1 because he left the price tags on. Well, the pictured craft kit is one where you put the beads on the pegs, iron it until they all melt together, and then stick a magnet or key chain on it. Fun, fun. As fun as a trampoline? Apparently so. The "connection dots", as she calls them, were such a hit with Maggie. This is how conversations between her and enquiring adults would go:
Adult: "What did Santa bring you?"
Maggie: "CONNECTION DOTS!!!!"
Adult: "Wow! I don't even know what that is. What else did he bring you?"
Maggie: "Not a dog, Mrs. Claus won't let him bring dogs anymore."
Me: "What else did Santa bring?"
Maggie: "Um...Ratatouille."

Moral of the story....5 year olds are just as happy with stuff from the dollar store as they are wonderful presents that will provide years and years of enjoyment. So save your money.

2008-12-22T22:14:00.003-06:00

I took the oldest three to Christmas at the farm tonight at Wilson-Rutlidge. I had to bribe the kids with M&M's to get them to sit on Santa's lap.

Even M&M's weren't enough to convince Lucy.

Santa's promise of a candy cane in addition to my M&M's was enough to get her to pose for a picture. But not enough to touch him.

When Maggie asked for a real dog and a trampoline Santa really came through for us by explaining that Mrs. Claus won't let him give pets anymore. She was just always worrying that the kids weren't taking good care of them. On the car ride home, the girls wondered how he got by with bringing them a goldfish last year. Hmmmmm......

Christmas card rejects

2008-12-21T21:34:00.002-06:00

After falling apart last year on our way to our 4th party of the day, I vowed that this year would be different. No more over-committing ourselves and our children to the point that we don't even enjoy the season. You know what? It's worked! I am really enjoying the Christmas festivities this year. I can't believe that we have only 4 days left but I'm ready. The only area where I seem to be an utter failure is in getting our Christmas cards out. I really could of skipped it but the ole mama guilt took over as I realized that it is Daisy's first Christmas. So I finally ordered our cards on Friday. At Walmart because it would of taken too long to get them in from the website where I normally order from. I tried to get by with sending less this year but it has become clear that's just not going to work. So, looks like I'll be getting a few dozen more and sending them out this week, probably arriving after Christmas. Until you get yours, here are a couple of our reject pics.

cooking 101

2008-12-14T23:40:00.003-06:00

Out of the 22 parties and get togethers we have attended or are planning to attend leading up to Christmas, one of them stands out as the most anticipated. I've been looking forward to this day for weeks. We spent the afternoon soaking in Diana's culinary knowledge, talk about Titus 2 in action. She shared her recipes and her heart for young wives and mothers. Best of all, my freezer is now stocked with 5 delicious meals for my family. Mrs. Recipe Box, how about you hosting the next class?

I'm breaking my word

2008-12-01T11:37:00.001-06:00

I know I said I would never speak of this again but I can't help it. There are a few deals out right now that I just have to tell you about. First of all...our local Kmarts are finally participating in double coupons, this week only. They will double your coupon up to $2.00. That means a $2 off coupon becomes a $4 off coupon. I'm heading out to get me a bunch of free stuff in a minute. Today is also cyber monday which is supposedly the biggest online shopping day of the year. I don't know if it lives up to all the hype but there are a few good deals to be found. Old Navy is 20% off site wide and there is free shipping at Gap, BR, and Old Navy. TRU is running some great deals, too. Just google cyber monday and you'll find a lot of sites running specials for today only. Finally, is all this deal seeking and couponing worth it? Well last month I spent $321.62 on groceries. My total before coupons would of been $849.73. To me, that's worth it!

Thanksgiving week

2008-11-28T22:02:00.003-06:00

Turkey cookie making. Maggie singing in a can (name that movie). CVSing early Thanksgiving morning. They paid me $14 to take this stuff. Thanksgiving breakfast. Swinging with the 2nd cousins after lunch. Then off to dinner at my parents' house followed by a movie with friends. We have so much to be thankful for!

2008-11-20T14:23:00.002-06:00

When I was in the sixth grade, my family hosted an exchange student from Japan. She lived with us for about 10 months while she attended her junior year at Glendale. It was one of the highlights of my childhood. I finally had someone to share clothes with and fight for shotgun in the car. Yuka quickly became a special member of our family. I can still remember how sad I was when she left. I didn't know if I'd ever see her again. Since that sad day 15 years ago, she has visited us 4 times and we met up with her in Hawaii one time. We were so happy to have her and her parents with us the last 5 days. They are such sweet people. I can't wait until we meet again.

It's official!

2008-11-12T21:11:00.003-06:00

Congratulations to Sam and his family!!!

We shall never speak of this again.....

2008-11-06T22:08:00.004-06:00

Ok. By request, here it is. Call me Clay Aiken because I'm coming out of the closet. The coupon closet. I started this couponing thing last winter but I wanted to keep it quiet. I didn't want to be known as the crazy coupon lady who talked about all of her free toothpaste. Well, I have become that lady. I have 8 tubes sitting in my cabinet right now. I got all of them for free. Anyway, because I keep getting asked about it, here is how to embark on your own crazy coupon journey should you be so inclined.

First, let me tell you where I get the coupons. Online, Here is a great list of lots and lots of printable coupons. Coupons.com is pretty decent, too. The News-Leader's coupons stink so I buy 2 copies of the Kansas City Star every Sunday. I file them all in my really cool coupon binder that looks a lot like a trapper keeper. Except it's bigger.

Now on to using the coupons....I shop at CVS, Walgreens, Dillon's, and Wal-Mart. Here are the websites that tell me what to buy where and with what coupons. There is a whole art form in matching the sales to the coupons so you can get free or almost free stuff.
moneysavingmom.com
comicalcouponcents.com
iheartcvs.com
becentsible.com
mommystayshome.com

Is it worth the time and effort? For a lot of people it wouldn't be. That's the honest truth but for me it is worth it. I have to buy a lot of stuff for the 6 of us. I have 2 children in diapers. I just finished shopping for the whole month's worth of groceries. I spent $133.19. That included 2 packs of diapers, 12lbs of chicken breasts, 3lbs of ground beef, 3 gallons of milk, and lots of other stuff. My pantry is busting at the seams. Without coupons I would of spent $325.43. A savings of almost $200. I will, of course, go back weekly to buy milk and produce but that should only be about another $60 or so. I will also go to CVS every week to load up on whatever free stuff they are handing out. Other than that, we are set.

I have now bared my coupon loving soul to you, the blogging audience. And we shall never speak of this again...

weekend with the Brittons

2008-11-03T17:47:00.003-06:00

Such a fun time. We trick or treated, ate, shopped, conquered my fear of propellers, spent an evening with Tre, ate some more, and shopped some more.

2008-10-31T08:59:00.000-06:00

Best Halloween Party Ever!! Thanks Talburts!

Still true. MB

2008-10-31T00:26:00.002-06:00

St. Louis

2008-10-30T13:01:00.003-06:00

Perfect weather. Wonderful food. Thanks Ed and Susan for a great weekend.

Palin power

2008-10-27T12:24:00.002-06:00

So we get to the Sarah Palin rally around 8:30. We pass through security around 9 and we get a great spot by the stage. It's freezing so Tiffany and I spend the next 2 hours dancing to keep warm. There was music playing and we were standing right by a speaker so I'm sure we didn't look too weird. We are then treated to a concert by the Pierce Arrow Theater quartet. Awesome. The local Republicans running for office gave their speeches. Then it happened....one of the greatest surprises of my life. The MC says "Please welcome Naomi Judd." What!!?? I had no idea she was going to be there! I lose it at this point, I'm so excited! Tiffany and Rob have never heard of her so I'm trying to tell them who she is. I just love the Judds. I've read Naomi's autobiography and I have her cook book and I've seen the T.V. movie and I love their music. I mean really, who doesn't love their music? That's a rhetorical question. So she gives this great intoduction then Sarah comes on and does her thing. She was amazing. Then she walks around the stage to sign autographs followed by her daughters and Naomi. It was such a fun morning. Shout out to Chad for keeping all 4 kids for 5 hours so we could go. Thanks so much.

progressive dinner

2008-10-18T21:25:00.004-06:00

When we went to Ikea last year, we talked about planning a progressive dinner. 14 months later...it happened. (Thanks to Holly!) It was such a fun night. You'll notice in the pictures that it was more of a progressive nap for Henry than a dinner.

A-maze-ing

2008-10-14T04:17:00.002-06:00

We spent Saturday evening at the corn maze and pumpkin patch. The maze took us about 30 minutes to complete and in that time I think my husband came up with every possible pun using corn. It really was a lot of fun.

Coca-Cola

2008-10-10T09:43:00.003-06:00

The girls and I toured the Ozarks' Coca-Cola bottling company yesterday with our co-op. I took the camera for Maggie to take pictures with but it died 5 minutes into our tour. It was very interesting and informative. Some things we learned:

-The Ozarks drinks more Dr. Pepper than anywhere else in the world.
-Diet Sprite and Sprite Zero are the exact same thing.
-Diet Coke and Coke Zero use different sweeteners. Diet Coke is marketed to women (Tammy) and Coke Zero is marketed to men (Bryan).
-They make most of their money off of 20oz bottles.
-They use filtered, pure water to make their product so that is why fountain drinks sometimes taste funny. Our city water has minerals in it that affect the taste of the drink.

MOH from Heaven

2008-10-01T08:52:00.002-06:00

In addition to this being "the wedding week", I think this should also be "encourage Andrea to move here week!"

September in pictures

2008-09-26T21:24:00.004-06:00

I really wish I would of taken my camera to Sam's 30th the other night. It was one of the best parties I've been to in awhile. Good job, Natalie. Also, Rick was kind enough to take the kids and Matt for a helicopter ride. I opted out, you know me and propellers. I really wish I would of had my camera on me. It was probably the best day of Oliver's life, no joke. He loved it.

confessions.....

2008-09-03T12:24:00.002-06:00

I took Daisy to get her pictures made this morning. They wanted to know her middle name so they could print it on one of the pictures. The only problem was....I had forgotten how to spell her middle name. Mandy was with me and we agreed that it was probably spelled Adaline. We met Matt for lunch and he agreed. Then I came home and looked at my Facebook and I spelled it Adeline. Which is right? I have no idea! How could I have forgotten how to spell her middle name??!! I will now go and find her birth certificate...if we have one. She was born at home and I don't really remember applying for it. Poor, poor 4th child!

Oliver and Gabes' party

2008-08-18T22:32:00.004-06:00

Thanks to all the family and friends who celebrated with us.

This kid

2008-08-14T23:04:00.002-06:00

I wrote our adoption testimony tonight. The deadline for the Shoahannah's Hope yearbook is tomorrow. Of course I waited until the last minute to try and articulate our story. I wasn't sure how to condense it all into 3 paragraphs and 2 pictures. Writing it out refreshed my memory as to what a little miracle he is. I was reminded of how we know with absolute certainty that God called us to adopt from Korea. I fought it sometimes. Wasn't the need greater in China? Aren't the fees less in Africa? None of that changed the fact that our son was in Korea.
I wish I could write one of those great testimonies about how our child came home and fit right in and never had any problems. But I can't. I think that parenting him is the hardest thing I've ever been called to do. There is no guidebook. I'm his 4th mom. He was passed from birth mom to foster mom to other foster mom and then to me. He will be two in a few weeks. Insecurities abound in his little heart. Anger spews from him. Nightmares plague him. We pray for him and over him and with him. I know that God has something special for his life. I know because this whole adoption was God's doing. I can't wait to see what He has planned for Oliver Scott Burch. I know it's gonna be amazing.

lots of pictures

2008-08-10T21:27:00.005-06:00

Mandy grew a huge zucchini and Dana taught us how to fry it. So good.

How many swat team members do you know who can make the olympic rings out of jello and fruit pizza? Seriously, what can't Holly do?

redneck waterslide

Lucy telling us what she bought with her tickets at Incredible Pizza.
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today

2008-08-07T22:40:00.003-06:00

Soooo.... JV lake day is on Sunday and I was to shop for all the necessary food and such today. I start to load the kids in the car after lunch so we can make our way to wally world. I had already shut our front door, which locks automatically when it is shut, when I realize I can't find my keys in the diaper bag. The kids and I wait in the front yard for Matt to show up with his house key. Maggie steps in dog poop at this point. Matt (and his parents, and his sister, and his niece) pull up. He lets me in the house and I look around and can't find my keys anywhere. He then remembers where he had left them the night before...in the console of our van. We finally get on our way. I meet Crystal at Wal-Mart and it takes us a good while to fill our carts up with all the stuff that is needed to feed and water 50 middle schoolers for an entire day. Going grocery shopping with a whole bunch of kids in tow is always a good time. Especially when you are buying so much stuff that there is no room left in the cart for them to ride. Fun times. We finally check out and load up our cars. As I am pulling out of the parking lot, Cory calls. "You haven't bought all the food for lake day yet, have you?" Turns out it looks like lake day is probably going to be canceled because of storms so now we get to return all of the groceries. How funny is that!??

On a more positive note....on our way home from the store, we stopped at Ms. Tween's to preview her invitations and Daisy decided she wanted to stay for awhile. When she was returned to me she was wearing a new zutano outfit, playing with a new toy, and sporting her first tooth.

the best 10 days of the year

2008-08-02T21:28:00.003-06:00

Chad and Skyler sitting in a tree.....

2008-07-26T08:30:00.002-06:00

We love you both and we can't wait until the big day!

3 blogs in one

2008-07-22T20:19:00.004-06:00

What a great party! Brad and Mandy...we love you guys and we can't wait for October 4th. Linda...thanks so much for making the cakes. They were wonderful!!!!

We went to Jumpmania yesterday. Love it, love it, love it.

And.... a funny story. Today we were at the mall in the playplace when 3 Korean moms and their kids walk in. My kids mingle and play with them. After a few minutes, Maggie comes running up and asks me, "Which one is Oliver? I can't tell." Seriously. She couldn't tell which one was her brother. She later asks Chandler (who was with us), "Oliver is the one wearing green. Right?"

their first trip down the aisle

2008-07-16T09:53:00.004-06:00

The girls were flower girls in Matt's cousin's wedding. I knew Maggie would do great but I was a little worried about Lucy panicking and not being able to walk down. They both did so well and Lucy even saved some petals in her basket for Mandy's wedding.

holy cow

2008-07-11T14:49:00.002-06:00

As Mandy said..."Some people's pride is worth more to them than $5.88." Well, not ours. Today was cow appreciation day at Chick Fil A. If you dressed like a cow from head to hoof you got a free meal. If you only had one cow item on, you got a free entree. We went all out and it was fun. We will be reusing the spots and tails next year.

You know it's time to take the kids home from SDC when...

2008-07-07T22:01:00.003-06:00

....they fall asleep sitting up.

scenes from the dance floor

2008-07-07T21:47:00.002-06:00

Beautiful wedding. Super fun reception. Perfect night.

Florida

2008-07-02T23:32:00.000-06:00

Gorilla costume plus kids on the trampoline equals fun

2008-06-22T21:09:00.002-06:00

K1 turns 30

2008-06-22T21:06:00.003-06:00

Guests were to come as people form the 30's (super cute idea, huh?). There was Superman and Lois Lane, Shirley Temple, King Kong, Ansel Adams, the Little Rascals, Amelia Earhart, and Nattie Gann just to name a few. So fun!

camp

2008-06-22T21:04:00.002-06:00

Dairy Days at the farm

2008-06-15T19:13:00.002-06:00

camp or bust

2008-06-13T16:33:00.002-06:00

Daisy and I are headed to JV camp next week. I'm so excited to get to know the kids (and fellow counselors) better. I'm worried about getting homesick but I'm sure I'll push through it and have fun. I am very sad that Mr. Linus will probably decide to make his grand entrance while I'm gone. If he could just hold on until Friday afternoon....

In other news, I'm teaching Holly to CVS (yes, that is a verb as well as a noun) tomorrow. If you want in, give me a call.

Going to the chapel and they're gonna get married

2008-06-08T22:22:00.002-06:00

Mandy and Bradley, we love you both so much. Congratulations on your engagement.

Mr. and Mrs. Clint Bartley

2008-06-08T00:55:00.002-06:00

Such a fun wedding. The absolute best reception food I've ever had. Loved the dancing. Thank you so much for letting us join in the festivities. You 2 make a beautiful couple.

slumber party

2008-06-02T21:53:00.002-06:00

We had a really great, and I mean REALLY great, group of girls promote out of the JV class this past week. We celebrated their graduation with a slumber party and trip to the tea room. Even Daisy had fun, and she got her first pedicure courtesy of Crystal.

Memorial day 08

2008-05-26T20:24:00.002-06:00

I can't remember a more relaxing and fun weekend. I saw 3 snakes. Oliver tubed for the first time. I read a novel from cover to cover. We ate way too much but it was all delicious. Thank you so much to all of the Wilsons and Tuckers for allowing us to tag along. You are so generous with us. Thank you for loving our children. Our relationships with you mean more to us than you will ever know.

field day

2008-05-23T15:13:00.002-06:00

tragedy

2008-05-22T12:16:00.003-06:00

Steven Curtis Chapman is a giant in the adoption world. He has done so much for the cause, more than anyone else in our generation. We were blessed by a grant from him while we were in process for Oliver, as were the Demers and many other adoptive families. I've always thought of him as such a hero for all of the waiting orphans in this world. It was such a shock to hear of his youngest daughter's passing. Here is a blog they have set up to let others express their condolences.

#28

2008-05-19T22:38:00.002-06:00

I turned 28 today. I slept until 9 which I would like to say is sleeping in but that's my usual wake-up time. Went to lunch with Laura and my mom. Bought a fabulous new baby sling at Jellybeans. Grabbed Ocean Zen to go and took it to the park because it is gorgeous outside. I've always loved having a May birthday, the weather is usually great and peonies (my fave) are in bloom. Tomorrow night we celebrate with family.

because blogs with pictures are more fun

2008-05-17T21:15:00.002-06:00

How cute is Molly's face!

Ollie wearing Emily's pink jacket. I think it's his color.

Look who held the baby!

Cashed out.

Watching her baby graduate.

Thoughts about a few things

2008-05-13T20:21:00.002-06:00

Jeff and Shannon- One of the funnest weddings I've ever attended. So beautiful, too.

Lotz and Jenny- I know you regretted the ribbon but they are very cute invites.

Grey's anatomy- So long. I will miss you.

Lost (season 1 and 2)- Our new summertime hobby.

TLC roasted vegetable crackers- Oh, how I love thee.

The cutest brinner ever!

2008-05-08T22:34:00.002-06:00

what can happen when you sleep on wet hair

2008-05-07T21:21:00.003-06:00

the boys

2008-05-01T11:44:00.003-06:00

taken when they were 12 days old

our week

2008-04-26T20:47:00.002-06:00

Good job, Blake!

2008-04-19T21:46:00.002-06:00

2 babies!

2008-04-16T21:06:00.002-06:00

Danny is older but Charlie is bigger.

The past few days

2008-04-14T21:48:00.002-06:00

1. Molly turned 2 and loved every minute of her big day.
2.-5. Wii Olympics
6. I'm so glad slings are "in." #4 lives in hers.
7.-10. Holly waitressed (along with her fellow officers) at Red Robin to raise money for Special Olympics. A.R. will soon be 69.
11. The cutest chandelier ever! Thanks Randy and Tammy!
12. Princesses on a bed.
13.-25. An April shower for Daisy. Thank you Lisa and Jenny for such a cute luncheon. It was adorable and the food was wonderful. You guys did such a good job.

How we celebrated...

2008-04-07T12:45:00.002-06:00

Thank you so much to everyone who joined us on Friday night and a special thanks to Lisa for getting the cake. It was so fun!

Some (or all) might think it weird that we went to an Oak Ridge Boys concert for his 30th. Well, we are weird. Daisy slept all the way from the first song until the Elvira finale. Her first concert....

Matt is 30!

2008-04-04T11:55:00.003-06:00

Sorry Missy, no old pictures, my scanner went kaput.
Thirty reasons why I love him:
1. You're punny.
2. You can fix anything!
3. You never worry.
4. You read Bible stories to the girls every night.
5. You love the fair more than I do.
6. You are great at discipline.
7. You wanted to adopt.
8. You were cool with a home birth.
9. You don't complain about me spending money.
10. You like the same people I do.
11. You wear cowboy boots.
12. You make yourself eat vegetables and drink water because you know it's good for you.
13. You are so loyal.
14. You drive a mini van even though you don't want to.
15. You put the kids to bed.
16. You remember your widows' birthdays.
17. You have wonderful grandparents.
18. You dress well.
19. You change diapers.
20. You are my voice of reason.
21. You are patient with me.
22. You love Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson.
23. You do your homework for Bible Study.
24. You think way faster than I do.
25. You buy great Christmas presents.
26. You let me paint a whole lot of our house pink.
27. You bought this house because I love it, even though you don't.
28. You are a hard worker.
29. You take care of my family.
30. You are the best husband and father in the world!

case in point

2008-03-23T17:43:00.002-06:00

So I mentioned in my last post that taking pictures of a one year old is probably one of the hardest things ever. Here are our attempts at an Easter family picture. Look at Ollie, not at my double chin, please.

4 and a half days old

2008-03-20T13:54:00.002-06:00

I bought these really cute shirts that say Daisy on them for my girls to wear just in case I had a Daisy and then I totally forgot about them until 2 days after the birth.
So I just had to put them on the blog.

On another note, we are all adjusting fairly well to being a family of 6. Of course, I've had constant help and a stream of visitors so I'm not sure how I'll do with it all once things settle down. We shall see. Oliver has done the best (surprisingly), he adores his new sister and he has actually been better behaved this week than usual. I have no good pictures, however, because the kid is so darn busy. I think photographing a one year old is one of the hardest things ever. The girls love her but they have had a bit of a hard time with me not feeling 100%. I can't wait until I'm back to normal, either. I know that home birth is not for everyone but I loved, loved, loved it. It's definitely what I'd do again, if there was an again.

Daisy Adeline

2008-03-16T18:57:00.003-06:00

8lbs 2oz, 21.5 inches long, 8:23am
Sorry to those I failed to get pictures of...Hillens, Talburts, Bradley....
Thank you so much to everyone who shared this very special day with us.

I never thought I'd be jealous of a dog..

2008-03-10T21:07:00.002-06:00

Mandy's house saw a birth before ours did. I just hope I don't have to give birth on top of old sheets in the kitchen. Ha!

So, can we say that Spring is here? I mean not officially, but do you think we can put away the puffy coats and snow boots? Today was just glorious. We were outside almost all day between running errands in the morning and hanging out in the backyard in the afternoon. I just love not having to mess with putting 13 layers on my kids before we walk out the door.

Speaking of kids, I would like to give a shout out to Becky Liles who shared with me one of the best tips ever. Oliver was having a coughing fit in the middle of the night and I did just what Becky had told me to do, rub Vicks on his feet and put socks on over it. After about 10 minutes, the coughing totally stopped, just like it always does when I do this. So, thanks Becky for sharing this with me over a year ago!

Pink or blue

2008-03-06T22:45:00.002-06:00

Just 2 more weeks to go (roughly). What do you think....boy or girl?

Where we love to spend our snow days

2008-03-04T21:37:00.002-06:00

Birthdays and more birthdays

2008-03-01T22:18:00.002-06:00

Maggie turned 5 on Thursday. Those leap day babies (Bayley and Ethan) finally got to celebrate their own special day on Friday. Happy birthday today to Henry, Kendra, and Tom.

Jen's shower

2008-02-26T22:32:00.003-06:00

what a day

2008-02-14T22:34:00.003-06:00

I had set the table all fancy last night in preparation for a family Valentine's day breakfast. I even did place cards. We awoke this morning to no power, just when I thought we were in the clear from all these outages. We all got ready in front of the fire and we took our french toast to Mandy's house to bake. We ate there then ran a quick errand before heading to the mall for pictures at the Picture People which was total chaos due to the holiday. We met Matt and Mandy at McDonald's for lunch then headed to Mandy's to take naps as Matt's parents were also without power and my dad has the flu. Just when I was getting ready to make our reservations for the night at the Wilson basement B&B, our power came back on. The kids and I made our way home a little after 4. Once home, Maggie fell face first into the stairs and then Lucy fell all the way down them. We have lived in this house, which has 2 staircases, for 6 months. None of my kids have fallen down them before and then in one afternoon, we have 2 casualties. The older 2, none the less, not the toddler who still walks like a drunken sailor. Go figure. All 5 of us went to dinner where we always go on 2-14, Digiacinto's. It was fun to take the kids especially since our days of being a fivesome (is that a word?) are waining. We then went to the hospital to visit my grandma who is having triple bypass in the morning, 3 hours before my mom is scheduled for her breast cancer surgery (when it rains it pours...). Then, tomorrow night we will celebrate Matt's grandparents who ran off to get married 65 years ago today. They might not be newlyweds but they sure do act like they are!

I love the 80's

2008-02-09T23:38:00.001-06:00

Thanks to C-O-X for throwing such a great 80's party. Pac-man. pizza, Weird Science, 80's Trivial Pursuit, and a rockin playlist. Not to mention the fabulous costumes worn by all except the host and Johnny A. Lots of fun. Who's hosting the next decade theme party?

Happy birthday momgrandma

2008-02-08T14:37:00.000-06:00

Today is my mom's birthday. My kids call her momgrandma because she's the grandma that's also my mom. Thank you so much to everyone who has been praying for her as she battles breast cancer. I have been overwhelmed at the number of people who ask me daily how she is doing. She goes for a second surgery next friday and then she will start radiation. Her prognosis is good and her doctor doesn't see a need for chemo. We love you mom!

why we blog

2008-02-05T22:22:00.000-06:00

Welcome Jenny to the blogosphere. I laughed out loud several times perusing your new blog. Andrea, congratulations on 2 years of blogging. Your blog is one of my favorites. Always witty and updated regularly, I like that in a blog. I've been thinking lately about why I blog. My reasons for doing it are so different from the motivators that got me started a year and a half ago. My number one goal is to keep Ollie's foster parents updated on him. We e-mail back and forth but there is a bit of a language barrier and they always say they love seeing the pictures of him on here. I have a large amount of family that reads this. I had no idea of this until my grandpa's funeral last July. I love that my second cousins and relatives near and far can easily catch up on our lives. I just wish you guys would comment once in awhile....you all know who you are! So....tell me...why do you blog? Or...why don't you blog?

One year ago today......

2008-02-01T15:21:00.000-06:00

...we brought a very scared, slightly bald, chubby Korean home to be a part of our family. He's grown into such a little man. He loves to kiss and cuddle and he can also hold a grudge like nobody's business. I'm so glad God choose us to be his parents.

my day doing nothing

2008-01-29T19:47:00.000-06:00

Last night, the new baby tried to make an early appearance. After lots of medicine and 5 hours of one-on-one time with my midwife (who I think should moonlight as a therapist), I was ordered to spend the day in bed. I cannot remember the last responsibility free day I had. It was great! My mom and her sister came over to help with the kids. We had both lunch and dinner delivered to us by kind family members. I chatted on the phone, gave the girls manicures and pedicures, caught up on my e-mail, made a few to-do lists, and played Farkel. I think it would get old quick but one day of bed rest was heavenly!

our weekend

2008-01-28T13:24:00.000-06:00

3 birthdays- Sam, Chandler, and Olivia. Sorry Chan but I didn't get a good pic of you at your party. We also got to spend an evening with some of our favorite people.

and baby makes 6

2008-01-25T13:17:00.001-06:00

I get asked ALL the time how I'm able to get ready for this new baby when I don't even know if it's a boy or girl. First of all, let me just say that I'm glad I don't know what this baby is. The suspense is fun, it's incentive to get through labor, and I just want to experience the surprise once. I couldn't of done this with my first, and probably not even with my second, but it's been pretty easy to do it with a fourth. Here's how I'm managing. I'm not into yellow or green as the traditional unisex colors so we are painting the bassinet and changing table (both of which will be in our room) black. I had my doubts about a black bassinet, I thought it might look a little goth, but then I got the new Pottery Barn baby catalog and they are selling a black bassinet so I figure ours will look fine. My mother in law is helping me make sheets for it out of black and white gingham. I searched high and low for fabric that could be used for either gender and I finally found this (pictured above) at Hancock. I made a baby sling out of it and I will probably make a diaper bag in the coming weeks with it. That's all the neutral stuff I'm doing. If it's a girl, well she won't be wearing the same thing twice. I have all of my girls' clothes plus Jen gave me Molly's stuff so we have lots and lots of pretties for her. If it's a boy...well....I realized I only had one gown and one blanket. So every time we go to Target or the mall I'm picking something boyish up and saving the receipts. Target just on Wednesday got in this line of baby stuff. I bought three blankets in boy colors and I can't wait to go back and buy more. And that's that.

a valentine birthday

2008-01-21T14:06:00.001-06:00

We celebrated the girls' birthdays today with a valentine tea party. They had so much fun and they loved all of their gifts. They have been wearing their new nightgowns while playing with their new toys all afternoon. I think a MLK b-day party might become a tradition since it's a day off of school and it's in the middle of both of their birthdays. Thank you to everyone for coming!

Kansas City

2008-01-14T11:42:00.000-06:00

We had a wonderful, very relaxing weekend in Kansas City celebrating Mandy's birthday. The rumors are true, Rick and Jan really are the best hosts. We shopped a lot, ate a lot, and watched the Cowboys lose. Jan introduced me to Nell Hill's which inspired me silly. I have been hanging pictures and moving stuff around all morning.
We can't wait to go back!

Our weekend

2008-01-07T13:30:00.002-06:00

We welcomed home a very happy Sam.

Celebrated Lucy's third birthday.

New Year's Eve by the numbers

2008-01-01T14:29:00.000-06:00

The party began at 8. Mark brought 72 pages of games to play, 1 atomic clock, 1 sprig of Mistletoe, and 4 downloaded versions of Auld Lane Syne. 9 kids lasted past midnight, 1 did not. Johnson had to pause his dog joke 4 times because he was laughing too hard. We used 2 pounds of chocolate in the fountain. We had 8 bottles of sparkling juice which we thought might not be enough. We have 3 left over. We played 2 truths and 1 lie. We missed 8 of you who were stuck by weather in Colorado.

Sweet Caroline

2007-12-28T22:12:00.000-06:00

Caroline Jane Reynolds
12-28-07
10lbs 3oz

St. Louis

2007-12-23T22:54:00.000-06:00

We spent the weekend in St.Louis with my family. We shopped on Friday.... if you want a new wardrobe, just conveniently forget to bring all of your clothes on a trip, that's what Matt did. Then we went to Old Town St. Charles for this. which we had been to before but this was the first time the girls were old enough to understand it. We stayed in on Saturday and had a wonderfully relaxing day. My aunt fed us like kings (she's one of the best cooks I know) and we opened our gifts before heading to bed. We ate here before heading home today. We waited over an hour for a table but it was definitely worth it. The best pancakes I've ever had. Can you believe tomorrow is Christmas Eve?

Babies and Christmas shopping

2007-12-19T22:14:00.000-06:00

Wasn't today just glorious? To be able to send my kids out to play in December without coats on was such a treat. Of course, as you've all heard by now, the weather wasn't the only great thing about today. We learned that we will be meeting our new Korean friend Sam shortly after the new year. And we discovered that Sam and Oliver will be joined by not one but two Jeppsen boys in May. How fun is that?!!

On a totally unrelated note, the girls wrote letters to Santa. Maggie asked for a goldfish and a pink polka dot bow for our fireplace. Lucy wants a pony in a house with a handle and an apple. Like a real apple, not a computer. In a few short years, it will be a real computer and pony they are asking for.