'Twas the Night Before Christmas...

At last! Christmas eve is upon us!

This has been such a fun season this year especially. Brynn really *gets* the whole idea about Baby Jesus, and Santa and Presents. Its been alot of fun!

We spent Christmas Eve relaxing as a family.

We went out for yummy dinner, came home and got all snug in comfy warm jammies and sat on the couch (as much as a 2 year old and 1 year old will sit still) and watched Evan Almighty while the girls went back and forth between playing and snuggling with mommy and daddy.

After the movie, we made a special plate for Santa with cookies and milk, and lettuce for the raindeer. We also wrote a letter for santa. Brynn really struggled because never before has she been so close to cookies and milk and totally unable to eat them (we had to save them for Santa!)

Then we went into Brynns room with the girls and read "Twas the night before Christmas"...it was so funny because after the part where it describes santa

"And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack. His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow; The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath; He had a broad face and a little round belly,That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly. He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,"

Brynn turned to her dad and whispered "He's SCARY!" ... so funny!

We explained once more that santa is not scary. Later as we were leaving Brynn to sleep right before we turned off the light Brynn called out to her dad and said

"Daddy, don't eat the lettuce for the Raindeer or the cookies for santa okay?"

"we won't brynn, we won't" ..... what a great Christmas Eve!!!

 

holly golloly!

One of my favorite things about this season is that everyone (almost everyone?) takes time out to send a card to their friends and families!
Think about it, what other time of year does everyone you love and care for show it in form of a card, that becomes a temporary decoration in your home? And what is better in your mail box than a Holiday card? I don't know about you but the rest of the year is bills, bills, bills!

We still have some cards trickling in this year, but I wanted to share with you my collection thus far! I keep my cards every year, and its always so neat to look back and watch families grow and change!
Here is my Christmas Card "wreath"

Sleep in Heavenly Peace

Um yeah right.

Not in this house....


I don't know WHAT is going on with Brynn these days but sleep is a disaster with her.

My Audrey. Oh what a super star. Sleeps through the night no problem, maybe waking everyonce in a greatwhile to nurse, but usually she is good all night.

Brynn.

She was always SUCH a good sleeper. But one thing I have learned as a parent is you are never "in the clear" with a kid. Just because he/she is good with one thing at a moment in time...that could change in an instant...as it did with Brynn.

All of a sudden she is afraid of the dark and scared of things and wants to sleep in mommy and daddys bed every.single.night. Bedtime went from a 30 minute routine to a 2 hour battle at times.

we have tried everything: nightlights, crying it out, laying with her until she is asleep. And always, she ends up freaking out unitl she is snuggled up beside mommy in bed.

I wont lie, I enjoy the extra snuggle time with Brynn...for the first 5 minutes but this girl is SO difficult to sleep with. I feel bad for her future husband!

First of all, I don't know what it is but her body temperature increases by about 50 degrees at night so she is as hot as the center of the sun. So much heat in such a tiny body!

Second of all, she kicks, spins and practically jumps around the bed while asleep. This is how we found her this morning:

Third of all, she talks in her sleep like crazy. Here is a sampling of the ramblings with Brynn the other night. Picture this, complete silence except for the soft breath of little Brynn...all of a sudden she shrieks:

"Loud Noise! I don't like the loud noise!!!"

then silence....10 minutes later

"I don't want to sit with santa"

silence yet again...what is this girl dreaming about? Then, another 10 mintues (my favorite outburst)

"COOKIES! I WANT Cookies! I want COOKIES!"

someday when are girls are grown and want nothing to do with Chad and I, we will look back on these days and remember, not the lack of sleep, but the funny stories like this.

Complete!

First off: my poor neglected Blog! Iv's gots lots of splanin to do!

My last post was November 28th! Wowzers!

There are a few reasons for my MIA status.

1) I spent ALOT of time on my photography over the "christmas card" season...I had 2 sometimes 3 photosessions every weekend since October 24th...thats alot of time editing, etc. But I made some nice side cash and feel like I made some great progess on my portrait photography.

2) With some of my side cash: I bought a kindle. I have since become a kindle ADDICT. And I have no shame in saying so.

(side note) - I LOVE THE KINDLE!!!!!!!!! I wasn't sure I would like the feel of laying in bed with a kindle, but seriously, its better than a book for a number of reasons:

1) it automatically keeps your spot, so if you have to put the book down suddenly because of something your kids are doing, you dont have to worry about losing your place.

2) Text to Speech, prob my favorite aspect. I can switch back and forth between reading a book and then listening to it as an audio book. For example: I read the book in bed at night, but if I am running around the house cleaning or whatever, I can listen to it as an audio book and swetch back and forth.

so because of said kindle, I have been reading like a maniac a few books I have read recently, and recomend them ALL!

- Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater

- The Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead (I read all 4 books in the series in 4 days...I didn't sleep, didn't eat, didn't talk to my husband...brought be back to my twilight days...looking forward to the next in the series)

- I am currently reading a love story book.

So thats 6 books in about a 2 week time period!

Lets not forget Christmas shopping, decorating, oh yeah, my full time job, and my kids!

That is my reasons for being MIA!!!

and now, after my lengthy explanation...a quick update!

----------------------------------------------

My Grandma has cross-stitched stockings for everyone in the family, and this year we got Audreys stocking! I hung up Audreys stocking with the rest of our stockings and our wall looks so full and our home feels complete!