Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

... at 12 o'clock at night. Our child can't sleep, 'cuz she took a late nap and this is what we got! Here are a few pictures of the youngest, happy as can be because we took her out of bed so she wouldn't wake up her sister with her crying. Never give the child a late nap and if you do, wake the up very, very early or this could happen to you! She was super good and hardly made a sound. The only problem was that she had a really great time and ended up wanting to come back out the next night and then the next and on and on... "I want to go!" Anyway, I thought I would post a few pictures of the tree up here.

Up to no good! If you notice under her nose she has the newest addition of scars on her face. Sister accidentally pushed her when they were playing and little Bo landed face first on the frame of the bed. It wasn't pretty, but she is recovering, scar and all, quite nicely.

Actually coloring in a coloring book and not an actual book (her newest discovery).

A couple of weekends ago I took the girls to a gingerbread house contest in town. The local paper puts in on every year and I had always wanted to go, but could never remember. We drove past this year and, as soon as I found out it was free (can't pass up free), we went inside and casted our votes. It was fun because they had kids, youth, group, and adult categories. The adult ones were absolutely amazing! These people must have started months ago and either don't have kids or have a taser gun to keep them away. Incredible! They have a few displayed at library and I think I am going to try and take a picture, if I can remember. Anyway, we had our little dinner group last week we made gingerbread houses. I haven't made one in years. Nona bought us a kit to make them, but it's been super busy around here getting ready for the holidays and visiting and all that we haven't done it yet. I want to do it sometime this week because it was loads of fun. I tried to get Boo to help me (Bo was running around and had no interest in anything except trying to get me to allow her to consume truck loads of candy), but she kept getting distracted by candy that was misshapen or broken or had touched her hand and was telling me how she had to eat it because it was no good for the house, only for her mouth. So as I tried to get her to help and she continued to feed the sugar monster in her belly, I put together this little house. People kept commenting on how nice it looked, but I kept reminding them that mine only looked like it did because my children didn't help! If they had helped it would have looked better. Instead, I got a mommy gingerbread house (I also felt a little complimented because one lady said she could tell I decorated cakes by the way I was holding the bag. Kind of cool). Anyway, here is the end result. It isn't that great, but I haven't made one in years (I believe elementary school is ringing a bell). It was good fun just the same!

I thought I would take a picture early. Some of the decorations have slowly been disappearing off of the house. I knew that would happen.

The frosting they made was awesome. It's as hard as cement!

I thought I would throw this video on for good measure. Best movie ever!!!

Congratulations Graduates!

I just wanted to take this opportunity to congratulate two special people in our lives. First of all, my husband graduated from college (after what he exaggerates to be 10 years of going to school) with his Bachelor's in Biological Sciences! I am so excited for him and so proud of all of his hard work. They don't have a graduation ceremony here until May, but he is still a graduate. Go David!! We love you Daddy!!!!!!

I also want to congratulate my sister-in-law Jewla for graduating as well. A well deserved accomplishment. She was able to walk across the stage with family watching and cheering her on.

Congratulations!!!!!!

I'm It... For Now

I have been tagged. Well, can you actually be tagged if you were not physically touched? If that was the case, I could have saved myself a lot of running around in grade school. That being said, I was tagged to write seven interesting things about me. I couldn't think of one interesting thing, let alone seven. Thanks Bethany! So here is my attempt at interesting:

1. I have a sensory disorder (self diagnosed). I cannot stand the touch of several different things including foam (as in the egg crate foam you put on your bed to make it soft if you have a terrible mattress like us), terra cotta pots, velvet, and stoneware (as in pizza stones and such). These things make me physically ill and make me shiver all over. David found this out within the first month of marriage and thought it would be fun to chase me around the house with a pizza stone we received at our reception. It was really fun, let me tell you.

2. I have never had a cavity. Thank you Crest!

3. I don't like talking on the phone, for the most part. I don't like to answer the phone and I also don't like calling people on the phone. It causes me anxiety for some strange reason.

4. I have to have a fan on my feet when I sleep at night. I have very warm feet that need a cool breeze at night. Hot feet actually wake me up at night. Fortunately for me, my husband is awesome and will let me have the fan blowing on my tootsies all night long.

5. I LOVE candy!! Chocolate is okay, but I love candy! My need for it has dwindled a little with age, but I still crave the sugary goodness in each bite, especially gummy candy. I should be too old for this stuff, but I can't help it.

6. I absolutely love the Food Network (even though we don't have it). I could watch that all day long (probably a good thing we don't have it). I get this from my love of cooking and baking. Some of their shows are truly genius (Iron Chef, Ace of Cakes, Paula Deen and her thick accent and incredibly fattening recipes) and I love how they take such different foods and flavors and mix them together to create a masterpiece for the mouth.

7. My hair used to be straight as a board, but since having my girls it has gone a bit wavy. Nothing I can really do anything with, but it isn't straight any more. My aunt told me that happened to her after she had her four kids and I couldn't believe it. Apparently her hair used to be super straight as well, but after having her children, her short hair looked like she had had a perm. Mine isn't that curly or wavy, but it might be a little different if it wasn't so long. I kept wondering when the perm I got four years ago was going to grow out. I asked a beautician and she told me it was wavy too close to the scalp to be the perm. I was shocked and still am!

I am sure there are things that are more interesting than these seven things (but probably not), but I can't think of them right now. As David says, the glucose just isn't hitting the brain right now, it must all be going to the baby. So if you have a blog and you haven't done this yet, you have been cyber-tagged (I think I only know five people with blogs and one of them tagged me so, the four of you better get interesting!).

Baguettes and Creme Brulee

These are a few of my favorite French things... My attempt at French braiding. I am still struggling with doing Boo's hair. I am extremely slow, an extreme perfectionist, and it makes it even more difficult when she moves her head around like a bobble head doll. These factors always make my life so much easier, let me tell you. The other day I was able to get her to sit still long enough so that I could braid her hair. Who knew a four year old would be so interested in a documentary on the History Channel about the Bermuda Triangle? I do believe she thought it was an actual triangle, but I think I do too so I can't say too much. Here is the result of our labors. I thought it turned out okay for my first time of doing double braids. It was also secretly fun, but don't tell anyone I told you that!

Just happy not to have to "hold still" any longer.

From the top!

Her head is a little twisted in this picture, but not that much. The part was really crooked, but I didn't notice until it was done.

A slightly satisfied customer!

I Scream, You Scream, We All Have Ice Cream Headaches!

Nona came over a couple of weekends ago and brought the party with her! We got together to watch the Boise State/Hawaii game. She brought Daddy's favorite Chinese food with her, some fabulous Thai food, drinks and, as you can see, some scrumptious ice cream. Sadly, Boise State lost, but happily, our tummies were full of deliciousness. There is still hope for my Bronco's. They are 24 in the BCS ratings! Go BSU!!!

I think this is her first ice cream cone. You can't even tell.

Why is it that children always try to stick the whole thing in their mouth at once?

Nona also brought some beautiful princess make-up/jewelry sets. Boo loves her "nake-up" (as she calls it). Bo is always trying to steal her "nappit" (as Bo calls it).

Oh yeah!

Fantastical!

Mickey's Trailer

This really does have nothing to do with anything, but I thought I would put it up here anyway. David and I realize how many bad cartoons there are on tv these days (I don't know if you have seen them, but they freak me out! There is one where the grim reaper hangs out with kids. It's one worth skipping) and decided we needed to get our girls watching the classics. We have several Disney DVDs of old Mickey and Donald cartoons and some old Looney Tunes as well. Long story made longer, I found this video on youtube and it reminded me of when I was a kid watching the Disney Channel (pre-Hannah Montana and Zach and Cody or whatever they are called) when they actually played Mickey Mouse (or as Bo calls them... doggie) cartoons. I just thought I would put this up for those of you who remember the good old days (or, if you are my mom, when this actually came out! LOVE YOU MOM!! Apparently this came out in 1938 so you are safe).

Thanksgiving Pictures!

I couldn't wait to get these up! I took so many pictures the camera was almost fun of just pictures of our turkey and the good times. Wait, that must have been a different family's Thanksgiving because I didn't take two single pictures (I did take this one, however. Why just this one, I don't know). I think I got distracted by our neighbor going ballistic right before we went over to have dinner. Anyway, it's frustrating because I have all of this really cute Thanksgiving scrapbook paper, but I always forget to take pictures on this particular holiday (who am I kidding... scrapbook, yeah, right. If it's not perfect, I won't do it. And since it will never be perfect, I never do it). So I guess enjoy this picture of the rolls I baked (just one of the four or five batches. Our bread machine was tired!). They are delicious and easy to make. Let me know if you want the recipe. Fan-W-tastic!

We're Off to Eat Some Dinner...

... the wonderful dinner of _______ (insert something that rhymes and goes with this post because I can't find one). Anyway, here are few pictures of the girls on our way to our dinner group. I dressed them up in these little outfits from Grandpa (they have little matching blazer/jackets. They are adorable) and they looked so cute. They also wore this on Thanksgiving, just in case you were dying to know what they wore. If you look at Boo's right eye (your left) she has yet another shiner. That was her second one in a month. Our girl is turning into a regular punching bag! She and Bo ran into each other. Of course, Bo in her jump off the couch onto the floor on her stomach and jump up sort way, she walked away completely fine. Boo, however, cried and ended up with this lovely thing over her eye. Pretty girls. Now if they could only not scar up their faces before they go to school...

Pretty in Pink

Bo looks scared. Maybe she thinks Boo is still upset about the black eye.

Best of friends (and wrestling partners).

Prima Ballerina

Since Boo is now in her ballet/tap/tumbling class, I thought I would add a few videos of her dancing in her class. The first one is my favorite because, as you will see, she is in her own little world. Why would we pay for her to come to a dance class to do the same thing she does in our living room, you ask? Because she is learning, but most importantly, she is having a blast and meeting new kids. I also want you all to know that I tried to put music to the video so you didn't have to listen to what is going on outside the studio, but it didn't work. If you want to mute the sound, it won't affect the dancing. The lady talking is really loud and the conversation can be kind of annoying, but there is nothing I can do about it. Sorry! These first few pictures are of Boo waiting for her sissy. They are pretty funny. She was talking up some sort of storm to someone. It was really cute. Hope it works!

I Would Love to Actually Look Like the BBC P&P's Elizabeth..

Which Pride and Prejudice Girl Are You? created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Elizabeth I am Elizabeth. I am headstrong and intelligent. I love to be myself, and am very loyal to my family. I can sometimes be prideful and "prejudiced," but I try to remain open minded and I usually regret past mistakes. Elizabeth 85% Charlotte 65% Jane 55% Kitty 45% Mary 40% Mrs. Bennet 30% Lydia 30%