Tuesday, December 16, 2008

LET IT SNOW LET IT SNOW LET IT SNOW

A HUGE winter storn hit Flagstaff today...most of the state actually. We got about ten inches of snow here in Bellemont. Nat asked to go out and play in it all day. I convinced her to wait for Daddy to get home. The minute he walked in the door, she jumped on the idea. She got all dressed up in her snow gear (which is too small for her already) and we realized we didn't have snow gloves for her. Sooooo....Mommy had a brilliant idea. We put two pairs of socks on each hand, wrapped each hand in Saran Wrap and added one more sock to each hand. LOL LOL It was perfect. She stayed warm AND dry! And she thought it was hysterical.
















They tried to build a snowman....but the snow was too dry.












SOOOOOOO, Snow Angels it was.







She loved every minute of it. Oh yes, as you can see we forgot a snow hat too. Oops. We are expecting another 20 inches or so over the next 36 hours. Yikes.

Over the River and Thru the Woods....to Nana and Papa's House We Go!

Natalie got to spend a fun filled weekend with her Nana and Papa. I hosted a cookie swap (pics to follow soon) and they offered to take her for a few days. We made the mistake of telling her she was going a month too early. That is all she talked about for weeks.

The day finally arrived....we met my folks in Verde for lunch and to send Nat home with them.

That first evening they went to the Outlets at Anthem to see the state's tallest Christmas tree. She would not get too close to Santa that night....she patted his knee...but that was it.


She stuck close by her Papa....and her reindeer ears were too cute.



Back at Nana and Papa's she had her own special little bed up in their room. Nice and cozy with her Christmas quilt and pillow.









Nana's sweet friend Mary gave them a funny smiley face mask....and Nat and Nana had too much fun with it. Nat actually took this pic of her Nana. Pretty good!



Nat's turn to wear the funny face.



The next morning Nana took Nat to go have breakfast with Santa Clause.



Today she and Santa were tight! She told him that she wanted a kitchen and play-doh!



They made a special stop off at the park. Sher missed her dinosaur buddy!



The slide is always fun!












Then there was the fun night with her cousins at Zoo Lights. Here she is with Ella!




Getting ready to go! Sidney and Ella and Nat



Fisrt there was a really fancy dinner at McDonalds....their favorite.





Holding hands








Nana hand made this darling Christmas tutu for Nat. She LOVED it.










Nat and Nana made a beautiful Gingerbread House...











Natalie cannot wait to go visit again....she really enjoyed the special attention. And Chad and I REALLY enjoyed the time at home with eachother and Baby Brett. It was SOOOOOOOO quiet at our house this last weekend. Papa has a new nickname for Nat "my litle Yapper."


A bad winter storm threathened the North, so her visit was cut a little short........but she sure had a great time. She has not stopped talking about it. Thanks to mom and dad for giving Nat such fun memories and for giving Chad and I a very appreciated break!

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Why I Love Christmas!

Ok, if anyone can tell me how to add pics to my blog in a manner that they can be moved around, put in an order I prefer...please advise. I typed out this blog entry then added pics and they go to the top of the blog in backwards order?!?!?! Help.

Ok, now on to the blog.....in no particular order...sorry.

My pumpkin pies: who knew I had to buy deep dish pie crusts...oops.....and yes, that would be my oven needing a good cleaning....don't judge! LOL



Making pumpin pie with my two Pumpkins! Even Baby Brett got in on the action!









Off to Pre-school!!



Nat reading her baby brother Christmas books







Not a fan of peas!


Finally...the blog:
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this time of year. Yes, it can be stressful at times...but if you don't let stress get the best of you....it is just downright PERFECT. Last night I was preparing a HUGE trough of company potatoes for Chad to take to his work party. While I was busy in the kitchen, Natalie was being the best big sis ever and reading Baby Brett all of her Christmas books. He was fascinated.....just stared at her.
We had Christmas music playing and I could hear Nat attempt to sing at times.....adorable. She pretty much mumbles through the song and then belts out "Fa la la la la la la la..." So funny.
So Brett tried peas last night...not a fan. He spit bubbles, kept shoving them out of his mouth with his tongue....but after a while he totally gave up and I guess realized that Mom is in charge....and he finished them. But not before sneezing and covering me in peas.....yuck! This afternoon he had peaches....oh boy...he loves his fruit....like most. He gobbled it up so fast......I couldn't keep up. If I was delayed at all...he gave me an earful!
He is growing up so fast........and he is still that baby that is so good he tricks you into having four more. He has been sleeping thru the night for over a month now and it's only getting better now that he is eating food. He used to wake up around 4 or 5am, I would "binky" him and he would be good to go till 7. Now he is sleeping soundly until almost 8am every morning. It is awesome. All about BABYWISE.
He is trying to roll over...but I think his cheeks are too heavy! J/K Or it might be his head that I am sure weighs ten pounds! But don't let my dad catch me teasing Brett about his head......Papa is a little sensitive on that issue. LOL Love you Pops.
Nat goes to Preschool once a week. A friend here in the neighborhood invited three other kids plus her own three year old and conducts school every Thursday out of her home. It is such a treat....for us all. Nat loves it and learns so much...and I really enjoy and appreciate the couple of hours with just Brett. I can get so much done. Today they learned the letter "I" and she was so excited to tell me all about it. As she was coloring at her table after lunch, she walked right over to me and said "Look mom, ice cream, I is for ice cream," I was so proud. She is a sponge.
The other day I was putting her down for her nap and she asked for a drink of water. I said, "no, you just had apple juice." She looked at me and said, "mommy, that's not very nice of you." I said, " I am sorry, but that's the deal." She in all seriousness said, "Well, then I guess you won't be getting any Christmas presents this year Mommy." All I could do was laugh. Nothing gets by her.
My Christmas schedule has absolutely taken off full speed. It started Tuesday (two days ago). And will continue like crazy until Dec 28th. On Tuesday my Home Group took dinner to a Women's shelter. It went really well and I am sure we will do it again. Tonight I am going to a scrapbook class with my girlfriends: Holiday Homemade Gifts. Should be fun. Tomorrow we are taking Nat to Verde....she will spend a nice long weekend with my folks in Phx. Fri night I am hosting a couples pizza and game night with some friends (they will be the Guinea pigs on my pumpkin pie), Saturday I will be baking 7 dozen cookies, Sat night I am scrapbooking with the girls after church and a dinner date with Chad, Sunday I am hosting the 3rd Annual Bellemont Cookie Swap, Monday I am picking up Nat from Verde, Tuesday we are hosting the Home Group Christmas Party dinner, Thursday we leave for Colorado for Christmas with the Aukers, return Monday to leave for Phx Tues for Christmas week.....wheeeeew. I get tired just thinking about it. And what am I doing: BLOGGING. Go figure. I think i am in denial. My To Do List is three pages long....no joke.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

It's Beginning To Look Alot Like Christmas~



We decorated for the Christmas season this last week. Chad even put lights up on Nat's playhouse.....it looks adorable. She was so proud. She takes her play phone and calls up all of her friends and asks them to come see her lights.


Natalie attempted to help me decorate the tree. She put all of the snowmen in one spot....so cute.


But she was so happy with her job well done!



And then for big news: Baby Brett tried cereal.....and loved it. Our Dr. told us to wait till he was 4 months old, I started Nat at three months and it went well...so I split the difference and Brett is loving it at three and half months old. It took him just a short while and he got the hang of it. Today we added squash! And I could not shovel it in fast enough. He joined the right family as we don't hide our love for good eating!




Full, fat and happy!




I am proud to say I am so close to being done with all of our Christmas shopping! Just three more items....and I will be totally done! It was much much harder this year with two kiddos. Hard to get out there and shop. But Nat loved helping me wrap. She would take each package when I was done wrapping, and would find the perfect spot for it under the tree. And she knows which packages belong to who too. She will take me to the tree and point out presents and tell me who they are for.....and she is correct. She has a crazy good memory!
Thought this was cute: enjoy
1. Wrapping paper or bags?
Paper with huge fancy bows....thanks to my mom for starting that habit. And everyone in the family knows to take their bow and hand it back to me when they open the gift..it's all about recycle/reuse! LOL
2. Real or artificial tree? We have a fake tree, I think we had a fake one as kids due to allergies! But let's admit it...they are just so easy and there is no cleanup!!!
3. When do you put of the tree? Normally, the weekend after Thanksgiving. It takes a whole three days to decorate this house for Christmas....and I gripe about it the whole time. But this was the first year Natalie really appreciated it. She loved all of the fun things we put out.
4. When do you take the tree down? Right after the New Year.
5. Do you like Eggnog? not bad.....but my favorite holiday drink would have to be Sangria!
6 Favorite gift received as a child? My dog Sunshine....I got him when I was really young...white with a red ribbon tied to him....
7. Hardest person to buy for? probably my dad......he has everything, and if he doesn't, he goes out to buy it for himself!
8. Easiest person to buy for? Chad......if all else fails...a Cabella's gift card makes him so so happy.
9. Do you have a nativity? three actually....a big beautiful one, a children's one, and a plastic Veggie Tales one foe the kids to play with!

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail....usually a family pic....but I am so not on the ball this year with cards
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? 12. Favorite Christmas movie? the old school Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer movie
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? As soon as possible.....hard to do with kids I have realized
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Sure....but it is my secret
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Mom's company potatoes and sweet potato casserole, Aunt Kim's sweet Chex Mix, and all the cookies from the Annual Bellemont Cookie Exchange
16. Lights on the tree? Yes - white lights.
17. Favorite Christmas song? Carol of the Bells 18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? always travelling. We have yet to stay in Flagstaff for a Christmas! This year we will be in Colorado for the weekend before and then Phx for the week 19. Can you name all of Santa's Reindeer? Of course!
20. Angel on the tree top or star? A big stuffed snowman....that is the theme of our tree.
21. Open present on Christmas Eve or morning? Has been Christmas Eve since we were teenagers....we would stay up till like two a.m. This year we will do it Christmas Morning with Nat and Baby Brett once Uncle John gets off work
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? the crowds while shopping....Black Friday went really well for me this year....but I hate the lousy attitudes people get-pushy, pushy and just grouchy! Come on people.....it's Christmas!
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Snowmen....one year my mom found like 50 ornaments on sale. They now take up residence on our tree! Nat gets a kick out of it. 24. Favorite food for Christmas dinner? Didn't we cover this already?
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? the Message version of the Bible, and healthy children!!!!