It snowed today...

...the end.

Just a quick share...

Took Bekah's 6 year old pictures (six? puke!).

This is her invite to her party, details have been swirled out, I didn't want a lot of unexpected guests showing up for pizza! :)

I have a few more of her pictures up here...

one-eight

18 months of...

making messes, cleaning messes, getting hugged, giving hugs, getting kissed, giving kisses, snuggling while sleeping, not wanting to be snuggled while awake, making dirty diapers, getting dirty diapers cleaned, smiling, making us all smile, taking naps, not wanting to take naps, laughing, making everyone else laugh, having fun, not having fun, sucking on binkies, having missing binky emergencies, being a mommy's boy, being a daddy's boy, being a grandma's boy, being a naughty boy...

It's been a fun year and a half...we love this kid!

Mama got a brand new coat...

My mom sent me this coat for my birthday, and I love it!

Whenever my mom buys us clothes she makes us do a "fashion show" always has always will I guess.

The first thing she says after I tell her thank you for the wonderful happiness wrapped in beautiful wrapping paper, she tells me to send a picture of me in the coat...

It just so happened that I had a professional (5 year old) photographer on hand, so I had to strike a pose!

So I decided to take the magazine shot...giving her the full effect of the "fashion show."

Thanks mom, it really is a fun coat! :)

School is in session....

We started another school year on Monday...and the best part is...we turned our back bedroom into a school room!

We have bookshelves, and filing cabinets, and room for the keyboard, and a place to sit and do art projects and school assignments.

Today the kids were playing with the present that Porter gave them for Christmas...play-dough.
...and the very best part, when it was time for lunch...I didn't have to clean play-dough off the table first, and when they were done eating they went back to playing.

Christopher was concentrating very hard on making a play-dough ball, and Bekah was working on her school work for the day.
Both of the kids are always excited in the morning to get to school work, my kids love a routine, especially if mom is giving them undivided attention during said routine.

Mom is very happy to give them attention, and very excited to have all of the school stuff in one room instead of in her living room! :)

Snow-Me No Likey...

...and apparently neither does my youngest.He got a tiny bit on his hand here.

When we have to go outside and there is even a little bit of snow on the ground, he freaks out and won't walk in it, he wants me to hold him.

I try to show him when it is snowing outside, and he totally gives the softly falling snowflakes a dirty look.

That's my boy!

Mirror Mirror On My Wall

I Love it!

My mom's friend Brandon made it especially for me for Christmas with the colors and design I wanted.

You must see it in real life.

My address is....

Handmade with Love

We made our gifts this year for each other.

And although it was A LOT of work.

It was so worth it.

Here are a few of my favorite moments on Christmas morning...

Bekah opening her puzzle blocks from Topher with pictures of The Nutcracker Ballet on them, she absolutely adores them.
Porter opening his puzzle blocks, and Christopher being so excited to see what he thought of them.Porter LOVING his barn that his sister and dad made for him, and putting all of his new presents inside.But these two moments are my favorite...

Christopher being so DANG excited about his beanbag chair, I mean look at that face!

Priceless.
And then the hug that immediately followed him opening his bean bag chair.

So much genuine love and appreciation.

And Bekah feeling what it's like to make someone she loves truly happy.

This is why we give presents on Christmas.

To feel like this.

To feel a little sliver of what its like to be truly selfless and full of love.

Like our Saviour, who this season is all about.

A Blur

Christmas morning.

A lot of anticipation.

A lot of work.

A lot of money.

A lot of spoiled, tired kids.

A blur.
Porter was not liking the idea of taking a picture in front of the tree, he wanted to keep eating junk food at 5:30 am.

That's my (husbands) boy.

Tip, Tap and Slide

Bekah had her Winter Showcase for her dance class a couple weeks ago.

It was just a chance for the kids to show the parents what they do in class, it was fun to see her up there dancing with all of her classmates.

She is taking both tap and ballet this year and is doing great at both.

She loves dancing and takes it very seriously.

I can't say that I am not excited about having a beautiful little ballerina as my daughter!

We can't wait for recital, although she is not excited about pulling her hair into the tight bun again for two nights in a row, (that is the only thing she doesn't like about ballet-hopefully she'll grow out of it!).