Ahhhh... Wordless Wednesday

10 Things Tuesday

Today, I am thankful for:

1. Cousins. My cousins, my kids' cousins, my cousin's kids, and so on, and so forth.




2. Staying home with the young 'uns. Do I pinch pennies? Yes. Do I fuss that they drive me bananas? Um...yes. Do I go too long between hair-cuts and wear sweatpants way too often? Affirmative. Don't really care, I'm still happier than ever. :)




3. That I was missed while we were gone. C'mon, doesn't it feel so good when someone says they missed you? It's like a hug.




4. Our dryer works again.




5. My husband's predictability. I knew he was going to say, "so when are we taking the tree down?" right after we opened the presents. He says it every year. It's comforting to me.




6. Those little ramen cup-o-soups. The girls love them; I love them.




7. My new planner from Anne. I am now praying for the wisdom to use the thing.




8. Speaking of my sister-in-law, I am thankful for her. She blesses me.




9. School and Mother's day out start next week! :)




10. I got MAMMA MIA for Christmas!!!!!!!!!

Hello

And lo, it came to pass...

Danna remembered that she had a blog.

Christmas was great, as is the usual for Christmases.

The girls got a dollhouse, scooters, and a life-size Barbie that scares the bejeebers out of my husband.

Jeff got a new t.v. and ...oooh ...surround sound! (yeah, I don't see why it's such a big deal, either)

Danna got a new camera since my old one totally pooped out. (My first comment - "Oh, take my picture holding my new camera!" She's a smart one, that Danna.)

I also got comfort and joy and all that.

The coolest thing, though, was actually meeting a blog friend.

Most of the blogs on my blog-roll are people I know well or knew once. There are a few,however, that I never met but feel like I know. Sorta like a pen-pal. I got to meet one of them Sunday.

It was awesome. I so prefer flesh and blood (side note: that's a gross phrase) friendships over just pen-pals. I tend to like people more than paper.

Now, here are some photos. Enjoy.

Nothing says "It's Christmas morning!" like super bed-head.Maddie danced and danced with this barbie (aka: Daddy's Worst Nightmare)Eliza, just a-lovin' on her sister.

Jace was liking the ladies. He kept giving them the eye and thought Sophie's tights were irrisistable.

And now, a few new classics:

Deck the holly with balls of toys...fa la la la la

Eliza Baby (this was a favorite, sung all day, every day)

And my favorite - We wish you a pinky toe.

I don't ask, because I'm afraid to know.

Tradition!

Yesterday, as I was lying there in the dentist's chair getting high off goofy gas and trying not to giggle at everything the hygienist was saying, I started thinking about traditions.

Now, you know I've said before that I don't like change. Well, the flip side of that is that I LOVE traditions!

We had a million, bazillion (roughly) growing up, especially around the holidays. My favorite, though, was the Christmas sing-a-long on the way to the grandparents house on Christmas day.

More specifically, the 12 days of Christmas sing-a-long.

There were four of us and we would each take a verse. Of course, I wanted to be 5 golden rings each year, so I could bust out my best Miss Piggy impression. Danny and I would inevitably whisper the word "dancing" to tease my mom and eventually he would just start singing the entire song like Beaker from the Muppets.

It is still one of my favorite memories from Christmas, because it repeated year after year.

My favorite new tradition that we have started with the girls is the opening of a present everyday. The presents are actually all the holiday movies, books, and cds that we own. We get them out of their big tub and wrap them in special paper (this year it was Tinkerbell).

Each morning the girls go open one of them. If it's a movie, they know we'll all watch it together with popcorn or hot chocolate (okay, both) and if it's music we'll dance, and if it's a book we'll have extra time to sit down and read during the day.

It's sort of like the Ramsey version of Advent.

Now, I want to know about your traditions! We are always looking for new things to try.

Wordless Wednesday

10 Things Tuesday

Today I am thankful for...

1. My husband. He stayed up all night last Wednesday, just a bleachin' and a scrubbin'.


2. I lost 6 pounds last week. hee hee


3. Hot chocolate


4. My girls love of the Christmas movies. We have already watched Elf and the Polar Express at least half a dozen times this year. Christmas movies are just about the only movies I truly enjoy!


5. Ink pens that actually work


6. ponytail holders


7. hand lotion from Bath and Body works. Right now I'm using some vanilla something-or-other, but what I really want is to use peppermint. Alas, I'm out!


8. The Dave Ramsey Plan. Jeff and I are thinking about doing the 7 baby steps. Woo woo!


9. Christmasy clothes on little kids. Can't get enough!


10. fingernail polish remover

It sure is Monday.

I'm a little embarrassed about the pity party I threw last week.

I thought about deleting that post, but just because I'm ashamed that I fussed, doesn't mean that I can pretend I didn't do it. Also, like my friend Crystal mentioned, I'll want to remember this particular Thanksgiving so I can laugh at it.

Anyhoots, as the lovely Janet Parkey has been known to say, "build a bridge and get over it!" And so I have.

Today, we were bored so we did mani/pedis. Sophie did the mani, Mads did the pedi.

Then, I let the girls have a bubble bath in the middle of the day.

They were having a "tea party" and I was reading Family Fun magazine. (Why yes, I am Nerd of the Year. Thanks for asking.)

All of a sudden Sophie squeals.

"Mads! Let's make mop water!"

Yes, we Ramseys sure know how to have a good time.