Wordless Wednesday

Back to Halloween

It's less than 2 weeks until Christmas and I am posting Halloween pictures - honestly that's a good view into my life for the last few months. Since I'm playing catch up we can take a walk down memory lane around here today.

It took me forever to decide on Allie's costume - better said it took Allie forever to decide on Allie's costume. We went back and forth between 3 costumes for a while and everytime she decided on one and we walked away she changed her mind again. Finally Daddy took charge and they made the FINAL decision.

Caleb's was simple - he's infatuated with police men and he automatically knew he was going to be a police officer. Finding one in his size as skinny as he is but that fit his height was another story.


Caleb and Allie had a Halloween party at school the week before and Caleb's class had a Halloween parade. Allie's class watched from inside the building and then we headed back to the classrooms for their parties.

I love this of David and Allie looking at each other through the window.

We recycled Lucas and Jacob's costumes this year - I couldn't see spending money on costumes that we already had laying around the house so we dug through everything we had until they found something that they wanted.

We actually went Trick or Treating with some friends this year to a neighborhood that we had never been to before. We loved it - this neighborhood celebrated Halloween unlike anything that I have ever seen before. Almost EVERY single house was participating and they went all out. There were hundreds and hundreds of people in the streets - it was insane! Needless to say I think we'll be going back to that neighborhood again in the future.

Five Question Friday

I've been so behind and slack on things lately that I've decided to get back to the basics and do whatever I have to in order to keep up with my blog and of course all of yours too :) I have to find a way to fit it into my schedule and can't always count on doing it in the mornings before the kids are away. So - I'm on a mission again - it's hit me today how much I enjoy doing this and I'm going to find a way to make it work!

Getting back to basics I used to do Five Question Friday every week and decided to start joining back in this morning. Head over and visit Mama M. at My Little Life to join in - let me know you did because if you've been around here for a while you know how I love random questions!!

1. Do you open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day?


We open our presents on Christmas Day. Although last year we started a new tradition of opening one present on Christmas Eve. I decided to get each kid new pjs (hopefully Christmas ones if I can find them) and a new book and that is their Christmas Eve present. Then they wear the new pjs to bed Christmas Eve and have them for Christmas Day. They loved it last year so I must continue on.

2. What is your favorite Christmas cookie (or candy)?

Oh my - one of my most favorite things about this time of year is the baking!!!! I HEART baking! I am starting to make my list of things I want to bake this year and it's getting longer and longer as I type. I can't wait! I would have to say that my most favorite cookie is a neopolitan cookie. It's a recipe that was handed down from my great grandmother and we only got it around Christmas time - I love to make them and remember the past years when I was little and she'd always make them for me.


3. What's the worst Christmas gift you've ever received?

When I was little we used to go to my stepmom's parents house for Christmas at some point before the actual day. Her entire family would come and we'd open gifts and eat dinner together. Every single year with no fail I'd get underwear. It was always the most embarassing thing EVER - she'd always want you to take them out of the package and look at them - makes me cringe just thinking about it.


4. Christmas song that you love?

My favorite is a kid's song - Here Comes Santa Clause - when we sing that song it always brings pure excitement. A traditional song would have to be Silent Night.


5. How many trees do you put up?

We only put up one in our house - it takes everything I have to keep the kids away from that one so I can't imagine having multiple ones to worry about. I'd have to set up security cameras in other rooms.

Free Christmas Cards for Bloggers

I'm obsessed with pictures! I go through times when I don't take quite as many as other times but overall I take tons of pictures. Having a site like Shutterfly is heaven for a person with so many pictures. I am in love with the quality of their prints - it doesn't get any better than what they produce. Their snapbooks are another one of my all time favorites! I love the simplicity of their design program and the end result is absolutely fantastic! They also have canvases available and that is something that is on my bucket list for this year. I'm currently looking for the perfect pictures that I want on these canvases. I want one for each kid and have the perfect spot in mind on the living room wall that I want to hang them up. I can't wait to try Shutterfly out for these - I know if they are anything like everything else I've gotten from them that I won't be disappointed.

This year they are offering an awesome incentive to bloggers - 50 FREE Christmas cards. I'm a little behind the game but wanted to join in on the fun and get some of our own. I still have that family picture on my to do list but am hoping this will put a little kick in my schedule now. They have a ton of designs that you can order but here are just a few of my favorites :

I am loving the design of this card. I'm might have to dig for photos though - I'm trying to decide if I want to use a few older photos on the card along with a new one so that will be the deciding factor for this deisgn.

Loving the monogram idea and the clean crisp look of this card. One of my favorites!

This card just screams fun! I think this one would be one of the kids favorites - looks like something they would love!

I think this would have to be my top pick right now. I love the simplicity of this card!

If you're still stuck in the dark and haven't used Shutterfly yet :) then you must head over there and try them. I know you won't be disappointed!

Double Digits

I'm going all the way back to October for this post :) See what happens when you're on top of things behind. Lucas is getting harder and harder to buy for as he gets older. This year was no exception. Both kids decided to have their meals at home for their birthdays instead of going out to eat - shock of the century! Lucas wanted spaghetti and Nendny and Papa came over to celebrate with us.

He was estatic to get money like his brother did - I think if he didn't then we'd still be hearing about it 10 years from now.

I love this look! Priceless!

 Have you ever seen a kid so excited over a Scrabble game?

 His grandmother gave him baseball gloves and hid money in the fingertips - funny when he tried to put them on and couldn't get his fingers to go in. Took him a good five minutes to dig all of the money out.

Then he got more books to read and an MP3 player that I still haven't figured out how to load songs onto. I am thinking we should have gotten an easier one to operate. I didn't want to spend an arm and a leg on one since it was his first one and he's 10 but I can't seem to figure out how to get songs loaded onto the one that we got. I might have to break down and actually read the directions.

Wordless Wednesday

Trying to Catch Up!

At this point I'm surprised my blog is even still here. Guess part of me thought when I logged in that it would have mysteriously disappeared. I have found that although things have been very busy that it feels like something is missing when I'm not blogging and keeping in touch with everyone. I've missed out on tons and I'm very behind. Since this is how I keep up with what is going on in our lives I better get back on track.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving - my camera stayed in my bag and I didn't take a single picture but we had a great time. We stayed at my dad's Thanksgiving night since we were Black Friday shopping and the kids spent the day with them. We got up at 1:30 to head out shopping and finished up about 1 or so that afternoon. I'm relieved to have started my shopping - we're not done but I think I'm about 65 - 70% through. I insist that this year I'm not going to wait until the last minute to wrap everything but I'm sure I'll prove myself wrong. I usually wrap everything on Christmas Eve - we'll see if I can actually follow through this year and change tradition.

Feels like everyone is on ball with Christmas this year - the Christmas parade in our town is today. Usually they are a week or two later than this but they've had lights up around town for almost 2 weeks now. I can't wait to see how Allie reacts to the parade - I think she'll love it! Speaking of which Allie got a haircut :) We finally got the ends trimmed up and her hair evened out - I love the finished product!!! Check her out -