The Dancing Elfs

Check out our dancing moves. Enjoy!!

Elf Yourself

Indulging my Inner child

When I was a young girl I wanted a super cool and modern doll house. Here it is, my daughter's Christmas present. As we brought it in the house (kids were sleeping) I indulged my inner child and put all the accessories in there place!

Black Friday

Well, for the first time in my life I went Christmas shopping on Black Friday. A few lessons I learned for next time.



1. Don't get caught up in doing all the Christmas gift shopping on one day. (You'll be extremely tired, including your tootsie)


2. Take several breaks. I meet a friend, then got coffee and breakfast.


3. Keep your eyes open for the uncommon checkout lines. I found the jewelry counter had a register and it was only 6 people deep!

Stillwater

My husband and I spent a night away from the kids and home. It was heaven. We found this amazing bed and breakfast in Stillwater, Minnesota. It was a beautiful 19th century home called The Outing Lodge at Pine Point. It had a romantic flair of early Americana design. We stayed in the Bob Dylan room. In the morning over a delicious breakfast we chatted with the owners.

We will definately go back, someday!

Happy Halloween

Snap Away

Snap away, as in take a lot of pictures. In the fall it seems that every picture captures a moment that requires a little more time to appreciate. So go outside and enjoy!

Rip

On Friday afternoon, after the kid's naps, we were off to my cousin's wedding. First off, I don't know why I was thinking my two kids would sit for an hour at a catholic wedding! As we find our seats Garrett starts to cry because he doesn't have the toy that Mya has. So off goes my husband and Garrett to discuss how to act in a church. As my husband is bending down to talk to Garrett at his level (what a good dad) he hears a rip! He relizes that he has just ripped his pants. He carefully walks back into church, thank goodness the jacket covered the rip, and tells me the story!

So, my husband decided take Garrett with him to go home and change. Then Mya starts to cry for daddy. So after a whole ten minutes into the wedding we all flee the church in the middle of a prayer. Forgive me o father.

In the end we all make it back to the reception for a wonderful night filled with good food, family and plenty of dancing. To bad the kids didn't sleep in the next morning!

Silhouette

Here is an easy art project that I did of my kids silhouette. I took pictures of the kids in front of a window on a sunny day. I enlarged the pictures and printed them in black and white. To create the artwork, I took the enlarged picture placed it on a canvas and then used sepia decoupage to adhere them together. Then just framed the canvas. Ta Da, instant artwork of your family.

Favorite Place

The other night I finally had time (made time) to read my book before going to bed. Then, my son Garrett (who I thought was sleeping) came in to say that he couldn't sleep and wanted to sleep in my bed. I tried desperatly to convince him to go back to his bed and sleep. No luck. Then I asked him what is one of his favorite places? I was thinking he'd say swimming, MOA park, or the cabin. But Garrett looked up at me and said that is favorite place was right next to Mommy! Then he fell asleep cuddled up right next to me:-)

Train Ride

Choo, Choo! We headed off to a kid's dreamland. A miniture train that travels around on a real track, with a real live smoke coming off the stack and room for plently of kids.

We had a blast and will always remember the place that let us dream!

Saturday Morning

So here is an example of a typical Saturday morning at our house. . . or not:-) Upon waking up we realize our cat 'Tex' looks to have a broken front paw. So we call the vet and make a emergency appointment. We are in route to get him in by 8am so we can still meet our plan of going on a train ride at 10am with our family.

We are all set and just have to get Andy and Tex in the car and off to the vet. Then Andy realizes that he forgot the keys in the house. So I run and get them, BUT the door is locked. Plus I did such a good job of locking up the house the night before when we were out, that there is only one window open. The window is barley over 1 foot tall! So we take Garrett out of the car and push him through the window. Then we tell him how to unlock the door. (The only door that has a lock that he didn't know how to open.) Then they are off to the vet!

Now we have survived two incidents, but they come in threes. So while they are gone I find the third. Somehow the downstair's bathroom has flooded. As I cleaned it up I try to figure out what caused it to flood. But I didn't find the answer by the time we had to leave. I still wonder how it happened but that will have to wait for another Saturday morning.

Happy Birthday Mya

Happy Birthday Mya! This morning I frantically tried decorate Mya's birthday cake for daycare. I wanted to put leaves, cut out of fruit roll ups on the lollipop flowers. What I thought would be a simple decoration to add to the cake, turned out to be a big sticky long mess. But, when it was done I felt happy that I took the time to create this one of a kind cake. Even if it didn't turn out so pretty. But I as got the cake pan back I could tell at least the kids liked it.

When to wear a swimsuit?

As it was nearing naptime at our house Mya, almost 2, was having a difficult time winding down. We sat in her bed and read many stories, we turned on soothing music, plus we turned on the fan. So as I left her bedroom and shut the door, she whined for a little bit. In five minutes she was quite. Curiously, I check in on her. This is how I found her.

She removed her bedding, her clothes and diaper. She then searched through her dresser to find her beloved swimsuit before falling asleep on the floor!

First Play date

Garrett had his first play date this past weekend. I should preface this, first play date without mom. My neighbor and her two kids picked up Garrett on their way to the park. Garrett and his friend Jake, upon telling them they were off to the park started to run! They were free:-) As they were running I imagined them 5 years from now running off to their next adventure (without any moms). Just as I remember myself, living each day exploring the world until my mom called me in for dinner.

Strut your stuff

Our daughter is almost two! We still think of her as the baby of the family (and always will). But yesterday as we picked her up from daycare she was covered in frilly dresses, several purses and of course the high heel shoes. She walks around, little toes and all, in the high heel shoes like the world is her doorstep. And she couldn't be happier. It used to be that she'd try on any shoe, now it's only mom's high heeled shoes, plus they have to be CUTE! She has very discernible taste for a little girl (baby). So for now we say 'Mya, Strut your stuff!'

My little 'Caillou'

Garrett is my little Caillou. He has been asking to watch Caillou on TV everyday. Thank goodness for DVR. Last night Garrett was going to bed and our cat, Houston, was cuddling with him. Garrett kept calling him Gilbert. This is the name of Caillou's cat! A the age of 3 1/2 years he is still trying to define what is real and what is make believe. But it is so much fun to see him exploring all the possibilities.