Poor Simon

Someone turn me into TLC's "What Not to Wear - I have some wardrobe issues. Thank goodness Simon and I made a covenant for life on December 29 2001 because my pajamas are downright embarrassing.

Thank you Simon for loving me despite my obsession to be in the most comfortable clothes no matter the fashion blunder (over sized sweatshirt, saggy butt pants, and ugly brown slippers should never be worn all at once).

The Best Nativity Set EVER

My very thoughtful M.I.L sent the kids a Nativity set this week...and I adore it. I am totally endorsing it as superior over any other child aimed Nativity. Here is why...

• Each piece comes in a box labeled one through seven that the kiddos can open like a present.
• It has a story book to read along with each box that you open to explain in kid friendly language the "Christmas Story."
  
• The story book is very whimsical and rhymes; it also has pictures.
  
• The people are not too "toyish" looking so Carsen loves to play with them. She is not interested in Little People anymore.
  
• They are also not too breakable - Carsen has already dropped one and nothing happened.
• It is small enough to fit in a little corner but still attracts attention. Carsen has played with it multiple times today. Canon even said "baby" for baby Jesus multiple times.
  

Our tree (sitting in a bucket in the garage)

We headed out to Wall's Family tree farm with our community group for the third year in a row on Sunday afternoon. Simon and I decided this year that we were getting a big tree - not a tiny one like we usually got.

The kids did GREAT in the car, even Canon, which is pretty rare. I did not even bring the portable DVD player for them, so they entertained themselves by tearing up an old book. I decided that as long as Canon was not screaming - I did not care what they did.

We got to the Farm, endured cold and rainy weather, and found our perfect tree. I wish I could show you a picture of our beautifully decorated tree...but it is still sitting in the garage in a bucket of water because we have had NO time to trim the tree. We are hoping that tonight will be the night!

Carsen used the saw (with simon's help) to cut down her own little tree

Simon and Carsen cutting down our tree

Her new winter gear - warm jacket and cool pink hat.

The poor book that got shredded

Canon trying to put on his cool hat.

Needing to take a breath

This morning, the kids and I walked in from getting some art supplies at walgreens and at that moment there were at least 10 needs that needed to be met by me all at once.

• Carsen wanted cereal to eat
  
• Canon needed to be put in his high chair for a snack (I gave him some pop corn to eat)
• While walking in from our errand, Canon squeezed out a juice box on the wood floors (so it needed to be cleaned up)
• Canon had a dirty diaper (that had needed to be changed for 30 minutes)
• After I got the milk out of the fridge and started to fix the cereal, the door did not quite shut all the way, so it was just left there open.
• Canon decided he hated the pop corn and wanted cheerios. He threw the pop corn everywhere. Now, I needed to clean that up.
• Canon decided he wants his own bowl of cereal that he can feed to himself, not any of this dry stuff - throws the cheerios too.
• Carsen wants a drink now
• I am so thirsty, I want a drink too
• I am still in my pajamas and my friend, Stacy, is dropping off her little girl Aubren any minute now...OH well...that need will not be met.

I felt so overwhelmed at that moment for some reason...it was like I could not get ahead. I finally stopped and just prayed that I would be patient and have a better attitude toward my children. It seems that when I feel like things are unmanageable it is because I am easily annoyed and am letting the small things become too large.

Now, Carsen and Aubren are entertaining each other, and Canon is being the pesky baby brother and following them around. Life is as it should be.

Would you look this cute in a winter hat?

My Favorite picture - pure joy

After a few minutes of playing, Carsen stood under the roof and just watched (I don't blame her). She was a little under dressed for the occasion.

Totally amazed by snow!

I love this hat - I have to sneak put it on him b/c he does not love it and tries to take it off

Canon saw his first snow yesterday, and he was a HUGE fan. He also turned 16 months, so it was a great 16 month birthday present for him. He yelled to the sky, ran up and down the side walk, tried to eat the ground, and carried on like it was Christmas. Carsen cried when the snow stopped falling and then cried some more when it had melted off the ground.

How are kids not affected by the temperature outside? It can be a Texas summer with 100 degree heat or snowing and windy, but either way kids are always happy to go outside and play. Meanwhile, if it drops below 60 degrees, I am shivering uncontrollably and need a snow suit.

How I wish I was a ballerina

Check out these head pieces!

Whoa - who dressed Carsen? You can almost see her belly button

They are super cute - cannot wait to see them perform!

Carsen had class pictures made last week in ballet, and I was that mom who accidentally put her leotard on backwards - awesome. So, she will be the child with an extremely low cut front in all of the pictures. Way to go me!

Decorating Our House

I am more in the Christmas decorating spirit than usual this year; I actually told Simon that I wanted to hang up lights on the outside of our house (we have NEVER done it before), and I am thinking about finding a tree that is taller than 4 ft when we head out to the tree farm on Sunday. I am always Ba humbug about trees because we are never home on Christmas, but I think we will get a 6 footer this year and hang all the ornaments on the top three feet so Canon cannot steal them.

We even bought supplies to make a homemade advent wreath with candles so we can light one each Sunday and teach Carsen what it means to anticipate Jesus' birth. Simon also let Carsen pick out one Christmas decoration at Target yesterday to decorate her room with...I am sad to say that she chose a very ugly white tree made out of pipe cleaners with red and green balls glued onto it. Poor thing did not really have a choice though; she wanted a 3 foot tall solid red tree made out of ornaments and bells that cost $30, but Simon drew the line and said it had to be less than $10.00. My heart was breaking as she carried it around Target begging and pleading with us...
Hopefully the giant red tree is forgotten and she loves her little white tree just as much.