Happy Birthday, Brother

My youngest made this birthday card for his brother (spelling & grammar all his doing):

Dear (Travel Trailer),

I just wanted you to know how much I love you so that is why I gave you this gift because soon is the day God gave you to are family (I wasn't their yet) on (inserted date of birth).

YOU are a blessing!

P.S. I hope your not a Ovaltine TM.

SOOOOOOO SWEET!!!!!!!! I only wish he acted like he loved him this much ;-)

I didn't understand the P.S. so I asked him about it. He said, you know, Ovaltine, the chocolate drink he likes.

I said "Yes, I know that, but I don't understand what the P.S. means." He said "Don't you get it? Ovaltine. Oval Teen." (his brother turns 13 this birthday). bahaha! Oh. And then there's the trademark.

25 Days of Christmas ~ Movie Schedule

Click

here: 25 Days of Christmas ~ Movie Schedule on ABC Family

And they're like me! Getting a jumpstart on things ... the movies have already begun!

Family friendly movies -- woo hoo!

Christmas Photos 2009 ... DONE

Yeay. I can check something off my "to do" list! You know there are only 48 more days until Christmas, don't you!?

There was a time when I NEVER wanted to get a family photo taken because ... well, it's A LOT of work! Especially with 2 infants! Not to mention, fighting with my hair, figuring out everyone's coordinated wardrobe, and so on.

Then I stumbled upon an "ah ha" moment! Decided to eliminate one stressor and get the family photo done on the same evening as my "November haircut".

Well, the kids are older ... and I'm here to report that there are just as many stressors now as when they were 1 & 2 years old!

Today was a DAY! Horrible from the minute I woke up. There were issues and more issues and then a few more issues!

But the infamous Family Christmas Photo is DONE! I've had better and I've had worse. Not thrilled with my hair. Wish the final product had a different background and background color. Wish we were positioned differently in the final product (rather than our shirts being: print, print, solid, solid, I'd have preferred: solid, print, solid, print so it doesn't look so lopsided).

At least it will be a constant reminder that we're not perfect! :-p

I wanted to start writing our Christmas letter tonight, but I sat here for an hour - completely uninspired. Nothing creative is coming to me. I think it's going to be hard to top last year's letter, where I went through the alphabet, A-to-Z listing events that happened throughout the year. That was fun. And would you believe, almost everybody said afterward "I didn't realize you were doing the alphabet thing until I was on letter T or so!"

Writing our Christmas letter is one of my very favorite things. I almost think about it all year long. But this year ... I'm blank. I'm beginning to wonder if blogging & Facebook has used up all my written words for the year?! Kind of like when RV comes home from work and has already used up all his alotted words for the day.

Grrrrr ... on both counts!!

Solomon's Uncle Willie

Actually, I'm not exactly sure what the relation would be, so we just went with 'uncle'.

Meet Willie:

No, he's NOT ours, but we sure wish he was!! Even my highly allergic Pop-Up said "I wouldn't mind some cuddly time with that one!"

He's the new, adorable kitty of my dad & stepmom, and here's his adoption announcement (an email from my dad, introducing him to us!):

We added a new member to our family this afternoon.....

His name is Willie, named after my father. Willie was at the Humane Society Animal Shelter and his birth date was August 14th, 2009. (August 14th was also my mothers birthday). Willie is a Siamese Blue Point/Mix.... a handsome male and was one of a litter of four. Willie is a playful kitten but also loves to cuddle. He spent some time exploring his new home today and took over the TV remote control. Right now he is relaxing in my chair.

Welcome to the family, Willie!

Christmas Tour of Homes ~ Announcement

VERY excited about the Christmas Tour of Homes this year -- and its new host: The Nester!

Here is some information about it: 2009 Christmas Tour of Homes

On 12.14.09, The Nester will put a link on her page ... then all you do is sit back and click away -- I LOVE seeing how others decorate their homes!!!!

You've got 6 weeks -- wanna join in the fun?!? I'd love to see your tree & home!

Christmas Card Carousel ~ Mark Your Calendars!

I'm VERY excited that Faith is hosting another Christmas Card Carousel this year!! Last year was soooo much fun!!

Check it out by clicking here: Faith's Blog ~ Info On This Year's Carousel!!

I hope you will come over and browse the cards - and add yours to it - after 12.16!

It's just like BooMama's online Christmas Home Tour (which by the way, is being hosted by The Nester this year at www.thenester.com ) Don't miss it!!!!

Christmas cards are one of my MOST favorite things of the season and I LOVE looking at everyone else's!!! Don't disappoint! ;-)

Pumpkins ... and Christmas trees?!

Haha! Those are bananas hanging there - but it kinda looks like a crescent moon outside the window!

We usually celebrate by carving pumpkins with Miss Michelle - but she was helping a friend move this week and couldn't join us. The boys kept saying "it's JUST not the same without her!!" all. night. long. I'm surprised they didn't trip over their bottom lip! Pencil us in for 2010, Chelle!! Please. I'm begging you!

No, your eyes are not deceiving you. Those are Christmas trees in the background! What can I say?? I married Mr. Christmas!! He and his mom seem to have a little competition going, to see who can get their Christmas stuff up first every year. The boys definitely inherited a love of Christmas. See that 12' tree? My 2 boys decorated every last bit of it, and have done so for at least 4 years - all by themselves! I'm so glad (that they love Christmas). I had horrible Christmases growing up ... and am so glad they'll never know what that's like. And if it means celebrating Christmas 3 months out of the year, eh, so be it. The stuff usually doesn't come down until February! LOL!

November & December are so incredibly crazy-busy around here, that we decided a few years ago to put the tree up in late October - after rushing to get it done one year in mid-December and then we couldn't even enjoy it, because it was over. So, now we're early birds!! (tweet)

The pumpkin on the left is Pop-Up's creation. He calls it his "pumpkin, in a pumpkin, on a pumpkin" - or something like that. :-D

Hmmmm, which surprises you more? Our candy bucket or our Christmas tree?

Agh - I wish I knew how to rotate that picture. Facebook make things SO much easier to rotate!