Cabin Fever!!

Okay, I know we all love the snow here in the PNW but really, it's getting old. We have been stuck in the house for three days now and I would just like to go shopping!! It's Christmas and I should be out with the crowds, spending money, and boosting the economy! But I supposed some good has came from this.. first I finished my Christmas cards (although no stamps so I cannot send them!), second I read two books, and third I had time to put together this little slideshow...

Today there has been 2 more inches of snow on top of the extreme 1/2 inch thick slab of ice that is covering everything. The snow is super powder and not moist enough to build a snowman.. But we are in the process of making an igloo. What crazy weather, and although I love the snow, I would really like to see atleast some of it melting away... I mean, Christmas Eve is only two days away and that is alot of snow to clear off..

In addition to that, we are getting bad cabin fever.. When the snow plow passes we all race to the window to watch, and if we miss it, it's as if our whole day is ruined... -pretty bad huh-

What's Been Keeping Us Busy

Adrianne has been enjoying her gymnastics. Unlike Alexa, she is thriving and loves to jump, hop, run, and do crazy things. She had her second time on the balance beam and she did very well. She even jumped off into the foam blocks (after a few pushes from dad). A friend of ours gave us a few gymnastic outfits, doesn't she look cute!



Here is Alexa, on our way to gymnastics, she wanted to play peek-a-boo with the camera, so I took these shots.



While it's been chilly, it sure has been sunny. I have been awakened by Alexa saying, "Mom, it's sunny outside! Hot enough for pretty dress!" So here she is in her pretty dress, playing hopscotch that I made for her in the driveway. It's still there today and I can see she can't wait to get out there and hop around again.

My Little Miss Adrianne..

Everytime I look at Adrianne I realize just how much she is growing. It kills me. With Alexa it's honestly not that bad, I don't mind her turning into a little lady, but Adrianne.. I can't stand it. She's supposed to be my "baby" and she even hates it when I call her a "baby". Even when I say goodnight to her I just wish I could suck her up and put her in a glass bottle to be treasured forever. I always want to hug her and hold her growing hand..

Isn't that mommy mushy-ness, and I am not a mushy person. But I just wish I could capture every moment and never forget.

Here is her first photo after we arrived home from the hospital, I love it, and I always have. It shows just how much sisterly love my girls have for each other, from the very start.

Alexa and Adrianne - January 2006

A day of FIRSTS...

We took family photos! Check them out, and while you do imagine Frank S. singing the Christmas Waltz... :)







Alexa was a little less cooperative, I don't blame her, we didn't get the photographer that I wanted which is something that I dis-like about the Sears. But Adrianne really did well and she was cute as a button.

After the photos we went to see Santa. It was awesome, there was no line at all and Santa was happy to talk to the girls and ask what they wanted for Christmas (Alexa would like a guitar, and Adrianne a horn). And for the FIRST time they sat on Santas lap all by themselves!! I wanted to cry, they are so grown up. The photo isn't one of them smiling, but hey I can't expect everything!

On the way back through the mall we wandered into Icings and got Adrianne her FIRST pair of earrings! She did awesome although she did cry saying, "It poked my ears!" She was fine after about 3 minutes and ever so happy to see her earrings in the mirror. Oh and I forgot to mention she picked the BLUE earrings (no not the pink ones that mommy wanted, or the clear ones that daddy wanted... yes people, blue). She will be wearing jeans for the next 6 weeks to match her blue earrings.. But she is happy with them and she says they don't hurt, they actually look alot better than Alexa's did when she got hers done.

When we got home we decided to defrost some meat and I was cleaning off one of our forgotten kitchen counter tops while Julius decided it was time to peel the wallpaper off the main bathroom.. Yes people, our FIRST remodel effort. It's quite a mess and we spent about 2 hours on half of the bathroom.. Its really bad underneath because it was originally wallpaper, then they plastered over the paper (why I don't know) and then wallpapered again.. Kinda hard to understand but I think we have it under control.

What a big day for all of us.. In addition to that, I got up at 6am and went to Walmart to get Christmas gift for everyone, then the window people came and installed the last window in the kids' room, and we even had time to do the laundry and break out the Christmas decorations.. WOW (needless to say, my homework is still lingering..) We might get our tree tomorrow, yay!!

Cause... "It's that time of year when the world falls in love, every song you hear seems to say, MERRY CHRISTMAS..."

Three Hours and Still Organizing..

Do you scrap? Do you have a ton of stuff? Like an overwhelming amount... We'll I do. I have spent most of the day organizing my crafting "closet" it's crazy! How did I get so much stuff? And the worst part, while organizing I keep thinking of things I don't have that I should BUY!! It's a sickness.

Nearly done though, just all my paper and stickers to figure out where I should put them. There really isn't a convenient way to store stickers, do you organize by holiday, maker, color, there are just too many choices.. Not to mention my ridiculous amount of paper!

But I know I will get it done, I will finish it and I will scrap some tonight as a reward.. And perhaps I should start digi scrappin', not nearly as much storage issues.... And there are some really cute things out there... (Perhaps my X-mas gift to myself?)

There's a reason it's called a Vacation..

It's my Thanksgiving vacation this week, which to me means I should be kicking back veg-ing out on my couch eating popcorn watching romantic movies. Somehow I pictured this week of ample time to strip and repaint my much needed home. I was imaging time to read through atleast 4 books with lots of time to prepare a home cooked meal and fresh baked cookies. The kind of vacation where time is an endless abundance and the bounty of time brings on a fire of creativity..

Boy was I wrong! I have homework like crazy just lurking in the corners, more paper-fun to do and that is not all... The laundry keeps piling up, and dishes haven't been washing themselves and the kids are all too happy to scatter toys in every direction with the all too familiar yells of, "I'm still playing with those!" (Really cause I thought you were watching a movie!!!)

The office is a disaster and my Christmas cards are not finished :( Thank goodness for this awesome cocoa curtesy of Coffee Lounge...

Speaking of.. Did you know they made Main Street into a TWO WAY!! I am happily making my way to Coffee Lounge by going down whatever road comes west of main then going down to Evergreen and proceeding to go North on main... When I find a HUGE SUV coming at me?!? And what do my wondering eyes see but a bright yellow line going down the middle of the road (where did that come from?) thinking the SUV has gone awry, I slow down and make enough space for it to barrel past only to find it followed by a number of cars and the parking spaces are all going the Wrong direction?? What a mass of confusion, only after I had made a evasive parking manuver did I realize that they had made Main into a two way over the weekend..

Crazy, really, I thought all of downtown vancouver had gone haywire! (Turns out it was just me who didn't know what I was doing). Keep your eyes peeled down there ladies, because it's quite a new idea.

I'm off to finish my paper-fun now, atleast I can cross that off my list WOO HOO! :)