*WARNING* Lots of pictures

Right before Thanksgiving our weather changed from Fall to Winter and brought with it our first snow. We had barely a dusting and the kiddo's where outside in their PJ's and boots. Within the first 10 minutes Emilie had already tried to make a snow angel with very disappointing results.

This was Molly's first chance to see snow. I was surprised at how excited she was to get out and touch it. But, really anything that excites her brother and sister excites her.

Once she got a good look at what Colin and Emilie were wearing she got her pants off and boots on. I think she would have put snow pants on if she knew how.

Going through all of the pictures I have taken lately I realized they are almost all of Molly. It must be because the other two are always running around all crazy and Molly is always within grabbing distance. It seems like just yesterday Emilie was wearing this snowsuit, but is was actually 2 years ago. That is just  how giant Molly is.

It also seemed like just yesterday Emilie wouldn't leave my side. And now she is fearless. Riding her little 4 wheeler down the skate park hills and pushing it up them all my herself.

Then we got the real snow and it was a ton of fun! No school and tons of sledding. the only problem is that most of the folks from the northwest cannot drive in the snow.

Good morning

Molly loved being pulled in the sled. At one point she laid back and just watched the clouds go by.

The funniest part about sledding is the after hat hair.

As I was loading these pictures up, which took a week because every time I tried google would tell me that they were not allowed, I kept think I was posting to many. But then I sat back and reminded myself of the reasons why I'm doing this blog. For the pictures!!
I hope everyone out there enjoyed our holiday pictures and had a fantastic Thanksgiving!!
Goodnight

really dark

It's that time a of year again, when the wind blows so hard at night the house moves.
 In my other life I lived and worked in southern California and fought fires fueled by Santa Ana winds. and those winds have nothing on some of the wind storms that hit our little home on the corner.
 Last night was the first night we lost power in a very long time.
We even woke up to darkness.

And it gave me a chance to pull out my pretty little french press.

Shortly after the water "finally" boiled and I got to pour myself a cup of coffee the lights magically came on. It always makes me appreciate how lucky we are to have power. And what a wonderful thing it is.

the tooth fairy...is a man

Little man lost his second tooth this week. And no I did not document his first tooth so we are going to pretend that this is it.

Both bottom fronts are gone and I need to be even better with brushing his teeth. Cuz those suckers are the only two bottom fronts he is going to have and since he's my son he was not blessed with easy maintenance teeth. he was blessed with train wreck teeth.

Once his tooth fell out I ran upstairs to make him his own tooth pillow. I only had a month of his tooth being loose to make the pillow, but I like to wait until the last minute. then I feel like I really accomplished something. Even if it looks like this. Hopefully one day I will make him a better one. I LOVED my tooth pillow growing up.

Even though this pillow looks like crap he loves it. He is so sweet. He told me that if we added a green pocket it would be perfect.

Once I finished the pillow Colin finished his picture and thank you note to the tooth fairy. He was so excited I was worried he might try to stay up and try to get a sighting. But he was out with in minutes of his head hitting the pillow.

As we were saying our good nights he reminded me that the tooth fairy was a boy because he signed the card last time Mr. Tooth fairy. Thanks Doug. You just had to have the tooth Fairy...

my village...

Today at Emilie's gymnastics class I was able to meet a very nice women who has three great kids. We chatted for awhile and then she told me that for the last 8 years her and her husband and now kids have had to move every 2 years for her husbands job. And in 8 months they will finally move for the last time.

Listening to her talk about how she never lets herself get attached to the area or the people in their current town really got me thinking about my amazing network of friends and family.

the last few weeks have been such a great reminder.

Last night was one very GIANT reminder of how lucky I am to have a core group of women that I know I call anytime and they will be there.

One of my best friends woke up this morning at 2 am in so much pain she knew she needed to get to the hospital. But, All of the husbands were either out of town or working. Except for one...Thank God! Without hesitation that friend ran to our friend in pain and stayed with her four babies while they slept and our friend drove herself to the hospital to find out that she had have her gall bladder removed.
Once morning came and my baby woke up another amazing friend watched my little one so that the only husband home could drive me to the hospital to be with our friend until her husband was able to get back from his trip. Thankfully my older two were already with my mom.
None of us thought twice about helping each other.
We only made it work.
We are one kick ass group of women! And I am so thankful I have them in my life.

yummy...

This time of year I crave every type of warm food. Last week, twice,was biscuits and gravy. And I must say it was the BEST biscuit and gravy.

Colin would agree

As always Molly took advantage of the situation

And then reminded us where she was

Sure Moll's you can have some. And I love the outfit

She pretended to like it because in the end...

Her plate was left full.

Emilie the leader

Today I got to help in Emilie's class which means one of special things she got to do was dress the weather bear.
I love how little things can make them so happy.

Next stop was line leader.

 She is a natural leader

It was very special for me to get to see her play with all of her new friends.

Another GREAT Halloween!

We started the morning out making place-mats.

 Laminators are so AWESOME.

Colin is getting so good at drawing houses. If my scanner hadn't taken a crap tonight I would have scanned in his latest artwork.

It's AWESOME!

Emilie showed off the one she made at school.

CAN NOT get enough of her grill

Molly went as our little rocker

Doug was Caesar

Emilie was a ballerina

And at that moment Colin was a bird

Me and my girls.

2 ballerina's and 1 rocker

Molly's first and only trick or treat.

After they handed her the beautiful packets of candy corn we lost her to the stroller where she sat eating her treasure the rest of the night.

Colin's original costume.

It's a ghost...Although during the night he was asked if he was the ghost from charlie brown's Halloween special or the friend from fat Albert. I liked them both

BEST COSTUME EVER!! It even worked!!

 I never got thirsty on our journey.

The gang!

Once again Colin was the only dude.

Doesn't matter when you are sprinting from door to door

Another great night with Family and Friends!!

2010