Introducing Frank E.

This is my *fav* pic so far!! I love his little ears flapping around!




Christmas Eve brought squeals of excitement and joy to our home when we heard something whimpering on our front step. We opened the door to find Frank E. Finneman with a note from Santa! It was magical!!! They've been begging for a dog for years, and now their dreams are a reality! :)

"Fwank" is energetic in the day and especially night! Lon and I have yet to get a good chunk of sleep...

He is playful and catching onto potty training! He definitely favors Lonnye. Finally, another male in the house! I can't tell who loves Frankie-Doodle Bug more...Lon or the girls??? Kinda funny! :)

On the 12th Day of Christmas

Today was the best day by far...we learned the true identity of the Christmas Crew!(Boy were we ever surprised!) :) However, we were sworn to secrecy and plan on paying it forward next year to a very special family! :) Feel free to join in the fun next year, and be someone's Christmas Crew!

Thank you Christmas Crew for making our holidays brighter! Your generosity and kindness have blessed us beyond measure!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Where's baby Jesus today?

K has had the best time playing with my nativity set this year. She has a special fondness for baby Jesus and Mary. Several times each day she's rearranging, moving (or hiding!) and role playing the Christmas story with these figurines. Warms my heart...
Here's where they landed today...yes, that's my dining room chair, accompanied by some little people horses and Poly Pocket(hidden by Joseph)of course!! :)

On the 11th Day of Christmas

Twinkle twinkle little star...

Can't wait to find out who you are! :)

On the 10th Day of Christmas

Popcorn and a cute bowl...perfect for snacking in our pajamas while watching Word World!

Snow Fun

Lil Cuties Sleddin'

Click on the videos above to watch us in action
I wish I fit in a Lil Cuties sled, too!
Guess I'll just stick with the mommy-sized saucer sled! :) hee! hee!

The 9th Day

PUZZLES...princess and George puzzles to be exact!

Christmas Crew, you saved this snow day before it even started!
You know us REALLY well...
Thank you! :)

The Pajama Party

We celebrated K's fourth birthday the PJ way! :)
Friends, PJ's, popcorn, the story of K through pictures, pinata, pillow fight, marshmallow fight, musical pillows, pancakes and pink cupcakes made this a very simple celebration. Soo glad the Arctic Blast cooperated with us for the evening! :)

The 8th Day of Christmas

We were given holiday colored M&M's!!

And I'm embarassed to admit they are ALL gone:( ... soooo, I shoveled snow like mad, went sledding and pulled the girls to the park on sleds to combat those M&M's!!!

Still don't know who you are, Christmas Crew. You are VERY sneaky!

On the 7th day...

AAAwwww! NUTS!!!
5 more days to go!

Thank you, Christmas Crew!
The nutcracker's gotten A LOT of attention on this snow day! :)

Happy 4th Birthday!!!

Who could ask for a better birthday present than a snow day?????
I can hardly believe she's 4 already...and am so thankful to be able to spend all day with her (since preschool was canceled!)

What we'll remember most about K's past year:
*tight hugs
*Her intensified love of music...this diva falls asleep to Celine Dion most nights!
*An immeasurable imagination
*Tinkerbell obsession
*Her desire to perform...you should have seen her at the program last night!
*HIGH drama
*The lavendar leotard she insists on wearing to bed or as her outfit for the day
*blankie, Sparkle
*A passion for her family...oh, how she LOVES her sister
*Disneyland
*Her sensitive heart...often thinking of others first
*Starting preschool
*The way she makes us laugh, even when we shouldn't!
*Sheer Joy!

LOVE this girl and can't wait to watch her life unfold! Thanks papas & grammies for the fun gifts...she's lovin' it ALL!!!

On the 6th Day

On the Fifth Day...

Now, we're "dishing" up some fun!
The Christmas plates are darling!!! :)

On the Fourth Day of Christmas...

The note read:

"Orange" you glad there are eight more surprises coming your way?!"

Todays surprise was orange soda, goldfish crackers and satsumas!
This Christmas Crew really knows what we like! :)
Lovin' every minute of this thoughtful gift and still unsure who it's from... :)

Sledding??

Hyep, with only a dusting of powder, our driveway provides ultimate entertainment! Can you believe this? :)
We're waiting to see if there will be school tomorrow since church was cancelled due to the "snow!" tonight! :)
Gotta love the northwest...no laughing, my fellow Montanans!

The Second Day of Christmas

On the First Day of Christmas...

This is what we found on our doorstep this morning alongside the paper...


The note said:
HO! HO! HO!
On the 1st day of Christmas, Only 11 more days to go!
Mysteriously,
The Christmas Crew

The Christmas Crew has chosen you!
To enjoy a little surprise from now until Christmas Eve!
Just sit back, relax, and have fun guessing!
We will reveal all on the 12th day.
The Christmas crew

Thank you, Christmas Crew...you made our morning and we eagerly await your reveal! :)

Zoo Lights

Zoo lights were a hit once again! The girls all bundled up to take in the sights and train while the daddies were wrapped up in work!

Missing you!!!

Is it Thursday yet? :) Hope you're having a blast in Florida!
Love and miss you!

Sing-along

C's kindergarten had a sing-along. Each child invited a family member on stage to sing and she chose daddy...they had a great time! They sang I'm a Little Snowflake and My Red Sled's in the Shed...sooo cute! :)

The Polar Express

"Santa, will you please bring me a puppy for Christmas?"
"I wanna puppy for Christmas, too!



We had the best time on the Polar Express...jammies, cocoa, breakfast, trains, friends, and best of all SANTA! The girls REALLY want a dog this year...hopefully Santa will come through! :)

Tree Farm

K's class went to a local tree farm this week...such a fun event and there was even a blue sky...we were confused if this was Montana or Washington??? :)

Squirrelling Around With Auntie Em

A new Thanksgiving tradition of ours! Wanna give it a go, too? :)

Letting Go

The tree is officially decorated, thanks to the girls. In a matter of minutes the deed was done...note the clustered arrangement of ecclectic ornaments!! Yes, there is a Denver Bronco's ornament alongside my teaching one!!! It makes me a little crazy, all this letting go, but the joy & wonder in their eyes as they decorated helped a little!?

An Advent Idea

Last year a neighbor gave me the coolest gift. A basket, baby Jesus doll, a bag full of straw and this poem:

As time grows near let's all praise God, Christmas morning will soon be here.
God has made His perfect choice, the baby, Christ's birth is near!
As each day passes let's make it our goal to prepare a comfy bed, so when the time comes He'll have a place to rest His tiny head!
We'll add a single piece of straw for each good deed we've done, to fill the manger to the top while having lots of fun!
Until at last the morning comes that we've all been waiting for, we'll run to the bed we've made for Him and see Jesus Christ our Lord!

This really helps keep my kiddos behavior in check for the whole month of December, while anticipating the true meaning of Christmas. Then, early on Christmas morning, place the baby Jesus in the manger and watch the wonder in your children's eyes when they discover His arrival. This is one of my favorite Advent activities! Do you have any favs to share? I'd LOVE to hear about 'em!

Feast #2

Pilgrim K DEVOURED her entire feast...sooo cute! BTW, check out this pilgrim's necklace...also known as the key to her cash register!!! :)
LOVE this girl! :) We're off to feasts 3, 4 & 5 in the morning!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Feast #1

Pilgrim C celebrated her first Thanksgiving of 2008 at school. The mini pumpkin pie topped with whip cream disappeared the fastest...everything else went untouched!!
:) Love this girl!!!

Simple

The idea of simple is taking over my thoughts and life thanks to Joanne Heim's book, Living Simply! (BTW I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!)
Here are a few thoughts rambling around my mind...
*I need to add some much needed warmth to my home, maybe some new pillows for the living room and family room. I think that'll be a great January project!
*Am I spending meaningful time with each child? I know how much C lights up when I play that game with her or take her for a walk around the neighborhood.
*Have I called that friend lately? Does she know what a difference she's made in my life?
*The holidays have arrived...How will we celebrate the story of Thanksgiving & Christmas...minus the stuff?
*Simple Celebrations...music to my ears, but I have soo much unlearning to do!!

Lon's sooo done with my "simple" talk, so thanks for indulging me! What are your thoughts on simple? What does that mean to you?

Shards

Yesterday, I received a new devo in the mail...thank you amazon!! And today's devotion was sooo incredible that I HAVE to share. My prayer for you is that it may bring hope amidst tough times!

He's the potter, I am the clay,
A heap of broken shards I lay.
All vestige of beauty lost,
What good can come at such a cost?
Now each shard He carefully takes,
And something new He slowly makes.
Each jagged edge fits just in place,
With brokenness He now creates.
New colors form as He designs,
With endless patience He refines.
My wonder mends the pain and ache.
Now tenderly my hand He takes,
And bids me touch...another's broken place.
- Kay Yerkovich

Our Lord Jesus Christ is the master designer and He looks into the future and pictures the finished vessel in all its beauty and splendor. He alone can make beauty out of our brokenness.

God's blessings & peace to you! :)

Sabbath Stuff

1. Slept late (7 AM is late for us!!)
2. Stayed in our jammies ALL day!
3. Brunched
4. Read
5. Took a pajama walk around the neighborhood
6. Watched our 2008 home movies...including Disneyland!!
7. Played kitties, puzzled
8. Had our quiet times...I lavished in the book of James
9. Lon and I completed our 2009 goals
10. Watched Kit Kittredge.. A MUST SEE!!!
11. Loooonngggg bathtime
12. Tortellini soup YUM!
13. Planned a 4 year old party
14. Off to church...the perfect beginning to a new week!

Happy Halloween!

Off to trick-or-treat!

Noah's Ark party

Meet Meeko

Spider in the soup party at Kindergarten

Daddy and me

I'm having one of those days!

Need I say more???? :)
Do I hear an amen?

The Magical Kingdom

The whole gang!
Cinderella I, Aurora, Cinderella II
Pluto!!!

Our 2 little princesses felt they had arrived at the magical ball for 3 full days at Disneyland. It was so fun to experience Disneyland through the eyes of wonder of a 3- and 5-year old. It was also memorable to have Grammie and Papa Finneman join us in the "Fantasy". We took pictures with Mickey and Minnie, listened to stories from real princesses, rode on Dumbo, spent time in a submarine and a canoe, watched incredible parades, flew over NeverNeverLand, and saw TinkerBell fly through fireworks. The Magical Kingdom exceeded our expectations & we are already planning our return trip.

Pumpkins

The girls & I spent some time crafting this afternoon, thanks to the Simple Wife's inspirational idea...fabric pumpkins!! Super easy and great results! I only got a chance to make a couple and each of the girls made one...can you guess who made each pumpkin? :) No idea why I'm crafting when I should be packing for Disneyland...we leave in 2 days!! :)