Advent calendar

The countdown is about to begin!  Each day the girls will open a new door to reveal a special surprise activity for that day. They may also find a jelly bean, quarter, or tiny treat  inside. The goal is to make the holiday season magical for my babes and promote caring about others, just like JC did. Many of the activities we would do anyway, but I hope it will feel special to open the door and see what adventure awaits each day.

Activities include:

Tree farm: chop down Christmas tree, ride train, donate a toy

Decorate Christmas tree and house

Read about the birth of Jesus

Listen to Christmas music and address/sticker holiday cards

Daddy Daughter Date - The Grinch musical for Nori

Watch Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer by the fire!

Hot chocolate at coffee shop w/ Mommy.  Pay for someone else’s order.

Ice skating in Mears Park! Decorate gingerbread house at home

Bake Christmas cookies with the Ho Ho Ho’s

Pray for people in need, think of specific ways to help others we know

Donate money to local food shelf
Random Act of Kindness!

Family date! Dinner downtown, see Santa, and Hollidazzle Parade

Sledding at Highland Hill

Volunteer at The Family Place

Make gifts for Miss Wendy & Mrs. Judy & Nanny Theresa

Help a neighbor shovel snow and bring them a treat!

Watch Charlie Brown Christmas with your sister!

Family drive to look at Christmas lights

one and a half

sunny disposition

Little Henny Cate is 18 months old today! She celebrated by breaking two snow globes and eating a pint of  blueberries. She runs to the fridge, reaches inside, and pulls out her favorite food, yogurt, using her teeth to pierce the tinfoil and suck out the dairy goodness. Her sister taught her some new words like mine and meanie, but I like it when she says waffle best This baby does not sit still! She loves to crawl up the stepstool in the bathroom, turn on the water, and brush her own teeth. We love her little wild personality and sweet smiles. Happy half birthday HC!

curly blond hair

deep thinker

kind heart

funny sense of humor

active little babe

leftovers

Netflix has us on a Ryan Gosling streak. Recommend Half Nelson, skip Drive... I won't even weigh in on The Notebook. We wrapped up five days off by not getting dressed all day. Oh wait, that was just me. Five great days which included pre-Thanksgiving Christmas shopping, turkey pot pies, yoga, dancing, movies, family, friends, a massage, hot pot, naps, and lots of cuddle time with two sweet girls. At tuck in tonight, Hen screamed "no" at every song I tried to sing her whereas Nori requested Gangnam Style on Jake's iphone. My kids know talent.

Thanksgiving

Watching the Macy's parade (on TV, not in New York)

tossing the pink pigskin around

Me kicking Casey's hand, otherwise known as his livelihood

QB Palbicki

end zone victory dance

cutest jock in town

the old bird

competitive eating champ in training

say "tukey"!

grateful for family, health, and togetherness

Charlie (boy) and Sam (girl)

dessert thief

tiny tap dancer

my baby

VID00025 from Megan Seltz on Vimeo.

almost T-day

Not seen on Pinterest, for obvious reasons

We are mopping the floors and vacuuming under furniture long neglected. My Dyson found not only dust bunnies and dog hair, but a piece of toast, pom poms, stickers, blueberries, and a kazoo under the art cupboard in the dining room. Hosting Thanksgiving again this year so it would give me some peace to do it with a clean house, although that is ironic because have our family over to our hellhole all the time and don't even bother clean let alone to cook for them. "Why now?", they will probably wonder. I should not even tell you about these because they will take over your life but here goes: Sea salt dark chocolate caramels from Whole Foods. I bought them for Thursday but will be lucky if I can mange to make them last though today. So good.

a Sunday walk to the park

best friends

Twinsies

true story

family date at the pool followed by pizza at Punch

dominating the baby pool

not afraid to go under water, even if it was an accident

she will do anything for a laugh

 

smooching sisters

leche lovers

Friday was a rough day

Dear Diary, it's me Foosie Sue

fake sick day

neighborhood watch

family