Just a few things....

So I totally shot myself in the foot saying I was going to blog everyday. Who am I kidding?!?!? I am bending the rules and allowing myself to play catch-up.

Day 3

Day 4

Clara walked right over this and didn't even notice. She left flour foot prints, it wasn't until I told her to be careful that she looked down. Both the kids thought it was pretty funny. I thought it was until I had to clean it up. It's amazing how flour travels.

Day 5

Tippy wasn't feeling too creative on day 5. He overslept and ran downstairs to get in position before the kids discovered him.

Day 6

And I quote...

Thomas and I were having a conversation in the car tonight about how much we loved to read. He then said...

"I'm so glad reading was invented. It is way better than TV."

Day 3

It was cold today. Cold and cloudy and rainy - my favorite kind of day. I knew right away I wanted to make chili and corn bread for dinner. I pulled out my favorite recipe and started it at noon so it could simmer all day.

2 lbs ground beef

1 onion

1 cup celery

1 cup red bell pepper

15 oz can diced tomatoes

15 oz can tomato sauce

30 oz chili beans

30 oz kidney beans

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 Tablespoon chili powder

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp mustard powder

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp salt

Ground beef, add vegetables, dump everything else in. I usually let it simmer uncovered on low for 5-6 hours. It is not necessary to let it simmer this long, but I think it adds to the flavor.

After our chili and cornbread we made gingerbread men for Family Night.

We found Tippy in the Christmas Tree this morning eating Hershey's kisses. He stayed there the rest of the day watching us. Nobody had a meltdown today because he was looking at them. Things are starting to look up.

Tippy - Day 2

I don't know about you, but sometimes I think things are going to be A LOT better than they really turn out to be. Like The Elf on The Shelf. I was so excited to start this tradition. I thought I had Thomas excited but last night he crawled into bed with me at 1:30am terrified. He was having bad dreams about ....Tippy the Elf.

Steve was in California so it was up to me to go downstairs an inspect everything and a good hour to get him to fall back asleep. I decided we would try one more day to see if the kids warm up to him.

When the kids woke up they found Tippy had eaten the powdered donuts Thomas left on the couch.

In other news, Remember the cute outfit I bought for Clara's birthday? She wore it to church today. I thought I could take a couple pictures before we left, but she didn't want to cooperate. Just like I thought.

I did use the sock curl Tutorial that has been pinned on Pintrest several times to curl Clara's hair. This is the first time her hair has ever taken a curl.

As for the elf...I think they may warm up to him.

Tippy - Day 1

We have a guest in our home for the next 2 weeks. Tippy is our adopted elf from the North Pole. Thomas is very excited, Clara not so much.

As legend goes, you can not touch the elf or it looses it's magic. Clara touched the elf. Thomas tattled. Nothing new there. I told her that everything would be fine and that we just couldn't do it again.

About an hour later I went downstairs to find her crying. She told me that Tippy was looking at her and she didn't like it. She has asked me several times to give him to the neighbors next door - our Jewish neighbors. Someone on Facebook told me to just put a Yamaka on it. I am hoping that when she wakes up tomorrow and sees the shenanigans Tippy got into during the night she will change her tune and learn to love him.

I am planning on blogging each day of Tippy's stay. Here's hoping for a Christmas miracle!

Lunch Mail

When Thomas started school this year I decided that I was going to pack a note in his lunch box every day. So far I have done pretty well sticking with it. The other morning I was packing his lunch and I noticed how puffy the pocket on the outside of his lunch bag was.

As soon as I felt it I knew what it was. I opened the pouch to find a ton of Lunch Notes folded up and saved.

It made me happy to know he enjoys getting them. I love him.

four

My baby turned 4. Where has the time gone??? I had all these plans for a photo shoot. I bought an adorable outfit, had visions of an outdoor tea party and then it got cold. REALLY cold and I bagged it. I also remembered who my daughter is and realized that she probably wouldn't really cooperate anyway, so the above picture will have to do for her Birthday Photo. If you know our Clara Jane, you know this photo says is all.

Clara is a dream. I love her so much. She is funny, feisty and so entertaining. Currently she is obsessed with princesses, cats, ponies, and unicorns. She loves to do her own hair and pick out her own clothes.

We had her first friend birthday party. She invited the little girls in her primary class for a princess tea party. We painted nails, painted faces and played a game. It was perfect.

She was a little afraid of the candles so she wouldn't get any closer than this to blow them out.

After a little bit, her friend finally stepped in to help her out.