B.S.C.

dd 13:christmas card

they finally came in the mail!  

DD12:the santa photo that wasn't

We were supposed to see santa monday night.  The girls were all cuted up with cozy ruffly sweatshirts, new scarves and their warm boots.  AND...their hair was clean and well brushed...a rare occurrence in Annie's case. 

so we're 5 miles down the road, when I a little glimmer of remembrance hits me.  I vaguely recall the Bellevue Nordstrom Santa schedule said that Santa didn't work two days a week.  By the powers of reasonable deduction, I thought that maybe it was Monday and Tuesday.  

I asked Siri and she was no help.  So I pulled over and searched for their phone number...and the "is this voice for real" voice on the other end of the line confirmed my hunch.  

BLAST!

By no small miracle the girls didn't freak out in the change of plans, but I had already promised that I's stop and get french fries for them at jack in the crack (which I was already freaking out about...those damn non organic pesticided potatoes. I've gotten so freaky about organic that it almost makes me sick to my stomach. WOAH.  sorry for that rant. ) So I get Annie fries at the nearby Dairy Queen. Gracie declares she wants something healthier.  Wahoo! We settled on Mongolian grill at the towncenter-which we all ate and all liked. Gracie didn't have gluten free soy sauce but she had rice noodles.  Hopefully she'll be ok.  Annie declared we were going to eat there again and bring daddy!

Then we went shopping for teacher gifts. At the UW bookstore, we bought gift cards for the girls teachers.  The picked out the cards and while the gal was ringing them up, annie said under her breath "I don't wanna buy my teacher a card to the husky store."  so I asked why and annie responds in this exasperated voice, "BEACAUSE SHE'S A COUGAR!!!!" So funny.  she may not like football, but her daddy has taught her that we are Huskies through and through.  

and then we came home and made the gingerbread house, I finished my DD page 12 and wrapped presents until 11.

DD11:christmas crafts

The advent activities this weekend were making cards for friends and making gifts for friends. The girls had fun crafting mom.

DD 10:christmas cards past

The girls LOVED looking at the two albums of christmas cards from 2010 and 2009.  We did too as a matter of fact.  

Yesterday, we spent most of the day staying cozy at home-making christmas cards for the girls to pass out to friends and I spent some good time catching up on december daily.  

In the evening we had the privilege celebrating the safe return (from the middle east) of one of our neighbors.  it was great to catch up with some of our neighbors we never get a chance to see.

Today, the girls and I went to church.  Before the service we turned in a toy we bought for the giving tree. The girls begged me to get another tag, which I couldn't turn down.  I mentioned to Annie that I thought the toy had to be turned in today because the toys needed to be delivered.  She looked at the tags remaining on the tree and fell apart.  "BUT WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER TAGS? HOW WILL THOSE KIDS GETS TOYS?"  

I'll admit I cried through most of the service thinking about the children who have nothing and Annie's tender heart.  Fortunately, there is still one more week to take tags and the deacons will make sure they all get taken care of. Annie was so relieved to learn this.  

Today the girls advent activity was to make presents for friends to go along with the cards they made yesterday.

cute, no? 

I *heart* martha.  

cuteness

I'm always trying to think of little gifts to give to people the girls interact with on a weekly basis-spanish teachers, piano teacher, dance teacher, music/pe/computer lab/librarian and office staff at school. But, when you are buying for that many people, it can get a little out of control.  I found these soap wrappers while perusing pinterest one day. I purchased some soaps on sale at the Body shop last weekend and voila...

LOVE.

December Day 5: Gracie's concert

A bit of a rough start this morning.  Had to wake Annie up, a rarity.  She did NOT want to go to school.  Threw a big crying fit. Finally got us all in the car and I got a warning that my right front tire was low.  Was already headed down the road.  Called Eric.  He said it would probably be ok but I could take the sequoia if I wanted.  I stopped at Starbucks and got the girls their hot chocolate and warm apple juice (it's the deal I've made with them to get them to early morning spanish class twice a week).  Gracie remembers we didn't check the advent calendar, which I wanted them to since I thought that today was the day they were bringing mittens to Mrs. Park's mitten drive.  Get home, check the calendar and it's not the day.  sigh. Go to get in the sequoia and realize it's all frozen shut since we park it outside.  Windows frozen. Antenna frozen.  spend 5 minutes scraping the windows.  finally get in and head to spanish and arrive 20 minutes late.  

head to work.  get all sorts of pissed about the particular things that happen...or don't happen at work and then get the heck out of there as soon as it's time for me to leave.  

Run to Michael's to pick up a ginger bread craft for work.  Head to costco to pick up pictures for the personal yearbooks I'm doing in Annie's class but change my mind once I realize how crazy busy it is.  head to Central market to buy something for dinner.  and then I head home.  and once I'm home, I remember that I was supposed to go to the mall after work to pick up my polaroid camera i left there last night at one of the restaurants. $@#%$!!!! sweep the kitchen floor, throw in a load of laundry and head to the mall. dash back home so I make it in time for the bus to arrive.  Get the girls a snack, help them with piano and homework, give them a shower/bath and feed them then hop in the car to head to Gracie's winter concert. 

What is wrong with me?  Even my kids think I am crazy.

Gracie's music teacher put on a lovely concert.  Who can't help but love a bunch of kids singing festive holiday songs? I sure can't.  Gracie had a lovely time although, she looks so serious when she's on the stage. I love that we know kids in every grade since our neighborhood has a ton of kids in it, so every grade is fun to watch!

Today's advent activity ended up being this-taking small items to school to donate to christmas house-- a charity that helps parents get gifts for their kids.  I bought items today and let them pick what they want to bring in tomorrow.  It had been very special to teach them the various ways to help others and educate them in the various groups that need assistance. 

Finally finished up December Daily  Day 3 and 4...coming tomorow!

December 4: Favorite things

No december daily for the 3rd yet. i ran out of magenta printer ink for photo printing.  classic. 

Tonight was the 6ish?? annual favorite things night with my gal pals from...yes, JUNIOR HIGH and HIGH SCHOOL.  Nothing beats an evening with these gals.  I get the BEST ab workout!  

these were my favorite things...all wrapped up.  prep bowls and dry brine from williams sonoma!

 

In other news, today was a beautiful message of peace at church. So inspiring and lovely...and then we came home and played stratego and risk.  

huh.

December Daily Day 2: Annie's Birthday

done.  see previous post for a run down of the day.  it was a fabulous.  

sparky is currently putting up the exterior illumination. the roof is slick. i just called to make sure the life insurance policy was updated. 

have a fantastic saturday. 

December day 2: Annie's birthday

Busy, busy. And Annie is still sick, sick.  101.6 her fever was (this evening).  She made it through the day ok though.  

Frost doughnuts and a PJ party at school on top of a half day.  Her class collected 40 pj's to donate to a local organization.  Very cool!

Then she had her party right after school, for which Gracie played hostess. She had all those girls sitting and coloring, then she dmonstrated the craft and helped them all, herded them to the out room and made sure they cleaned up their toys when they moved on to something else.  

I see party planner in her future.  

Annie picked red robin for her birthday dinner.  We surprised her with Kanani and the grandparents gave her some Kanani accesories. I think she had a banner day, save the high fever upon coming home from dinner. 

At dinner I asked Annie if she had made a wish when she blew out her candles.  She said she forgot but that her wish came true, "I'm right where I want to be."  

uh, excuse me while I go bawl big, fat baby tears.  I love that kid.  

Having a hard time with this birthday.  7 seems so much older than 6.  6 to me, is still little.  7 is not.  I can't even talk about it because it makes my heart want to leap out of my chest. 

Annie at school on her birthday/PJ day!

No december daily pictures. I think I need to be a day behind.  So look for day 2 tomorrow!