NOT on the agenda over break...

HAIRCUTS!  Chris was getting shaggy, but I figured I could put it off for a while.  Monday night, the kids were playing a board game.  He started crying because he landed on lose a turn, and he was SUPER tired.  I looked at him and asked, "Where did you cut your hair?"  "In the basement," was his reply.  Oh.  Joy.  I was laughing (it was NOT funny), because it was that or crying.  He seemed to think I was laughing because it WAS funny, and started laughing, too.  Aubree was hysterical.  I told them it really wasn't funny, and now I had to shave his head.  That turned the laughter to tears REAL quick!  As it was already past bedtime, I told him we'd deal with it in the morning, and off to bed he went.
Morning arrives, and everyone is feeling much better.  I told Nick that I had to cut it short, but he wouldn't be bald.  That appeased him.  I did a #3 on top, but it still isn't quite short enough.  Hopefully his hair will grow quickly during break so I can cut it again right before school and it will just look like a short haircut on purpose.


Before - doesn't look too bad, does it?  Oh, trust me - it's shorter underneath.



After - grow hair, grow as fast as you can!

Guess what will now have to be postponed until Nick has halfway decent hair?  Family pictures!  Since I had out the haircutting stuff, Chris got one, too.  He's been wanting to grow his hair out, but it's way too fluffy and crazy, so he got a long 8 on top, and he looks human again!

Santa Claus!

Saturday was the Embassy Christmas party, and Santa Claus came!!!  My children, however, didn't want to sit on his lap, because they had seen him the day before at school.  Well, too bad!  I don't have a single picture of all three with Santa, and I figured this would probably be the last year I could pull it off.  I was nice and didn't make Aubree stand in line the whole time - she was able to join us at the very end.
 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Yum-a-licious Food Blog

My little sister Allie has a food blog.  It's a way for us to share favorite family recipes, and new dishes that we try.  I think the best part about it is the pictures!  I am a very visual person, and like to know what the finished product will look like before I even start.  So, she made a rule that all recipes must be accompanied by a picture.  She and I are slowly adding recipes from our grandmother and mother that are holiday standards.  If you need a few new ideas to spice up dinner, or are looking for a new cookie to try (I highly recommend the Honey Cookies), pop on over here and check it out!  If you'd like to share a recipe, send it to me with a picture, and I'll be glad to post it for you!  Happy cooking!

We have our stuff!!!

Our final HHE shipment was delivered last night!!! I only have a few more boxes to unpack, but still several stacks of items that have no home. We need to request a wardrobe for the linens and a bookshelf for the games, and try to figure out what to do with all the kids' knickknacks. We all slept on our OWN sheets, and I am spending today washing the Embassy stuff to finally return to them! Last night Mike and I set up the tv and assorted equipment related to it. Today after school we are headed to the Embassy to make ornaments, then after dinner we are decorating for Christmas!!! I am SOOOOO excited!

Snow!!!

We actually got snow last night!  The weather sites told us it was supposed to, but I didn't really believe them.  I told the kids to check as soon as they got up, and sure enough!  Nick woke us up saying that it snowed!!!  To say I have happy children is a gross understatement.  They hurried to get ready so that they could play in the snow before the bus came.  I think we only really got just over an inch (you can see it didn't even stick to the bricks), but to them snow is snow, and a reason to celebrate!

Snowball fight!!!



Our backyard.  Aren't the trees beautiful?