Warm Weather Fun!

We have another bike rider in the family!

Yesterday we took advantage of our unseasonably warm weather! Brit tried out her new bike Santa brought, and Brie learned to ride Brit's old bike with out training wheels! She didn't want to mess up her new bike yet - she's saving that for when she is a little better. She is doing pretty well on her own so far, but she still needs some practice on starting, stopping, and turning. I'm sure she'll be a pro in no time!

Brie had lots of unwelcome extra coaching from her big sister. Brit is convinced Brie learned so quickly because of her. It took Brit nearly a whole summer to learn!

Christmas 2008

Wow, What a Christmas! It was filled with Hannah Montana items for Brie, and High School Musical (HSM) for Brittney. New DS's from Nana and Papa, lots of new games....DS Games, Wii games, board games, Rock Band for our Wii from Na-Ma and P-pa, and new bikes! I'm on vacation with the girls right now so we have been playing like crazy...Rocking out on Rock Bank, I think I've played at least a hundred games of Guess Who, and helped Brie learn how to play her DS games.

Brie's favorite Christmas song is "I want a Hippo...for Christmas" Here she is singing it, although I couldn't get her to sit still. Because this is her favorite song, and because of her affection for stuffed animals she picked a Stuffed Hippo to give to Bella from just her. After Bella liked it, Brie broke into song. Listen closely when she sings about what she doesn't want for Christmas...I guess she doesn't know what Tinker Toys are!

On Christmas morning while the girls and I were playing with their new stuff, I heard my car running in the garage. Found Daddy playing with his new toy from Nana and Papa, a Tom Tom GPS.

My brother and sister and our sig. others usually exchange names, but this year we decided to just exchange couple gifts. Would you believe we all bought each other the exact same thing...the new Partini game. We're excited to try this out on New Years Eve!

We had a great Christmas, and I hope that yours was equally as special!

Choir Christmas Program

The girls are both in the children's choir at our church, the choir they sing in is appropriately named the Cherub Choir. Next year Brit will move up to the Sunshine Choir, I'm already dreading the extra rehearsal.

This program was later the same day as the Sunday School program, which is why the girls are wearing the same outfit as in the previous post. Oh how I love these outfits though, they are coordinating Greggy Girl's, Bella has one too. The girls especially like them because they aren't identical. Thanks Nana!

The Christmas program was a collaboration of the Cherub and Sunshine Choirs, and was very nice. Their was a little drama involved too, some of the big kiddos had a few lines. Brit, in all her dramatic flair, was disappointed that the little kids didn't get any lines cause she wanted some. Brittney did get a little solo she was very excited about. She would only sing it to me ahead of time, she wanted to surprise everyone else! Nana was disappointed in this, as she wanted a sneak peak, but Brit stuck to her guns! Here it is...
The girls choir director at our church, Emily, was just diagnosed with breast cancer and is having a rough time right now. If you know her or are inclined to do so please keep her in your prayers. My girls worship Miss Emily, and have been very worried about her!

Sunday School Christmas Program

Wow...what a week! This will start me catching you up on our Christmas.

Last Sunday the girls sang in their Sunday School Christmas program.

Brit's Class, Second Grade, sang O'Little Town of Bethlehem.



Brie's Class, the Kindergartners, sang Silent Night.

Cancelled Events

In my post last weekend I talked about how we were going to have a full week of exciting things to post...then we got a light winter storm. Really it wasn't bad at all, but there was ice involved and school was cancelled Monday...so Brie's Kindergarten Christmas program was also cancelled.

On Tuesday they let school out a whopping ten minutes early, yet Brittney's drama club performance was also cancelled. Luckily it is rescheduled for the week the kiddo's get back from Christmas break. Brit has one of the leads in this play, and we have been rehearsing for months. I think I have the darn thing memorized, Brit has an adorable new Zebra dress I purchased special for the occasion, we were both bummed Tuesday!

Wednesday school was cancelled again, but conditions weren't bad that day at all. Luckily for us, Bill (Bill may feel differently about that last statement, I don't think he was feeling so lucky!) was on vacation Monday through Wednesday so we weren't frantically trying to find someone to watch the girls at the last minute. By Wednesday he was feeling the need to get them out of the house so he took them ice skating in East Alton and then to the YMCA to go swimming. Smart on his part, cause after all of that exercise they both took long naps (and Brit never naps anymore)! When I got home I asked him where the pics of ice skating were so I could have a look, and darn him...he didn't take any! Hello honey, we have a blog to update here!

Anyway, our eventful week has been uneventful. Tomorrow the girls have their Sunday School Christmas program in the morning, and their Choir Christmas program at night, so I should have some new pics to post after that.

Hope everyone is doing well and getting all of their Christmas shopping finished up! I need to check my list again, but I think I am down to one more gift yet to purchase and then I am done! Let the wrapping begin!

Well must run, off to bake some cookies for tomorrow nights choir performance...

Christmas in Historic St. Charles

Yesterday my Mom and Dad took me, Beth, and the girls to Historic St. Charles for their Christmas Celebration. I love St. Charles...the cute little shops filled with adorable ornaments, beautiful quilts, and hand made treasures. My favorite store is the Main Street Spice shop...fun holiday teas and coffees, great spices and mixes, fun kitchen gadgets. Did a little Christmas shopping there for the girls teachers and such.

I didn't know this before, but at Christmas time the downtown St. Charles area is even more adorable. Everything is decorated so nicely. The kids can get their pics taken with a Santa...normally a Victorian Santa, but yesterday it was the Civil War Santa who was all decked out in red, white and blue.

They have a parade of Santas each day at 1:30 (different Santa's from around the world and throughout time), carolers dressed in attire from the past, there were appearances from the Sugar Plus Fairy and other characters from the Nutcracker, Scrooge and Tiny Tim, Angels, etc.


After the parade the characters all walk around the street and talk to people. These are great people, extremely friendly and very into character. The each have trading cards too, the girls loved asking them for a card and then that person would give them a little history on who they were and in some cases might make them do something...like scream Merry Christmas in German for example...to someone else before getting their card.

Anyway, this was great fun and I hope that we make it a family tradition, I just hope next year that Bill, Jason, Brian, and Katie can join us.

Breakfast With Santa

Last Saturday we had Breakfast with Santa at EHS. Each year the Poms put on this nice event, it's very fun and we've made a tradition of attending each year with our friends from our old pre-school.

They have lots of great activities. Hot Cakes and Sausage from McDonald's for breakfast...a fav among the kids! The poms girls also do their dances, and since my girls like to dance so much they always love watching them. There were some talented poms girls this year, some of them even sang solo's and did individual dances.

Letters to Santa and Coloring at this station....

Foam Crafts at another...

Face Painting...Brit opted out this year for some reason. Brie picked Rudolph!

These cute little Gingerbread houses made from graham crackers...

And of course, pics with the guest of honor!

Bella was in awe of Santa's beard and I think she nearly pulled it off!

This was Bella first Breakfast with Santa...here she is eating pancakes and sausage on Beth's lap while entertaining the adults.

Three Kids?

Heck no I'm not pregnant!!


Last Friday night Bella came over for some time with Auntie and the Girls while Beth and Jason went to some Christmas parties. Bill was working, so I had the three girls by myself. I don't have any pictures of the occasion, because I was too busy!


I am proud to say that I can manage three children by myself, and even leave the house. I was very scared, but I had promised the girls if they helped pick up the house I would give them each a couple of dollars to spend at Deals and they were going to hold me to it...they had also been begging me to let them use their Pizza Hut Book It pizza certificates and since I know Bella really likes the new Chicken Alfredo pasta from Pizza Hut I caved.


So I braved it, first stop Pizza Hut. As I was taking off coats and getting everyone situated I gave the waitress our order...there will be no wasting time tonight, please hurry! My girls colored and I entertained Bella til the food arrived. Kiddos ate well, and I even managed to get to eat a few bites myself!


Next stop Deals, Bella was an angel here...all our girls like to shop, and we would have it no other way! Three minutes into the store my two start brawling which ends with Brie in tears. Bella pats her head as I try and comfort her. Had a talk with Brit...shape up or we will leave now! We made it out, and I don't think we destructed anything.


As I am pulling into our subdivision Brie starts to cry because she didn't get to have dessert tonight. Um, okay don't worry Brie we have Popsicles or dreamsicles at home in the freezer. No go...had a buy one get one coupon for Cold Stone so I turned around and headed through the drive through and told the girls we would all have to share. The peace was kept again, and I later came to find out that Bella gives kisses for bites of Chocolate Cake Batter ice cream...score one for Auntie!!


Check the watch, yelp bed time. Cleaned everyone one up, changed them all into their jammies, brushed teeth, read a quick book to everyone, tuck my girls in...Whew! Then I got to snuggle Bella while she slept until Beth and Jason came to pick her up a couple of hours later.


Watching Bella was very fun and I hope to get to do it again soon! She is such a sweetie and she gives me way more loves when her Mommy isn't around to steal them all!


I'm also apologizing to you all, cause I'm really bad at keeping up with this blog. We have a busy week this week, lots of performances and events, so I'm going to try and do better!

Getting Ready for Christmas

Last night, after a VERY llloooonnngggg day of shopping (I was in line at Kohl's at 2:30am), we decorated our new Christmas tree! Gigi and Pappy got us a new Memory Wire 7 1/2 foot pre-lit tree, and we are so excited not to put up our old one and wrap the lights. This one snapped right together in no time! Here are a couple of pics of the girls decorating.

We have to be careful though, because the tend to put ornaments right on top of each other and who wants their tree to look like this?

So Much To Be Thankful For!

Here is a picture of the girls playing a game at Nana and Papa's last week. My two are of course bickering while playing the game, but they worship Bella so much that they will let her do whatever she wants take pieces and walk away...no problem! So cute, Bella gets in there like one of the big girls!

Toothless

Brittney lost two teeth this week! She pulled them both herself and is very proud. She is however worried because she promised Auntie that she could pull the next tooth.

She proudly informed me that she has now lost 7 teeth. She is growing up so quickly!

Down Time

Our weekend was a little more uneventful than usual...somehow we didn't have any major plans for once, and the down time was very nice! It was really just the girls and I for most of the weekend as Bill was in Chicago covering Tiger Soccer at the State Tournament.

The girls and I did some cooking, some cleaning, made some cookies, and had Family Game Night without Bill. The girls LOVE FGM...so anytime we have a weekend night without plans that is what we do. We play UNO Attack (our favorite), Old Maid, Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders, Snap, Go Fish, Zingo, etc. Fun games, but easy enough that everyone can participate without too much assistance.

We also grocery shopped...those of you with kids likely understand why to me grocery shopping with both of my children is the torture of all tortures. Shopping with only one of them isn't too bad(not great, but bearable)...but bring them both along and they are fighting over what to buy, who gets to help me do what. Brit gets to push the cart, because Brie isn't tall enough yet. I'd really like to push it myself but it helps if they have jobs and the cart is a good job for someone. Of course, I do have to constantly be aware of where Brie is(I try to keep her right in front of me so that Brit can't run her down), and make sure she isn't hogging the whole grocery store aisle. Not only all of this but I'm sure shopping with the pair cost me at least an extra $50. I tried to hold strong, but I became weak at about the cereal aisle of the second store. So...instead of our usual healthy cereal choices of Berry Cheerios and Life, we came home with what other than sugary High School Musical (thank you oh marketing genius, yes put HSM or Hannah Montana on anything and I MUST buy it for one of my girls) and Reese's Peanut Butter Puffs...every kid should eat chocolate and peanut butter cereal for breakfast!

I'm in the meat area and pick up a package of hamburger, and Brie says "Mommy, don't buy us worms!" When was the last time I made worms for dinner? The child has been to the store with me before, and watches and helps me cook. Not like the first time we've ever had hamburger! It was funny all the same, and the lady next to me and her teenage son got a big kick out of it!

I'm sure the check out lady loved me, because as I was checking out I found three items in my cart that I hadn't approved of which I gave to her and told her I didn't want. Both girls of course claim they didn't put them in the cart, I told them they have lie bumps! Brie also proceeded to cry because I wouldn't buy her any candy. Candy! I don't know about you, but we have enough candy in our house from Trick or Treating to last us until at least Easter.

When we got home from the store I got some video of the girls singing to their High School Musical Wii game before we headed over to Nana and Papa's for Sunday dinner. They are very excited for me to post them performing. Sorry in advance about the video quality, I just used my digital camera for these and it was in our basement so not the best lighting.

Here is Brittney...

And here is Brie....

It's all about the drama at our house!!

Don't Forget to Vote Today!

If you haven't already, don't forget to vote today! I have to tell you, Brittney has been so concerned about this election. She has been pulling for Obama for months, and to be honest I don't know where she got it from...I guess they have really been talking about it at school. She has been asking everyone who they are voting for...trying to sway them toward Obama. It's funny because Bill and I have been telling her that we were still deciding who we were voting for so as not to sway her opinion. At Bella's party the other night she checked in with everyone...I think only a few people in our family are McCain supporters and she told them they were wrong, and that she just didn't think she could listen to him speak for the next four years! Too funny!

Here I am posting pics of the Pumpkin Patch cupcakes I made for Bella's Birthday party, and a couple cute pictures of our little one year old entertaining the crowd with her smash cake. I'm also throwing in one of Brie...since Bella didn't finish her cake, Brie decided to finish it off for her. Um, I think that is half the cake she is trying to fit into her mouth!

Bella is 1!!

I can't believe my sweet and precious niece Bella is one already! She is such a cutie, walking and getting into everything, starting to say lots of words now! You can just see her learning when the girls do something or someone is talking. It is so amazing how much little ones change in a year! I'll post pics of her party later, but here is one of her then and one now. The girls absolutely worship Miss Bella, and are pretty good with her I have to say. Brittney is a total baby hog though...if she's around its hard for anyone else to get to play with her. Although Bella has been walking for a couple of months, Brit still thinks she should be carrying her everywhere. I think Brie is Bella entertainment...she watches everything Brie does very closely and laughs and laughs at her. I love this little angel like she was my own daughter, and miss her like crazy between visits. Happy First Birthday Sweet Bella!!

Halloween Parade

Last Night we attended Edwardsville's great Halloween Parade. Nana joined us (Papa was in the parade), as well as a bunch of the girls friends from their old Pre-school. We don't see them too often and the girls (and us Mom's) have such a fun time together! My friend Dana event took a family pic of us! The individual pics are Brie with her best friend from pre-school Jennifer, the wild girls from Little Rascals, and then Brit with her best friend from pre-school Gwen.

My Little Leopards

The girls are Leopards for Halloween this year! So cute!! The pictures in their coats are at Uncle Bruce and Aunt Rockey Harvest Hayride last weekend and some are from Trick-or-Treating at Nana and Papa's with Bella. Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Farm 2008

We visited Relecke's Pumpkin farm a couple of weeks ago, what a nice and fun day! Nana and Papa, Auntie, Uncle Jason, and Bella joined us. The girls got their faces painted (Brit fireworks, and Brie a cute pumpkin), painted pumpkins, had pony rides, fed the goats(YUCK!) and picked their pumpkins for carving.

Ten Years

Bill and I celebrated our Tenth Wedding Anniversary on October 10th. Na-Ma and P-pa babysat the girls for us overnight, and my parents, Beth and Jason, and Brian and Katie took us away overnight to the Ste. Genevieve Wineries for our present. What a truly wonderful present, we had such a nice time! A little time without the girls...great company, great wine, perfect weather!

I can't believe we have been married for 10 years...time sure flies!

Summer Vacation

This Summer Nana and Papa took us all to the Lake of the Ozarks for our Summer Vacation. We visited the "dacation home" as the girls call it, this is the name Brit came up for it when she was 2 I'm pretty sure. We try and go there every other year. We have a great and relaxing time, swimming, drinking, shopping, the boys golf. We are soooooooo lucky to be so close to our family, and that we all enjoy each others company so much! This year was Bella's first trip to the dacation home, and Bella got her ears pierced on this trip!