MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL MY BLOGGY FRIENDS!

I just got done asking her if she was excited for tomorrow morning! I think that's a YES!!

FOUR TO GO!

With only four decorating days to go until Christmas, I am almost done, lol (notice I said "decorating" and not shopping 'cause I AM DONE SHOPPING!). I have the main tree almost done, and I guess I do need to get some icicles tomorrow, I love 'em. Some people don't, but I do. There I've said it, I LOVE ICICLES!!! My daughter hates them because she cleans the litterbox for our three cats and she's always finding them in there amongst the rubble, lol. Hey, if they want to eat those icicles, go right ahead. They surely know by now that what goes in must come out.

Leyna and Logan still have to decorate their little tree that they put up in the kids' playroom, but with some help (I use that term loosely) from the two yahoos, Roger managed to get the train together and running the other day.I only just realized when posting these pictures that in this one Logan has the remote control for the train and is about to run that thing right into Roger's foot, lol.On a side note, about ten years ago I started collecting Christmas head bands. I pick a few up usually every year after Christmas when they only cost a couple bucks a piece. When my family gathers for Christmas Eve I bring them along in a basket and spend the evening trying to convince everyone to put one on for a picture. I can always get the kids to wear them, but the adults...well, let's just say that some years they're more cooperative than others, so I'll have to let you know if I get any takers at this year's gathering, lol. I found four new head bands a couple days ago and Logan and Ciara have been trying them out. Here's two pictures of two of them.And this is my whole collection. I really don't see what the problem is with wearing one of these!

I've also taken some photos of some of my favorite ornaments, I collect those, too! Some of these may be repeats from last year's posting, but hey, they're still my favorites!

This is a new one I bought the other day. I try to get at least one every year that actually has the year on it.This is an ornament we bought for my daughter Leyna's first Christmas in 1984. That year it was hung on a little artificial tree in our tiny one bedroom apartment in Edmond, Oklahoma where we were going to school at Oklahoma Christian College.This ornament Leyna made for me when she was in grade school.Now, c'mon, cows are festive, too!If there's an ornament with a cow on it, I'm buying it!No story behind these next three, I just like them.These next three came from some of my family's infamous beach vacations. This one is obviously Virginia Beach.And then Cape Hatteras.And then finally, I got this one as part of a set of four at Myrtle Beach.And of course Santa on a gondola came from Italy. Venice to be exact where my husband and I spent our honeymoon 10 years ago. Wow! Has it been that long?In 2002 Roger, Leyna and I along with my mom and dad and my grandma all went to Ireland the summer after Leyna's graduation from high school. I picked up this one in Dublin.These next two along with two others I recently got during my trip to China to get my daughter Ciara. Although the details of this trip are somewhat foggy (except for details pertaining to Ciara), I do believe I got these in Beijing.And I think it goes without saying anything about this one, lol

CATCHING UP!

Wow! Where do I begin?

So I've skipped posting about Thanksgiving and anything that has gone on since then, although we did have a very quiet Thanksgiving dinner at my mom and dad's house, where we eat almost every year (11 of us). Okay, maybe not quiet, that's never been an adjective used to describe my family, but it was nice. Ciara likes turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and the cranberry drink with 7-Up in it that only a few at the table enjoy, myself included (I love the stuff!). She doesn't like baked corn, green bean casserole or the noodles my mom makes to go over the mashed potatoes. Why is that important? It's not, I just felt like sharing, lol.

The table pre-feastThe feastThe feastersThe Three Amigas: Ciara, Logan & McKaylaCozy Cousins Logan & Christopher watching figure skating.

So let's see...what's next? Oh, yes, tap lessons. After noticing Ciara copying the dance moves during Logan's tap class observation period almost exactly, the instructor came up to me and asked how old Ciara was. I told her 2 1/2, and she informed me that they had just started a much younger than normal class for under 3 years old. Yikes! Brave women!! So I thought...why not?!? That is, if Ciara would stay in the class without me, which at the time had been an issue during her little class at church.

We show up the next week and to my amazement there were 20 other little girls in the class. At least 1/3 of the class cried the whole time and their mothers had to stay in with them, and although Ciara wouldn't let me out of her sight and I couldn't leave, she was not one of the criers, thank goodness!! The class itself started in September and for the first 7-8 classes I had to go in with her, but for some reason after missing two classes when she had bronchitis in November, the next time we went Ciara just marched herself into the class and never looked back. I have not had to go in since and she has been doing fantastic. Oh, and outta the 20 girls that started, there's only maybe 12 left, lol. They will be performing in the big show in May their rendition of "I'm A Little Teapot."

Logan has always done well in class and will also be performing in May during the same performance. I can't wait to get them both all dolled up, if for no other reason than just to take a few pictures of these two sweet little girls.

A few "rad moves" (for all you Backyardigans fans).

And although that is by all means not everything of significance that has happened over the last couple of months, I'll stop for now and save some for later, but I will leave you with this photo that we had taken last week.

BAD BLOGGER...

I know, I know, I've been a bad blogger, but I'm going to catch you all up real soon I promise! Hey, I at least got my Christmas layout up!

$250 BEST BUY GIVEAWAY

Please visit the Littles' fundraising site for their next adoption and choose to enter this fantastic giveaway by choosing several different options. You can find out all the info HERE.

What an opportunity to get involved and be proactive with the adoption community. We all indulge our children and ourselves to excess during the holidays (come on, admit it, you know we do, I DO!! lol) so why don't you donate some of that "excess" that our kids won't even miss anyways to a great cause...one that will bring another child home to their forever family to be loved, tucked in at night, told that they belong, and kissed and hugged more times than they ever dreamed possible! What a blessing you could be to this family!

WHO WILL STAND FOR AMERICA?

MORE TRICK OR TREATIN' FUN

Last night was the big Trick or Treating night in our neck of the woods. So Leyna and I bundled up Logan and Ciara once again and headed on over to Logan's cousin Gavin's house to terrorize...I mean, party in their neighborhood. While Gramma Gloria, Julie, Les and Cindy all stayed at the house to eat/hand out candy, Jamie and Jay (Gavin's mommy and daddy), Leyna, Logan, Ciara and I all braved the somewhat cold weather and took the three kiddos out for about two hours of fun, fun, fun. And of course there's pictures!

Have you ever tried to get a golfer, a bunny and a unicorn to sit still for a pre-trick or treating photo op? Me neither! But sit still they did, for just a few pics, lol!

Introducing Gavin the dandy golf pro, Logan the frisky bunny and Ciara the zany unicorn!Logan was too excited to sit in the wagon, but the two little ones opted for an easy going night.The first stop of the evening.By the end of the night, the bunny was all hopped out and got in the wagon, so Ciara hitched a ride on sister's shoulders. (Front view)Look at that adorable little uni-tail! (Back view)Logan and Gavin enjoying the ride while Jay pulls them along.Notice Ciara's Halloween bucket? Even though she was dead tired and that bucket was really heavy for her, no one and I mean not one person was carrying that thing except her! lolJamie finally was able to coax Ciara into letting her carry her bucket after Ciara saw that she was also carrying Logan and Gavin's, too!Two more pooped partyers.Going into the last driveway of the evening...Home!