Miss Patty Cake came out of the TV!

We love some Miss Patty Cake at our house. All three of the girls like her, but Becca Sue is CRAZY about her.

When we saw her last year, we left Becca with Daddy cause she was so little. But she got to go this year.

I loved seeing the amazement on her face the entire time. She just kept saying "Miss Patty Cake!" "Miss Patty Cake!" "Out of the TV!" "Miss Patty Cake!"
Here are all of the girls in her 'house' after the show. (The one with pigtails is my niece Regan.)
And then we got to talk to and hug her.

We had so much fun and can't wait for her to come out of the TV again next year!

Merry Christmas!

From the Three Girl Circus!

Sweet, Sweet Family Time

Last weekend we went on a live nativity hayride at a local church. It started with cookies and hot chocolate then continued with a hayride to several 'scenes' around the church grounds. We saw the prophets foretelling the coming Christ, the wisemen complete with real camels, and the shepherds with real sheep and angels in the sky (Hmmm, the angels were in the sky but the sheep were on the ground!). It ended with a sweet experience up close with the Christ Child.
That's me and the girls in the foreground of this picture. We had a great night to remember for a long time. When we were leaving, Emily asked if baby Jesus was going to get to go on the hayride too. We know what was her favorite part!

Why I Love Preschool Christmas Programs

#1....You can stand right between a wise man and baby Jesus and no one tells you to move, and everyone thinks it's cute.

#2....You can pick your nose cause there's at least four others doing the same!

#3...The string on your hat is not just to keep it on. There are hours of entertainment wrapped up in that tiny little stretchy thing! Connie, I've got lots more of these great pictures I need to email you. I love that little guy!

#4....When you hold up your sign backwards (or not at all) it's cute and not at all embarassing.

#5....It's ok to check every two minutes to make sure Mom is still looking at you.

#6...And absolutely acceptable to wave at Mom every five minutes.

#7...And if she happens to look away for a second, you don't even need to hesitate to holler "Mom" in the middle of the program.

#8....As if all of this wasn't good enough, you get to see the big guy when you get done!
I LOVE preschool Christmas programs! They let the kids be kids, and how precious to hear them sing about the Christ child.

No seriously, it snowed!

We had a very rare snow day last week. Thankfully Daddy was working from home so he took a little break to take the girls out in the snow before it melted. Yep, he definitely won my heart cause I got to stay in my pjs!

Of course he took his camera with him and got some fabulous pictures...

Bandaids come in brown?

Emily fell in the parking lot at school a couple of weeks ago. It wasn't too bad and she didn't need a bandaid...but to her, bandaids are magic. Yes, I resort to the bandaid magic often!

I didn't have my purse though so I asked the preschool director for a bandaid. She brought me one and as I was putting it on Emily's hand she excitedly said, "Hhhhh! Momma, it's brown!"

It cracks me up that she'd never seen a brown bandaid. Now the Dora and Barbie ones we have just won't do....she wants brown ones!

Oh my heart...

...it's hurting today.

Even though it totally seems like this...
...was yesterday. It wasn't. It was FIVE years ago.

I can. not. believe. that Mara Lin turned five today.
Oh what a happy, happy baby she was. She was exactly what I needed to break me in as a mom and make me want many many more babies!
She's grown SO fast and is such a lady, so nurturing and mommy to everyone.
I'm so proud of the sweet, sweet girl that she has become,
and am SO lucky that God picked me to be her Mommy!
Mara Lin,
Since you say that you can't be four forever, I guess I'll let you be five. Just be patient with Momma as she learns to let go and launch you into the world. I thank God everyday for the amazing little girl that you are and can't wait to see what God has planned for your life. I love you so much baby girl!
Love,
Mom

"I do it"

Yes, you know you have an independant two-year-old on your hands when she cries every time she needs a diaper change. Not because she doesn't want her diaper changed, but because she wants to do it herself.

I think God made two-year-olds cute for their own protection!

Flat Turkey

Since I seem to be on a roll with sharing about the cute things the girls say, I'd better tell this one before I forget.

The girls spent last Saturday at Nana and Popa's house. At lunch Nana had turkey salad....

Mara: Nana, what's that smell?
Nana: It's my turkey salad. Do you want some?
Mara: No thanks, I like my turkey flat.

You know what Mara? I prefer my turkey from Lenny's or Subway too! We'll let Nana keep the turkey salad!

Happy Birthday Popa!

We Love You!

Two babies?

I was finishing getting dressed this morning and heard....

Emily: Mommy, do you have two babies?
Me: No, there's just one baby in my tummy.
Emily: Ya, but it looks like there's one baby in your tummy and one baby in your booty.

So I have whiskers, stinky breath, smell like a worm, and now I have a big booty. It's a good thing I don't have any feelings though cause they might have gotten hurt!

Just call me Worm

Emily: Mommy, you don't smell like a mommy.
Me: What's a mommy supposed to smell like?
Emily: Like a mommy.
Me: Oh, ok....well, if I don't smell like a mommy what do I smell like?
Emily: A worm.
Me: A worm? Ok, well there are worse things to smell like.
Emily: Yep, like cat poop! (remember this post)

She must have thought I needed another dose of humility. Well, this 'worm' mommy loves her anyway!

Ok, I'm back...

...for real this time...I promise!

First things first though, I have got to tell you about a super fun swap that I did a couple of weeks ago. It was hosted by Mamarazzi, and I was matched up with Lori.

So you were supposed to gather up several goodies that were you 'favorite' things. I had so much fun getting the box ready for Lori. You can read about my package to her here.

Now on to the package I received. I LOVE it!
...a fun snowman window thingy, a pad and pen, bambi movie and popcorn, thank you cards, burt's bees, sudoku book, memory game, gum, and a mix for some yummy dip...

I love it all! The girls busted into the snowman decoration right away.
And they busted into the memory game moments later. Then that afternoon we had popcorn and watched Bambi (we don't have that Disney movie), except now the girls have really been into playing 'mommy died' with their animals!
I think my favorite part of the whole package though was the little card she had in it. On the front is artwork by Lori's 'favorite artist'...it's her six-year-old daughter....so neat!

Anyway, thanks Lori for a great package and thanks Hollee Ann for such a fun swap!

I'm Still Kicking

...from the inside and outside.

Well, I'm kicking on the outside while a little peanut whose making me puke is kicking from the inside.

I've don't have a clue why I can't seem to get back into blogging so I'll just blame it on baby #4.

No Way!

It has not been an entire week since I posted!

Man, I didn't intend to take a blogging break, but I guess I needed one.

We have had an incredibly busy week, but not really much busier than normal.

Guess I'd better do a knitting post...that always works when I don't have anything else to blog about.

Be back later today with some exciting knitting content!

Motherhood Lesson #388

If you have a sandbox in the backyard...

and then get new neighbors with an outdoor cat...

umm, yeah...get rid of the sandbox before you let your children play in it.

The three year old was especially excited to play with the "stinky mud". Aaaaa, I can still smell the horrendous stench from when they came inside. I think it's burned into my nostrils!

Wow, that's two major motherhood lessons two days in a row. Wonder what I'll learn tomorrow?