2 days till Christmas...

Christmas with a two-year-old is truly a gift.

We can't wait...

Michigan Snow

This week we got a little snowstorm--like ten little inches over night.

Church was cancelled that morning.

School was cancelled the next day.

One of the many reasons we love Michigan is the snow.

I know that it can be argued that it is a pain to shovel,a nightmare to drive in,

and so cold your whole body freezes--

but can that compare to how fun it is to shovel with Dad, throw snowballs, go sledding, build snow forts, go skiing in, make snow angels and drink hot chocolate after you play in it?

Really--isn't it so beautiful?

for The Grandpa's and Grandma's...

Here is Zach, opening his birthday "pheasants".
We went to Sams Club so Zach could pick out the cake that he wanted.

He picked "Lightning McQueen" of course.

It took a week to get it done--so all week he would say "Zachy cake at Sams Club."

He was soooo excited when the cake actually made it to our house. Here he is trying to blow out his candle.
Here is Zach enjoying the black frosting that formed the road "McQueen" was driving on. Shae had black on his mouth from the frosting and Zach kept asking "What happened your mouth Daddy?

Well, what happened your mouth Zach-o?

So...little kid birthdays are the most fun! I love the geniune excitment. Here is a little video of Zach opening his birthday presents--he was so freaking excited.

Zach opening his present from the Moostache Gpa and his lovely wife. I love how he is so frustrated about all the wrapping paper. And I love it in the video when he says "animals, animals woohoo!" They got him a zoo set--26 animals for every letter of the alphabet.

Two Years Ago Today....

Two years ago today, we were participants in a miracle.

Two years ago, we went to the hospital in the middle of the night and met the most amazing young lady who was in labor.

She chose us to be the parents of her baby right then and there.

That sweet boy was born at 8:47 in the morning--a whopping 9 pounds 12 ounces.

And he was beautiful.

And life was beautiful.

And we experienced a miracle.

Our hearts were so full of love for this little child.

A parent's love, though we had only just met.

Adoption.

It was miraculous, and wonderful, and I was without words.

Meghan's concert

This is the amazing Fox Theatre in downtown Detroit. It is so beautiful inside. It is so ornate that it almost detracts from the actual show on the stage.

Tonight Meghan performed at the Fox Theatre in Detroit with her choir club. They auditioned for the opportunity to sing on the Grand Staircase before a showing of the Nutcracker Ballet. Here is Meghan with two of her close friends Leah and Madeliene.Choir Club is an early morning extracurricular class that they attends on Wednesday mornings at 7am. It has been a really neat opportunity for her.

and by the way, the choir sounded amazing too.

I Am Running...

It is that time....I am running all day trying to prepare for that wonderful time of year.

The time we celebrate the most important birth ever.

It is strange to me that I am finding little time to sleep, or eat right, or relax.

Most of my time has been spent shopping, budgeting, shopping, making Christmas cards, shopping, cleaning and trying to prepare to go out of town for 2.5 weeks.

Is this really the best way to spend my time I wonder?

I spend my time this way every year. Even when I tell myself I will run out of time and be stressed, I still plan in more projects--or volunteer for more things.

Maybe I need a special watch that could remind me how best to spend my time.

But as it stands now...the time is running out.

Feeling Festive

It's begining to look a lot like Christmas...

Zach was so excited to get out our tree this year!

He asks everyone who come over if they would like to see his

"kissmas" tree.

In fact, he loves it so much he redecorates it on a daily basis.

Each Christmas, the kids get a new ornament that represents a favorite thing or activity for the year.

Here are the 2007 selections:

Meghan

a major collector of pandas

Rachel

loves fairies--and is especially into reading books about them.

Zach

learned how to hit a baseball this year!

Don't you just love traditions?

I love this tree full of memories and although nothing really matches,

it just works for me.

Twins?

Twins? I will let you be the judge.

Fall in Michigan

Fall is definitely our favorite season here in Michigan.

It usually stays pretty nice out until November.

The changing color of the leaves is absolutely stunning.

We have an enormous maple tree in our backyard and it is probably one of our favorite things about this house.

Our kids swing from a rope in the branches, sit up in it to read, climb it, jump out of it (onto a trampoline) decorate it, hide easter eggs in it, and in the fall we get to play in the leaves.

Even Zach helped rake this year.

Go BYU!

Last night we set up our Christmas tree.

We always follow the same system.

Mom and Dad put the lights on while the kids "carefully" unwrap the ornaments from the toilet paper we wrap them in to protect them.
This year--the girls thought it would be funny to stuff Zach with all of that toilet paper.

Shae gets all excited and says "I can see him in football pads already!"

After watching BYU beat Utah today, I discovered I have two thoughts about this:

1) I hope my boy never wants to play football.

2) Ouch! I really hope my boy never wants to play football.

Should I Be Worried ???

This is what I found when I went into the playroom yesterday.
This is how my daughters play with Barbies.

Scary.

Happy 12th Birthday Meggie Girl

Take a bunch of pre-teen, PJ clad girlies --

add three extra large pizzas...

a bit of crazy Jonas Brothers music...

mix in a few great friendships,

and you get one very happy birthday girl and one rockin' party.

We love you Meg--
I hope all your wishes come true.

Adorable

Aren't these cookies adorable?

(I found this recipe in December's Ladies Home Journal--there are several neat cookie recipes in there this month. )

Peanut Butter Rudolph Reindeer

1/2 cup unsalted butter

3/4 cup peanut butter

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 t. baking soda

1/2 salt

48 large red M n M's

mini chocolate chips

Pretzels

Mix butter, peanut butter and sugar until light. Add eggs and vanila. mix well. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt until dough forms. Roll into 1 inch balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes, until just set and bottom of cookie is golden brown. Then place one M'n'M in center for nose, two mini chocolate chips for eyes and 2 pretzel pieces on top for antlers. Allow to cool--then pat yourself on the back for making such a cute little holiday treat!

18 Birthdays

Today, we have officially celebrated 18 birthdays together.

18!

To me, that could mean three things:

1--We are really getting old.

2--We were really, really young when we met.

3--We are really, really, really lucky to have been able to celebrate so many years together.

Happy 35th Birthday Shae!

I love you.

Still.

After 18 years.

Glad you are finally as old as me.

Also-- Happy Birthday Grandma (I miss you)

Saving money

I realized something today.

Blogging is free!

That is such a wonderful thing cuz' almost nothing is free anymore--especially anything I enjoy doing.

and with the holiday season rapidly approaching, here's to many more penny pinching, money saving days!