Fun Times...

We have had such fun this week! Yesterday, we had brunch/Christmas (look Jill I spelled it out :0) love you!) with the Grimmett's. Pics coming soon! It was so fun. The kids had a blast getting to open some early gifts. They played for hours with their new gifts and I think it was even more exciting for them as they just had a few things opened and they weren't overwhelmed. Sophie made my heart melt when she said: "Hey Pabba, Tan I pend the night?" Sweet Baby Girl! It was nice to visit with Mike and Erin too as a foursome which rarely happens anymore.

Then last night Papa Ken took us out to our fav. steak house Wolf Lodge for dinner. The best steak in the world seriously! We had a great time just hanging out. No time restraints, no stress, it was FAB! Thanks Papa Ken! :0)

A few days ago the kids were just hanging out having a lazy day as I finished up some last minute bow orders.

That morning Drew was hanging out with me. Being the creative little man he is...he turned my alligator clips in to Star Wars Spaceships! I LOVE it when they hang out with me while I work!

My Grimmett girls came over a little bit later. Brooklyn, Zoe's cousin was over too and they were dancing and doing what all silly little girls do. Well, Haliee grabbed the video camera and captured it! LOVE her! Here are Zoe & Brooklyn "Partyin' in the U.S.A."! (See Lindsay, you aren't alone!) It was hysterical! I LOVE it! PS, they keep looking to the side of the camera because Haliee has a vanity over there & they are watching themselves in the mirror, lol!!!

Meanwhile Sophie decided she needed to bake something. I was busy in the studio (or as my fam refers to it, the dungeon or the Ebay room, lol) so I said no. Please I need some flour, and my magic sticks, PLEEASE Pabba...Well, how could I say no? *sigh* So we compromised. I thought if I let her on the counter with an empty bowl and magic sticks that would work...WRONG! Silly Me~ She said she needed to dump the water from the kids cups on the counter in, when I again said no, she said, pleeeaaase, I need to make Hal some Bood. LOL! ok, how do you say no to that? Seriously? Since Hal was working, I decided to get that on tape too so he could see they really do ask for him all day, I don't just say that to make him feel good. Well Sophie definitely gave him a show, lol, LOVE this girl!

Lastly, here are some pics from Drew's class Christmas party! Haliee gets out of school 45 min before Drew so she came to visit as a Skyway/Mrs. Olin's Class Alum :0) Daddy even got to come! What a fun day for Drew!

Mrs. Olin opening her gifts

They made their own stockings (Haliee did this too in Mrs. Olin's Class!)

One of the Mom's was in charge of the craft. They made the sweetest little "Love" Boxes. Such a neat little poem.

Ms. Welte read to them and apparently Haliee took pics of him eating. CORRECTION: From the kids, it was Hal taking the pics of him eating! I stand corrected :0)

Drew and Ms. Welte. That day was also the last day for Ms. Welte their student teacher to be in their class. She is going to finish out her student teaching the Haliee's 5th grade teacher Mr. Jones's class. Drew was really sad, she is a total sweetie and he loves her. Hopefully she'll get hired on for 4th grade at Skyway next year. She made each kiddo a goodie bag personalized with a name star she made herself with a note from her on back. I thought it was so sweet of her to personalize 27 different things for each of them. He is really going to miss her.

Miss. Thang thinkin' she's wayyy to old for Elementary School!

PS, that is MY Sweater she is wearing~ So it starts...

A surprise scavenger hunt from Daddy!!

Last week Hal & I snuck out for a little lunch date while the kids were still in school! So fun, we never do this! Afterwards he wanted to stop in their favorite little boutiquey candy shop and surprise them with a treat. They have the best soft peanut brittle, caramels, truffles, YUM! We were so stuffed though, we just got them each a treat. Hal turned it into a scavenger hunt gift and they were ecstatic to have another hunt! After school they went shopping with Daddy for ME! YAY! It was his only day off. When they returned home, they almost spontaneously combusted waiting all that time for the hunt, lol! The Grimmet's stopped by to visit, so Zoe of course got in on the hunt too! :0) Hal made the Grimmet's their own stocking this year, so I just grabbed a little gift of Zoe's out of there for the hunt & All was great in Hal's Whooville :0) I even got some pics of them in the act, hooray :0)

Here they are anxiously awaiting their 1st clue! LOL @ Erin in the pic. Sophie had not napped that day and Erin was regulating a meltdown :0)

YAY! We found them!!!

Baby Ellie found "Tan-ta"

I know this pic of Sophi playing isn't all that exciting, I put it in to show you the little hands of baby Ellie coming out of the pantry with cups, lol.

Woohoo! Drew got a Santa Gumball (this candy store has cute little frosting decorated gumballs, he LOVES them, he also has a dinosaur one which he refuses to eat, apparently he is now collecting them! GREAT...)

Zoe got a Barbie Nail Polish (Sorry Erin!)

Haliee got PINK Hot Cocoa Mix. Look at that hot hair :0) Love this girlie!

Christmas Pics

I LOVE these so much! These babies are getting so big *sniff* The color is so weird on these scanned images, but I have to get ready for church, so I have no time to play with them. Merry Christmas :0)

Scavenger Hunt

A few years ago after continual begging from my kiddos to open a gift early I had an idea. It is now a tradition we are all happy with...A Weekly scavenger hunt. We usually have 2 or 3 before Christmas. I purchase a few small gifts for them with the hunt in mind. I create clues for them to go around the house, finding the next clue, ending at their special pre-xmas gift. They LOVE it! Super fun! The best thing, they don't bug me to open gifts early~ Last night was their 1st hunt. It has been pretty crazy lately so we have been winging it this year. It is usually say Friday nights,but this year, it's when I say, lol! It is really fun to see them trying to figure out what the heck my clues mean! They are so excited and running all over the house! Such a FUN tradition! Here is a pic of the clues as well as Drew's prize. Haliee got one too in Clarice form! They took them to school today to write with them. :0) Next Hunt is the 21st or 22nd, then the last hunt is Christmas Eve. I'll take pics of them in the act next hunt! Merry Almost Christmas!

Christmas Cheermeister 25% off Ready to Ship Sale! + FREE SHIPPING!!!

Last 4 ready to ship Christmas Cuties now 25% off starts at 11 am pst! :0) Also...FREE Shipping on all orders over $40 until Christmas jut mention you saw it here!!!

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BFF Bows!

What a fun xmas gift! Haliee & her friends would've loved these *sniff* :0)

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A Whimsy Giveaway!

Super cute! She is always doing fun stuff on her blog! I LOVE all her baubles!!! Check it out by clicking the pic!

Our tree is finally up!

Hal was FINALLY off yesterday after 11 days straight, so we decided to put our tree up. We have been so busy this year, normally, our tree along with the "Whoobiliation" outside is up before Thanksgiving. When you live in snow country you have to get everything up early outside! This year, it's just not happening this way!

We had fun though! I made some yummy Apple Cider Doughnuts while they set the tree up. Hal was going crazy decorating the whole house. I was just not that into it as I normally am. It was great for the kids because normally I am a psycho about everything being totally perfect especially on the main tree which is the reason we have 5 trees, so they can be kids and I can be OCD. We are still missing a box somewhere so Hal improvised with a Santa hat tree topper, lol. Haliee and Drew decorated the tables, put up the nativity, the table top tree, and the trees in their rooms. I wrapped most of the gifts, I still have a pile to go. Later the Grimmett babies came over to see the tree and baby Ellie helped decorate too :0) So cute! And we can't forget the misfit toys! :0) I LOVE my house now! I am so glad Hal lit the fire to get it done.

Ellie was so funny, she kept saying "Tute" (Cute) over & over!

Made to Match Gymboree Bows!!

Here are some new bowsies to match all their new lines! Thanks for peeking! :0)

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$17 Santa

I took the kids to get their pictures taken this weekend. I have been wanting to get a formal pic for some time and they came out so dang cute! I'll scan them in when I get them back. Afterwards, we went shopping and to see Santa at the Mall. Drew was so excited to tell him what he wanted, making sure he gave plenty of detrails so Santa knew exactly what he wanted. Santa literally burst out laughing when Haliee told him she wanted a plasma for her room as she has outgrown her princess tv & dvd player. She was not impressed: "Mom, I can't believe he laughed at me." Well Haliee, I am sure most kids aren't thinking a plasma is a reasonable request, lol. Anyway, we purchased the small pkg. 2 3x5's to make Drewy happy, and it was $18 something with tax WHAT!!!! For a pic with Santa??? That chair he is sitting in must be solid gold! When the pic was ready, they also included a $10 giftcard to shutterfly which made it a little easier to swallow, but hello, that's a little steep for a red suit! I don't mind shelling out $ for good pics, but Mall Santa? Where's Paul Blart to regulate, ha!

PS, Do you love how nice & straight I scanned this in? :0)

Grimmett Girls Xmas Pics..."TAKE 2"

Erin & I took the girls down to Honeysuckle Beach this morning for a photo shoot. It was a quickie because it was sooo freezing!~ The girls did pretty good especially Zoe what a trooper! Sophie was so over being out in the cold, but we got a few good shots.

It says "take 2" because we went out Thursday after school but...

Well let's just say Erin got the girls ready (she & Mike even got dressed to jump in a pic or 2), rushing after Zoe got off the bus, we were jamming down to the lake as it was getting dark quick. We got them all out, by the lake ready to shoot, armed with fruit snacks, blankets, hairspray, you name it we were prepared, well except....

TABBA (THE BIGGEST LOSER) FORGOT HER BATTERIES AT HOME IN THE CHARGER!!!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT, WHAT A STINKIN' LOSER!!!!!!!!! OMGOSH! I WAS SO SAD. *SIGH* SO...

We had to reschedule because there was no way to get the batteries & get back before dark. UGH! Anyway, here are the pics we got this morning! So cute :0) LOVE these babies!

And my favorite...

Tis' the Season...

FOR CRAZINESS! :0)

I have been a mia blogger I know, just so busy! I have so much to post about, but I have been burning the midnight oil trying to get all the xmas bowsies out to my sweet customers awaiting picture appointments!

I LOVE this time of year for many reasons...yummy treats, holiday baking, old movies & cartoons...family time.

I am not such a fan of wrapping, decorating the exterior in the coldy, waiting 7 hours in the rain at Best Buy on Black Friday...ALONE cuz everyone bagged out on me to be in their warm snuggly bed!

I am especially not fond of my poor husband working a million trillion hours 6 days a week *sigh* gotta love retail. We eat more meals in the break room of Kohl's then home this time of year. We refuse to let our kiddos miss out on family dinner time cuz Daddy is working, so I load everything up and we have dinner at Kohl's several nights a week. It is a pain, but I am so used to it, lol, it's normal. The College kiddos who work for Hal are happy I always make too much food! :0) I love the looks of customers when we come rollin in with meatloaf, potatoes, plates, drinks, etc. I told him a want a kitchenette in there, lol!

I am so thankful he puts in so much time to provide an amazing life for us...I am so thankful that 16 years later, my heart still skips a beat when he's around, I still get excited to see his # on the caller id or his name in the textline...I LOVE my sweet Halarini so much!

Ok, I will hopefully be back next week...I have to get caught up before basketball starts!

COMING SOON...

*New Gymbo Bows & the last of the xmas cuties

*My 4.0 BABIES!

*Sophie's Disney on Ice

*Kids xmas pics

*Grimmett Fam pics

Still needing to blog about...

*Student of the Month

*Trail Creek

Apparently I'll do a summer recap of things I never got around to, lol, Like...
*Silverwood

*the kids bdays (yeek. I'm, a LOSER)

*boating

We'll see what I actually get on here :)