What does your Christmas tree say about you?

I think there is a lot a Christmas tree can say about a person's style. So, I thought I'd share what mine says about me (at least this year)...



Now, if that doesn't say unorganized and incomplete, I don't know what would. Actually that's pretty much how it has been feeling around here for quite sometime.

Anyway, we started the project as a Family Home Evening activity the 1st week of December. We decided we'd let the girls do what they wanted and then we'd decorate for reals after they went to bed. You might wonder if they've ever gone to bed... well they have but we have yet to complete the project, despite the supplies still sitting in the hall ready to be used!

I have now decided that with 5 days to go, what's the point and it's actually kind of funny to me to look at it. It's very out of character for me to let something like this go but just take a look at what 3 kids will do to you!!

Just for the record, this is what my tree is suppossed to say about me:


(This is from one of our other houses a few years ago but it's the only one I could find of our completed tree)

There is always next year to try for a more "complete" look!

Snowfall

Well, we've been virtually snowed in for the last week and it just keeps on snowing. It sounds as if we are looking at another week of crazy snow. There are some really fun things about this unusual weather for our area but being cooped up in the house with 3 small children is NOT one of them.

Anyway, here are some pictures of the girls out in the snow. They pretty much sum the experience up really well...





One girl had a great time, the other one.... not so much!

Dad, will you comb their hair?

Be careful what you ask for...

K with an over the head comb
A with a serious comb over

Last but not least...

S with a wonderful mohawk

Family Nativity

This year Mr. A's family decided to have a party early in the month to cut down on the Christmas Day chaos, which was an AWESOME idea! So, a couple of weeks ago we all gathered at Grandma and Grandpa's house and had a nice meal, the grandkids reenacted The Nativity and we exchanged a few gifts. It was a wonderful evening and the grandkids had a great time. Here are a few pictures of our drama stars:

K played a very great Mary
A was a fabulous Shephered
S did a great job as the baby sleeping in the manger

Our first Turkey

This is a bit crazy but up until now Mr. A and I have never cooked a turkey. This Thanksgiving was the first time we have celebrated the holiday in our home, we have always traveled to either his parents house or mine. So, I was kind of excited to give this a go. I was really excited about how it turned out and even took a picture.


I used to think that those pretty turkeys you see in magazines and on TV weren't real, but I think this guy looked pretty good so maybe they are real after all!

It was also very delicious and now I am not scared of cooking a turkey but rather even excited to try it again and perhaps learn another new cooking method!

Raising twins...

Hah!! I bet that title got your attention. No... there is no crazy announcement being made, but sometimes I do feel like I SHOULD be raising twins.

My girls BOTH feel like they need to do, be, wear, eat, look and act like the other one. My brain has made a complete shift such that I almost always think in terms of a pair. If I pull out one pink shirt for one, I look for pink for the other. If I get an apple for one, I get an apple for the other. If I start to do a puzzle with one I have another puzzle for the other.

Do you see where this is going? The only problem is they are 2 years apart!! It doesn't always work so nicely because 4 year olds can do somethings that 2 year olds can't! Anyway, this has been the case in our house for quite a while but a week or so ago this about sent me over the edge!

Here is a picture of Alicia:

Now, here is Kaelynn after she decided she'd had enough and after months of begging for bangs... she would do it herself!


I know, I know, giving yourself your first haircut can often be much more catastrophic so that's why I can actually laugh about it. However, it is still annoying that they are really too long to be bangs and yet too short to stay in their pigtails.

So now here is my dilemma... do I get them cut into bangs, which is what she wants? or wait for them to grow out because that is what I want? The only reason Alicia has bangs is because when I took her for her first haircut the stylist "butched" her so bad that bangs were the only way to mask the terrible grow out process. I personally don't like maintaining bangs!

Anyway, any thoughts out there?