ringing in the new year...

happy new year to all of my friends out in cyber world!
we decided to party it up with the kids this year to celebrate 2009. they were pretty good sports but just couldn't make it past 10. while they were napping ( they promised to wake up to bang pots and pans with us) we made cookies. one last indulgence before starting the new year.
it's getting pretty close! we checked on the little party animals. hmmmm. what do you know. snoring away. won't budge. there are only pics of the big girls because i wouldn't DARE disturb you know who...



HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!! hello 2009!!!!!!!!!!!                                   (see the clock? it's midnight!)

paul going crazy with the pots and pans. we really did go outside and bang them tho. not in the house.
i hope to read some seriously more exciting posts about your new years experiences!!!!!!!!

 today we enjoyed some bratwurst and saurkraut, as the in-laws tradition indicates, so we are all set with good luck and ready for the new year!!

my humble attempts @ homemade gifts...

i couldn't pass up posting this pic of the darlings all cleaned up and ready for bed in their new matching pj's. too cute!this nativity kit was sent by S's godmother. she always knows what the kids will love. this was ripped open and completely set up in 30 min.
i used our empty tj coffee cans for cookie containers. it was cuter in person, the picture doesn't do it justice. can't say the same for the cookies. it's the thought that counts right? no that is not a sink full of dirty dishes in the background. i would never.....
i decorate the photo albums, the recipient puts in the pictures. i bought the wings and the letters @ the paper vineyard. love that place. inspiration overload.
my hideous, yet strangely addicting, homemade stuffed animals. my kids actually begged me to make some for them. my sis made the striped bunny for S. D swiped the winking bunny before i could say anything and the weird looking dog was actually puked on, therefore sealing this as his permanent residence.

p & n drama club strikes again...

happy new year!!!!

oh la la..

how cute are these? they retail for $50.  ( i found them @ marshall's for $ 14.99) they are lucy sykes, my new best friend.... i love cute little girl stuff!

some random christmas joy....

i hope you all had a very merry christmas! here are some pics from ours....

girl party christmas style

we had so much fun at our girls night. we had our little cousins over and another special guest B. it was wild with so many girls running around( 7 sleeping over and met up with 2 more, that's 9 girls under the age of 8!). we bundled them all up, lined them up to go potty before we left, and headed out to find a santa sleigh ride. we met up with some dear friends and started our adventures for the night. we struck out 3 times! we planned on taking the horse drawn carriage @ casa poloma, no such luck. the rides only run thru the day. i had heard of a residence with tons of lights and a santa in the front yard. well, there were a ton of lights, even a sleigh!, but no santa. hmm. so we decided to head over to the famous tumbleweed christmas tree. it was beautiful... but still no santa. by that time we had worked up an appetite. we took over a small pizza place in downtown chandler. it was soooo good! then to burn off some pent up energy, the girls made piles with the leaves and threw them up, around and everywhere for about an hour. they were laughing so hard it was contagious. we headed home, got washed up, put on our matching pj's that C and A worked so hard on, and watched a christmas movie. finally everyone was asleep just before midnight (we are still paying for that one). thanks for coming over girls! we'll have to do it again next year!!!

christmas from D's view...

zzzzz...

i can't believe it. 7 hours of straight sleep. i can't remember the last time i didn't have to get up to let the dog out, get a crying kid, potty break, and not even one child in our bed! closed my eyes at 12:20 and opened them to an unalarmed clock reading 7:21!!!! wahoo! gotta go.... runnung late.........

such a good daddy

thanks for getting down on the floor and playing with those girls p scrubs. you are such a great daddy!

special time

*look who got some special time while all her sisters were in school! S helped us pick out the Christmas tree this year all by herself, well, with a little help from Ariel. It was even her turn this year to put the angel on the top of the tree.

* does anthropologie have the cutest gift boxes this year or what?

* i am officially banner happy.

Christmas bliss

i just had to share some of the fun things we have been doing to make the most of the holiday magic. my dad and stepmom had a dinner @ their house complete with games and an ice cream sundae bar ( a vat of homemade fudge) i helped myself to just a little. i don't eat much..... HA!

also i went to a christmas craft party with my big girl S. it was fun to spend the evening with just her. we decided to turn our tree into an angel tree. we made blank ornaments for the tree, and when the girls notice someone being extra nice or helpful, they write it down on the oranments and display it on the tree. i already wrote one for D, she is very aware and is always there when you need her, right in the nick of time. we had a blast eating yummy food, going on a hay ride and singing christmas carols. S was not afraid to jump right in there and lead. she must have inhereted my awesome singing talents. (i also noticed this talent at a kareoke birthday party where she belted out breakaway about 10 times.)