Shopping (day 63)

I am almost finished with my Christmas shopping!  Yay, so exciting.  Now comes the wrapping, I actually enjoy it, I find it relaxing.  Today I scored some great buys.  I found some great kids' digital cameras for $9.99. normally $70 from JCPenney's. 
It was supposed to be an online sale only, but they were backordered till the 20th.  No way would I have been able to get those before Christmas so I called the customer service center.  Through lots of discussion, some begging, they were able to honor the online price in the store.  This is not something that they normally do, but I beleive the woman could tell I was desperate (not really), but she was able to make it happen.  Luckily, my husband was nearby and was able to pick them up a short while later.
They aren't bad, they are definitely kids, but they are pretty nice, and the kids should be beyond excited to receive digital camcorders.  I would be excited for sure.  Anyways, I love great deal and always look for them.

And I leave you with Some static from my best friend's daughter's birthday party this weekend.  Electrifying!!!

Thanksgiving, shopping, and birthdays! (Day 62)

Thanksgiving, the beginning of my favorite time of year.  Get togethers, family, fun, food, birthdays, and shopping.  My family kicked it off right, with Thanksgiving at my dad's house.  The girls had a great time with my brothers and sister in laws and of course their oh so fun cousins.  We then made the small trek to my best friend's house to get ready for Black Friday.

My husband and I knew we wanted to get the girls a trampoline for Christmas, but we were kinda scared of the pricetag.  Luckily, their were some great sales, so we staked our claim and were victorious.  We were able to purchase one (barely) and get some other great goodies.  I was able to strike off some of my names from the Christmas list!  Yay! We also made it through the night and had a lot of fun.

Friday, we went to my mom's house for yet another Turkey Day Feast, and boy was it ever.   I don't think I have ever eaten so much in my life, but it was wonderful.  We again got to hang out with family and make more great memories. 

I also turned 30 yesterday.  Yes, I have been dreading that number, and even though I know it really isn't that big of a deal, it is a little strange to think that I am now in my 30s!!  We didn't really do anything big for it, but apparently there will be some festivities next weekend.  I can't wait.

So today was our last day in my hometown, and we spent it celebrating my best friend's daughter's birthday.  Crazy huh, we have the same birthday.  It was great!  The girls had a great time, we celebrated and not too many tears were shed.  We drove home after and am not ready to rest.

Cute Kids (Day 61)

I had a photo shoot today at the park.  The kids were so cute.  At first they were not up for the photos, but we had a great time, went with it and I got some wonderful shots!!

Blog Award!

Blog award!!

Thank you Melissa for my first award!!  Also, thank you for encouraging me in my blogging experience.

Rules for accepting this award are:

1. Thank & link back to the person who awarded you this.

2. Share 7 things about yourself.

3. Pay it forward to 15 recently discovered great bloggers.

4. Contact those bloggers and tell them about their Blog Award!

About me:

1.  I have an amazing family.

2.  I enjoy play time with my two adorable daughters

3.  If I could take photos all day, I would

4.  I really appreciate and love my husband, even when I don't always show it.

5.  I enjoy going back to my hometown and visiting old friends and family

6.  I have a degree in Education and taught high school English for four years

7.  I would love to have more children.

Sitting Still (day 60)

Having to get two toddlers to sit still isn't always easy.  Yesterday, I took photos in the park of the kids.  I haven't been able to really get good pictures of the sisters together since the baby was, well, a baby.  Now I get flashes of one kid getting up, while the other frowns or makes other slight faces.  I would set the older babe down, then place the babe next to her sister, get into position to take the perfect photo, then bam, she's up and running.

Which in turn makes for an out of focus, not so great photo.  Or you get the photo where they are sitting perfectly still, but very distracted by something that is so much better than any old mom taking photos.

Occasionally you get a great of of just one of the kids, in a single pose, pure beauty, innocense, purity.

I love these girls, they are my love, my life.  And for that, I am Thankful.

A couple of pictures (day 59)

Do post of pictures count as post?  I hope so, because words fail me right now, so I leave you with these.

Stockings (Day 58)

"...and the stockings were hung by the chimney with care..." I have decided to make my girls' stockings this year.  We had one for our older daughter.  A plain, run of the mill, store bought stocking.  We didn't get the baby one last year, not that it mattered, there was not much to put into it, but this year, I want them to have ones like I had growing up.

Putting the stockings up in anticipation of that jolly ol' elf stuffing it full of goodies is one of my great Christmas memories.  My mom hand made all of our stockings and added great details and beadwork.  I loved my stocking.  When it was time to decorate the house for Christmas we couldn't wait to get to the box with the stockings.  We would carefully pull them out of the box, go over every detail of the work my mom put into it, lightly graze my fingers over the beads, make sure nothing was out of place.  We would clammer to the mantle and arrange the stockings in our birth order.

When Christmas Eve would arrive we would go to our church pageant anticipating what would be waiting at home for us, we knew for sure Santa made his early stops to our house.   Once we rushed through the door and clammered for the tree, the first thing we noticed was the stockings were carefully placed under the tree, bulging at the seams, full of goodies.

These are the types of memories that I want to create for my children.  So I found some stocking patterns and am hoping they turn out half as great as the ones my mom made for me and my brothers.  It is a ton of work, but surprisingly very stress relieving.  I have been working on Bailey's for the past several days and will post photos once I am done.