Around our home at Christmas time...

Merry Christmas, all! I hope you're having a great holiday season!

The chill has definitely been in the air... there have been "rumors" about white fluff falling from the skies, but so far we've just had rain!

I wanted to take a quick break from developing and fine-tuning my tendinitis (read: crocheting) to finish decorating the house this morning!

I took (quite) a few pictures to share!

I started collecting Santas a few years back and it is definitely getting bigger! I won't buy just *any* Santa. They have to be different. They have to have a little personality. There has to be something that sets them apart from the "generic, stereotypical Santas".

Here are a few several of my favorites!

Americana Santa

Woodland Santa
complete with pine needles on his head & a cardinal on his shoulder!

Cowboy Santa
ain't he cute?
Workshop Santa
see his slippers?!

... and his needle & thread?
I love his lil face!

What the -?!?! Santa or Tipsy Santa

lol... this is what happens when your Santas are stored in the attic and it gets too hot!
Chubbers Santa
probably the closest I'll get to the "generic Santas"
but I just loved his lil face!

Santa Longbeard

he is actually supposed to be a wine-bottle topper, but we don't drink wine, so he's my shelf-sitter Santa (try saying that about 5 times - I only got to 3 when "it" happened).

Scottish Santa
named because his robe reminds me of a kilt.

Our lil Family Santa... I painted a little of the ribbon in white and then just wrote our name on there... The Jeskas '05!

Purple Ice Santa
... because not all Santas have to be red & white

White Santa

Rockin' Chair Santa

Dopey Santa

I'm sorry, but doesn't he look a lil like Dopey?

And my favoritest so far
Huntin' Santa
.. complete with shotgun, shotgun shells, camo vest & ducks!

Here they all are on our toy room entertainment center. Maybe next year we'll have enough shelves to spread them out a bit.

My Santa Moon on the tree

One of my favorite picture ornaments... Brooklyn & Brenna 2004

Our living room display

And let's not forget the REAL meaning of Christmas...

Isaiah 9:6-7
(6) For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (7) Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

It's a hard lesson...

... and I'm not sure I'll ever fully learn it. Ok, maybe I'll learn it... it's just the accepting and *remembering* it that I have the problem with. And here it is...

Mommies are heroes. Mommies are grand. Mommies can do anything... except have an off day!

The *one* day that you show the first sign of weakness or loftiness or just plain tiredness...

... they can sense it. They know you're tired and not paying as close attention as you should be! It doesn't matter that you heard their peels of laughter & giggling and naively thought, "Oh, they're having fun with each other today! How cute!!"

*sigh*

Yeah.... no.

There are no days off in Mommyland...

Look at lil Blake... you can just read the thoughts on his poor, troubled face.
"I didn't do it, Brooke! I promise! Look, I'm stuck in here. Emma made me do it! I told her not to do it.... you believe me.... right?"

And then there's Emma... "Mom, I promise I didn.... oh, who am I fooling. Shaw-y, Mom."

Awww, but I sure do love the heck outta them!

This Tired Mom Tip #187...

This Tired Mom's Tip #187...

Multitask!

Talk on the phone while you're doing the dishes....

... or let the puppies out to pee while hanging out laundry...

... or give your daughter the wipey container to "bathe" herself while you're vacuuming the floor...

...or, one of my favorites - the 3 R's - accomplished in the "throne room"...

1. Reading - book, magazine, bible, newspaper
2. Relief - lock the kiddos out while you tend to private matters
2. Relaxation - the alone mommy time is so, so important.... don't worry, you'll get used to their knocking and incessant "MOM! MOM! MOOOM!"
(... either that, or they'll eventually give up and walk away.)

And, if you're like me, you detest bath time with 3 messy, noisy girls and do not thoroughly enjoy the whole hair-drying business. I, however, have come up with a perfectly perfect solution!!!

Dry your kids *with* their laundry! Go on! Just throw 'em in there! They come out so soft and smooth and they smell heavenly! Not to mention how much money you'll save by not having to run that pesky hair dryer!

Love The Decor Giveaway

I don't normally partake in the "blogging for giveaways" cycle,
but I ran across one that I definitely wouldn't mind winning!

This is the picture that caught my attention...

So I then went to the website that is hosting the giveaway... LoveTheDecor ... ... and then I totally decided I'd love to win these!

I have to say the name of the company definitely fits because I "Love The Decor"!

Halloweens Past

Halloween is here!
We love Halloween!
You can tell a lot about a kid with what they want to dress up with!
I'm still working on this year's costumes... actually, they're just ideas floatin' up in my head.

That's right. I said it. They're not even started yet.
That's just how TTM* rolls.
Rest assured they will have costumes and be darn cute come tomorrow!
*this tired mom
I thought I'd share a few pictures from our past few Halloweens!

This is Brooklyn - age... 5, I think?
What is says about her: She loves horses, cowgirls and chaw.
(at least that's what I *think* is in her cheek)

Here is Brenna on her 2nd Halloween- 2005
She is "Pebbles"
This costume was made by TTM about a day before the actual festivities.
What is says about her: She has red hair and mom said she had to be Pebbles

"Pebbles & her Dino"

Here are the both of them: Brenna 1, Brooklyn 5

2006:
This is the only picture I have of 2006 on my computer, but what a cute picture it is!
I believe this was the year that Brooklyn went as Super Girl!
Brenna as "Annie"
Auntie Kell helped poof out her hair. TTM hand-made her a red dress.
Again, I'm sure it was done minutes before it was time to go - in true TTM fashion!
What it says about Brenna: She's still to young to have a say in her costume choice.
MOM'S CHOICE!

2007:
Brenna was a kitty. Brooklyn - a cowgirl; gasp, SHOCKER!
TTM still had a lot to say about what Brenna was going to be!

I wish I had a picture from behind! I had the BEST time laughing at the little kitty tail
swishing back and forth! Cutest little kitty butt ever!

2008:
Emma's first Halloween!
TTM found this costume on ebay and couldn't resist the puffy cuteness!

Emma and her Daddy

This was Emma at the end of the night... last stop, Auntie Kell's.
The costume was off, but Auntie Kell got her to wear the fro wig while TTM flashed the peace sign for her.

Full body.
I think I was trying to get the Leg Lovies in the shot!

Our first stop:
Grandma & Grandpas!

Brenna was a butterfly princess!
She was finally old enough to pick out her very own costume!

Brooklyn as Audrey Hepburn
I LOVED this one!

Such memories! I can't wait for the fun tomorrow night!

The waiting is OVER!

Remember when I wrote the post about waiting... and waiting and waiting? Well, the waiting ended last Tuesday, so it's high time I blogged about it! Ginger had her little puppies last Tuesday. It couldn't have been more convenient timing, either. I had just put the kids down for their afternoon nap when she came and "told" me that it was time for her to go upstairs to her box! So, I got to watch and help her through the whole thing!!!

It lasted maybe a little over an hour, but she sure did work for the first one! He came out back feet first and needed "assistance" leaving his home of 2 months! He is all white and weighed 4.8oz/135grams! The girls are calling him "Nathan". (No... I don't know... don't ask me... nope... I'm in complete denial that he's named after a boy they used to go to school with.)

The second puppy came about 15 minutes later and although he was considerably smaller, he was much more vigorous and took less stimulation to get all "frisky". He was 3.6oz/ 101grams shortly after birth. He is mostly white with some black spots! Sooo adorable, as you'll see from the pictures below! The girls are calling him "Franky". (No... I don't know... don't ask me... nope... I'm in complete denial that he's named after a "nice boy" that they used to go to school with.)

So now, they are one week old. Nathan is a champ and is gaining a good ounce per day (on most days). He now weighs 9.8 ounces/278 grams. Franky is also gaining VERY well!!! He is now up to 7.6 ounces and 216 grams!

Ginger is a VERY attentive mama dog and is taking VERY good care of them. She will let Tucker (dad) be in the same room, however if he traipses too close, she is quick to put him in his place! She will also chase and bark and growl at the cats if they even *think* about stepping a foot across the threshold of the front door... Gingi just doesn't care how hungry they are or how long it's been since the girls have fed them! As you can see from the pictures, she is also mellow with the girls around the puppies. The first couple of days she DID NOT want ANYONE to touch them... NOT EVEN ME. I'd reach down to pet one of them and all of a sudden her head would magically appear under my hand. So I'd try another avenue, but she blocked me then, too! I'm not gonna lie. I went up to my room and cried. Ok, maybe not, but I was a little "put off" by her selfish behavior! ;o)

So, it's a week, and they're cute and getting chunky!!! They were SOOO tiny and fragile at birth... it's nice to see them putting on weight! Ok, here ya go... the pics!

Ok, they're backwards. They start with tonight at one week of age!

Emma kissing "Franky" a couple of days ago.

Brooklyn holding "Franky" the other day

Brenna & "Nathan"

This was tonight...

This was their "birth" day