finally caught the bug

well i finally got the flu bug, thanks to being around hacking sick people day in and day out. i have been absolutely sick as a dog for two days. i finally forced myself out of bed today to get the christmas tree down. i am ready for a three hour nap now.

the girls have been so loving and helpful, nice to see that side of them, less bickering and lots of hugs and kisses. i dont want them to get this so i have been trying to keep them away, but they are so sweet and make me "medicine" and bring me blankets and toys. i only have a million things to get ready before we leave for colorado, but i can only do so much with this dang flu!

in other news, my one year blogiversary has come and gone while i have been sick in bed. thanks to all my friends and family who have enjoyed my ramblings. so glad to have made friends with many fellow bloggers, something i didn't plan on when i started my blog. i hope to keep documenting my inspirational group of bluebirds as they move through another year of camp fire. next year will be most exciting for lizzie as she joins emily in ballet and we start a new bluebird group for her too. i look forward to reading all the blogs i check in with daily, getting new crafty ideas, maybe start sewing some "real" clothes for my girls. if i am lucky i might get to hook up with a few locals and be a part of a craft/book club type thing with another blogger pal. the new year is looking as crazy busy as ever!

visit from the tooth fairy

headbangers

pink sunset, last night of christmas lights

happy new year!

catching up!

today was sort of a dud for you chris, sorry as usual but your gift is coming.

what was i saying about the guitar hero?

my kid is gonna be chanting this at her yuppie preschool tomorrow. she puts in her own words, thank goodness. better keep my cell phone on in case i have to pick her up for disorderly conduct.

christmas 2007

ok, although i did a lot of handmade for christmas, santa went a bit overboard. most everyone hears me complain about the video games, i pretty much HATE them.... that said, santa dropped off this guitar game for the wii and i have to admit, it is a blast to listen to and watch. for an old fart like me, the music rocks and i was humming along while baking my apple crisp (from this book, it was so good i am on my third serving). i highly recommend this for any family that has lazy bones who want to play video games all day (and night). this at least gets them up off the floor and it's pretty cool to listen to if the game is raging in the living room.

now this is the kind of gift i like! thanks santa!

well we got an early start, lots of apple crisp eaten, lots of coffee down the hatch, i am gonna stay in my pajamas until 12:45... then head on over to my parents for our third christmas get together... whew!

can't wait to get into bed with my new fancy pillow, the perfect gift for me! thanks again santa and thanks to our special felt elf and our friendly neighbors who left a cake and an invitation to their family dinner... lucky us!

visit from a little felt elf

ok, now how did she manage to drop off a gift last night? we were up until midnight and the kids woke us at 6:45 am. some sneaky felt elf left us these gifts on our doorstep (and darn if we opened them without taking a picture of the wrapping, the best wrap job ever!) this storybook is a work of art, priceless!

super cool thrifted dress and books (forgot to take a picture of the books but this elf knows what we like around here) and last:

thanks jen! you are always the most amazing friend, xoxoxoxo!

emily reflected

just finishing up some more gifts, emily was "helping"

i will be sewing like crazy through new years!

dinner with gramps

after emily's final nutcracker performance, we had a pre-christmas eve dinner with my grandpa, my brother made fish tacos and good old macaroni and cheese. probably the funnest (calmest) dinner i have been to in a long time, thanks matt!

Lizzie turns 4!!!!

Top chef birthday, a bit complicated but we pulled it off, liz had a blast and we were able to catch up with several of her daycare friends. first up was the apron decorating:

play dough making came next:

daddy helps out with the graham cracker candy ski chalets:

cupcake decorating, happy birthday singing

can you believe we did all that in one hour!! there was still another hour so we opened presents:

the older girls helped out and even organized a hot potato game, of course liz was off in la la land with her new toys.

well, we made it through another birthday party, whew! i topped my day off with a four hour volunteer job for emily's nutcracker performance (we will see her at the matinee tomorrow)... i worked the sign in and out table and i just want to say, man there are some rude parents out there! parent volunteers are there just helping make sure the right kid goes home with the correct parent. you should have seen how many "adults" just barged through and tried to grab and yell for their kids without signing them out. i had some guy tell me too back off when i asked him to get behind the roped off area (he had climbed over it). he glared at me and told me he could do what he wanted, i was like, "what???? i am a parent just like you and i am supposed to keep this area clear for everyone's safety!!!!" he just pushed right on by and got his daughter. how lame is that? so hopefully anyone reading this will remember (i was humbled by this experience myself) at events where parents are volunteering (and really any person trying to do their job, where it's chaotic and potentially dangerous and children are involved) to be respectful and patient for goodness sake! i am pretty sure thats the last time i volunteer for that particular job (even though i chatted with some super cool moms) i think i will pass out flowers next time!

what a day! happy birthday lizzie! thanks to all my buddies who helped me get it together (my camp fire moms are so amazing, they jumped right in to help without any direction from me! kathleen even told my mom to get outside and have fun instead of washing dishes midway through, she said, "i've got everything under control here! get outside and have fun!" hilarious! i had the dream team at this party, thanks guys!)

glitter sisters

catching up with some handmade stuff... glitter sisters

i never had a sister so i thought these little glitter dolls would be fun, emily and liz will each get a set of sisters to play with. trying to push the "loving your sister" idea along, lots of competition around here lately!

aprons for the top chef birthday party tomorrow.

snowy cabin

michelle and norms snowy little cabin...amazingly this little patch of cabins were spared in the slide fire. so thankful! happy holidays michelle and norm (your first christmas with a snowy cabin), glad we are neighbors both up and down the mountain.