Are you ready?

Lately people keep asking, "Are you ready for Christmas?" A few years ago I would have responded, "No!"

As of today, December 10th, I have not prepared my Christmas cards (I don't even have a Christmas photo!), not decorated our tree (although we picked it up Wednesday), not purchased any gifts and everything we have baked recently we have eaten. So essentially, I am not ready.

However, we have been very busy. The calendar is filling up with extra activities that occur during this time...Brynn's school Christmas program, school parties, our annual Christmas party, the Company parties, Church party, our annual trip to Knott's Berry Farm, scheduling a few days in the snow. We are getting ready for all the fun and exciting memories this time of year brings.

I am spending less time "getting ready" for Christmas. I am doing less decorating, less shopping, less of all the "stuff". I am just enjoying the gifts in everyday. I am ready.

Thanksgiving was wonderful! I cooked this!




I love this picture (even thought it is not clear.) Thanksgiving night all the kids were gathered around the TV trying to watch a movie. While the adults continued to talk way to loud.



They did jump on Thanksgiving!-Brynn was hoping for a jump house!



She has become pure TROUBLE! :)


Exercise anyone? This was the day after Thanksgiving.


The stockings are up...my favorite Christmas decoration! I have since finished my mantel!


Enjoying time with family...Nonno's visit from Italy came to an end.



The Discovery Museum. Why am I surprised that she is soooo typical????






The Christmas Parade!





I love the pom-pom on babies hats!







Pure TROUBLE ate a red stamp!





Trying to get a Christmas picture!





Still trying...



Jaden picked out the tree! It is BEAUTIFUL!



Naomi's class made gingerbread houses today. We went to help. :)





We are getting ready! Life is so beautiful!

Thankful

Today is my favorite holiday! Family, Friends and food. I just put the turkey in the oven and I am waiting for the aroma to fill the house. Twenty-two people will be gathered around the table and I am so excited and THANKFUL. Brynn asked if we were having a jump house. That made me laugh. We have never had a jump house for Thanksgiving. They will jump around, I am sure of that.

This time of year seems to get hectic and overwhelming. I work hard not to let that happen and each year I get better and better with that. We have incorporated many family traditions for the girls during this time. I am looking so forward to all of them. They are too, which makes it even better!

This season brings us to Starbucks...I am not a coffee drinker, but hot chocolate always seems appropriate for the cold weather. We can always get Grandma to go to Starbucks. (She is a coffee drinker!)








We bake for a reason.






Nonno is visiting from Italy!



We feast at school!





And yesterday, even though I had a million things to do. We braved the crisp, cold, yet beautiful weather and headed to the Mission. Just to stop and play together.









My blog is inspired by an extra chromosome. I don't remember Thanksgiving 2008. Kamryn's First Thanksgiving. We had a house full, I am sure. But my heart was so heavy during that time. Today my heart is full and I am so Thankful.

Feeling like a Rock Star Mom!

I am not typically late, I am usually "right-on-time." The girls will ask, "Are we going to be late?" and I respond, "No, we are going to be right on time." I would rather be early, but there are some things I have had to let go of. On time is good.

Brynn's ballet class starts shortly after Jaden and Naomi get out of school. I usually have her ready, pick up Jaden and Naomi and head straight to class. There is no time to spare and she gets there right on time.

The other day Diondray was home and he was going to pick up Jaden and Naomi.

Brynn said to me, "Mom, are you taking me to ballet?"

Me, "Yes, is that OK?"

Brynn, "We don't have to pick up Jaden and Naomi?"

Me, "No"

Brynn, "DOES THAT MEAN I CAN GET FIRST CHAIR?"

me, thinking.. first chair, what is that?

and then it dawned on me. First chair. The first chair in the row of chairs her teacher sets out before class. The person in the "first chair" goes first. First for share and first to dance. I don't think Brynn has ever been first chair. I didn't even know it was something she paid much attention to (I didn't)!

I thought two things: First, my girl is going to be first chair today! Second, it reminded me that they have things that are important to them. Things they think about that we are unaware of. Things that may seem so insignificant, but can mean so much to them!

So, I made sure to get to ballet in plenty of time. Before anyone else. So Brynn could be first chair!


We were so on time, the teacher wasn't there yet!







Look how happy she is!!!!!!!!


One day she will be first chair too!


Did I feel like a Rock Star Mom that day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

A past due October post!

Halloween is not my favorite holiday. I don't even consider it a "holiday". However, with smart retail marketing we have turned this one night of trick or treat into a HUGE event. I am guilty. I purchase those Halloween shirts at Target. I decorate the house. The girls and I bake for their classroom "Harvest parties." (They don't call them Halloween parties at our schools). We even have our own annual Halloween party. I started having a Halloween party 4 years ago. The girls wanted to wear their costumes from the day we purchased them (yes, I actually buy their costumes) until October 31st. I realized we needed to have another day, other than the 31st, to get all dressed up. Hence, our Halloween party was born.

Pizza, cup cakes, jump house, craft, and this year a good old fashioned scavenger hunt...which was SO much fun! The girls love it. I actually love it too. But Halloween still isn't my favorite. :)

GO KAMRYN! We had a cheerleader, fairy, Hannah Montana and a snow boarder!









Just some pictures that I thought were cute :)
Kamryn is yelling, "Happy Halloween!" It comes out more like, "appy ooween"





Party time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We had about 35 kids over. There were some adorable costumes and I have no pictures! (Just what you see below!) I have realized two things...1)I need to buy a camera because the iPhone is just that- a phone. 2) I need to remember to take pictures!

It was a fun night! A great memory for my girls...they look forward to their Halloween party every year and that makes me smile!

Down syndrome Awareness Month--- 31 for 21, LIFE is...

LIFE is not measured by the number of breaths we take,

but by the number of moments that take our breath away.



I love that quote. My sister knows it is my favorite and a few years ago bought me a tile with that quote embedded on it. It sits on my fireplace mantel. I also have a HUGE canvas that reads "Life is Beautiful." That should come as no surprise if you read my blog. :)

I have many of those moments. They can be simple moments that force me to pause. And they can be just grand.

Like the other day at Naomi's soccer practice, these two were sitting together cheering for their sister ...that is a moment. I pause, I smile and I take it in.





They can be grand too! Like last Saturday. I am in the car heading, I have no idea where. I am with my husband, on a date, that he has planned. One of our "30 hour dates", which means we are sleeping in, because we are not returning home until the following day! We have a wonderful dinner and the next day he takes me to see-



How great is that?! THAT is a moment.


Or the other night, my girlfriend was over and she casually said, "come into the kitchen I want you to open something" and I pulled this out of the box...


J N B K --- I wanted to cry. I am not sure if I did.


Not that I center moments around dates or gifts, because really, they are the simple things that happen everyday in our lives. Like this evening when I got home from taking Jaden to practice. Naomi and Brynn had made me "scrolls". They had taken pieces of construction paper and rolled them into scrolls. They were magic scrolls, as they informed me. There was not a word written on them, but they each stood up and recited from their scrolls something like....

Mom, I love you. You are the greatest mom. Can we have a dog? Dinner was good. I had a great day. Do I have to take a bath? Is Halloween tomorrow? I love you. etc.

That took my breath away because I couldn't stop laughing. :)


For some reason I recognize the moments so much more than I did before. I know why, but to put into words, that may take me all night. There was a brief time, a whole year, I lived in fear of what the future moments would be like. Unfortunately that kept me from enjoying the day. I don't do that any more.

Today, was a beautiful day. With lots of moments!