Merry Christmas

...from our family to yours!

Hope the big guy's listening!

Storytime!

Cousins and some playdough fun

Waiting for Luke.....

Monday night....waiting for THE call....

Luke's Here!

For those of you who know we've been waiting for a Christmas nephew/cousin, I figured you'd want to know he's here! Arrived 6 days early at 7pm tonight. 8 lbs 5 oz. He's got chunky little legs--I can't get over how yummy and chubby he is! We only got to see him for a few minutes tonight before the nurses took him away (boo), but we're excited he gets to participate in our Christmas festivities due to his early arrival!

When my dad was holding him he was already trying to lift his head up and look around. He was so alert and wide-eyed!

Just a day at home....

With Christmas decorations that aren't behaving and need to spend time in the "Peace Place."

And cats that WILL read a book....whether it interferes in his naptime or not.

This is life with a 2-year old! Some days I don't know whether to cry or laugh. Generally in this house we just resort to laughing.

It looks like Christmas around here...

My ideas for this Christmas--don't buy anything decoration-wise (at least not at retail...thrift purchase were ok if they were CHEAP!) and only put out stuff I loved....I am so pleased with the results. I have a lot of yucko Christmas stuff I find myself putting out every year just cause I have it. I am never thrilled with the cluttery, eclectic (bad eclectic) look. This year I wanted naturey, and silver, black and a touch of red to dominate in my house.
On my mantle I put out some shutters I made last year from spray-painted bathroom shutters we took out of the guest bath when we moved in, made some stocking holders by spraypainting candleholders black, topping them with glass cylinder jars filled with shells, rocks, and funky twine balls. I used a white berry garland, some faux barbwire, and a metallic orchid arrangement I whipped up. I love it! And it definitely looks better in person. :)
I made our stockings last year with fabric, JoAnn's plain felt stockings, and some iron-on fusing.

Every year we add an Eifel Tower ornament to our collection (since that's where we got engaged). This year's is in the middle of the wreath. I actually dropped and broke it, and my sweet hubby had to superglue it back together for me. A bit symbolic of our 7th year of marriage...definitely not perfect, but still holding together strong. :)

Ignore the candle behind the picture frame. Oops, wasn't supposed to be in the picture. :)

I printed all my favorite Christmas pics to display around the house. You can see the one of Q reading by Christmas tree in the photo above, these below are on my built-ins....Love having these are reminders of fun past Christmases!

My favorite Christmas bargain...Got this great wreath for $2.99 at the Sal Army. I have plans to spruce it up a bit, but for this year I just enjoyed it's current state!

Saved some of our "fall stash" and turned it Christmas-y --spray painted acorns and leaves with metallic silver and gave them a sprinkling of iridescent glitter.

Black candlestick holder is from Sal. Army (.49) and spray painted black.....

SIT DOWN, KID!

We fight about this the whole time she is doing art every morning. I think she actually squirms herself up without even realizing it....she just CANNOT sit in her chair and work. And yup, she can totally unbuckle herself now!

Strolling her Gingerbread pan.....

Be sure to notice her festive Christmas bow accessories.....

Sleepover!

Friday night Q had a sleepover at Mimi and Papa's house and had SO much fun! Matt and I enjoyed dinner and christmas shopping

on our own, too! Of course Q and Papa made their traditional pancakes, and looks like Mimi fixed Q's hair! Love sleepover nights--they are good for all of us! Gives us some nice couple time and let's us miss Q a little bit, and lets her have some fun with grandparents or aunts and uncles!

Recent Quinnisms

After bathtime one morning Q wrapped her towel under her arms and started dancing around. She said, "I'm a pincess. Like Shiloh."

"I want to hold Oma (meaning she wants Oma to hold her). Opa's too heavy for me."

Burps. "I almost puked!" Then cracks up laughing.

"Baby Luke doesn't have hands. He just has paws."

"Daicia. Daicia. Daic. Mommy. MOM!!! I don't want to go to Starbucks."

And Lowe's is "baaaad" but Home Depot is "gooood."

All she wants for Christmas....

Sunday night we went out to dinner with Grandbob and Grandsue. Quinn kept asking Grandbob to sing a song on the drive. He started singing, "I Wanna Hippopotomus for Christmas," and Quinn informed him that she didn't like that song. Every time she'd ask for another song he'd start singing that one again, just to tease her. Later that night when they were leaving, he asked Quinn what she wanted for Christmas. You guessed it. A "hippy-o-potamus. And a snake. With black eyes. That bites." She's let off on the "hippy-o-potamus" a bit, but she is still sticking to the black-eyed-biting snake whenever anyone asks what she wants.

German Fest

Saturday afternoon we went to the German Festival. Grandbob's band played a quick set there, so we had fun listening to that to start our afternoon out.

There were all sorts of strange people there. Like this man in the antlers. Hmmmm.

Then there were dancers....

And yummy food.But most exciting....Santa and Mrs. Clause and some of their elves were there. Matt and I both figured there was no way Quinn would sit on their laps....we predicted she'd be excited until the moment came to sit her down. She proved us wrong! She had no problem visiting the big guy and was thrilled by the candy cane she received. He asked what she wanted for Christmas and she told him she had a Christmas tree at home with a welder under it. True, actually. Then she sat on Mrs. Clause's lap. Then she ate her first candy cane, drooled all over, and in 5 minutes Daddy, me, Grandbob and Quinn were all sticky. Not sure how that happened.

In other news, Q also discovered the world of Porta-Potties at the festival. And I think she's the only person on the face of the earth in love with them. She asked to go to the bathroom ALL afternoon just to go in them. And before we left she played on a big hill next to where we parked the truck since it was so pretty out. I took advantage of the pretty light and played with my camera a bit. :)

3 of my favorite little things