Kids Say the Darndest Things…

Hannah says some pretty funny things these days. 
During the day, when she says something that makes me giggle, I always send a text to Shawn so that he can get in on the laugh, too.  I never want to forget these!

Hannah: (putting a scarf on) I’m going to work.
Me: Where do you work?
Hannah: New York City.
Me: What do you do at work?
Hannah: I get stuff done.  Then I come home and do Mommy work.

“It’s a good thing you’re here, Mommy.  Cuz you’re the boss!”
“Let’s ditch this nap and go to Chick-Fil-A.”
Hannah: Let’s play Jesus.  I’ll be baby Jesus.  You can be Mary. 
Me: Who will Daddy be?
Hannah: He can be Joseph.
Me: What about Papa?  Who will he be?
Hannah: He can be the sheep. 
“Mommy, why does Daddy stand up to go potty?”
(After I laughed uncontrollably for a few minutes, I quickly sent a text to Shawn telling him that he must start locking the bathroom door!)
“Mommy, did God give you to me?”

Project 320 Giveaway

Pause for one minute and think about this:
How much water did you use today?
Did you take a shower?
Run a load of laundry?
Wash dishes?
Bathe your kids?

If you’re like me, you probably didn’t stop to appreciate fresh, clean water that runs to multiple sources in your home.

Now pause for a minute and imagine this:
Walking 5 miles per day for your water.
Dirty water.
Water that is so contaminated with bacteria that it kills more people every year than all forms of violence, including war.

Want to do something to help?  Me too!

I’m so happy to team up with the girls over at Project 320 for this year’s Giveaway Week.  All the money raised will go to charity:water to build a well to bring fresh, clean water to people that really need it.

  Up for grabs is one of my custom order pillowcase dresses, matching heart-shaped hair clip and a $15 itunes gift card.

 

 

The dress and hair clip will be custom made in the winner’s choice of colors, not limited to what is show above.  You’re welcome. Size newborn – girls 6.
To enter, make a $10 donation over at the Project 320 well page.  Then hop back over here and leave me a comment, including your email address.  Winner will be chosen on December 20.

Your donation is a wonderful way to help a mom in Africa bring clean, healthy water to her family. 

 

It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

When we were kids, my mom started “Christmas Boxes” for each of us.  Each year, we would get an ornament or two to be stashed in the Christmas Box. 
My sister and I joked about getting “another ornament for the Christmas Box,” to which my mom always said, “You’ll thank me when you get married one day.”
So, thanks, Mom.  And Grandma.  And Aunts. 
The Christmas Box has served me well.  So well, in fact, that I even started one for Hannah on her first Christmas when she was just 7 weeks old.  She’ll thank me when she gets married.  One day.

Here’s Hannah’s Christmas Box.  By the time she’s 6, I suspect that the Christmas Box will have to be a Christmas Rubbermaid Container.

This year I put a little pink tree in Hannah’s room.  I found it at Hobby Lobby for 50% off and since it was pink, I could not pass it up.  Then I found a pack of cowgirl themed ornaments that had Hannah’s name all over it.  I also added some of the decorations from her Cowgirl Birthday Party.

 

Close up of the cowgirl hat…

Last weekend, we got our big Christmas tree. 
We searched until we found the perfect one…

And brought ‘er home to decorate.  Isn’t she pretty?  Our living room feels so warm and cozy.

 
I have another tree in our dining room.  It is actually 3 little pencil trees that stay up year round.  Here’s the story:
In 2006, Shawn and I were going to be in Europe for the holidays and didn’t want to go to the trouble to get a big tree, but we also didn’t want to not have a tree either.  So, I found these little guys and decorated them in all things pink and girly.  I have a lot of special ornaments that I added so that I can enjoy them all year long.  When we moved into our house in early 2007, I set these trees up in the dining room and they have been here ever since.

Christmas is only 11 days away!  This time of year can be so chaotic and rushed.  At Thanksgiving, I made a promise to myself that I would slow down, relax and really enjoy this season.  That has meant saying no to certain things and declining others.  What a joy it has been to worry less about my to do list and spend time with my sweet little family!

Three Year Check Up

A few weeks ago, I took Hannah for her 3 year check up with her pediatrician.  She had a great exam and is right on track with all of her developmental milestones.  She’s still tall, around the 80th percentile and is finally starting to creep up the chart in weight percentile.  She’s been hovering around the 10th percentile since she was about 4 months old.

When we arrived, the nurse took us to our room and did something new – she gave us a little paper hospital gown.  Hannah got undressed and I put her into the gown. 
Not expecting a wardrobe change, she said,
“Mommy, did you bring a bow to match this?”

Love her!

Laundry Day

This is what laundry day looked like at our house:

I came downstairs to find Louie, our Old English Sheepdog “wearing” one of Shawn’s shirts, hanger and all.

Turns out, a certain little someone is responsible for this game of dress up.  She drapes the shirt over him and then collapses into a heap of giggles on the floor.  

Sweet, patient Louie. 
He doesn’t seem to mind. 
In fact, I think he may actually like it.

Proof

 

That the box is usually more fun than the toy…

Yee Haw! A Cowgirl Birthday!

We celebrated Hannah’s 3rd birthday with family this weekend. 
Our theme? Cowgirls, of course!

 I planned and made the decorations and favors myself by spending very little and using things I already had on hand.

For example:
Tissue paper poms!  I bought a jumbo pack of pink and turquoise tissue paper and used about 9 sheets per pom, which made these pretties less than $1 each.

The cowgirl tree was made with an old Mason jar, some faux peat moss, branches from a Rose of Sharon in my backyard and scrapbook/cardmaking supplies I had in my stash.  Cute!

Each child got to take home a jar of the dry ingredients to make Bakerella’s Cowgirl Cookies!  I bought the jars at Hobby Lobby - $9 for a dozen.  I had many of the ingredients on hand and bought chocolate chips, brown sugar and M&Ms.  The pink bandanas are from Hob Lob also.  I bought 2 for $1 and cut them into small pieces for the tops.  I found the jute rope in my husband’s tool box and thought that it fit perfectly!

Tutorials for all of these lovlies coming soon!

Happy Birthday to my little cowgirl!  Love her so much!