Outtakes

You didn't really think she smiled sweetly for all her baptism pics, did you?

And a few more from her birthday party....

Poor girl, she had an itchy rash on her cheeks, chest and arms, luckily it didn't put a damper on her enthusiasm.

She got a singing game for the wii. The girls spent two solid hours singing their hearts out before I sent them to bed.

Ava loves remotes....

and sisters.

Dear Emma,

You went ahead and turned eight, totally without permission and well before I was ready. You wanted to be baptized on your birthday, and even though the day was already jam-packed, with the help of some of your family and friends (who love you like crazy), we pulled it off and you had a beautiful late-night baptism. The day felt rushed and hectic at moments, but I hope you remember the sweet parts, like Grace's closing prayer and the only quiet moment of the day when it was just me and you in the dressing room and I hugged you close and told you I loved you and I was so proud of you. I do love you, even more than you can comprehend right now in your life and I'm so proud of who you are and that I have the privilege of being your mama.
I'll admit that as I sifted through pictures making your slide show I may have cried just a little. As cliche as it sounds, it seems like just yesterday that we bundled you up and brought you home for the first time, and yet I truly can't remember life without you. Now you're eight and I wonder how the time slipped by so quickly, how you went from the baby who hated her car seat with a fierce passion, to the toddler who loved all things princess, to the girl you are today, full of enthusiasm and compassion. You are beautiful. Your passion for life is contagious, you are uninhibited and fall in love easily. You are a bright spot in our little family and you bring us so much joy. Thank you for being you and sharing your life with us. We love you.
Love,
Mom

And before that...

We partied it up for Chris's birthday and Thanksgiving.
First, Chris's birthday.
I made him a cake(-wreck) straight from a box with store bought frosting. It looked eerily similar to a cowpie.
He still loves me.
We love him.

Then, we went to Traci's for Thanksgiving. There was great food and even better company. I have no pics of the food because I was too busy stuffing myself. I did, however, break out the camera later in the evening for the storybook reading,

 card games,

hair braiding,

....and then more storybook reading.

 I feel the need to explain Owen's hair. He came out of the bathroom that night with it looking like this, when we questioned him about it he said, "I just doed my hair like my priend." (I just did my hair like my friend)....apparently he has a friend with a fauxhawk?

Before we decorated the aforementioned tree...

We took a trip to the mountain to cut it. It was Black Friday.
The snow was deep, way deep. Lily wasn't wearing snow pants, so she only stepped out long enough for the snow to spill over the tops of her boots. Grace and Emma were superstars and traipsed all through the sometimes waist deep snow with infectious smiles. Ava and I waited in the truck and took pictures through the truck windows.

I admired the sunset on the way down the mountain. I've been trying to point out the beauty in nature to my littles, and was hoping my enthusiasm would spread to the backseat.  

Chris admired the wildlife on the way down the mountain. He pulled over and insisted that I snap a pic of this buck even though I had to zoom way in because it was almost at the tippy-top of the runaway truck ramp.....and for the record, if there had been a competition in the "spreading enthusiasm to the backseat department," I believe Chris would have won, particularly with Owen since O insisted on keeping his window rolled down and would emphatically yell "reindeer" everytime he spotted a deer. No one yelled about my sunset. 

Am I the only one...

who loves waking up to glittering frost covered trees?
This was the view out our windows this morning...

It almost makes me forget that we've been nursing illness for over a week at our house...everything from puking and fevers to rashes and runny noses. It's been well over a week since we've gone a night without someone awake, restless, unable to sleep and needing a dose of Motrin or a snuggle and I'm starting to feel it. I started this morning with chocolate muffins at 5am and I wished for a Diet Dr. Pepper to wash them down with.

The upside to being stuck at home is lots of time to decorate for Christmas.....
Our stockings are hung....

 Emma spent 2 days home sick last week and she kept me going on decorating projects. Her enthusiasm was contagious.
 We decorated this tree for FHE. The girls keep crafting and making more decorations for it. They litter the kitchen with a constant trail of ribbon, paper, scraps and scissors.

 Lily sort of wished to skip school and decorate too, so we waited for her help to decorate the tree in the front room. This is the girls' favorite tree despite the malfunctioning lights and the fact that there can be no glass balls on the bottom 3 feet because Ava picks them off like apples.

The snow globes usually grace the top of the piano, this year we are keeping them low because the girls love admiring them. Now they don't have to climb to reach them, and I have to say there has only been one time so far when I thought my head might explode from hearing all three chiming their tunes at once. all. day. long....and the new has since worn off a little so it's no longer constant background noise.
....so there is our Christmas home tour, and I didn't even have to clear the toys from the floor;)