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November 29 Blogging or Scrapbooking?I am so glad I started doing this. I can find 10 minutes a few times a week to journal about life. I love the thought of being able to remember these times forever, I can see that they truly will be some of the most precious times of my entire life. I also love scrapbooking and creating permanent memories that are beautifully decorated with pictures of my loved ones, but I just don't have the time! I might get to a marathon all day scrapbooking session once every several months, but I can't find myself catching up any time soon.
I've given up doing individual books for the girls (for the time being) and my family book is stuck at Emily's first Christmas. Which isn't TOO bad I guess, 2 years behind, but the issue is that it keeps getting more behind as the days go by!
So I guess in the meantime I will keep the memories here until I have the time to catch up on the scrapbooks. By that time I'll be so thankful I kept this log ...my memory won't hold out!
I went to church last night to help with the music for the upcoming production. Up to this point Steve and I have not been involved and I missed it. After helping with some choral parts, I remembered how much I love it and remembered that it really is my niche! That is how God wired me...I get so excited teaching music in a theatrical atmosphere! That is what I was born to do. Nothing else has given me as much satisfaction as when I've directed the orchestra and singers for our Victory productions. So, I really need to get back at it. Sometime soon...and for a time. While trying to keep in perspective that my girls are growing before my eyes and I can't be too busy!! What a dilemma. I can't wait until we can do it together as a family.
When I dropped Hannah off at school today, I dropped her off and stayed in the car. It was the first time I didn't walk her in. Yikes! My big girl. She was so proud walking up the sidewalk without me. She said, "Will you watch me walk into school?" I said,"Of course!"...and I kept watching even after she was long gone...And I sighed. November 27 Another year older...Another birthday has come and gone. I'm 31 now and I have a 5 year old and a 2 year old! My Emily is still a baby! I refuse to take her out of the nursery and put her in Sunday School, I refuse to move her from the infant room to the child room at the YMCA Child Watch, and I refuse to accept that Hannah is using vocabulary that many 6th graders don't know the meaning of! It's is wonderful to see them doing new things and growing, but does it have to be so fast? I would like to linger here a bit longer. (On most days...of course there are the days where you wonder if it will ever end! )
My birthday was yesterday and I led worship at church as our Worship Arts pastor broke a rib in his back and has a hairline fracture on another one. After church my husband graciously made leftovers for lunch and put the girls to bed for me while I laid in bed and took a nap. After my nap he surprised me with a babysitter on the way and we were going out! So we went out for dinner, did a little shopping to get ideas for Christmas without the girls around, and then went bowling. We were home early and snuggled the rest of the evening. It was such a relaxing day...I wish it could never end. Mother's Day too. Those two days could last a week! I'd love to have Mother's Week instead of Mother's Day!
 So my husband loves me and does a great job of showing that. Sometimes too good. I am blessed and so,so happy! November 23 We are so thankful!We have so much to be thankful for! Today is Thanksgiving and I'm thankful that our family festivities are over and today is just a relaxing jammie day at home! I plan to make an Italian dinner tonight for our special meal and we plan to put our Christmas tree up later. Please check out the new pictures! There are 3 new albums of photos that I posted.
Let me tell you all about our birthday week! Monday November 20th was Hannah's 5th birthday. We spent most of the day decorating and getting ready for the Royal Ball that evening. Hannah and Emily both got to open presents...new princess dresses to wear to the party! They loved them.
At the party we had 18 children! It was crazy but Hannah tells us it was the best party and the best day ever. She was so excited and couldn't calm down for hours. We played pin the crown on the princesses, pass the slipper (hot potato) and musical charis to classical music. All the guests got a crown to decorate. Then we headed to the royal dinning room for dinner. We had pizza, applesauce, chips, pink cupcakes and pink lemonade in champagne glasses! It was elegant!
Hannah and Emily were blessed with some great presents and the guests began to leave. Hannah was so happy, and so were we. Thanks to all the friends who came, stayed to help, and took part celebrating out girls' birthdays. You are special to us!
The nex day (November 21st) was Emily's 2nd birthday. Steve had to work but he took off a half day. When Dad got home, we opened more presents, did our traditional measurement, and then headed to the YMCA to have a fun afternoon of swimming! After that we took the girls to Walmart to get birthday portraits taken and they turned out BEAUTIFUL! I can't wait to pick them up. Then we had a birthday dinner out at Friendly's and they sang to the girls and brought them extra ice cream! It was a fun day and once again, Hannah raved about our time together.
After our time in the production, this family time was so sweet. We are so thankful for the blessing of our girls, and our ministry...and the break from our ministry! We are thankful for our families and friends, for those who support us, for those who pray for us, for our new house, for our finances, for our health, and for the privilege of serving the Lord. May your Thanksgiving be as sweet and thanks for reading this and keeping an interest in our family. We love you!
November 21 Happy Birthday, Baby Emily!Today is my baby's second birthday. She was born at 7:20 PM, so she's 2 years and 34 minutes old...and the time keeps on ticking...
We had a whirl wind of birthday celebrations the last 3 days. When I am able to upload pictures I will tell all of the details. I just wanted to be sure to write on Emily's birthday. She didn't want to go to bed tonight so I'm not letting her cry herself to sleep on her birthday. She is watching her favorite movie of all..."The Happy Elf." She asks for it every day..."Ah Happy! Ah Happy!" And today we didn't watch it at all, she deserves it!
 Happy birthday to my two beautiful girls. I'm happier and more blessed than words can say. Doing special family things and loving on my girls the last several days has been the best...my favorite days of the year. Have I mentioned how HAPPY I am?? Thank you so much , Lord! November 15 Cute KidsHannah was up early playing the other morning with some toy microphones. While I was laying in bed I heard her playing...she said into her microphone, "I'm President Bush and I want to tell everyone that Jesus loves you and rose again." I'd vote for her!
Emily is learning words faster than Mommy can keep up. She is putting words together and speaking in short sentences. It boggles my mind...6 months ago at her 18 month checkup I had to tell the Dr., no she's not talking yet!! She wanted to come see me in the kitchen today and Hannah wanted her to stay and play. She tried to hold her arm but Em twisted away and said, "No, Hannah, I Mommy!" I love it. I asked her the other day why she was in her diaper and she said, "dress up!" I asked her if she wanted to put her clothes on and she said, "No! I dress up!" and ran upstairs to put on a princess dress like her sister did!
And speaking of princesses, we are preparing for the cutest princess party everfor our two little birthday princesses! We are also performing 2 shows of "The Gift of the Magi" and having both of our families over this weekend to do a big Thanksgiving dinner. In light of our busy upcoming weekend I already have everything planned and made for the party and presents wrapped! If only my Christmas could be so under control this year...I'm so looking forward to loving on my girls, I love birthdays!!!!!! The one time of year I really feel like I can spoil them...at least it feels like that when we are so careful to have restraint all the rest of the year. It is a blessing to me to bless them, I can't wait.
November 14 Emily's First Dental VisitAbout two weeks ago I noticed Emily had a chipped front tooth! I have no idea how it happened, it just appeared one day. I called the dentist just in case this was an issue...I didn't know if it could get infected or something. They were all out for a week for staff development (glad it wasn't an emergency!!) and of course didn't call me back at all. So I finally got hold of them and they said Em was almost at the age where she should have her first cleaning so we made an appointment. She was the smallest one there and everyone called her a peanut...oh she's so cute!! Yeah, I beamed!
 She did pretty well, no tears until like the 3rd time they tipped her back and tried to get her to open her mouth. That was better than her sister at age 3 going for the first time...of course at age 3 they are more aware that they don't like what's going on! But the dentist said the chip doesn't pose a problem unless the sharp edge bothers her or cuts her lip. My baby is getting so big! I've had thoughts lately of wanting another baby...but just that...thoughts! Steve is getting things permanently taken care of by the end of this year. My Mommy instinct is just trying to rear it's head once more! It won't win, though. I love my perfect family just the way it is...and on some days I still retain my sanity! I would like to keep it that way.
 Today was one of those days. Steve had off for a comp day...that's the good news. Both of our cars are falling aprat and we spent the morning at Tire World...that's the bad news. We really need to get rid of our Mazda and buy a great used minivan. If it wasn't birthday November, Christmas December, and taxes January season, we might be able to. I know God will provide in His time. For now we are still driving both cars and fixing just what NEEDS to be taken care of. But the wise thing is to get a more reliable vehicle as soon down the road as we can...the Mazda is slowing falling apart. Several hundred dollars every other month (it seems) is not a good thing!
Believe it or not it really was a great day! Steve had Em at home the rest of day... they both napped (grrr...I'm jealous!) while I was at work and Steve got to take and pick up Hannah from school. We scrounged around to find enough cash to go to McDonald's for dinner (Kids LOVED that!) and came home to all four of us snuggling on the couch in the dark watching, "The Nutcracker." Hannah prayer at bedtime, "Thank you for my fun time. It was a GREAT day!" Here here.
November 12 Updates of our busy lives!Updates...updates! We have been busy (almost) beyond human capabilities. First and foremost with the production rehearsals, but also with the rest of life that doesn't stop just because you get busy.
At the beginning of November my parents came for a visit to help us install new carpet for the girls' rooms (it is their Christmas present to us). If you haven't seen the carpet in Emily's room, you wouldn't believe how gross and old and decayed it was. The pad underneath was glued to the floor and disintegrated! We scraped up black soot-like dust with a scraper all day. NASTY!! But, AH! The new carpet is gorgeous and luxurious! It makes me itchy to redo our whole house.
Please check out our new albums. October is a bunch of family pics including Hannah's cast coming off and Halloween. The Gifts of the Magi are all from our show. I tried to tell a little bit of the story for those of you who won't be seeing it. It is a great show.
We had 4 rehearsals and 2 performances this week alone. Today was the first day our children weren't with a babysitter in the last 6 days. It is been really rough and we are so tired. The hardest part is not being able to rest. We both still have work and we have had to be at the center right after I pick up Hannah from school and drop her and Emily off with a babysitter. We tried to lay in bed extra long this morning but listened to feet running, toys dumping, laughing, yelling, fighting, singing...you name it. It's hard for a Mommy to ingore her kids when she knows no one is watching them! My natural instinct has me feeling jealous of the rest of the cast who can just sleep when they need to...we never get to do that. But I would rather have my kids any day of the week. So I'll trudge on...bleary eyed and weepy (overtired and overemotional go hand in hand for me) and try to get to bed a little earlier on the nights we don't have a show. Which is tonight...hmmm, when do I catch up on stuff I need to get done? Like writing in my blog? I guess there goes the going to bed earlier experiment!
 Hope you enjoy the pics. I enjoy taking them! Thank the Lord for rechargable batteries! We wish all of you could come see the shows next weekend. We miss you a bunch. Keep in touch.
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