favorite christmas pics

here's some of my favorite christmas pics from this season. i get spastic when it comes to the holidays and the camera. really, i just get in a big hurry and can't seem to be still long enough for the photo to not be blurry.... anyway, they're our memories, blurry or not. so here goes. next year we should visit grandma doris earlier before i've already taken so many pictures that i'm sick of being behind the camera and don't even bother to get it out. glad i took some good ones while we were there last spring.

i love this one of grandma ellie and lilly. something about the look on elloise's face!


here's mom's 4 grandkids. it was hilarious trying to get a good picture and this one captures the moment pretty well...cousins are grady and riley...


this is lilly with her new walking toy. oh my gosh, i can't believe she is almost walking... almost one year old...sniff, sniff!!!


abby got a big life-size groovy girl for christmas from santa. the thing is seriously bigger than she is...oh, the joys!


my silly girls. my version of "hey, get over there by your sister so i can get both of you in a picture. hey, wait a minute. look at mommy. lilly. abby. lilly. now smile." and here's the result!

no allowance for us

this morning i was busy cleaning house and i asked abby to help me. i told her, "hey, mommy needs you to help me pick up and maybe i could give you a little money for your wallet, like an allowance...." with the best donna reed look i could muster up!

abby says, "what's a ta-lowance?"

i say, "it's when your parents give you some money for helping do chores sometimes."

she says, "nah, usually people just give me money!"

she wound up helping for FREE!!!!! what a concept...

hunting season

today abby went hunting with mike. they were pretty funny-2 peas in a pod. it takes them quite a while to get out the door but once they do, it's a good time! mike called me about an hour and a half into the trip and said, "listen to this!". it was my baby snoring. he said she slept for quite a while and then just colored and hung out quietly. i can't believe how long she can last being quiet in a deer stand with him but i don't get a moment's silence throughout the day...my sweeet little chatterbox!

ps-they didn't catch any deer...didn't even see any...but that's not what matters. daddy and daughter spending time together, that's what matters!

growth is good!

tonight I am posting because of Abby's accomplishment. it's a reminder to me that growth is good and to never give up. for quite a while she's been writing her name and few other letters. so cute....but she would always get frustrated that she couldn't yet draw a heart. she just came beaming into my blog-reading with her magna-doodle drawn heart. she did it and she was grinning from ear to ear. i'm so proud of her for not giving in to frustration and giving up. she loves to write and she tries even though it's really hard for her. i wish i had the same persistence!!! oh, the things we learn and are reminded of through our kids. never stop growing....