It's the most wonderful tiiiime, of the year!!!

My friend Morgan has been raving about "Elf on a Shelf" for the last couple of years. Her son Grayson is obsessed (I think it may be her, but for the purposes of the story we'll blame it on the boy). It is a kit that includes this silly Elf and his story. The child is to name him and look for him daily. The story goes that the elf will report to Santa daily about the child's behavior during the night and then reappear in a random spot each morning. Maddie is also obsessed (and so is her Mommy, but again, for the purposes of the story...). She has really enjoyed looking for him although I'm not sure she's developed the healthy fear of Santa's repercussions just yet.

Hearing the story for the first time. She named the elf, "Elfie". Obvious, but cute!
The first find!

And the decorating has also begun! Bring it, Santa!!

A Day of Thanks...in pictures.

The annual "handprint turkey shirt"

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow. ~Melody Beattie

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice. ~Meister Eckhart

For flowers that bloom about our feet;For tender grass, so fresh, so sweet;For song of bird, and hum of bee;For all things fair we hear or see,Father in heaven, we thank Thee!~Ralph Waldo Emerson

The thing I'm most thankful for right now is elastic waistbands. ~Author Unknown
Small cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast.

~William Shakespeare

So Thankful...

For this little adorable bundle of goof and gorgeousness.....

Escaping 101

There are so many things Maddie is a pistol about but one area we have been so lucky is her sleep. She has slept through the night for as long as I can remember, goes down fairly easily and has never tried to escape from her crib...until now.

I put her in time out (normally I use a chair but I was in the middle of something that needed my attention for a few minutes, so I put her in her crib) and the next thing I know, I hear the pitter-patter of little feet and hear a little voice behind me, "Hi Mommy." What the bleep?? I tried to put her back in and see if I could re-create the escape but she just smiled coyly and waited for me to lift her out. Later I realized she didn't do it because I was standing there. So I put her in the crib and left the room (grabbing my video camera), and peeked around her door. There it was. In plain sight. GASP. That night we converted the crib into the toddler bed, got a safety rail on Craig's List (for 10 bucks, whoop whoop!) and hoped and prayed our good sleeper would stay in the bed. And she did. All night. I assume only until she figures it out, which knowing this little one, won't be long!

Big girl swing!

*SIGH*. As I have said more times than I can count, I am constantly traumatized/excited about Maddie getting bigger. Another milestone: Maddie went on the "big girl" swings for the first time by herself this week. I've been so nervous to let her try for fear she'd fall off. As per the usual, she insisted on doing everything Bella does, so it was a matter of time! She loved it and did great! Held on and kicked and everything. Big girl. It's....ok...I guess.....

Sidewalk Chalk+Hopscotch+Adorable Girl=FUN!!

I can just hear her thinking "hmmm, what's this all about?" The weather has been so nice and we sort of re-discovered sidewalk chalk (AKA: I found it in a closet and had forgotten all about it) so I thought a nice session of Hopscotch was in order (um, do kids even do this anymore?!).

She didn't quite jump with her one and two feet alternating but she jumped her little heart out, squealing the whole time. Good enough, I say!

Doodle Bear!!

Maddie has been talking, incessantly, about this "Doodle Bear". Never heard of it but she apparently saw a commercial at Oma's house and it has been all she's talked about. It's a bear you can draw on, wash and repeat. "I like purple and Bella likes pink." Um, ok.

Garret had the holiday off (Veteran's Day) so he decided to take her to Target. Per his side of the story, they walk into Target and Maddie spots the thing a hundred feet away, screaming, "DOODLE BEAR!!!!", and he was forced to get it to avoid a very public meltdown. I'm guessing the actual version went more like this: Maddie spots the thing from ten feet away, Daddy rolls the cart over and after looking into those sad, big, beautiful brown eyes, he was like butta and just whisked it into the cart. Sucker......

He fully admitted he rarely gets to buy her things and it was fun for both of them. I couldn't agree more. And, to make his 20 bucks worth it, she still hasn't stopped talking about it.

Jess #2's wedding! (I'm #1 cause I'm older :)

When I lived in Colorado for a couple years, I became close with a group of ladies I met online. I know, odd. I had put an ad on Craig's List after feeling really lonely and missing my tight group of friends from Florida. Mind you, this was long before the Craig's List Killer (not to mention we were not in the sexy section :). We dubbed ourselves "The CL Girls". I actually met the bride, Jessica through someone she was dating and the next was Chrissy. It just grew and we were about 7 strong (with people coming and going along the way). I became closest with Jess, Chrissy and Jill. I loved all the girls but, as I suppose happens, you just bond with people differently.

Jess was that girl I had always envied. Self-assured, beautiful, smart...I would have been intimidated were it not for her easy, kind demeanor. No pretense although she had every reason to be conceited. I loved her instantly and in a short time knew we'd be lifelong friends.

When she called to tell me she met someone and was smitten, I was so excited! Jess is extremely independent, has a great career and enjoys her time with friends. She has never "needed" a man in her life, so when she spoke about him, I just knew something was different. Now, they are husband and wife and I am so honored to have been witness to the love they so obviously share.

We left Maddie in great hands with the Grandmas and headed to my favorite state I have ever been to for the celebration. It was my mission to force Garret to also fall in love with it in hopes we could one day move there! Hee, hee....

Our friends, Mark and Chrissy were kind enough to let us stay at their beautiful home in Denver near Downtown.

The rehearsal dinner

I had to take Garret to an old favorite hangout, Armida's (a karaoke bar)

Doing my usual 80's rock routine...

My back up dancer, Chrissy...

The big day!

Jess was breathtaking! It was FREEZING and she mustered through with a strapless gown.

I had an amazing time with these girls...like no time had passed!

CONGRATS Jess and Jeff!!

I'm so happy two of my favorite people love each other...and whiskey.