It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas...

The house is decorated, the presents are bought (for the most part), the kids will be home starting tomorrow, but something is missing...

COOKIES!

This amount of butter looks excessive, but I make a lot of cookies:) Belle, our Lab has been stalking the counter all day. She LOVES butter.

The butter gets turned into this.

A quick break in the safe spot while I take the cookies out. In case you are wondering, this is B's cheese face. You can't get the camera out without him doing this.

Mouth full of cookie. Look closely and you will see it is coated in flour. He was "helping" me on the stool this time while I baked.

"Is that all I get?"

Saying "cheese" with mommy.

Trying to help some more...

Dare to Dream

After the race, I took a hot shower, we grabbed some lunch and mom and I took the girls and Tina to see the Disney Dare to Dream ice show. Leah and Ellison rode with us and we met more friends there. We had a whole row:) We had taken the girls to a Disney ice show when they were turning 3 and it wasn't much. I wasn't expecting much from this one either, but it was amazing!

Here are the girls before the show

The show was in 3 parts. Tiana's story was first.

Next was Cinderella. Forgive my camera, but I had a hard time being in focus.

This was a cool trick with the carriage. The horses were skaters in these beautiful costumes.

Carly entranced

Joiner and Gigi. We had really great seats, but someone tall sat right in front of Joiner.

Rapunzel was last. All the stories were well done, but the Tangled story was by far the best. It included aerial moves that went seamlessly into skating. Really awesome. Here is Rapunzel flying around on her hair.

I was obsessed with this horse. It had to have been 2 skaters in a full costume. Really! It was so cool. I can't even imagine the skill involved!

The lanterns were very cool as well.

All the princesses came out at the end with their princes and even Mickey and Minnie.

Joiner was dancing up a storm.

Great show!

Mistletoe Magic

I talked myself into running the Mistletoe half marathon again this year. I really needed to do it for some reason. I didn't have nearly the time to train this year ( I wonder why not!) but I felt good. I was able to get in several 10 and 11 miles runs before. It was a great day! It was cold, but sunny and just a little breezy.

Andy ran the 5K and then went and got mom and the kids to come by. I feel bad that no one was at the finish for him, but parking is so bad and we didn't want mom to have to navigate it with all 3. I was expecting my time to be a lot slower since I haven't had the time trial practice, but I finished in 2:03. It was 5 minutes slower, but still a 9.24 mile. Andy was in charge of the camera this time and he missed the "crossing the finish line" shot. This is my shot; downing water! I am still nursing, so if I don't really hydrate, I get a killer headache.

My celebrating crew was right on the sidelines, so I was able to slap hands before I crossed the line. Apparently Bennett was very upset that I just said "hey" and ran away. Here he is trying to get me to hold him. We laugh that he was running with me (in my tummy) last time. Maybe that is why he is always moving!

With my cheering squad

Daddy in the mix. He has really been cutting his 5K time down. Unfortunately for him, his 5K history is very fast. I try to remind him that he was 17:) Having more regular hours is helping his running.

Gigi taking our picture as we wait for the car.

Carly wanted to take a picture.

Trying to get a picture with all three by the tree. This was the best and not entirely successful!

Bennett's shirt says "Who needs Mistletoe?" It is cute for many reasons, but mainly, that is what we called him in my tummy. Since he was a surprise, he was that until 7:07pm on 8/8/10.

Happy Birthday Carly and Joiner!

My sweet girls turned 6 on Monday. We started with having their nails done on Friday after school. I have those pictures on my phone. Mamie and Pops came on Friday afternoon and took the girls to see the Nutcracker on Saturday afternoon.

Carly and Joiner celebrated with their friends on Sunday night with a bowling party.

Here they all are watching Joy give them the bowling rules.

Gigi and Bennett

Joiner and Carly taking the first turns. Carla pointed out how their personalities are shown in their clothing choices. Joiner had on her usual mix of eclectic fashion choices and Carly chose her normal matching outfit.

Birthday girl, Carly!

Birthday girl, Joiner!

Joiner got a strike!

Some of the crew

Carly and friends

Some of our friends and Mamie and Gigi in the background!

Pizza time!

Bringing out the cake and singing Happy Birthday

Carly loves the attention and Joiner is getting shy. B is in the background loving the singing!

Carly and Joiner wanted a cookie cake this year. I also made 50 bowling ball cupcakes to help feed the masses!

Carly enjoying her pizza.

Finally it was actually their birthday. We started with our customary cinnamon roll, eggs, and chicken sausage on the red plate. Daddy didn't have any patients in the hospital so he was able to stay at home for breakfast if I got it on the table quickly.

Carly

Joiner, being shy again!

Pops came to school with me to bring donuts to Joiner's class and cupcakes to Carly's class. We also brought special Chick-fil-A lunch! Mamie took Bennett to Kindermusik. It is hard enough to share your birthday with your sister without having your little brother run around the cafeteria. I think we all had a great time!

Got to love the artificial colors!

We opened presents after dinner and you can see the girls were excited. Now we just need to find some down time to clean up their room from all the "fun."

Carly, I hope you had a wonderful birthday. You are so sweet, and caring. You are the big babysitter of the house. You don't just help me with Bennett, you keep me in line as well. You love to have things just so, and will work very hard to get there. You have become a wonderful reader and your handwriting is better than mine. You love to sing, and I have to tell you every morning to please stop singing in the mirror and get ready for school.

Joiner, I hope you had a wonderful birthday. You are also so sweet and caring, but in a totally different way. The phrase "Joiner Way" is used a lot in our house to describe you. You have to be the most fabulous mix of sarcastic and sensitive. Your sense of humor is very keen, and you keep us all in stitches! You love to dance and jump and are in almost constant motion. You also have become a great reader and you work so hard with your art work.

We love you both to pieces! I had no idea when you were inside me that two people who started out the same could be so different, and yet so fabulous in your own way. You have changed and enriched every aspect of my life! I love you!

Christmas Tree Shopping

We get our Christmas tree every year from our friend Mr Ken. His family has a farm where you pick out your tree and they cut it down right in front of you. I wanted everyone to be able to go, but if we waited for that, we would never get a tree. Bennett was napping and Daddy was watching soccer. The girls and I headed out to pick out the perfect tree.

Here is Carly's shot of the sheep on the farm.

Got to get a picture each year of the girls running!

Our tree!

Me and my girls with our fallen tree.

Then they took turns taking my picture with their sister. Me with Joiner!

Me with Carly; only slightly out of focus:)