December is here!

Is everyone else as excited as I am that December is finally here!!? Today I was SUPPOSED to unpack from our Thanksgiving travels, do laundry, catch up on housework, and work on my Christmas cards (that were supposed to be done a week ago). Ellie had other plans for me. When I picked her up from Kindergarten at noon she BEGGED me to start getting out the Christmas decorations. I really didn't want to yet because I like to have my house in order before I begin that process, but I had to admit, it sounded a lot more fun than housework. So...we turned on our favorite Alvin and the Chipmunk Christmas CD and went to work!

The second we get out the holiday decor Ellie finds her "baby's first Christmas" hat and puts it on. Whenever we're home in the month of December, she's wearing it. She was so beyond excited to decorate. This girl reminds me more of myself everyday.

(Baby Ellie in her hat - Christmas 2004)

Next, Ellie insisted on hanging up Kenny's hideous Charger sock so the baby could have one too. This really throws off the look I'm going for here. I figure my options are: to leave the sock up and make her happy OR to order the baby a matching sock with Aladdin on it (since we still have no name for the little one and that is what the girls are calling him). Guess I'm leaving the Charger sock up. This third kid thing is already mellowing me out.

I can't wait to spend the rest of the week decking the halls! If only I could ignore all of my regular obligations... Happy December everyone!

p.s. If you're interested in dates and times of all of the fun Holiday shows on this month you can find them here.

Dear Blog,

I'm awfully sorry that I've neglected you lately but I've had a busy couple of weeks. You see, Kenny and I try to take a trip each year without the kiddos and while we didn't have the time to head to Virginia like last year (my favorite place to be in the Fall), we did find a way to escape for a quick weekend to Denver, Colorado. Where the Chargers were playing. Of course. The deal was that if I went to the game with Kenny, the rest of the trip would be 'Erin' style. This meant lots of Christmas shopping, eating out, exploring the city, and ... being the first in line to see "New Moon." And that's just what we did.

The game ended up being really fun. Because the Chargers won. And we were surrounded by Broncos fans. And they didn't like us much. But we didn't care. Because we won. And we were wearing huge parkas that we borrowed from my parents. Because we don't own parkas. And we were freezing cold. Even though underneath our parkas we were wearing four layers of clothes. But the game was still really fun. Because the Chargers won. And Kenny was so happy. Which always makes me happy too.

While in Denver we also mingled with strange Broncos fans.

And ate breakfast everyday at The Delectable Egg. I would eat there every morning for the rest of my life if I could. And I don't even love eggs. But their Belgian waffles were amazing.

Then it was back to Southern Utah to spend Thanksgiving with our families where we had a wonderful holiday with loved ones and enjoyed eating lots of yummy turkey. Speaking of eating, dear blog of mine, that is another reason I haven't posted lately. I've been way too busy eating. Recently eating has become quite a priority for me, and I'm all about priorities. I seemed to have timed this whole second trimester during the holidays thing just right. I am hungry all the time and lucky for me, there seems to be delicious food around all the time. The other night I had downed a whole burrito and was starting on someone else's leftovers when Kenny called from the couch "come here babe...I want to cuddle with you for a minute." I know what he really meant was "C'mon babe. Put down the fork and step away from the kitchen. Slowly now...you can do it..."

It's all good. I am full of gratitude and plump and happy. And hope that after this weekend the rest of you feel the same.

Do you ever?

Do you ever eat while you're on the computer and get little food crumbs under your key pad and then your keys start to stick? But really you sometimes do it on purpose because that little air thing that blows dust out from under your key pad is just so fun to use?

Do you ever feed your kids chicken nuggets for four nights in a row? And you feel incredibly guilty about this and everything else you're not doing in the "good mom" department? And then you decide to be positive and to focus on what you are doing in the "good mom" department and you justify the chicken nuggets by thinking at least my kids aren't going hungry?

Do you ever get a little too into your music while exercising? You're on the treadmill and your ponytail starts bobbing and your hips start swaying and you maybe even get so pumped up that before you know it you're punching the air to the beat of the music? And you get interesting looks from other fellow exercisers? And you suddenly realize that you're at the gym and not in the privacy of your own garage where you usually rock out while on the treadmill?

Do you ever get so excited about an upcoming getaway trip with your husband that you start packing way too early? And then realize how stupid this is because for the next week you're pulling everything back out of your suitcase just to get ready for the day?

Do you ever have bizarre dreams like about how your sister-in-law (who is pregnant for the first time) just bought over a thousand penguins and was so excited about starting a penguin farm? And you kept freaking out and trying to tell her that she just doesn't understand how much work a new baby is (because who really understands until they've lived through it) and how she'll never be able to deal with a newborn AND take care of all of those penguins? And she thinks it's no big deal and, as the wise veteran mom, this is making you completely crazy?

Do you ever catch yourself watching worthless, mindless soaps like Young and the Restless? And every time you watch it you think why am I watching this? This is such a stupid storyline and the actors are awful. And you know it's the most unproductive way to spend your time so you try to justify it by cleaning or folding clothes while it's on? And you vow to never watch it again, but then a few days later you've tivod it you are home when it happens to be on. And you watch it again because there is just something about the love triangle between Nick and Phylis and Sharon that you can't seem to pull yourself away from?

Do you ever?


No? Really?


Yeah...me neither.

On-line fun

Just a couple of fun things I ordered on-line and wanted to share. If you're like me and have little girls at your house this tea kettle and toaster from Pottery Barn Kids are sure to be a hit for Christmas. The tea kettle makes the sound of water boiling and tea being poured out when you tip it. The toaster is just like a real toaster with fake toast that pops up when it dings. Addison LOVES these. Every time I've taken her to PB Kids she has played with them the entire time we're in the store. When I went to buy them they were sold out in the store so I had to order them on-line. They are a bit pricey (30 each) so if you were just going to get one, I'd go with the tea kettle. The sounds it makes are SO REAL...it is the coolest toy for little girls who are into tea parties. You can order them here.

If you're into scrapbooking I'm sure you've heard about Becky Higgins' new "Project Life." Last year she came out with a new way of scrapbooking with her "Project 365" where you take a picture a day for an entire year. I didn't buy it because for me, this blog is our family scrapbook, and for my kids' books I didn't want to have to commit to a picture a day. Well this year she tweaked it a little. The concept is the same - you're just putting in pictures with a little journaling - but you don't have to commit to a picture a day. You can do a layout with pictures from the week and then the next week fill the page with pictures from a b-day party, etc. I bought two of them thinking I'll have one for Ellie and one for Addison and this next year I'm going to try using these for their individual books. I just can't keep up with scrapbooking for them and I don't think things are going to get any easier with one more child in the mix! (and another baby book to get done) The thought of just having to organize pictures (which I take a million of anyway) and do a little journaling in an album that is already all put together is so appealing! Plus it just seems like an easier way to showcase the everyday stuff instead of all of the "events". The pictures can be totally individual and random. Then I can be creative and scrapbook for our holiday books and whatever else I want when I have time and am in the mood...while hopefully staying on top of my kids' albums. Plus everything that comes in the kit is just so cute and fun! If you're into digital scrapbooking, Becky is making a digital project life too. I personally prefer the paper stuff...it's all about the supplies for me. :) Anyway, if this sounds like something that may work for your family or kids' albums you can learn more about it here. I'm very excited about this!

Who says you have to be in stores to have fun shopping!? :)

In the last few days...

We went to So You Think You Can Dance! Third year we've gone and it just keeps getting better! Only bummer was that they wouldn't let me take my camera in this year. Good thing I had my point and shoot around last year when Mary Murphy showed up. (I seriously scaled a wall to get that picture with her - and still have the bruises to prove it) Right now I'm in the process of creating a purse with a trap door at the bottom to hide my camera in for just such occasions. Next time - I'll be prepared. My friend Ann had her camera and took the above picture of the two of us, along with the picture below of me and Kenny with some of our favorite friends from Southern Utah. So fun to meet up with everyone!

The TASTEE FREEZ background adds a nice touch, don't you think? It's making me hungry right now. Everything is making me hungry right now.

The girls ate breakfast upstairs and we broke into the Christmas movies...just a few.
I couldn't wait.

I took Ellie to a 50's themed b-day party.
Cool that she got to wear her Halloween costume again.

Also cool that she and her buddies rode to the party in a limousine.

Not cool that my five year old has ridden in a limousine and I haven't.

And in the last few days, Addie and I have done LOTS and LOTS of laundry. On to the next few days which will include a lot of the same stuff. Except for SYTYCD since that's a once a year thing. And except for the limo ride since that's a once in a lifetime thing. And except for breakfast upstairs and Christmas movies since that's a weekend thing.

On to the next few days which will include LOTS and LOTS of laundry.

How we roll around here...

Around here:

we're into barbie dolls and barbie movies...

castles and princesses...

and we really love butterflies.

We also love hair bows and jewelry...

dressing up...

and having tea parties in our pink playroom.

And around here there's always LOTS of chatter and drama.

Well - around here we may just be rolling a different way soon because -

It's a BOY!

We are completely surprised and beyond thrilled! When the ultrasound technician told us it was a boy Kenny and I both started to cry. Then we cried a little more. Then Kenny stopped crying and I cried a little more. And I've pretty much been crying on and off all day long. A boy! It still hasn't sunk in.

So the question now is: what does one do with a boy? We have no idea, but can't wait to find out!

Big day

So tomorrow is the big day! We find out if the baby is a boy or a girl. Want to place your bet? :)