Can you spot the problem?

We stopped at the Walmart at the other end of town this weekend and this sign caught my eye.  Can you spot the problem with it?

The big 3-0, I guess it really isn't old.

This is me on my fifth birthday!

I remember while growing up how old everyone was.  I mean my mom was 30, my teachers were 30, my friends' moms were 30, and boy were they old.  I couldn't fathom the idea of ever getting THAT old.  What could you possibly do for fun when you're that old!!?! 

Well today I am officially OLD by the standards of my youth.  But guess what I am not old!  My friends are not old, my husband is not old and the people that I associate with they aren't old either. 

I guess you could say the assumptions of youth can only be overcome by age.  I do still find it interesting to think that I am 30.  I really did picture it being different.  Even at 20, 30 still seemed a long ways away.  But thinking back to myself at 20, I am still that same person.  Maybe with a few more responsibilities and in bed a few hours earlier, but I am still me.

So here's to the 30's, may they be as fun as the 20's were, and may I never feel old!

I really did!

I really did what? you might ask. Well, I took the kids shopping for Christmas outfits.  I have an almost eight year old and in her eight years I have bought one dress. Yes friends, just one.  The dress that I bought was the blessing gown that each of the girls have worn.  That is it!  I have always hated wearing dresses and therefore have no interest in buying dresses, thank goodness for Grandparents that like to shop.

But on Thursday I took the kids out and let each of the girls pick out a dress (with a bit of help and direction from me; seriously, why sell sleeveless Christmas dresses, in IDAHO.)  So we found three cute dresses and one handsome little outfit.  I think they all look adorable, but I may be a bit biased!

Princess in training

Despite my best intention I have a little princess for a daughter.  Arabella from very early on has cared more about what she was wearing, how she looked and what accessories she had than any child should.

Her first love was shoes, anywhere she went she would take the shoes and just play away.  I remember being in church for her first Christmas and our cousin, Jasmine, had a cute pair of heels on.  Bella was being really fussy and trying to get into everything until she saw those shoes.  She was fascinated and took the shoes off of Jasmine and would not give them back.  She lovingly played with the shoes and talked to them.  It was a crushing day in her life when she had to give them back.

To this day Bella loves shoes and actually owns more than anyone else in the house.  She will only wear certain ones with certain clothes, otherwise she says they don't match (although her idea of what matches is a whole other story.)  Bella also rarely wears clothes anymore, I dress her everyday in something and usually within a few minutes she has disrobed and put on a dance dress or princess dress.  Her favorite one is a pink dress with a little tutu on it.

On Wednesday we had to go somewhere and Bella had sneaked one of Annika's bracelets out of the house with her.  When Annika realized that she asked for it back, well Bella very sternly replied "you can't have it, it's mine, it matches my clothes so I have to have it."   She bawled when I finally had to intervene and take it back for Annika.

Today Bella comes to me very sweetly and hands me a bottle of nail polish and asks me to paint her nails.  I finish her fingers and then she said that I had to do her toes too so that "they can be really pretty too."

Where did this kid come from!?!

Thanksgiving, Christmas Decorating and Misc.

We had a very nice Thanksgiving here with our family. The girls actually ate most of their food without complaint and Johnny even had his first taste of food, mashed potatoes. We also had a true 21st century Thanksgiving, we were able to Skype with our family in San Diego so we were able to share the prayer and talking while we ate.

James really is happy, he just didn't look it for this photo.

Here are the girls as well as the spread of our dinner.

On Friday we began decorating for Christmas and we had a lot of fun doing so!

The stockings were hung by the banister with care.  I love these stockings, I really love Jonathan's, it's fun to have a boy one now.

Our new bookcase with my collection of nativities.

Our decorated Christmas tree.

We have a tradition that each year the kids get to pick out a new Hallmark ornament to add to the tree.  I intend that when they are married and have their own home they will have a nice collection to start with.  It has been fun to watch their tastes change over the years as they pick the new one.  We started the girls out with Winnine the Pooh for their first several years.  MacKayla quickly outgrew them and has had Polar Express, Hannah Montana, Princess and this year she picked out Barbie.  Annika stayed with Pooh until this year, she decided to go with Barbie this year as well.  Bella also decided against Pooh this year and she wanted Cinderella, it actually has the saying "Princess in Training" on it, and that fits her.  With Jonathan we decided that until he can choose for himself he is going to have a superhero theme, so to start it out he got Superman this year.

 

Hamming it up in front of the tree.

We have had a lot of snow and cold lately.  James took some photos of the snow and the house.

Miscellaneous photo time

Johnny got a new hat from Great Grannie Crites and had to have him model it.  I think he looks adorable in a ball cap!  The girls of course had to join in as well.

Being Mister Cool here!

Isn't he adorable!

 

A little father and son bonding.

 

The hams wanted into Johnny's picture.

 

He is getting so big!

Santa gives us a message

I found the coolest site that I wanted to share with everyone. This site allows you to enter information about your kids and then they recieve a personal message from Santa. He calls them by name, talks about what they are up to, reminds them to be good and even shows what present they want. The kids really LOVED this. Annika is my little skeptic, so it took a minute for her to believe it, but then the grin was huge as he talked to her. MacKayla is very innocent and believed and talked back right away. I don't know what was bigger, her eyes or her smile, she loved it. Bella was a little taken aback at first, but she loved it as well. If you want to see an example of what I mean here is MacKayla's message from Santa.

The actual site is www.portablenorthpole.tv.

Enjoy!

Taking care of baby