Day 86

Going number two on the toilet has its perks for some...

Day 85

Jillian reading my book of quilt patterns for kids. She carried it with her for a good twenty minutes reading it and looking at the pictures.

Day 84

She put in her headband on all by herself....my little flower child.

Day 83

Cousins (minus one)

Day 82

Jilly helping Daddy fix the safety locks....using her new Christmas present.

Day 81

And sometimes, all the excitement is just too much to handle so when we crash....WE CRASH.

Day 80

Merry Christmas!

Day 79

Christmas Eve with Hawaii Grandma

Day 78

When Grandmas come in from out of town they sometimes bring really cool gifts like Mickey Mouse stockings.

Day 77

Adoption birthdays are pretty cool.

Like this one....27 years ago.

Day 76

Well, sometimes you've just gotta relax regardless of where you are.

Day 75

Rosemary scented citrus tuiles...one of my newest holiday favorites to make.

They are delicious and a little different from all the regular sweets at Christmas-time.

Day 74

I LOVE World Market....especially since they had accent pieces for our living room in "moroccan blue."

Day 73

Forgot my camera at home when we went to Peacock Lane. Jillian LOVED the lights, the horse-drawn carriage we saw, and the puddles on the side of the road.

Day 72

Craig went away on a business trip and was away from home nearly four days. I thought Jillian was be absolutely thrilled when he walked through the door since she really missed him while he was gone. I wanted to catch the look on her little face when she saw him.

When Daddy comes home from a four day business trip, we expect smiles, laughter, and hugs. Sometimes though, all we can muster is enough energy to stop crying from the scolding Mommy was giving when he walked in.

(Oh, and notice the one sock on and one sock off....)

Day 71

Yeah, you may not realize this, but this is a BIG deal:

He is letting her TOUCH HIS WATCH!

Thanks for helping out today Kevin.

Day 70

Our neighbors have decorated the outside of their house and their lawn. Jillian likes to climb up onto her little "perch" and look at the lights and Santa.

Day 69

Day 68

Day 67

Lots of cookies....

Day 66

Today was baking day. Finally baked that 15 pounds of cookie dough from my fridge and let Jillian and Uncle Kevin pick one to decorate. I cheated and let them use store bought frosting and sprinkles. Like they cared....the cookies still tasted yummy. Jililan did get into decorating her cookie though....she is very focused.

Day 65

Hanging out at one of our new favorite shops:

Norma Jean's Closet.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100001661611057

Day 64

Finished project!

One thing I can check off my list....

Too bad my list is so long.

Day 63

Happiness is Grandma's washing machine.

Day 62

Why yes! Yes, that IS 15 pounds of cookie dough sitting in my fridge!

(One more five pounder in the freezer.)

Cookie marathon is this weekend.

Thank you Doernbecher and Rivermark for putting on the cookie dough drive. When we were little kids, we used to GO to the cookie bake every year. Now, they make it convenient and we can stay home and do it. Of course, I DO miss the industrial oven that the cookies "rolled" through since I can only fit two cookie sheets into my oven at a time.

Day 61

Kind of like the "96-er" (think Great Outdoors), but not quite. ;)

Oh, and we didn't eat it all.....

Day 60

Day 59

It's up! Jillian was so excited. She was running around the living room yelling "yights!!!!"

Day 58

Jillian trying out the sewing machine. She was lining fabric up under the foot and pushing buttons trying to get things to work.

Day 57

Put up some of the Christmas decorations!

Day 56

Getting ready for Christmas.

This is the exact same dress I wore for Christmas pictures in 1984.

Day 55

Jillian LOVES Mickey Mouse.

This was my Mickey Mouse stuffed animal that I won at Disneyland when I was about nine years old. I just passed it down to Jillian and she has been carrying it around all morning.

Day 54

Ahhhh....our Christmas wreath arrived today.

Smells wonderful and makes the season begin to feel "real." Going to get a bow for it tomorrow because I can't figure out the one it came with....seriously.

Day 53

Yes, you saw it here first.

This is how I tackled the massive amounts of onions I had to dice.

We love our swim goggles!

Day 52

One year ago today....

Day 51

We take our coloring very seriously!

Day 50

Holiday traditions are so much fun!

This tablecloth has been one for seven years now....everyone who comes to dinner, signs the tablecloth.

Day 49

When family stories, traditions, and heirlooms are passed down we have to get in lots of laughs!

This black box is a 77 year old Singer sewing machine that has been passed down since my Great Grandma.

Day 48

When you make cookies, you just HAVE to pull up a stool, sit down, and watch them bake.

Day 47

Puffed oven pancakes. Delicous. Ate it with hot mixed berries.

=)

Day 46

Oh yes it is. Hot Dog on a Stick.

Day 45

Day 44

Fabric for new sewing project!

These days, sewing is not really cheaper or more economical than buying a product already made. It's more about the journey and the choices. Like picking out the perfect fabric for a project that says, "YOU!"

Day 43

Because who doesn't love a tent made from blankets in the middle of your living room?!

Day 42

First fire of the season. Fantastic.

Day 41

Day 40

My Christmas cactus is already blooming.

It was given to me the first Christmas we were married and it has survived. I don't mean that figuratively in any way. I mean, literally, it has survived me and my lack of green thumb.

Day 39

Two years ago, right about this time, Craig and I found the perfect house. When we were looking at listings, this was one of the pictures. By Thanksgiving, the house was ours.

I am so very, very thankful for our great house. It has been the perfect place for us to call home the last two years.

Day 38

Craig went to the store to pick up hamburger buns and brought me home a bag of these to try:

I am sort of ashamed to say I like them, but these are addicting. I just can't help it.

Don't judge me until you've tried 'em.

Day 37

Back to Brailling.

During lesson one I was telling myself "I forgot how much I love to Braille."

During lesson two the story was much different.