Christmas Cards

It's that time of year. When all the my-life-is-so-perfect mommies have their family photos scheduled, the coordinating outfits purchased and the perfectly touched up foiled highlights done. They are prepared for...Christmas cards. But me. Well, if you know me...today is the first day I've really started thinking about it. Last year I think I sent out Happy New Year cards, the year before I think it Valentine's cards, you see the pattern here...I just can't get it together for Christmas cards. I think it's that perfect photo or what I have in mind just doesn't come to fruition.

This year, because I know that perfect photo will never happen, I think these are the photos I'll use. You know I'm all about keepin' it real!

There is no joy to MY world!

Nothing says Merry Christmas like an automatic weapon.

I'm going to whack the merry into your Christmas!

Sunflower Visit

This past weekend we made a trip to my hometown and childhood home in Kansas to visit my mom and stepdad. It was a much needed trip. We had a great time and got to see our three wild boy cousins (my brother's kiddos). So here is a quick wrap up in pictures.

Made it to Kansas!

Fished

Fed the fish with Aunt Brandy

Took naps in the wagon

Caught some tiny fish

Chased frogs

Still fishing...(my Patrick has immense patience and sat out there waiting for fish to bite for hours)

Took our animals for a tractor ride

Wore mommy's 1980's era dance legwarmers--so sparkly!

Played dress up in mommy's prom dress and one of mommy's old dance costumes.
Wore mommy's old cheerleading jacket

What a fun weekend! I have some funny pics of my nephews dressed up in sequined party dresses, but I'll save them the embarrassment of a public viewing. Let's just say they were cute!

Also, when I got home my rockin' husband had remodeled our bathroom!! Not even joking. It looks great!!! He's so awesome and did it exactly like I described to him.

Have a great Monday!

Some Things

Some things...

...just taste better...

...all when it gets all over your face.

ACHOO!

Apparently this week is "Blog About Patrick" week. He is supplying me with a lot of content this week. He's good that way.

The other day, about 15 minutes after we had arrived home from picking up Katie at school I looked at him (no, I didn't go 15 minutes without looking at him, he had been sitting at the kitchen table having a snack with his back to me) and wondered what in the world is on his face?? Yes, the kids had just had their after-school snack--but that wasn't it. Was that blood, was he hurt? No, it's not red. What the heck?

But then I knew. On the way into the house he had picked me one of our star gazer lilies that are in bloom right now (they are beautiful this year, I might add) and he'd been smelling it.

What was all over his face...pollen from the flower.

Not one sneeze out of the little guy and the stuff was practically in his nose.

We Lams are tough that way.

Perfect Pairings--John 13:34

This picture is an oldie (from this past winter), but I love it...and the verse one of my absolute favorites.

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.--John 13:34

To see more Perfect Pairings, go see Baloney.

Get Your Groove On

Yesterday on Facebook I posted a photo of Josie standing on her dresser in her outfit--jammies with Katie's ballet leotard over it. Today, I thought I'd show you what was actually happening when I took that photo.

Have a grooooooovy weekend, because, Groove IS in the heart.

Perfect Pairings--Easter Blessings

Happy Easter from the Three Little Lams.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father--to Him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.--Revelation 1:6

He has risen!

An Extra Mouth to Feed

I know that I've told you that our home has been invaded by dinosaurs for the past year or so. I'm not joking when I tell you that we have over 100 toy dinosaurs living with us. I am constantly picking them up, tripping over them, finding them in the washer/dryer, etc., etc. Unbeknownst to me, I'm also feeding them.

I made some cookies a couple days ago and I couldn't figure out why they were disappearing so quickly. Cookies always go quickly at our home, but this time it seemed like there was another 1 or 2 missing every time I was in the kitchen.

But when I was picking up toys, I noticed this....

That rascal! He's eating my cookies!!

The movie Toy Story quickly jumped to mind. Toys really ARE alive!

But then on second thought, I began to suspect that THIS might be the rascal...

She apparently was swiping a cookie for her...then swiping a cookie for her bud Mr. T-Rex. I find it amusing that she thinks it's necessary to feed the dinosaurs. Yes, I said she....she is as in to dinosaurs (pronounced in her 2-year-old dialect as "dinono") as her brother Patrick the Paleontologist. When I asked her about it she said, "I feed dinono, T-Rex tummy hungry."

Well, I guess I just have another mouth (or 100 mouths) to feed around here.

Snow Fun for Them...Snow Fun for Me

Most of you know (because most of you live around here) that the "Great Christmas Blizzard of 2009" hit on Christmas Eve. Everyone knows I don't like cold weather so I wasn't really looking forward to this. When we left for church it was sleeting, when we walked out of the church it was a full blown blizzard. Good thing it was Christmas Eve or I would have been grumpy. Now that it's all said and done, I have to admit it was so fun to wake up to a (big) blanket of snow on Christmas morning.

And the kids loved it.

Here are our adventures in snow land...

Snow angels are necessary.

So is sledding.

Josie feeding daddy some snow.

Patrick nailing his sister with a snowball (in the back).

Proof that I went out sledding with the family.

Josie hitching a ride back to the car.

I hear there is maybe more snow on the way??? Oh well...the kids love it, and that's what it's all about!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from the Three Little Lams and WM and me!

(This was the best I could get of the three of them last night at church.)

Headwear 101

I think I've pointed out before, my 6 year old, Katie, is very fashion-forward. And as every fashionista knows, accessories are extremely important. Katie's accessory of choice is head wear.

A flower is always a nice touch.

As is a skirt.

You can never go wrong with football shoulder pads.

And don't forget to wear...this...to your next dress up function.

Always keep a hardhat with you, in case of construction.

Animal print is always in.

Merry Christmas from this little elf!

Ho, Ho, Ho

So sorry I've been bad about posting anything new and exciting. Like the rest of you, my life is so super busy...between Christmas parties, Christmas programs, Christmas pageant rehearsals, making dinner for friends, birthday parties, Christmas shopping, potty training, pacifier-breaking, laundry, cleaning, sleeping, breathing...well, you get the picture...my poor 'ol blog is getting very neglected. So today, because I don't have time to do a nice big post, I'm just going to give you some pics of the kids with Santa through the years.

Ok, let me rephrase...I'm going to give you pics of the kids (not Josie...don't have any of her with Santa) that I have scanned in or downloaded. Again, it's a time issue...if it's not on my computer, it doesn't make the post...

Katie's first Christmas. And the only professional photo of any of my children with Santa.

Katie with Santa when she was 2 years old-with a black eye (one of her friends threw a block at her...I'll never forget it).

Patrick's first Santa visit. Cute....and happy.

A year later...Patrick's next visit with Santa. Not so cute....or happy.

Katie giving Santa a hug.

Like I said, I have no photos of Josie with Santa. Maybe I should do something about that, but I know how it would go. Not very well.

So that's what you get today. Happy Santa-ing. Sorry they aren't better photos, for the past 5 years one of my kids have been the the "I freak out when I see Santa" phase and I refuse to put them through it, that's why I don't have many pics of them with Santa. Really...is it more important to get a photo of your child screaming in fear? I think not. But that's just me. If you have cooperative kiddos...go for it!

Happy Tuesday!

Meet Jose'

I would like you to meet the newest member of our family, Jose'.

Now let me explain.

I have the best, BEST in-laws in the world, my mother-in-law will get a chuckle out of this. This past summer when we visited WM's family in KC my mother-in-law gave me these cute little Christmas ornaments that she had found with the kids' names on them. Here they are:

One for Katie:

One for Patrick:

And one for our new family member, Jose':

Poor little Josie didn't get one. She's feeling so left out. And I can see how this pasty white little Irish girl could be mistaken for a little Hispanic boy. It's an easy mistake.

You Might Have a 2-Year-Old If...

You find random marker colorings on the wall.

A blur of random nakedness streaks by you at a birthday party (in public).

Yes, that is my child.

All the books on the bookshelf have been pulled down.

Your sister's make-up is dumped out all over her cosmetics drawer after an afternoon visit.

(Thankfully I have the best sister in the world who emailed me this photo after finding the mess and told me she actually thought it was a little bit funny).

You find random hair clippings on the floor.

You might have a 2-year-old if all of these things have happened within 5 days of each other.