Time to Get Your Christmas Hat On!

Thanksgiving is over. Now, on to bigger and better things...like Christmas. For me, Thanksgiving has turned into the "opening act" for Christmas anyway. It should serve to put one's heart in the right place for the season of charity and celebrating the birth of our Lord. Unfortunately, sometimes it (Thanksgiving) doesn't do its job and the very next day you have crazy people making the news at Walmart for running, pushing, and using pepper spray to have an upper hand on grabbing the Door Busters. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love Door Busters. But, come on! What a joke. Okay, that's all.

 Here is a glimpse at our Thanksgiving week. Oh ya, in California, you get a whole week off for Thanksgiving. California needs more time to get Thankful...bunch of whiners around here. Seriously.

I love green bean casserole. I love Cream of Mushroom Soup. Did you hear that Mark? I love Cream of Mushroom Soup!

I made Pumpkin Cheesecake instead of Pumpkin Pie for the main reason being (nobody is going to believe me except Kristie)...I don't like pie. Gross.

Seriously, use this link and make this instead of pie next time.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/double-layer-pumpkin-cheesecake-2/detail.aspx

Zoe had some trouble with the Turkey

Really had to think about it. Turned out she is an American and likes Turkey along with the rest of us.

Mark made caramel corn. I was going to post the recipe, but he needs to start his own blog because he is awesome.

Melt chocolate almond bark and throw in some chopped pecans. Dip pretzels. Really good.

Zoe reflecting on why her cousins live across the continent from us. Not cool on Thanksgiving.

Also not cool, Mark swinging Sam at the speed of light.

Really not cool, Sam's favorite place to hang out. She was bummed the lid was down this time and  couldn't play in the water. Gross. Way too many times!

Coordinating outfits. I was actually going to try to take some Christmas card photos here, but as you can see by the look on Sam's face, this was all I got. 

Super not cool, Presley gets this bag out of the freezer numerous times daily to get her fruit intake. Then, she proceeds to wipe her hands and face off on the bed comforters throughout the house.  

Zoe has discovered her love for paint by numbers. Thanks Aunt Lucy. 

Zoe's Creations. Here she used the scarf Kristie knitted for her to make a  wrap sort of thing. Wore it all day.

Do you see that thing in Sam's mouth? What is it? Get it out. Stop taking pictures and get it out!

Still healing from the self-inflicted forehead wound.

Please don't worry about the corn dog, hot dog, Doritos, and Coke. Look at Presley's fingers. That is what they do when she is really enjoying her food. I love those fat short crazy fingers.

More crazy fingers. Sam loves to point her finger, have you point your finger, touch  fingers, make a connection, and then do it a million more times. Kids are funny.

Time to get your Christmas hat on!!!

Previously on "Our Little Bit of Everything"

I'm back. Let's catch up and call this blog "Previously on Our Little Bit of Everything Life" ya know like they do on television to catch a viewer up to the latest week. So here we go... A lot has happened!!!

Zoe turned 16. 

And Zoe also got married.

Random Zoe conversation insert here....Me "Zoe go potty before dribbling in your panties and I will give you a chocolate chip." Zoe, "okay mom but if I do dribble it is your fault for talking too much."

Presley was her maid of honor.




First trip to the Zoo



  

Dad was cool. I was rushing around worried we wouldn't have time to see everything. Why can't I just settle down?



Presley likes to sit down randomly to serve as a "speed bump". It is like she can sense when people are in a hurry and and then just plop down. Thank you Presley, I now have a deeper awareness of my need for patience.



She always finds the truly exciting things wherever we go.

This picture does not need a caption, but "a picture is worth a 1000 words" comes to mind.

See how much trust a little play time will get you.



One down, One to go!





All I want for Christmas.

 Just a little blood. She's not worried. It was actually a very fun family moment. Pulling teeth is fun. But seriously, someone get this girl a dentist.



A glance at Zoe's creations real quick. Can you guess?

Rapunzel...Thanks for the pose and awesome hair, but what are you doing with your leg?.......and who taught you to do that?

Presley at ballet



Presley and Zoe at dance. Check out Zoe's awesome hair accessories.

Presley is all about facial expressions and body language.  Follow along as I do my best interpreting...

and I love you random citizen.  

Keep talking mom and I will come up on you like a spider monkey.

no thanks to orange juice and miralax

When I open my eyes the iPad better be back in my hands so I can finish watching "Good Luck Charlie"

No mom.....I haven't seen Sam in a while....

We were in Virginia for 3 weeks while Kristie (my sister) was hospitalized prior to having her 5th baby girl! Welcome to the world Ivy! Long story short, I ran a little girls orphanage for 3 weeks. I have never worked harder in my life while loving every minute. Pictured here the cousins...Isabelle, Ava, Lucy, and Ruby. 

Sam's pack n play

Sam got a lot of attention

Presley kept picking that forehead wound. It looked like that for over a month.

Zoe did her very best to keep up with Lucy. Lucy does everything hard and fast.

The crew. Mad chaos all the time.

Ruby, this is the funniest little girl you will ever meet.

This is wild Lucy and her friend who looks like a tiny Adam Braverman

Um, this wasn't my favorite day in Virginia. Presley took a orange expo marker and added some spice to Kristie's dining room, living room, and door. True horror! I cried. Not washable by the way, but with time and elbow grease - magic erasers (extra strength) it will get about anything.

Not a lot of "body awareness" going on in this photo.

We celebrated Sam and Presley's bday in Virginia. This cake is so good. 4 stick of butter.  Never mind...gross.

Presley's party.

Sam's party. She didn't get the whole birthday thing. It freaked her out.  Speaking of which, what is Lucy doing with her pinkies?  Zoe looks puzzled.

This is a secret society meeting taking place where the kids plotted like busy little bees based on the requirements from their leader .  Just Kidding - This was where the kids played "school". Presley paid more attention to Isabelle than any other teacher in her life, including me. Way to go Isabelle!

Just a reminder.

punkin head.

Big news...Zoe can ride a bike (without training wheels) now after spending 3 weeks at the cousins. She also learned that sometimes, "it is a competition"

I spent one day in DC with Sam. It was beautiful.

Costco PJs

Just checking to see if you want anything before I head down and get a Starbucks.

baby Ivy

baby Sam

This is me reflecting after I read the book, "The hypochondriacs guide to 200 diseases you've never heard of but probably already have"

So that is the last month or so in a glance. I need to mention that Mark, my husband, co-wrote this blog with me. He did a fair share of the captions including the picture of me. Honestly, I am a titch of a hypochondriac, but this week our little Sam does need some prayers as she is severely anemic and we are trying to get it figured out. Pray that our little Samantha will be okay. I spent the last couple of days completely freaking out, but there comes a moment when a mother has to decide, am I gonna just keep freaking out or am I gonna trust God with this thing? I only have one real option here. After-all, God is good and whatever happens, He'll be there. Anyways, I'm back. And oh ya, homeschooling sucks. Presley is back in school most days. I will be "homeschooling" very part-time. I tried. Peace out.