NaBloPoMoYippee!!!!

Today is November 30th.  The very last day of the month.  The very last day of National Blog Posting Month.

2010 is amazingly the 4th year I have done NaBloPoMo.  The 4th year I have successfully posted 30 posts in 30 days.  Forget about 4 successful NaBloPoMos... I can't believe I've been blogging for 4 years!!!!

I was curious about when exactly I started doing NaBloPoMo so I went back to my very first NaBloPoMo titled post.  It was fun to look back on a bit of me in 2007.  Do you want to know my favorite part of looking at that post though?  Seeing who commented.

There were a couple random people who stopped by that first post via the "NaBloPoMo Randomizer"... but 4 years ago I was exchanging comments with Natalie, Christina, Laura and Kimberly.  I looked at a couple of other November 2007 posts and I found Carrie, Kim, Jenty, Mary (who now has a different private blog), Carolyn, Alison, and Lindy. 

I want to say I was surprised... but I guess I really wasn't.  All of these women have been with my blog since the beginning (or very close).  I still read all of their blogs and (I think) they still all read mine.  I have them all among my list of Facebook friends.  They've watched Zoe growing up for more than 4 years.  They were here when Ana was born and she's suddenly almost 2 1/2!  And, at the same time, I've been watching their children grow... and have been reading stories about the different twists and turns their lives have taken.

A large part of why I blog is because of all of you out there reading.  I haven't been getting very many blog comments lately (what's up with that people?).   I have been getting comments on Facebook and Twitter.  Random messages back and forth.  I know that I have been commenting less on blogs too... so I can't say I really blame anyone.  Just in the last week I've been trying to spend less time reading in Google Reader and more time using the little "next" button I added to my toolbar.  I love Reader... but I've been realizing how much I've been missing being on the actual blogs.  It's been making me comment more.  It's been making me connect more.

And really.... that's why I blog. 

Thanks everyone for sticking with me through NaBloPoMo 2010!!!!!

Decorate a tree?

Well sure!  We can decorate a tree like pros!

But wait... what?

You want us to stand together and have our picture taken in front of the tree we're decorating?

And you want us to both look cute?

And smile nicely?

And look natural?  And like we're enjoying ourselves?

Can't we just pay attention to the tree and keep decorating?

Um... well... how about this?  How about if we do a random dance?

OK!  Fine!  We'll sit together and look cute and smile nicely. 

Huh?  What do you mean your camera settings weren't right???  We did it for you.  Cute. Together. Smiling.

OK!  Here.  We'll do that "cheeks" pose thing you're always asking us to do.  Now are your settings right for dim light by the Christmas tree???

That's it.  We're gonna start singing that song.  The one about how our mom is crazy and should be taken away by the men in white coats.  Wearing one of those nice jackets.  And the camera should go with her.

No, we're just kidding Mom.  Taking a gazillion shots while fiddling with camera settings is TOTALLY a normal thing to do.

We love you. 

Now... um... would you just give up and turn on the flash already?  Set it to auto maybe?

This one's gotta be good Mom.  Even if it's not... just edit it to death.  It'll work.

I'm smiling Mom.  And being cute.  How can I possibly also stop Ana from doing an army man crawl???  She's trying to escape.  I don't blame her.

OK!  This is it!  This is the last shot we're letting you take.  It's good or it's not.  1. 2. 3. GO!

Pose for nice holiday themed pictures?  Hrumph!

But... yes... we can decorate a tree like pros.

Something silly to do when you have nothing to do...

If you find yourself bored in the middle of the day... and you have nothing to do... iMac Photo Booth (or whatever you computer equivalent might be) can give you tons of giggles.

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Grace in Small Things - 101

1. Taking Christmas decorations out of the boxes.

2. The smell of the storage box that held the Christmas spice scented pine cone craft Zoe made in school last year.

3. Jingle bells.

4. The first hot cocoa of the season.

5. Sitting with a fuzzy blanket on the couch.

Madison Christmas Parade

We spent our evening at the Christmas parade in town.  It was our 4th year attending the parade.  It's become a nice little family tradition for us.  It's a great way to welcome in the Christmas season.

Each year (as Zoe gets older and we become more involved in town activities) we see more and more people we know at the parade.  We were happy to run in to our friends Darren and Debbie and their daughter Rebecca.  (Nick and Darren went to college together and now we all live in the same town.)  It's always more fun to watch a parade with friends.

The girls had a lot of fun naming all of the blow ups on the "floats".

 We all enjoyed when this band got stopped in front of us.  Ana seemed to especially enjoy clapping along with all of their Christmas songs.  (Nick liked the fact that they all had on matching winter hats.)

There were a lot of different vehicles in the parade... all lit up with decorations.

The kids really do love watching all of the inflatable decorations go by.

I'm wondering if there is some way I can string up lights to the mini van.  Would it be legal for me to drive around all lit up?  I mean... I don't want to drive around with a decorated tree on my roof... but a string of lights around the roof rack could be fun. 

I love this penguin.

Ana was extremely thrilled by Thomas the Tank Engine.  I have no idea why.  But she couldn't stop yelling "I see Thomas!!!  I see Thomas!!!"

Right when you've had enough of standing in the cold... along comes Santa.   (I think Santa's float could use some more lights to allow for better photo taking.  Don't you think?)

Once Santa passes us by we follow right along down main street until we get to the center of town.  Every year Santa uses his magic to light up downtown Madison.... and I think I might even enjoy the lighting of the tree more than girls.  It really is a magic moment to count down and have the tree become all aglow.

And we think the tree looks better every year.

Grace in Small Things - 100

1. 100 GiSTs posts!!!!  100 of them!!!!  That 500 small happy things.

2. Turkey with gravy.

3. Potatoes fried (in butter) with onions.

4. Carrots sauteed (in butter) with leaks.

5. Butter

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Wishing all of our family and friends a wonderful Thanksgiving. We are so thankful to have each and every one of you in our lives.

Grace in Small Things - 99

1. The first day of a dance class called "Tiny Tippy Toes Toddlers".  (Forget about seeing 6 toddlers in skirted leotards and ballerina slippers... just say "tiny tippy toes toddlers" a couple of times.  I don't think it can be done without smiling.)

2. Raising Hope.  (Nick thinks it's horrible... I think it's hysterical.)

3. A single serving cup of Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia.

4. A 2 year molar coming in without any signs.  It's just suddenly there.  (3 more to go and Ana's done.)

5.  A bedtime routine that sometimes involves dancing to Laurie Berkner "Walk Along the River".

I suppose I'm thankful she's learning to spell.

Zoe - "Today, at school, we had to write down what we were thankful for... so I wrote I was thankful for mom."

Me - "That's very nice."

Zoe - "Yeah... I wrote mom because I didn't know how to spell guinea pigs... and I can spell mom."

Me - "Gee.... thanks."

Have You Seen These?

Limited Edition Fudge Covered Ritz Crackers.





I found them at Stop and Shop today. After standing in the aisle and staring at the box for WAY too long... I bought them.

I haven't opened them. I'm afraid they will either be VERY bad... or VERY good. Mostly I'm afraid they will be very good and then they will be very gone. And then they will be REALLY very gone since they are "limited edition". Then what will I do?????

So now they are sitting on the kitchen counter staring at me.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Falling for Fall

(see end of post for video explanation of title)

We've all been feeling a little "under the weather" so I thought it would be nice to get outside for a little fresh fall air.

We were acting cranky and cooped up and needed a little space. 

I think the time out did us a little good. 

It improved our moods a little bit.

Gave us some giggles.

We all smiled a little bit.

OK... maybe we all smiled a lot.

We took some time to enjoy fall.

The sunshine was lovely.

The company was cute (and quite silly).

(This song has been on repeat in my head all week long.  I may be losing my mind... or just spending a little too much time with Moose A. Moose.)

A little shocking

I was looking through some photos (trying to figure out what to post today since I was drawing a NaBloPoMo blank).  I was just flipping through the files on the computer.  Going through older and older photos and videos.

I was a little shocked to find these photos taken exactly 3 years ago... and I had to share them.

November 19, 2007
(3 years ago today... Zoe was 2 years and 4ish months old... Ana's age now.)

Grace in Small Things - 98

1. Angry Birds (I'm a bit late to the obsession... but it's quite simply an addiction)

2. The way Ana spontaneously sings"I like to move it move". (Thank you Madagascar.)

3.The way Zoe gets off the bus and yells "MOMMY!!!!" as she runs down the driveway (EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL DAY.  EVERY ONE.)

4. Big Bang Theory (every episode makes me laugh).

5. Thai food.  (Also a recent obsession... but... YUM.)

Grace in Small Things - 97

1. A warm fall wind making the leaves dance.

2. Charlie and Lola.  I just love Charlie and Lola.

3. The way Ana will say "I want juice I want juice I want juice.  I SAY please!?!?" 

4. Warm fuzzy socks.

5. Boogie Wipes.  (I'm sick... and these make me happy.)