Oh so happy!

Vilseck Tree Lighting

This year commemorates the third year of the annual Vilseck Rose Barracks Tree Lighting Ceremony.  And this year...as in the past two years its a disappointing affair where the tree has about 5 strands of lights going vertically up and down it and a big star at the top...but, being the optimists and the spirit of Christmas kind of folks we are...we continue to go each year to cheer on the lighting of the tree.

This year we walked up to the commissary parking lot, where the tree resides, with our neighbors...they are the BEST neighbors we've ever had...we love them.  adore them.  hope they travel around for the rest of our military career to be our neighbors for the next 7 years.  :)  Ok...maybe a little unrealistic, but we do like hanging out with them.

Plus...their daughter and Bella are the "bestest of friends."

So....as with the past years we had both Santa Claus and St. Nikolas show up to greet the children...

In my opinion this is themost exciting part of the tree lighting ceremony.  They arrive in a firetruck with lights flashing.  Its very loud and the kids can hardly sit still...and because we've now done this three times we knew EXACTLY where to stand so we were about the 10th people in line.  YES.

So both my "kids" sat on Santa's lap and once again...the younger of the two asked for a "real puppy."  Aiya.  We may have a disappointed three year old on our hands Christmas morning.  :)

Ugh...more rain. :(

I'm sick with a bad cold and just grumpy. It's supposed to be SNOWING by now.  We've had two mornings of sorta snow that turned into rain and its just miserable.  Ugh...go away rain.  You are depressing me.

Tis' the Season...

Tis the season of hot chocolate...

Finding the perfect dress to see Santa...

Sitting on his lap and asking for a PUPPY.

Finding the perfect tree...(and teaching a 3-year old how to saw...)

Laughing with family and friends...and the man you are madly in love with...

Decorating...

Remembering why certain ornaments are around...

Teaching a 3-year old the story of Jesus' birth...

Letting that same 3-year old decorate her own tree (branch)...

And feeling happier than you have in a really really long time.  Tis' the Season...

Pure joy...

found in a pile of leaves.  I recently raked up the backyard leaves...like I was supposed to have done during fall cleanup a month ago....whoops... 

Anyhow...our little neighbor girl came out to play and before you knew it we had 2 hours of jumping in a pile of leaves fun.  I remember those days...now I'm a big humbug...its too dirty...its too itchy...bah humbug.

Ok...maybe I did do a "hop or two" into the pile...but I made sure THAT wasn't caught on camera.

Puss in Boots

I took Bella to see her very first movie in the theater this afternoon.  Actually...she's been in the theater as an infant...we decided to see a movie...i don't remember which one...mostly because I spent the entire 2 hours in the hallway with a fussy baby.  THAT was technically her first movie...

But...her first REAL movie that was enjoyable for me too...was Puss in Boots.  We went to see it today at the Vilseck Movie Theater on a mommy/daughter date.  It was great fun.  She ate an entire bag of small popcorn and drank about a medium sized soda drink (rootbeer is her favorite)...I let her go all out because it was her first time in the theater...what fun for a kid...right?

When we left the theater to walk home she said, "Mama...that movie made my tummy feel full and wobbly." 

Ya think? 

Teamwork...

John owns a shirt I bought him and sent him while he was deployed that says Teamwork...a lot of people doing what I say.

Apparently it was a BIG HIT with my nephew and so for Christmas I volunteered to make sure he got a similar shirt...only instead of buying him one (since I have no idea even where I even got John's) I made him one...I think it turned out pretty good.  I hope he likes it!

Finally finishing up Christmas.

Sad, right?  Its the 19th of November and I'm almost done with Christmas...well, at least the Christmas that I am sending to my stepkids and inlaws and nephews on John's side.  I always do their Christmas first because I have to not only worry about Christmas, but Eric and Lexi's birthdays are also in December so I like to send it all at once.

Phew.  So glad its mostly done.  Now, I'm boxing up my mom and Marlowe's little package to send to them...still have a couple of "items" that I need to get.  I know they don't want STUFF, but I still like to send them a few items I think they will like...its not fair for parents to tell their kids they don't want anything.  We like to feel generous and giving and show them how much we love and appreciate them and all that jazz and especially around Christmas.

Ok...off my soap box...

I wanted to show you my three favorite things that are from Bella to Lexi, Eric and Maddie...

Bella loves a show called Art Attack.  Its a guy who essentially creates from random things...Well, one morning we were watching him create a pirate from a plastic bottle.  Yeah...I know...crazy, right?  Anywho...Bella says she wants to make one for big sissy.  I ask which big sissy.  She says both.  I say what about Eric.  She says, "Eric gets a platypus."  I have no idea where she even learned that word.  But...over the next couple of weeks Bella helped me create three Art Attack specials out of plastic bottles, glue, paper towels, newspaper and paint.

Tadum!

Bella picked the colors they were painted.  I did the "design work."  She loved them so much when we were done she didn't want to give them up.  Especially the butterfly...I may be making another one of those...

Anyhow...we filled the insides with Haribo candies...

I've got them all boxed up and ready to send for Christmas.  I hope they love them as much as the munchkin does.  I'll be including a note explaining how these came about....regardless...we love them and I'm proud of my little girl for wanting to create something for her siblings for Christmas...even if mama did most of the work!

Good morning...

HIYA!

I am the morning ninja and I am THREE today!

Do not mess with me mortal.

Let's Meltdown!

We had Bella's birthday party on Saturday, November 12th this year.  She has been madly in love with all three Ice Age movies for the past 4 months and so we decided to have an Ice Age party!

She invited 5 of her friends...4 girls and one little boy...(his dino print is missing because he wanted to take it home with him...)  We started it off with playing games like balloon toss, nose to the balloon push and musical dino feet...

I told the kids that the night before a dinosaur had stomped through our backyard and laid eggs...and that we needed to go out and find them.  I wish I could have captured the wide eyed wonder of these kids as they listened to that tall tale...100% sure I was telling the truth they raced for their coats and out the door they went...

Once all the eggs were found we broke the pinata...it was Manny the Mammoth from Ice Age...I'm sure you could tell that already based on my superior pinata making skills.  :)

All the kids waiting in the "safety zone".

When everyone was sufficiently numb and freezing from the cold we headed back indoors where the kids did "cave man drawings" while I got the cupcakes and icecream ready to go...

Time to eat!  We sang happy birthday and then before she could blow out the candles I asked Bella what she wanted to wish for.  She wished for a new jacket.  Huh? 

We ended the party with opening presents.  Bella got some great new toys.  Everyone was so thoughtful and generous! 

The party is over!  But wait...its 3pm...TWO hours later...the kids are still playing with thier plastic dinosaur party favors (The best $3.99 I ever spent!) and the adults are winding down a two hour chatfest.  It was fantastic!

Happy party day, little girl!  I can't believe that tomorrow you'll be THREE.  I sure do love you!
XOXO Mama...