We're Ready...

Shopping is done... here is one of the best packages I've ever gotten all wrapped up...

Here are our two Christmas cuties ready for pancake breakfast with Santa...
Reindeer pose...
Lights are hung by my wonderful husband with care...

Bring on the holiday cheer, we're ready!!!

To Grandmother's House We Go...

Last weekend I raced out the door from school, zipped to pretty school (Kylee's word for pre-school), loaded up the girls and began the LONG LONG LONG awaited trip to grandma's. Tony was already in the Portland area, so it was just the girls and I making our way the only way we know how... crazy. I ever so safely was taking pictures of the looney toons girls behind me as I was driving and they began to recognize the signs of getting closer to grandmas.

As soon as we arrived the baking began. Those pies had to be prepared that night in order to be ready for our early Thanksgiving dinner the next day...

Presto, beautiful pumpkin pies and bon bon cookies...

A quick little turkey place mat project thanks to crafty aunt Amy...

A lovely dinner with the cousins...

Followed by story time with Grandma...

More baking...Last minute turkey sugar cookies for the ride home...

A much quieter ride home...

Turkey Party...

Kyndra had a looming turkey project that she needed to complete. She kept saying that other kids were getting their turkeys in and she gets a little anxious to be behind. Our midweek Veterans Day school holiday was perfect for turkey projects. All three of us worked diligently on our turkeys.

Kylee repeatedly said, "This is the best turkey party I have ever had!"

Kyndra remarked many times that her teacher would love her turkey, which made me so happy. She can be too hard on herself.

We were messy, happy, and done with they turkey project!


Here Kylee is eating the Cookie Crisp cereal that was meant to be used as mosiac pieces. Needless to say my turkey was the only one with cookies glued to it...

A little Q-tip pointillism...

Our turkey center piece is disappointed to see Kylee's turkey has been "cut". I told you ever work of art is a "cut". This is Kylee's "cut" period. Picasso had his blue period, she has her "cuts"...

Whah-la a turkey trio...

Slowin' Down...

On the tails of some 'overwhelmed' moments for Kyndra, Tony and I realized we have become too busy. It wasn't long ago that we were worrying about filling the days with stimulating activity of all sorts. We wanted to make sure we were exposing the girls to as many physical, academic, and creative endevours as we could. We are now at a point that we need to make a goal of finding time to slow down and just hang out at home. We did a pretty good job this weekend.

REPEATED viewings of Barbie's Christmas Carol & Barbie and the Diamond Castle...

Vintage magnetic paper dolls, great thrift store find Grandma Nelson...

Time for Dance Party USA upstairs...

Train time with daddy...

A LONG game of ring the doorbell, come on in, Santa is the babysitter with Kylee...

You'll notice Kyndra's attire all weekend was her monkey PJs...

One of Kylee's many piles of "cuts"... all of her great works of art turns into a "cut"...

Kyndra had time for her Christmas wish list...

Even time for a pedicure from daddy before he left again for two weeks...

7:00 ?...

Let me start by saying I have been having really good mornings the past few weeks. I took some advice from an expert on the Oprah show a few weeks ago. It was a terribly sad show about a busy mother who accidently left her baby in the car all day on a hot day because she had changed her routine. She didn't normally take her baby to daycare, but did that day because her husband had an appointment. You may have heard the story or can at least conclude the terrible outcome. I do know sometimes days get too busy to keep things straight and when a change is thrown in chaos can occur or important things can be overlooked. The expert on the show said the best thing busy mothers can do is get up a half hour earlier then normal and have some time to yourself before engaging the busy morning with your children. I have been getting up around 5:15 (tough at first), walking on the treadmill and watching a DVRed show. Then I drink my first cup of coffee (with delicious peppermint mocha creamer that just hit the stores... yum) by myself ...quietly. It has been life changing for me and my family. I feel so much more calm even when we end up in a rush like we do most mornings. Tony gets up and walks the dogs for a half hour and he is much more ready to greet our little munchkins in the morning. Our girls have been waking up to much more refreshed, ready for whatever comes their way parents.

This morning I really enjoyed the bathtub chatter between the girls, rather than shushing them so they would get on with the business of cleaning their little bodies. Kyndra was wondering how many days until her birthday ( a lot... it is January 22nd). Kylee kept repeating that all birthdays happen at exactly 7:00. I have no idea where she came up with this but she was very insistent as she often can be.

Kylee's Little L Lisp...

Kylee has the cutest little tongue thrust going on right now with her Ls. I wanted to capture it, because I know it is the last of her sweet, little baby talk.

Happy Halloween...

We have begun our first holiday season in our new home and we are so excited to embark on new traditions that will last the duration of our girls' young lives. I realized that yesterday as Tony and I were talking about Halloweens past. I was talking about the sadness of our first homegrown pumpkins being smashed by neighborhood naughties and I kept referring to it as last year. Tony finally said, "Athena, we were living in a trailer last Halloween." I had totally forgotten, not that it was bad at all, there just weren't any fond holiday memories in the trailer. It was a year in limbo of our life as it is to be here at Nelson's Nest (lovin' it).

Building a home and creating a slew of new expenses on the brink of an economic crisis has felt a little scary, but I am grateful that this year we are truly going to focus on the reasons for the season. Things have to shift for everyone and I am looking forward to humble holidays. I am thankful that our children are young as we are given this lesson of "not overdoing it", which we have done in the past. We are truly blessed with our shared faith and family to see us through.

Enough of the serious stuff :)
Halloween pics of the year...

New candy dish...

Nights of carving pumpkins in our dining room...



Preparing and posing for the evening travels...