Christmas...

Oh Christmas...how I LOVE Christmas! This year was just perfect! Maybe it was the brilliant weather, or all the snow on the ground, or the great family we got to spend the holidays with, or our sweet girls who were very excited - especially Hailey! She is at the PERFECT age for Christmas! I think she'll be the perfect age for a few years to come....which is great because soon enough Paige will be the perfect age. I can hardly wait!

I think one of the best things about Christmas this year was the "Santa Threat". You know, the "you'd better be good because Santa's watching" threat. LOVED it! One time Hailey was being exceptionally difficult (she's three it's normal right?), anyway, we told her she'd better be good or we'd call Santa. Her response?

"Santa doesn't have a phone!!"

Oh.

So we told her that we'd email him...and that did the trick. How times have changed.

Anyway, we were busy all month with our advent calendar activities. One of our favourites was making popcorn garland. The 1 year old dumped the bowl of popcorn on the floor, and the three year old vacuumed it up. What could be more fun? Needless to say, no popcorn garland made it on the tree. But honestly, this was WAY more fun for them!

We hosted Christmas at our home this year, which worked out great! Our kids got to sleep in their own beds - and nothing is more important then a good nights sleep. Ben's family all came up Christmas eve (except his sister and her family who are unfortunate to have to live in the Caribbean).

Grandma read the girls a new book. Hailey LOVED it. Paige learned to say "ho ho ho".

We ate food ALL night long, then got the kiddos into their PJ's and took a picture. Paige of course sent death rays to Jaxson/his bottle. I forsee a great friednship developing between these two cousins:)

We had WAY too many presents under the tree...don't worry they aren't all ours (remember?Ben's family was here too)

We had to eventually wake the girls up Christmas morning - who sleeps in on Christmas? My girls I guess.

Hailey had a lot of fun opening all her million presents...here's the apron I made her (Paige has one too, and if I get around to it, I will as well)

The last present of the day was this beauty:

Yep...it's a pink camo quad! It's real too. Gas powered and all. Don't worry, they'll have helmets and we even have a remote shut down. I'm not sure who was more excited about it...Ben or Hailey. Ben probably. (p.s. it's obviously hard to keep clothes on our girls...whatev)

We spent the rest of the day relaxing - playing with Grandmas ipad.

Ok - I didn't relax at all for the rest of the day...because I was busy making my FIRST ever Turkey dinner! It turned out perfectly! We brined the turkey over night and then rubbed the bird with spices...it was divine!

Overall the Holiday was so wonderful. Can I get any cheesier? I don't think so...but it really was that great. We all got SPOILED! The girls especially. They deserve it though...right? The company was great. The food was delicious. The weight gain was worth it.

We're still looking forward to the get together with my side of the family. Our schedules just didn't work this year...so we haven't got together just yet. But we will!!

Anyway, I hope you all had a Merry Christmas...and I hope you have a Happy New Year!

The Gingerbread house

So we broke down.

We bought a pre made gingerbread house (because we're creative like that).

All we had to do was decorate it.

Somehow things went off course.

I'm not sure who started all the silliness.

Maybe it was Colonel Mustard...


in the library....


with the candlestick?


Or maybe it was this little person...


aiming for a little world dominance?


We had a fun night though, the gingerbread house got about half the given candy on it, and the Heating Technician in our house insisted it needed a HUGE chimney. I love my family.

It's beginning to 'feel' a lot like Christmas

Yes it is...maybe it's because I have Christmas music playing all day long (Boney M, Nana Mouskouri, Bing Crosby etc), or maybe it's because the house is decorated and ready to go, or maybe it's because I have a little three year old who is especially excited this year, or maybe it's because I have the coolest stockings in the whole world, or maybe it's because the Christmas shopping is pretty much done, or maybe...just maybe it's because the girls got to see Santa this weekend. It's Christmas time, and that's all that matters right now.



So, the stockings. My mom knit these stocking for my little family. And they are honestly the cutest, coolest stockings I've ever seen. I'm almost tempted to have another baby so that my mom can make another one....because I want MORE! They're that cute. Don't you agree?


They're also HUGE! So lots of stocking stuffing will have to happen on Christmas Eve.


I love advent Calendars (I've got quite a few and I want more) but this is the main one this year. Each tin either has either an activity or a treat inside, and the girls get so excited when we open one each day. Cute hey?

One of the activities was to make a snowman. However, the organizer of activities may not have thought this particular one through, since the day we needed to make a snow man the snow was all icy and definitely not in snowman making shape. So we make a snow inukshuk instead. It worked for Hailey and her friend Denver....I think.

The advent calendar also told us to make cookies and decorate them...yummy

Other activities in the Calendar include: Eating a special breakfast with Christmas music, drive around to look at lights, watch a special Christmas movie, make popcorn garland, hang a mistletoe and get kisses under it, and make gingerbread houses. We're excited!

In other exciting news, we went to my parents ward Christmas party this last weekend. Santa was there, and Hailey was soooo excited to see him. Maybe a little nervous too.

This picture I had to post for my own memory (it's a bit blurry and I wish I was better with my camera so I could avoid these kind of problems). Anyway, this shows just how nervous she was. She never makes this smile, she never stands this still, she never listens this well. But when she's in line for Santa, she'll do anything.

And Finally our picture with Santa for the year: Paige lasted for all of two seconds before she lost it. Hailey was mesmerized with Santa and could barely even talk she was so excited/nervous. Overall it was a fun evening...and my girls were happy with all the candy they got.

We're looking forward to Christmas this year...it just seems like it gets better ever year. Plus, there might be a very very cool gift for the girls under the tree this year...it's a secret for now, but I can't wait to post about it!!

Hailey LOVED this...your kids need one too

Santa sent Hailey a special message last night.

Follow this link and wait a minute for the video to load:

http://www.portablenorthpole.ca/watch/guest/FMzfZJgmEYifHh-HUAfZ4g

Isn't that so neat??

Things that make me smile.

After a few crazy weeks in my home - and a few pounds gone due to stress (which I actually don't mind one bit...the weight that is) - I decided to take a step back and reassess the situation. I needed to decide what was important, and what maybe wasn't so much. After letting go of a few things, I quickly realized what was important in my life... important in the way that I never want to forget. Things like:

This 3 year old playing games on the iPhone by the light of the Christmas tree

The 4 of us on our first ever tobogganing trip as a family

This awesome husband of mine, who decided that taking matters into his own hands when the -30c weather hit, meant growing an extra layer of hair on his face.

Seeing this one lounge in the snow for the first time - in a hat she hasn't figured out how to take off yet

Hailey's face on her first ride down the hill...excitement? Daredevil?

This one falling asleep whenever she needs it, wherever we are

And finally waking up to this sweet face after she snuck into my bed (and fell back asleep) after her dad went to work

When life gets crazy - like it does - I just need to remember these small things that make me smile. Because they are important.

A Little Bit Stressed Out...

I don't know if my mom can even count the number of times I've called her in full tears/hysterics this week. And it's only Monday!

I think it was about three weeks ago that I was sitting here thinking I was just barely getting to the point that I could catch a breath. We had a pretty stressful summer and I think the end of October was when I think things started to almost return to normal.

BUT...

There's always a but.

Things changed on November 1st when we tried to collect rent from our tenants. Turns out we no longer have tenants...which means we are madly trying to rent our other house out again, while paying two mortgages. That's enough stress for me.

But...

Add to it the new calling I got that same week. Relief Society 2nd Counselor in my ward. Despite the fact that I feel 20 years too young and inadequate in so many ways, I'm really excited about all the things I get to do with this calling. Like Super Saturday this weekend.

Did I mention I was stressed? Try taking over Super Saturday last minute. I've been on the phone or emailing people pretty much non stop for the last week. I've also spent COUNTLESS hours organizing the costs on my computer...and the sign up sheets. And all that wonderful stuff.

But really, joking aside, I am excited about this calling - it's going to be FUN! (p.s. a "calling" is a volunteer position that I'm asked to fulfill in my church. Being the 2nd Counselor in Relief Society means that I'm one of three people that run the women's program for our church. Thank goodness I'm not the President - she's the one with all the work!! "Super Saturday", however is a huge craft day where the "Relief Society" provides a TON of crafts for all the women in our ward to work on. BUSY basically sums it up)

Anyway...that's not it. With this new calling, I now have to find time to meet with the presidency regularly. But I'm having a hard time finding time, because I'm either in swimming lessons with my girls, teaching preschool, teaching piano to my 8 students, playing piano for the Young Women at Church, Hosting Book Club, babysitting my nephew, spending hours shoveling my driveway so I can actually leave the house, tending to my motherly duties (i.e. feeding my children, teaching them words and colours and so on), caring for my teething toddler and helping my three year old remember to use the potty. Honestly, I'm having a hard time finding a moment where I'm not frantically running around!!

I'm stressed.

Did I mention that Ben's stressed too? Yeah...winter means we don't see him. He's so busy with work...which is so good. I do like getting paid. But I don't so much like always putting my girls to bed on my own. Or them not even noticing when he's gone ALL weekend. I want to see him more, I want my girls to see him more, I want more time.

But this is my life. I love it. I especially Love my Husband and my two Girls. They keep me together when it gets crazy like this. And mostly, today I loved seeing these two anxiously awaiting their first venture into snow this year:


It's moments like that when I know the rest of it doesn't matter. I'm blessed. I'm loved. I love.

Halloween Adventures

This years Halloween was a LOT of fun in this household. We did LOTS of crafts, shopped ALL month for the candy, and we spent a TON of time planning out our costumes - trying to find a theme that we were all ok with. One that was cute, and one that the dad and the three year old could agree on. The Three Year old wanted us to be princesses...the dad wasn't so sure. The dad wanted to do nothing...The Three Year old wasn't so sure. So the Mom came to the rescue and the baby didn't object. And since we were the only two in agreement, our costumes were the only ones considered. I like having a baby on my team.


So Hailey got to be a Pirate


Paige got to be her trusty Parrot


I was lucky enough to be Peter Pan


And the Dad - because he was so enthusiastic, got to be a Lost Boy - which means he wore his normal clothes. (I personally think Captain Hook would have been way cooler, but I can't really force him into his costume like I can the other two kids).

Anyway, before we actually did ANY of that, we carved a pumpkin (with our friends, the Allred's). I'll admit, I may have been the artist behind this amazing cat...who's left eye is just decomposing away, it really was there to start with.

Then Hailey got all dolled out in her gear for her Preschool Class:

Then next, I had a little Halloween party at my house for a few of Hailey's friends and siblings in town (with the help of some of my closest friends here)

They may have danced a little


And Decorated Cookies...which was apparently waaaay too much fun

I may have stolen the only picture of me in character from my friend Julie's Facebook album...of her daughter. Sorry.

The kidlets even went through a little Haunted House in the basement (which was too scary for pictures...but still very very cool)

Then the next day we went to the "Trunk or Treat" hosted by our ward...and the girls got WAY too much CANDY (which I may or may not have eaten too much of)!

And that pretty much sums up our Halloween this year. I can't wait for next year...I've already got a few ideas for costumes all planned out. The goal is creative, cute, themed and original. It will be fun.

Hello Blog...

Hello Blog...Nice to see you. It's been too long. I wish I had some fabulous excuse for being so obviously absent. Something amazing like - I was traveling the world, or I was discovered and I am now a HUGE Hollywood star, or...or something like that. But nope. I've just been lazy, and living my pretty normal - slightly less fabulous life. We've been filling our days with playing, napping, going to the park (enjoying a bit of the summer we never had), babysitting my nephew, teaching piano, swimming, more playing, eating and so on. Life never seems to slow down, and yet it seems like nothing all that exciting is going on. I guess we did have a busy summer, so I can accept a boring fall.



The most exciting news of the month is that I'm a little bit blonder!
Make all the jokes you want...

I also had a birthday - I might be a couple years over 25...and a few under 30. Somewhere in the middle there. I KNOW I'm not old. But I really thought I'd feel a little more grown up when I hit this section of my 20's. Maybe that's what my 30's are for? Or will it be my 40's...50's? Will I ever feel like I'm not a little 19 year old girl?


Anyway, for my Birthday I got a little thing called the 'iPhone'. Have you heard of it? Hailey obviously had. She already knew all the fun games I needed to download...like Dora for example:


So my girls are cute as always...they really do love each other. And I love this picture (snow boot and all)

Paige is such a character...I wish I could properly describe her. She is all silliness, all attitude, all smiles, all tears, all tantrums, all 'every single extreme of mood you could imagine'. She is so entertaining and I just love this little girl.

I love her: even when she grows up right before my eyes...and proves to me that she's not just a little baby anymore.


I love her: even when she makes messes...and pretends it wasn't her:

I love her: especially when she still acts like my little baby...and cuddles with me and falls asleep in all the same places as she did when she was just a little newborn:

Oct 2010

July 2009

And then there's Hailey...this girl is also all smiles, and tears, and moods, and fun, and imagination and everything you could imagine a 3 year (who is going on 16) would be.

I love her: when she plays with her sister and makes her happy

I love her: When I see how her face lights up when she tells me princess stories that all end "Happily ever after" - and that might include a certain prince that she will marry in "three more months"
I love her: Especially when she reminds me of just how sweet and little she still is even though she's growing up ( i.e. heading off to her first day of 'joy school' and bringing along her dinosaur for protection)

Anyway...I hope I can keep up with the blog. But honestly, I imagine you won't see me back here until after Halloween when I share the pics of my girls in their cute costumes.

Sometimes it's nice to be beautiful

So as you may know, my little sister Sarah is a talented massage therapist as well as an Esthetician (I hope I'm spelling that right). I know she's just my little sister, so I really have no right to be proud when she accomplishes things. But she is still my little sister and I watched her grow, so I still feel that pride. Anyway, yesterday I got a day off from my mommy duties. My parents watched the girls and I got to spend the afternoon with Sarah...in a make up course put on by the salon she works for. They had a talented - big shot - makeup artist there (http://www.bebebooth.com/). She was an awesome person and a great instructor. So I sat there and watched Sarah create different looks on my face.

I felt beautiful...I felt special...I felt proud.

The instructor was quick to praise Sarah in everything, really, everything she did ... and she may have even paid me a compliment as well. Overall I had a great day. Sarah gave me some serious cool eyes (including a pair of fabulous fake eyelashes). And I got to walk out of their feeling kinda cool...aaaaand maybe a little weird (since I did have two different looks on my eyes and extremely LONG lashes).

Well, since it was a Monday - and I had no where to go but home to show off the new 'look' - I decided to take a few 'model' shots of myself ... in the mirror of my bathroom ... at midnight ... with semi pouty 'Meagan' lips. You get the picture. I can't decide whether to laugh or cry when I see these pics because the faces I made are either very hilarious or very very sad. But one thing's for sure...Sarah did an amazing job.

These pictures are important to me because I want a picture of myself done up - trying to look good - so that one day my daughters can look at me and say "wow, mom actually wore makeup once". I hope to also add to that collection, a picture where they'll say "wow, mom was skinny once" or "wow, mom wore cool clothes" or even "wow, mom was a real person and not just our slave once". You know, those kind of pictures. So here are my makeup pictures:

Thanks Sarah for inviting me, and for spending the day with me and for so calmly and yet firmly having the courage to be who you are...which includes being especially talented!