"what do you want for christmas?"

santa told me he's only bringing the kids 3 gifts this year.  i am pretty sure the elves have already made them 2, and i was asking the kids this morning what did they want from santa so i could figure out what to tell the elves to make for their 3rd gift...

first, i asked kendal.  he said "a dog.".  really?  i asked him if a stuffed one would be ok and he said yes.  he specified he wanted a big one with a long tail.  holly said it needed to be black, but kendal said green.  i told him there wasn't a such thing as a green dog.

next i asked holly.  she said "christmas"  i then asked her what kind of present she would want for christmas and then we started talking in circles.  basically, inside the christmas would be a present - that you open, and inside the present would be christmas.  she was no help.

Holly's Birthday-Christmas list

updated 1/1/12!
I'm still doing the brooke bedroom but i'm waiting for a sale....  http://www.potterybarnkids.com/room/rom/romgir/romgirwod/
I plan to get her the quilted bedding (both quilt and the euro sham, the sham i will monogram somewhere NOT at pottery barn).
Eventually i'll get her a canopy http://www.potterybarnkids.com/products/daisy-petal-canopy/?pkey=dcanopies

DVDs: barbie charm school, any of the disney princess DVDs (we have most on VHS, and they aren't available in stores, they'd have to be bought through amazon or Ebay)
a kid-style CD player for her room (the girl LOVES music!)

accessories for her loving family grand dollhouse (fisher price).  she only has what came with the house (the kitchen table, mom dad and twin babies).  http://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=5852&e=lfaccessories-thumb
she loves playmobil.  she's probably love the vet, zoo, etc. 

oversized melissa and doug puzzles (girlish ones)

a watch

Kendal's Christmas List

This is a list of ideas for Kendal's Christmas, updated 12/5/11 after talking to momT -

melissa and doug architectural blocks http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-60-Piece-Standard-Blocks/dp/B00008W72D/ref=pd_sim_t_30

DVDs:  Dinosaur Dan, Dinosaur Train, Fresh Beat Band,Happy Feet, Mr. Poppers Penguins, Looney Toons episode Collection, etc.

Playmobil collections:  has and loves the pirates, farm, dragon, firetruck:  would love the anything rescue related (firestation, ambulance, etc.), school, gym, etc.

LOVES music.  has a drum set, keyboard, and a guitar (will have it one day anyway). 

loves pirate stuff.

newly fascinated with toy story - buzz lightyear is favorite.

Analee's Christmas List

Well, I don't usually post a gift list for myself but this Christmas, I actually want some interesting things.  I posted a link to this on the left-hand side of my blog. Kendal and Holly's are there too.

photoshop actions:  http://www.florabellacollection.com/florabella-color--haze-photoshop-actions.html


Cash - i actually have an envelope that i'll put it in.  i have a camera fund, i'm saving for a full frame!

DVD:  Forks Over Knives(ok, so actually I just want to borrow this, but, if you know where I can do that - tell me!)

BOOK:  1000 VeganRecipes by Robin Robertson 


SHOES:  Dansko Volley Blue Patchwork Coated Canvas size 40

Clothes or Gift certificates to Chicos or Coldwater Creek! 

Birthmas for Nathaniel

For Birthmas (that's the dreaded combined birthday and christmas present for those of you who don't know.  I did it ONLY with prior approval), I gave Nathaniel a KitchenAid® Pasta Press Attachment with six interchangeable pasta plates.  I was so excited about it.  I think, though, more excited than him.  We've had our kitchenaid stand mixer for 3 or 4 years now (and it was his idea to get one).  I thought all this time he had been using it.   But, he told me that he'd never even used it before.  Aparently the only thing he does with it is get it out for me.  (It is heavy and we haven't the counter space to keep it out all the time - plus the fact I HATE HATE HATE having stuff on the counter, period.)  So, anyway, he wasn't as excited about the gift as I was.  The next day - we were snowed in.  I wanted him to make us some home made spaghetti (noodles, not sauce- that i buy in a jar though i know i can make it home made but it is SO easy to buy it for $2 from whole foods - can't make it for that price) for lunch.
Anyway, reluctantly (he was sick, I'll give him that one) he did make us some noodles.  and, I think he had more fun than he thought he was gonna have...  plus, the kids thought it was REALLY cool. 

I took pictures.  I tried not to get Nathaniel in them (much) because, like I said, he didn't feel well and hadn't showered.  The kids, however, they were digging it big time.  I can't wait to make macaroni noodles.  Melissa, what is the recipe for that yummy stovetop cheese sauce you and Joshua made at Thanksgiving? 

what 12 inches of snow looks like!

i just want to say that although i love snow, i do not love 12 inches of snow.  it has almost been a week and even though temperatures have been in the 50s, i still can't get into the garage without spinning.  and, we could still sled in the yard.  heck, we may just do that tomorrow. it should be in the 60s!  :)

incidentally, the kids were only outside for about 10 minutes.  holly had ear infections and kendal had a bad cough.  so, they/we didn't even get to enjoy it!

christmas: grammy style

Christmas: Homestyle

first glance at her new baby - that eats, drinks, and talks!  like we need another talking kid in our house...

 

woah, dad, look at this!  cars!!!

and kendal's first gun!

"look mom, my hand!"

kendal loves his view finder. however, he walks into walls when he "wears" it.

holly got a set of 6 eggs that break apart and become a sort-of matching game!

hand bells!

kendal's first playmobile!  a fire truck!  which, nicely, isn't loud.

holly really likes the handbells.

and kendal really likes the fire truck.

and, a turtle to ride on for holly!

...and in holly's stocking were sun glasses and M&Ms, which she ate for breakfast!

kendal also found sunglasses, but he was more interested in the tootsie rolls.

look at that colored mouth!  this girl loves some M&Ms.

christmas: mamaw style

not many pictures here for some reason.  too much paper throwing i guess!  the darker ones (of kate and grace) were taken about 8pm - and the "stars" in those pictures, well we decided that was christmas magic!  it was enough to convince the kids it was time to make it into bed-time mode.  that, and the fact they heard jingle bells outside.  i heard them too.  faith swore she saw something in the sky!  we left in a hurry...