traditions ...

Christmas is here.

the lights are on.

the tree is decorated..... thanks to my girls.

the gingerbread houses are ready to eat... thanks to a dear friend who is my girls' adopted mother during the summer and winter break (she bakes with them!).

the poinsettia is amazingly still alive.... (thanks Mandi for the beautiful flowers!).

my little "applesauce/cinnamon" gingerbread men on the tree are still intact after 3 years

and the calendar shows Joseph & Mary is on day 23.....

my girls still amaze me with their eagerness that Christmas just isn't complete without this little homemade calendar. Baby Jesus is laid in the manger before we go to bed on the 24th.

it's a chinese new year...

Last Friday the 3rd grade classes at Madison's school did a huge celebration of the Chinese New Year. They had a parade marching down through the entire school (all the classes were outside their rooms, cheering the 3rd graders on, while Chinese music was playing through the intercom system). Parents lined the walls snapping pictures.

There were acrobats, chinese dragons, children carrying lanterns... and I'm sure other things that I have no idea what they were... but it was all so incredibly awesome.

While the kids were marching around the hallways of the school, other moms were setting up the classrooms to have a party. We're talking chopsticks, chicken fried rice, chicken nuggets (not 100% sure why this was related to chinese food, but hey... the kids loved it!), egg rolls, and other yummy treats.

Here I told Maddie to smile, and I get a half smile. That little stinker.

Then the eating. OH, to watch the kids try to eat with their chopsticks!! TOO funny! For example...

What does a kid have to do to pick up chicken nuggets with their chopsticks?

Answer: stab it ...

Amazingly, stabbing the food works!

and last but not least, all the kids got two of these gel candy... I can't remember what they are, but I just remember my mom buying these in bulk at Sam's when my brother and I were teenagers. Some of the flavors had fruit in them, but in reality, they were just gross. Blech.

what is up w/ these peace signs that Maddie's holding up? And man oh man does her nails need to be cleaned!!

and that ... is the most perfect way to start a winter vacation for TWO weeks!!

Oh.. and I spied with my little eye the little boy that has a huge crush on Maddie. He is totally cute! Too bad Maddie doesn't think so. He said "he has too high of a voice". Whatever...

What happens when.....

What happens when you place an order on Shutterfly, and eagerly anticipate the package you order?

I mean... you DO hope they send you your pictures? RIGHT?! Or at least, did it ever cross your mind that you might NOT get your pictures or whatever you ordered? I have to honestly say it has never crossed my mind... until yesterday.

So yesterday I pick up my package by the door from Shutterfly! It's here!! Yay! Can't wait to see our cards! However... the little girl on the card doesn't look like my little girls. There's a slight big difference.

I mean... my girls are much blonder, and last I saw, I have two of them. At least, I think I have two of them. Maybe I'm seeing doubles..... plus they're much older. I think.

So, I called Shutterfly up and waited patiently for 20 minutes to speak to a "very hard to understand English speaking person". He finally said in a very thick accent "OK, we will reorder and send it out to you." So I said "I want it next day." He said "OK." My order appears to be coming on Monday. Today's Thursday. That's not next day.

I must give two thumbs up for that service, but two thumbs DOWN for the fact that I got another family's precious cargo... I mean, I'm not comfortable knowing who got MY cards, with the picture of MY girls!!

my highland dancer

My girls have been dancing Highland Dance (Scottish dance) for over 6 years. Katie for almost 7 years... Maddie has been dancing for 5 years. Granted, they took a year and a half off when we moved, but we have an amazing teacher here in San Antonio... who taught THEIR former teacher.

This wonderful teacher has an online store for all things Scottish. I offered my services for anything she needed to take pictures of for her online store. So one day we went out and about and I was able to get some great shots of Katie. The pictures of Maddie didn't really turn out very well (she was in an ornery mood), but I love the ones of Katie. It kind of turned into her own little photo shoot...

This is her posing for the sword dance.....

We also really want that kilt... which is also for sale. Katie outgrew her old kilt! STOP GROWING KID! Donations are accepted... :D Kilts are really expensive! But thankfully, if (and when) we buy this one, it will most likely be the last one we have to buy b/c it is a little long on her. Not to mention, it is a REAL kilt (not a kiltie! or a dance kilt!).

I really REALLY love this picture!!

and finally, when all was done & over, she took her blouse off, and she was quietly reflecting on whatever it was she was thinking about (see the first picture at the top), she looked at me, and gave me a cute little smile. Perfection!