Mexico 2011 - Part 1

We had a wonderful time in Mexico and have a lot of photos that I'm still going through and trying to organize.  These are just a few that the kids had taken in the Kid's Club with the fun animals that they brought in.

Expressions

I've been noticing Crew's various expressions lately and tried to capture a few today.  

I love howhis eyebrows say so much.

"Happy"

"Worried" 

"Silly"

"Mad"

"Sad" or "Grumpy"

"Priceless"

Paige Turns 7!!!

Paige turned 7 on January 20th! I'm about 10 days overdue but it always takes me a while to re-group and organize myself and my life after a birthday around here.

The celebrations started out bright and early of course with our traditional singing of "Happy Birthday To You" while walking into the birthday person's room with a candle and all of their presents. This year Paige was very specific in her request that her morning birthday candle be in a cupcake. Back in November, Jim brought my candle in a cupcake and I remember Paige talking about how unfair it was all day that I had gotten that cupcake and she hadn't. You seriously never know what's going to set this kid off. So, I made sure that we had a CUPCAKE with a candle in it (which by the way, she never even ate?!?).

I think Crew was almost as excited as Paige!

After Paige's favorite breakfast of pancakes, bacon and sausage, she headed off to school. I picked her up and took her out of school later for a special birthday lunch at Wendy's.

She looked so cute, I had to take a picture of her in her cute coat.

After taking her back to school, I picked up Crew from preschool and we came home and made her birthday cake. Crew loves to help in the kitchen (and be silly posing for pictures with girly aprons on - he's going to hate me when he's 13!).

The girls had a basketball game that night. Paige made her first basket and we were all so proud (and surprised, that basket is really tall and it's everything Paige can do to even get the ball high enough in the first place)! Hailey made the assisting pass - what a good sister! Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures that night but we did get some great shots the other night that I'll have to post later.

After the game we came home for a delicious spaghetti dinner prepared by Papa Red (which was great, I only had to worry about salad, bread and cake).

I saved a couple presents for later that day (I think she was less than thrilled, but at least they were something to open).

Nanny and Papa gave her a cute Corduroy book that came with a little bear.

On Saturday we had her friends party at the gym swimming pool. I think it was a hit, the kids seemed to have a lot of fun.

I obviously had the camera on the wrong setting...o well.

Jim finally got there and took much better photos.

It was a fun day, even though we all ended up with shriveled up old man hands.

Happy 7th Birhtday!  I love you Paige!  

Closet Projects

In the last few weeks I've been in a New-Year's-Get-Organized mode.  I don't usually make New Year's resolutions, but I seem to kind of naturally get into a "fresh start" sort of mentality with the beginning of a new year.

I decided a few closets were in need of some attention.  The front hall was just a mess of unorganized, overflowing bins with mis-matched gloves and mittens, scarves stuffed here and there and coats and jackets shoved and pushed onto hooks and sometimes hangers.

I got some new bins with drawers and made laminated labels with pictures to make it easy to see where to find things and where to put things away.

My closet was beginning to get a little out of control so I re-organized my jewelry shelf and took a bunch of random pictures I had floating around and put them up on the wall over my dresser (they were sitting on my dresser but they kept falling down and getting shoved around).  I love how it turned out.  I call it my "Mom Cave."

I especially love the pictures of my two grandmothers.  They were so different, as the pictures show, but I loved them both so much and have such great memories with each of them.  I think I have a little bit of each of them in me and I remember them both every time I look at the pictures.

Mary Louise Prichard Slayton

(maternal grandmother)

Selma Bates McKean

(paternal grandmother)

Christmas Day 2010

We spent the rest of Christmas Day at Nanny & Papa's house.
Cousin pile up.  The kids have so much fun with their cousins.

*Disclaimer: I must warn you that some of these photos are 

less than flattering but have to be used for purposes of documentation, note the crazy eyes above. 

Here's Hailey in the cute hat Aunt Anneliese crocheted (is that how you spell that?) for her.  She did one for Paige too in a beautiful blue that matches her eyes but darn it I didn't get a photo.  Not sure where she learned that hand gesture...I'm guessing her super cool Dad. 

Nanny got all of the girls the cutest nightgowns and robes!  

They are just like the one Clara wears in The Nutcracker, they love them!

*This is one of the photos I was referring to...not that it's bad, it's just ...weird.  

Crew got some really fun Duplos that he plays with all the time!

Nanny and Papa always give the kids a special book, picked out for each child individually with a really  nice inscription in the front telling them why they selected the book especially for them.

I got some super cute mittens made from recycled sweaters.  They are so, so soft inside.  The will definitely come in handy, it was -6 the other day! 

*I loved them, despite my weird expression!

And, every year, Nanny and Papa give everyone the neatest pewter frames, definitely heirloom quality.  

We are acquiring quite a collection. 

*Again, what's wrong with me? I almost look mad but I really loved the frame!  Everyone else looks great!

I love the look on Papa Red's face as he opened his present from Nanny.

*Ok, Papa looks a little weird here too...it's so funny the watch someone get mad when they open a present!

An iPad...he couldn't contain his excitement... ; )

Bryn, who is doing her residency in pathology in Kansas City along with her husband Luke (who was stuck working, he's also in residency for Family Practice) got a Madame Alexander doctor doll.  It was so cute, Marianna had a little doctor coat made for her!  

On top of being doctors, she and Luke are expecting a baby boy this Spring!

*Bryn is very photogenic and has an adorable little baby bump you can not see here!

After opening presents we sat down to a delicious dinner at a beautifully set table.

And the kids sat down to a special treat of dinner in front of a movie.  Look at Nanny's perfect homemade dinner rolls.  They're as good as they look.

It was a great Christmas.