Pippa

Pippa has been here with us for three nights now and all three nights she has managed to cause trouble. I hope she is reporting back to Santa Clause!

Santa

So this morning did not go as planned as far as the excitement with our elf Pippa. Instead of looking at her mischeif (hanging upside down from the cupboard drinking maple syrup from a straw with left over halloween candy strewn all over) the girls asked Chris is he set her up, because... this part make's me want to cry... "Santa is not real" followed by _____ told me there is no such thing as Santa. I seriously wanted to cry then and there. I knew eventaully we would get here but honestly I wanted them to believe for a while longer, a long while longer. I don't want 6 year olds that don't believe in Santa. :( I was upset that a child would tell my children this, this is how it goes I know but I am still sad. I explained to the girls that St Nicholas was a real person and his spirit lives on inside of us. He created a magical Christmas feeling that puts holiday spirit in all of us by his selfishlessness. Then my girls asked if heaven is real? I told them that was for them to determine, I myself will see it before I believe it. I explained that it is not fair for someone to tell them what they should believe. I explained that St Nicholas was real and walked our earth for sure. Devan was so upset about this particular child making an impression on her opinion with Santa that she refuses to think about her beliefs in god and has determined that nothing this child believes is real. Devan said "How could she believe in heaven when she has not seen it if she can't believe in someone who really existed." I never thought this converstaion would be so in depth and involved with religion and I feel for my girls trying process what they beleive. I just feel bad that their opinion is wrapped up in another childs. I asked my girls not to discuss their beleifs with this child anymore, I don't want our opinion on god passed on to her as her opinion on Santa was passed on to us. Ryleigh left happy as a clam hoping Pippa would be there when we returned because she believes in her. Devan believes in St Nicholas at this point but as far as Santa goes we have work to do in this, I have worked hard in the past to make Santa magical and real, he ripped his coat in the door one year, there are boot brints on the floor, a mess from the reindeer and the list goes on. I have hope for her still, she will come around and see but for now there is a damper on the magical feeling for sure. Gosh I hope they don't go to school and tear this kid apart. I am going to search high and low for the best looking Santa before we go this year! I want a real beard to pull and I would love Santa to know a bit about the girls. Letters for sure! I can't wait for Devan to get off the bus today, she asked to stay home and snuggle me today all day. Lately she has felt the need to snuggle a lot! I love days where I am home with them in the afternoons! I think a Christmas craft is in order for today. Love them girlies!

ELF ON THE SHELF

While black Friday shopping my sister in law asked me if the girls had and Elf on the shelf doll. I have seen the idea before but have never seen a kit before. It was late and they were expensive in my opinion so I passed up the option to buy one. THEN I saw all the wonderful ideas on pinterest and wanted one real bad. I stopped by the gift shop at work today and they had elves so I picked up a girl elf! I stuck some mailing labels on the bag it came in along with a piece of peppermint gum to make her smell like she was straight from the North Pole. I wrote a letter to the girls and popped her in the mail before the girls got off the bus. When they got off the bus we checked the mail and they knew right away when they saw the address that they had received an elf! Ryelighs reaction makes me laugh! She said I'm not going to fight with my sister until after Christmas. Lol They love Pippa very much and are making sure to behave in front of her! I can't wait to let the fun begin when they head to bed.

Black Friday

I went Black Friday shopping this year for one thing that I planned on getting the girls. I obesess WAY to much to plan out an entire trip shopping and honestly when I saw the Nabi in the Walmart flyer I cringed and was excited all in one. To make things easier on myself I planned to only buy that one item. We know what the girls are getting this year and there really wasn't anything else of that list that was on sale. I have done Black Friday in the past at our local small Walmart. It is not a Super Walmart, and there are around 100 people waiting in line usually. The Nabi is not stock at our local Walmart, with this said I was not sure how many they would have in stock so I went to a larger store that carries them all the time. I waited for 4 hours! They Nabi's originally cost $200.00 and they were on sale for $129.00 this means I saved $140.00 bucks it was worth it! The hard part is not waiting to get in but getting out after you have your item, which by the way I was told I was too late they were sold out. I walked off dissapointed and basically fell over a pile of them trying to stay out of other shoppers way. I don't think the employee I asked even knew what I was talking about. Can't blame him, if I had people diving at me for directions and answers I would probably have said the same thing.

There was some controversy over Black Friday on facebook and other blogs I follow. One of which is the most materialistic person I can think of HA. I guess she does not see it, I do.  Honestly I think if you don't like it you shouldn't participate. I don't post to mothers who go "out" s how bad it annoys me or how your house is trashed makes me feel ... because it is not my business, I do things differently and it is not my place to put my opinion in on your their way of doing things.

You can see my opinion to all the negative facebook'ers bellow.


Can I just say that there was no foul play in my experience Black Friday shopping, it was my time that I chose to spend with my sister shopping. We met random strangers who went back for toys for us, helped others by passing toys, laughed and kept each other entertained while we waited in pure exhaustion. I work my butt off and if I want to shop on Black Friday to provide my children with the Christmas my mom always dreamed for us kids, then I will and I would appreciate not being made to feel like I don't give a crap about Thanksgiving because I went and bought a materialistic item on Thanksgiving. I would have been in bed otherwise not celebrating at that point. The item I went out for was an educational tablet for my kids who according to their teacher at their parent conferences, have not yet used a computer in their class this year because of the shortage of computers. Providing my daughters with this tablet was only going to happen at sale price, I was not willing to pay $400.00 to do this. I basically bought one got one free, I sinned, it was Thanksgiving but it was important to me. I have heard all of your opinions now there is mine. And for the record my kids get few presents each under the tree each year because believe it or not us as a Black Friday family, we believe and know what is really important. Some of the stories about yesterday and today are just awful and unacceptable but there have been a few people bashing the whole experience before it was even here. We don't all have greed in our hearts we just want our money that amounts to less and less to go a little further.

Thanksgiving 2012

This year we had Thanksgiving at my Mom's house. It was a beautiful day outside so the kids were in and out all day. It was a very laid back, stress free day! There was a lot of laughter.

We have a lot to be thankful for, two health children, a home, everything we need and more.

Ryleigh is most thankful for her family and house.
Devan is most thankful for her sister and her pets.

On the way to my Mom's Devan announced that she thinks everyone should forget about Christmas until Thanksgiving is over. As a child I understood the importance of Thanksgiving but that statement never would have left my mouth. I am a proud Momma.

Rockin the 80's

I was born in the 80's and my kid's are totally pulling off an 80's "do" below. To quote Ryleigh, "Oh I look, I mean we look adorable" I can't lie I bribed Devan with Halloween candy to put her hair up like this, but she loves it and I am sure she will request this look tomorrow. I know Ry will, she wore her hair like this to bed and has announced this is how she will be wearing it from now on.

Little Characters.

So my kids are little comedians, they keep me in stiches... here are just a few of their conversations from the night.

 

 

Rebecca Anderson

Devan's take on the election.
Devan, "Ryleigh, did you vote in your class today?" Ryleigh, "no Devan we didn't" Devan, "well I did, I voted for... mom what's his name again, oh wait never mind Obama, that Mitt Romney is creepy looking"

Ryleigh's take on the election.
"Mom what does yes on 1 mean, what does no on one mean?" Me "Well... do you know what gay means?" Ryleigh, "uh like when you sell a house, are they for sale signs mom?" Me, "yes Ry, and you don't be prejudiced against those for sale signs..." when she is a little older I will read between the lines and teach her it is not OK to judge people. (she has a big mouth, I know the whole school would have known what gay was if I told her... and we may have a few ticked parents calling. Not all families are voting yes on 1.
That is all people, the one and only political post from our house this year.

 

 

Ryleigh comes in the room in her towel after a shower with her jammies in hand, Devan is in the middle of taking ANOTHER video of herself and she asked Ry to sing. Ryleigh screams at her that she is not even dressed and pouts. Devan says yup that's going on facebook ha ha. 

 

 

Devan asks me as I am sitting at the computer, Mom do you mind that the puppy is licking his butt under your chair? 

 

SERIOUSLY Devan ... yes I do... 

 

   

Halloween 2012

This year we skipped trick or treat all together and had a massive Halloween party at Grammy and Warren's in the barn. I wont lie at time's setting up Mum and I were ready to cry, thinking it would look more like a mess and the kids would beg to leave and go trick or treating. Then the frustrations turned to laughter. Things were looking good well into one of two LONG days. Crystal and Sophie stopped by with a touch and feel table, a witch pinata and a scare crow which I might add looked a lot like Uncle Sean. Mum and I had planned bingo, a costume contest, eating donuts off strings and stories read by Uncle Isaac.

Take a look at how all the hard work paid off!

The kids were thrilled and we didn't hear about trick or treating all night long!

Oh and Ry lost a tooth! Julian won bingo, Julian also broke the pinata open! And of course all of the kids won a personalized, made especially by Grammy costume award!

Ask us next year if we will do it again... it was worth it but a lot of work.

We had a huge spread of food! Minus the meatballs Sarah burned in the crock pot while juggeling Mommy, a job and an assistant Halloween party organizer.

Thanks everyone for all you did! Once again we have come together like the wonderful family we are and made memories that will be forever engraved in our kids hearts.

Love you guys!