Johnny Weir in da house!

For all of you who do not know Johnny Weir...here he is...

It's very convenient that when my parents were here we were watching the Today Show and and JW was ice skating in Rockerfeller Center looking much like that picture in all of his flamboyant getup. Johnny Weir became my dad's new nickname for Tom. They love to pick on each other. Next thing you know, we are all headed to OKC to do a little ice skating. 

Ella has loved ice skating for the past two years that we have taken her, but this year she hated it. I can't figure out why. Part of me just thinks she was in a cranky mood. Or maybe it was the fact that the ice was melted and gross looking. We all know Ella is a bit of a perfectionist/girly girl. Can't have brown puddles of dirty water on the rink God forbid! Instead, Madeline finally got her chance on the ice and loved it. Originally, I wasn't going to let her try it. The overprotective mom came out in me and I was a little nervous she would fall and break something. But she begged and I gave in. She rocked it. And was ALL smiles. 

So happy to start skating

"ewwwww what is up with the dirty ice?"

Full on Johnny Weir right here. Just missing the fingerless gloves.

Such a cute, attentive dad

Skates are all laced up!

Standing on her own...not too bad!

Pouting. But I still love this picture. Life isn't always all rainbows.

With Papa and happy again 

My HUGE Christmas SURPRISE!

My husband really outdid himself this year. I have been surprised before by him, but this one was even more special. He flew my parents in for Christmas! The look on my face when they walked through our door must've been priceless. I immediately started crying and hugged my mom tight and then my dad. I couldn't help it! I am an already emotional pregnant lady, but add in such a sweet, sweet surprise and I totally lost it. I couldn't believe Tom actually got my dad to fly out here for more than a night or two! He hasn't been here to visit since Ella was born. He rarely takes time off of work so it was a real treat to have both of my parents around for a whole week. I was so excited to entertain guests and to share our Christmas with them! About a week before they arrived I kept asking my dad what he wanted for Christmas and he would only reply that he wanted to see "his girls". I guess we both got our Christmas wishes this year! Thank you Tom for being the most thoughtful, loving husband to me. I couldn't have asked for a better gift.

North Pole Breakfast

Our awesome little elf brought us breakfast straight from the North Pole! I started this tradition last year and Ella has been asking the whole time if Henry will be bringing us breakfast again. I tend not to do something like this in the very beginning. I feel like it sets the expectations of the elf a little high. I don't feel like being the overachieving elf mom this year. We are just happy our elf found a new spot everyday and I didn't wake up in a cold sweat wondering if I remembered to move him.

The girls were so excited to see the sugary filled breakfast Henry left for them. When Tom was helping me put it all together he said "the elf couldn't bring them whole wheat pancakes or something??" Well, duh, Tom. Elves only eat sugar. And it was a heck of a lot easier to grab a plate of Rudolph donuts out of the fridge at 6:30 am without the girls noticing then to start making pancakes!

I hope to continue this tradition...even when my children don't believe anymore. Although they were a little sugar happy that day, I wouldn't change a thing. It's one day of the year they eat a breakfast like that and it made me happy to see them so very happy.

Their cups were filled with candy canes and hot cocoa mix. The little cupcake holders held caramel filled Hershey's Kisses and marshmallows. The snowman bag was powdered sugar donuts. (Holyyyyyy suuuugar.)

They were so excited to see Henry brought them each an elf hat to wear!

The main course: Santa hats resting on cut up Swiss Cake rolls topped with icing and strawberries and Rudolph donuts made with chocolate donuts, pretzels and m&ms

Henry looks so proud! 

Extra marshmallows...which Tom definitely used to start a "snowball" fight 

So sweet, and so excited!

Let the snowball fight begin! 

Cheers! 

Our Elf's Shenanigans

Henry our Elf has been pretty nice this year. He hasn't caused too much trouble or chaos around the house. The girls have enjoyed having him around and so have I. Their behavior, while definitely not perfect, has been better. It's so much easier to say "go make your beds" "pick up your toys" put your cups in the sink" while Henry is "watching". He has that magical, scary effect on them and I am totally ok with that. I will be sad when he leaves and I have to wait another 330 or so days until that beautiful Christmas behavior returns.

Here are just a few of the pictures I happened to take of him:

He brought the girls a felt tree to play with this season

He put the girls on the nice list, but apparently daddy needs to try harder. 

He was climbing up the side of the door

He brought them a present

Pete the Cat! Their favorite!

He was sneaking candy from the boot!

Caught climbing again!

Story hour:)

He was hittin' up the "sauce"...caught practically passed out in our hallway 

Roasting marshmallows

Looking at the moon with their telescope 

Hanging upside down 

So many more fun things he did, but of course I didn't take pictures:( Oh well! Maybe next year!

Christmas Party...Army style

Party in the middle of the work day? I'll take it. Especially if it means hanging out as a family. Tom's office had a Christmas party filled with delicious BBQ food, sweet tea, cobblers and cake. Christmas music adorned the room. Santa (some guy from Tom's office) walked around handing out giant candy canes filled with candy to the kids and we played games. I happened to win Bingo. My lucky day...I got a new pretty Christmas mug. (I love big coffee mugs...that darn Keurig and it's cup sizes do not fit my poor Fiestaware coffee mugs unless you want the mini cup of coffee).

The girls were itching to sit on Santa's lap, but I told them they had to finish their food first. Madeline sat down, ate a plateful and the next thing I know I look over and she's walking toward Santa. Apparently she takes what I say very literally.

We had a great time celebrating...a small reminder to just how close Christmas is getting! Ahhhhhhh!

And that's as good as it gets for sitting on Santa's lap this year. Bad mom didn't take them anywhere else:( 

Bedtime

Bedtime. 

Such a good dad. 

I think he might need some monkey pjs in his own size. 

Oh my little loves

I just can't get enough of them.

Sleeping Beauty

This girl is as sweet as she sleeps. 

Absolutely blessed with so much love.

Now, if I took a picture of how Madeline sleeps you would see her sprawled out, one leg hanging over her bed railing, no covers, hair already sweaty and disheveled, sometimes her head is at the footboard...

But I wouldn't change how different these two sisters are from one another for anything. Makes my world that much more enjoyable.

Green and Grinchy Night

"What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.” 

I love Pinterest. It helps me have fun with my kids;) No, really. It does. Sometimes I am fresh out of ideas to keep them occupied, but when I saw a mom on Pinterest plan a Grinch night, I was all about it.

We started our day baking sugar cookies rolled in green sugar aka "Grinch cookies". The girls did it all. I bought the easy cookies from a bag. (Don't judge. They're delicious and easy...and I had a lot of laundry to do that day.) You add an egg and a stick of butter. They couldn't possibly mess this up. They added the green sugar crystals and voila! Yummy. Ella wanted to be all fancy and have ME ice the Grinch's face on them, but I had to remind her of my lack of artistic ability and the fact that these kids and their dad eat cookies faster than any other human beings on Earth. There was no way I was wasting my precious time making cookies look pretty. Sorry kid. But I LOVE YOUUUUU.

Once Tom came home, we took the girls to the park where you can drive through and they have tons of light displays set up. They were in heaven. I loved when Madeline would point and say "Wook Ella (Look), wook at dat one!" Afterwards, we came home and made "Grinch punch" with lime sherbet and Sprite and ate cookies while watching The Grinch. Ella told me it was her favorite day ever. And that made this mama pretty darn happy.

Ft. Sill Christmas

Christmas has begun on Ft. Sill. We went to the annual Christmas Tree lighting on Post yesterday. I thought it was just a small shin dig, but turns out it was a pretty big deal. The girls are more excited than I have ever seen any child for the littlest taste of Christmas. Their eyes light up when they see the lit manger at the church, or a house with a few strands of lights. Or they scream in delight when we see real deer while driving on Post (and they make me slowwwww down and stare to ensure we do not hit what could possibly be Rudolph). Their excitement makes me THAT much more excited to fill this month with holiday fun for them. They're only young once, and they only believe for so long...

With this tree lighting, they were able to experience it Army-style. We got our hot cocoa and cookies inside a huge army tent. We were greeted by soldiers dressed as gingerbread, the Grinch (made Madeline cry) and elves. A quintet of soldiers played their instruments to holiday tunes. Santa Claus rode in on calvary, and the tree was miraculously lit after Santa let the cannons off!

As I stood there holding Madeline, and Ella was happily resting on her daddy's shoulders, I felt so happy and so relieved to have Tom home this season. The little things seem much more enjoyable with him by our sides.

Tom's office and the location of the tree lighting:)

Playing in the "reindeer pen" where the kids were allowed to watch the show 

Top left is Santa trying to step off the horse and top right is Santa talking to the COL. And that one of Madeline...I caught her holding her ears during the cannons!

And here's the pretty tree all lit up!