The snow is coming the snow is coming!

As soon as I walked in the door I was greeted by you two very excited because "the snow is coming, the SNOW is coming!"  The forecast is calling for snow tonight and Monday and Tuesday.  Hopefully tomorrow I will be posting cute pictures of new snowmen and fun with friends in the snow!

In the mean time, Christmas is apparently not over yet!  Angie and her mom, sweet Grandma Fillmore, sent you both Christmas presents today.  It was of course your favorite things ..... board games!  We have been talking lately about reinstuting family game night and they have graciously gotten us off to a good start.  We couldn't go to bed with out at least playing them all once.

Thank you Angie and Grandma Fillmore for always thinking and praying for Olivia and Hannah!

Mommy's Cold Arm

My Dearest Olivia,

When you were a tiny baby, and mommy was nursing you, for some reason you always wanted to rub just under my chin.  It drove me crazy so I would tuck your arm behind mine so you couldn't reach it!  Well then you started rubbing the back of my arm.  Long after you stopped nursing, I would sit beside your bed and you would rub my "cold arm" while you drifted to sleep.  When mommy had Hannah in her tummy I knew we had to get a new plan.  It was like giving up a passy or a blankie to other kids.  Even after you were going to sleep on your own there would be times you would be sitting next to me in church, at dinner or on the couch watching TV and you got a little tired you would slowly reach around to find my cold arm.  The funniest part was to watch you find other peoples cold arm and reach your tiny hand up the arm of their shirt.  They would get a funny look on their face!  It still makes me giggle thinking about it!  Now I find you crossing your arms at night in bed and rubbing the backs of your own arms or even your legs.  Its very cute.

Last night you managed to convince both me and daddy to lay with you while you were doing your nightly reading.  Halfway through your chapter of "There's a Carrot in my Ear" I could feel you rubbing your arm against mine......then you started rubbing it with your hand.  First your words started to stumble and then finally you blurted out "man your arm feels really good, I mean reeeallly good." As daddy and I both started laughing you said "no really the temperature is good" and moved your head down to lay your cheek against it.  We couldn't stop laughing.  I don't think you really understood because you said "what did you think I was reading that from the book?"  You were mesmerized and it was amazing to see how it turned you right into that 3yr old little girl soothed by her mommy's "cold arm."

I absolutely love those moments when pieces of the sweet little baby in you shine through the young lady you have become. For a split second it takes me back in time when I would rock you to sleep every night.  Then you use words like temperature and I am quickly reminded that you are a very mature 6 year old girl.  I love you sweet girl.  I love the tenderhearted, passionate and loving person that you are.

Potato Chip Chicken

Well it was a crowd favorite for dinner tonight.  Potato chip chicken has been a favorite dish of your daddy's that his mommy made for him.  I am not sure I make it exactly the same way but its still a very easy recipe. 

POTATO CHIP CHICKEN

2 boneless skinless chicken breast cut into strips

1 egg whisked with 1tbs of milk

1/2 can of Pringles smashed into crumbles

Roll the chicken in egg, then into the chips.  Place in oven on 350 until golden brown!

You two played with your silverware waited patiently for me to get it all ready to eat.  I better hurry....I think your hungry!

New Year and a New School!

Hannah you were so excited last night that you couldn't even sleep.  You tossed and turned for 2hrs before finally crashing.  Today was your much anticipated 1st day at the Learning Palette.  Your big sister Olivia paved the way for you there and we absolutely love the teachers and the school.  We laid in bed last night practicing all the teachers names and trying to learn what they did at the school. 

Mrs. Carter- She teaches music and you would chime in "and has a baby in her tummy"
Mrs. Fortune- She teaches the ABCs "and Yoga!"
Mrs. Devine- She teaches Art "and lets us play with glue"
Mrs. S- She teaches computer class
Mrs. Ramish- "she helps ALL the teachers"

So this morning you walked right in with your little froggy lunch box (2nd choice to the spiderman lunchbox but it was a nice compromise :)  and found your cubby.  Off to play you went. Hope you have a fantastic day!

Ball Drops!

Happy New Year!  We had a wonderful time last night hosting a kid party for some of your neighbor friends.  We invited Trey, Jaxon and August from next door, Melissa, Dani and Lexi from down the street and Mimi and Poppie even stopped by for some of our tasty treats.  All day long Hannah you walked around asking people if they were going to watch the "ball drops!" I still don't think you know what that means but it was cute none the less. 

Olivia you were most excited to have your friends coming over to your house to party. The night was filled with food, board games, and dance parties!  You passed out sparkling grape juice to toast in the new year as everyone counted down 10....9.....8......7........ you both had a blast!

The house slowly cleared out and after a quick bath you both were snug in bed at 1:30am.  Mommy, Daddy and Melissa cleaned up the house a bit so we didn't have to wake up to what looked like a frat house!  It was cute to follow the little trails of chips going one way and crackers another.  It was definitely a reminder of how much fun you both had.  Cheers to the end of 2010 and looking forward to tons of fun with you both in 2011!

Dreaded Day at the Dentist

Oh Hannah what a day.  You were such a brave little girl.  The dentist told us a few weeks back that you had a bad cavity and a couple of other spots they were watching that needed to be fixed.  We all agreed with your reservations at the dentist it was best to do these repairs while you were fast asleep so today we were off to the surgery center.  You brought your monkey with you and he received the star treatment just as you did. He got booties, a name bracelet and a hair net.  You both looked so cute.  When it was time, the nurses let me and daddy walk you all the way to the door and you did so well to keep walking right on back with them.  They let you pick out a warm blanket and off you went. 

When it was all over they called us back to see you.  A nice nurse was holding you in a chair and you were quite fussy.  I scooped you up and you snuggled in back to sleep after a few kisses.  You rested most of the day and had a froggy sound to your voice.  You told everyone that you didn't like the mean dentist and don't ever want to go back there~!  Such a brave girl to be only 3yrs old.  Much braver than mommy today!

Toys vs. Snow?

Santa has brought tons of new toys and God has brought tons of fluffy white snow.  What are we to do?  Well I can say with all honesty I don't think you touched one single toy today!  From the time you got up until the time you went to bed we have played in the snow both outside and in.  It was a beautiful snow about 6-8 inches worth. You enjoyed playing with your friends, sledding down the driveway and also down a big hill behind out house.  When we got too cold and needed a break we went inside for homemade chicken noodle soup and chocolatey snow cream.  Everyone will sleep good tonight!