Wordless Wednesday!

A Christmas Party with Santa!

We kicked off the weekend by attending a fundraiser for the Nebraska Foster Care System. The kids decorated cookies and the adults enjoyed eating delicious egg casseroles until Santa arrived. As in previous years, we had a great time! Our friends (Chad and Margaret), who host this party, have it down to a science. They are soooo organized and they don't miss a thing (including wipes on every table). We look forward to this party each and every year. It was also fun for Uncle Keith, Aunt Michelle and their family to join us this year. We met cousins Nick and Jake there, as well.

Decorating cookies!
Why, oh why, is Kamree attracted to blue frosting?!

The whole gang!

Ashlin, Carson and Kamree!

Carson's cookies!

Kamree waiting patiently for Santa to arrive!

Santa arrived with mini candy canes and peppermint candies for everyone!

Simply put, Kamree was not impressed with Santa this year!

She wanted no part whatsoever!

Carson, on the other hand, talked his ear right off!

"I have been really good this year (even though my shirt indicates otherwise)

and I want a Wii and a bike and a DS and a .... "

We had this picture taken just for Grandma Leader --

Santa with 8 of her 17 grandchildren!

Paint Yourself Silly!

We had a great weekend, however, before I post pictures from the weekend, I wanted to post a few from last Monday night. While Chef Daddy was in Washington, D.C., the kids and I headed out for a night on the town. We went to Paint Yourself Silly and made ornaments and then to Ivanna Cone for some peppermint stick ice cream. We enjoyed our night out on the town before the blizzard arrived the next day!

Picking out paint!

Carson picked out a football to paint!

Kamree picked out a star ornament to paint!

Carson checking out all of the fun pottery pieces!

After painting, we headed next door to Ivanna Cone!

Even though it was only 17 degrees outside,

it didn't stop us from getting ice cream!

Kiss+Santa+Gingerbread House Workshop=Fun Weekend!

[This was the nicest and funniest Kiss picture I could find!]

I am happy to report that I survived the blizzard! Our schools were closed for three days. After a cold and crappy week, it's time to get our fun weekend started.

Uncle Keith, Aunt Michelle and their kids are rolling into town tonight. We have a babysitter coming over to keep all six kids while we head out of town. Chef Daddy, Uncle Keith and Uncle David are all going to the Kiss concert tonight and Aunt Michelle and I offered (or maybe we were asked) to be the Designated Drivers. Of course, we immediately said yes because that meant we could drop them off and head to the nearest mall. The shopping is much better in Omaha! On Saturday morning, we are heading to our annual Christmas party/fundraiser where the kids will see Santa for the first time this season. Click here to see pictures from last year. On Sunday, we are heading to the Children's Museum for our annual gingerbread house workshop. Click here to see pictures from last year. I have a feeling I am going to need a long nap after this weekend!

I hope everyone has a fun and relaxing weekend!

P.S. I am planning to pay our babysitter $16.00/hour for six kids. Is that enough or am I being cheap? It's not going to be an easy job!

A Winter Wonderland!

Well, girlfriends -- I am not going to sugar coat things here this week. Let's just say -- I am having one BIG pity patty party! Let me paint the picture for you:

- One sweet husband, who works so very hard for us, in Washington, D.C. on business, who flies out of Omaha when our first winter blizzard arrives, leaving me to be a SAHM due to the weather (against my wishes) and leaving me to be a single parent (even more against my wishes); and

- Two sweet and very energetic children, whom I adore, but who also have cabin fever and are climbing the walls; and

- One sweet mini golden doodle puppy, who refuses to go outside in the snow to pee or poop, and who has decided to start humping any and every leg in sight!

Do you get the picture? I am ready to pull every single hair out of my head!

I have to admit, I rarely check the weather (unless we are hosting 50 people for a party or if we are going on a vacation). I have lived in Nebraska my entire life and the weather is unpredictable on a daily basis. It can be 100 degrees and 20 degrees all in the same day. Therefore, when the snowstorm blew into town this week, I was a bit surprised. I knew it was going to snow, however, I didn't know it was going to be so bad that my office would close early one day and I wouldn't be able to get out of my driveway to go to work the next day. In addition, I would be stuck inside for 48 hours with my sweet energetic children and without my sweet husband. The best thing about this week is -- it made me realize how much Chef Daddy does for us during the winter. He scoops the snow, he cooks hot food for us, and he entertains us too -- and all with a smile on his face :) I hate to scoop, I hate to cook, and I am not very funny either! Simply put, we missed him like crazy cakes.

Before we were snowed in, I rented four movies for the kids and I picked up ingredients for chocolate chip bars. While Kamree napped, Carson and I did some baking. He loves to be in the kitchen and he essentially made the bars all by himself. They turned out great!

Here are a few pictures from our snow days!

Ozzy watched Carson scoop from the front door!

Chef Daddy's car in the driveway!

Some of the snow on our deck!

Carson enjoying our new recliner with Kamree's quillow!

Kamree watching Dora and avoiding the camera!

Hands down, my favorite part was staying in my PJs for 48 hours!

Wordless Wednesday!

Christmas Stockings -- Plan B!

Had Chef Daddy and I known the economy was going to go to heck and we would still be living in our itty bitty starter house seven years later, we would have done things a little different when we built our house. In addition to a big mudroom, a laundry shoot and a third stall garage, we would have added a fireplace. It's almost a party foul to live in Nebraska and not have a fireplace. The winters can be sooo cold here. Accordingly, I have always had to find another place to hang our stockings. Last year, I hung them here and it worked fine:

However, I recently bought an Uppercase Living expression to go there so I took the mirror down and shipped it off to the Goodwill. I was having some serious anxiety because I didn't know where I was going to hang our stockings this year. I then discovered this little beauty on the Home Shopping Network:

I immediately ordered it and, although I would prefer to have the stockings hung on or near a fireplace, this actually works quite well! It's small and it doesn't take up much space either! They are currently sold out but you can find one here.

Last, but not least, I apologize for not being a better bloggy friend. Life is starting to get very busy with the upcoming holidays so I haven't been on the computer as much. I hope to get around to visit everyone soon!