so stinkin' cute . . .

this wasn't in the plan for today . . .

today is my last day to get christmas things finished before the girls are finished with school. brown eyes last day is today . . . and the big girls have their christmas program tomorrow. so that leaves today to finish any odds and ends that need to be finished before heading to missouri on monday.

and my poor little shrimp is home sick with a yucky tummy!

(on the brighter side . . . i did just get to talk to my good friend jill for the first time since she had her first baby! and we will both be in town for christmas so we will get to see each other!!)

at this moment (a few hours ago) . . .

little brown eyes: me don't need my nuggle, mommy.

me: you don't need your snuggle? (said with complete shock)

little brown eyes: no, mommy.

me: ok. (in complete disbelief)

little brown eyes: me want my nuggle, mommy!

since when does a sassy little 2 year old understand need and want?

*********

could he be any cuter . . . i mean really?

(ok . . . so maybe i'm a little biased!)

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snug as a bug in mom and dad's bed

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my little side kick

please, can we paint . . .

the girls have been begging to paint the past few days. it's been a while since we have done a fun craft project . . . so i finally gave in today. i found this fun idea here . . . and have had it bookmarked as a craft project to do. and today was the perfect day for it!

unfortunately . . . i don't have many action photos of the girls. i'm sure you can understand . . . a 2 year old, a 3 year old, a 5 year old, paint, and glass ornaments . . . photos of them creating these beauties wasn't top on the priorities! i love how they turned out . . . and even more . . . i love that the girls finally got to paint and had so much fun making these and deciding who each of them were for!

it was 'good' . . .

i asked little shrimp how she liked doing her cheer in front of all of the people yesterday . . . and she said, "good!" so . . . i guess that means she liked it! not that i would have expected anything else . . . she has been waiting and waiting for the day that she gets to go to competition like her big sister. despite the long face on little miss in all of the pics . . . she had a great time too. she gets so serious at competition. little man slept like a baby thru the entire competition in his new favorite place . . . until right before the award ceremony. brown eyes was tired and actually took a nap too . . . i'm not sure how considering how loud the music was!

the girls are so young that they don't actually compete . . . they are just in an exhibition category. so they all get medals . . . and everyone is happy!

shrimp and little miss are pretty much right next to each other thru the whole routine . . . if you can find the little one . . . that would be little shrimp . . . then you should be able to spot little miss too. this was the first competion . . . and you can tell they don't have the routine down completely. but it sure is cute . . .

save the toys . . .

ok . . . this is going to be a link-filled post. i came across some info, while reading my way to long list of fave blogs, that really scares me.

i don't like toys that could harm my children. i'm not interested in my children playing with a piece of junk (sorry . . . you can call me a toy snob if you want) from china that might have lead in it.

i love handmade toys. i love the fact that my children have to use their own sounds . . . actually use their imagination to the fullest. i love the fact that their handmade toys are things that will become heirlooms and will, hopefully, be passed onto their children . . . and passed on again to their children.

there is a new law that will go into effect in february that just might make these handmade toys that i (and my kids too) love illegal! yes . . . illegal!

i am not good with details . . . and there are tons of other posts floating around the blogworld that cover this . . . so i am just going to put a few links up if you are interested in learning more about this and how you can help keep the wahm's and wahd's and mom and pop businesses going.

read more here. here. here. here. here. here. here. here. here.

want to help?
write your state representative
sign the online petition

it's that time of year again . . .

it doesn't seem possible that an entire year has passed since little miss' first cheerleading competition!

but it has . . . and tomorrow our 2 big girls will be competing (they aren't actually judged) together! shrimp is really excited . . . i think she more excited about the makeup that she finally gets to wear than actually performing.

yes . . . i will post pics and video as soon as we get home. i haven't seen the routine (except for bits and pieces at home) . . . so it will be a surprise for all of us!

a southern winter wonderland . . .

1. 102_8895, 2. 102_8896, 3. 102_8899, 4. 102_8903, 5. 102_8904, 6. 102_8905, 7. 102_8906, 8. 102_8907, 9. 102_8909, 10. 102_8910, 11. 102_8912, 12. 102_8913, 13. 102_8914, 14. 102_8918, 15. 102_8919, 16. 102_8920, 17. 102_8921, 18. 102_8922, 19. 102_8923, 20. 102_8924, 21. 102_8927, 22. 102_8928, 23. 102_8930, 24. 102_8929

feeling guilty . . .

it's snowing . . . it never snows in new orleans. i'm not even sure if little shrimp remembers snow. brown eyes doesn't . . . but she "don't like dat" (referring to the snow). little miss remembers snow . . . and asks me weekly when will it snow in new orleans? and what did i just do? i took them to school. i'm feeling a little guilty because they really could have stayed home with me and played in the snow . . . and come inside to dry their clothes . . . and then play in the snow some more . . . and come inside to warm up . . . and play in the snow some more . . . and well you get the point. right now it is snowing so hard . . . i could almost forget that i am in new orleans and feel like i was at home in missouri. so . . . i'm going to crank up the christmas music. make some vanilla ice coffee . . . oh wait its snowing . . . i will warm it up today. do some laundry. and pray . . . pray . . . pray that it is still snowing at noon when i pick the girls up! (and if the guilt gets the better of me . . . i might just go pick them up from school!)

write this one down in the history books . . .

it's snowing in new orleans!

it's the next best thing . . .

to being in his mama's belly!

little man loves his new hideout . . . he's snug as a bug with mommy and he's safe from those crazy little girls!

our resident elf . . .

we came home last night and found this cute little elf in our house. i guess santa thought the girls needed a little extra motivation to be really good! if you don't have a resident elf in your house . . . i highly recommend it. although . . . i do warn that the first 24 hours might be slightly traumatic to the little ones in the house. it wasn't too long and the girls warmed up to ziggles (that is the name they gave him) and now are constantly talking to him and giving him messages to tell santa!

it was an all nighter . . .

i'm sure you can imagine . . . non-stop from 9pm until 6am!non-stop sleeping that is!!!

it's a good thing she's cute . . .

because she is very two and that ornery beautiful smile is the only reason i have kept her!

(of course i'm kidding about keeping her . . . but man oh man is she a hand full right now!)

it was just a little white lie . . .

little miss: when you were a little girl did you always listen to your mommy?

me: yes, i always listened to my mommy!

little miss: you always listened?

me: yes . . . always!

(nana . . . please don't tell her otherwise!)

if i had an extra 600 dollars . . .

i would totally buy this rug for my house!
but i don't so i won't be buying it for my house!

the title was going to be . . .

i wish i was doing this . . .

but when i got up next to her to take a picture . . . i noticed not only is she still wearing her dorothy shoes . . . but she is laying with the wizard of oz dvd case. so then this picture became more than me just wishing i was already in bed and now i don't have a title because i think it's just too cute for words how much this little shrimp of mine is in love with dorothy!