Seeing Double on a Christmas Card

If you were on our Christmas card mailing list this year, you received this announcement:

 

 

I got this idea from Pinterest (where else?), and pondered it for several weeks before creating our own version. Why the hesitation, you ask?

 

Over-analyzer that I am, I actually wondered if some recipients might think we were finally getting a dog.

Go ahead.

This is a safe environment.

You can be honest.

Is that what you thought when you saw our Christmas card?

If so, rest assured you weren't the only one second guessing our message. I have received a few inquiring emails from friends over the last two weeks.

What can I say?  I love subtlety.  Especially when it pertains to a pregnancy resulting from an IVF cycle that almost everyone (and their mother) knew we were doing.

 

~ A little mystery now and then is good for the soul ~

 

With that in mind, I'll let you in on a little secret:
 

 

 

Its time to stock up on band-aids and denim jean knee patches.

Time to trade-in for a swagger wagon that can hold all three of our boys in carseats and later, all their teammates and sports gear.

Time to succumb to the fact that I will be behind on our laundry for the next eighteen years.

 

Its also time for this momma to have a monthly mani/pedi stipend so as to stay in touch with my girly side when my house is busting at the seams with testosterone.

As for next Christmas, don't stress too much about finding a hidden subtle message.

We won't have time to be that creative anymore.
 

 

What's that?

You say you didn't receive a Christmas card from us?

Well....this is awkward...

 

Ten on Tuesday

{1}

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

{2}

We were in bed by 9:30 last night.

{3}

I fell short on my reading goal for 2012, but for good reason. Sleep has ranked a little higher than reading these last three months.

I am, however, kicking off 2013 with a bang and reading some Dr. Dobson:
The New Strong-Willed Child.

Please don't ask why I've waited until my own strong-willed child reached the age of three and a half years before finally reading this book.

{4}
This morning we made a two cupcake recipe (courtesy of Pinterest) and delivered one to a special gal on her 92nd birthday. {Kendry ate the other one.}

Happy Birthday, Grandma Ellen!



{5}

Can you really blame a kiddo for refusing to go potty on a public toilet that auto-flushes no less than six times while he is still sitting on it?

Seriously, McDonalds, use some of your millions to design a more kiddo-friendly bathroom... with non-intimidating toilets.

{6}

Crazy hat night at Awana:

As the parent helper that night I figured I should be an active participant. My viking hat was the envy of many a 3-4 year old, including Kendry who swapped me hats midway through the evening.

{Can you see the baby bump?}

{7}

Speaking of the bump, the wonderful down jacket Justin bought me last winter just ain't gonna cut it for my Alaska trip in two weeks...

unless I want to bust apart the zipper.

 

{8}

We recently introduced Kendry to the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie {circa 1990}.

Kendry has subsequently added the word "bodacious" to his vocabulary.

{9}

January always inspires the organizational side of me. With our family growing in 2013, there is no time like the present to do a little purging while organizing.

Inspired by my friend Cassie who did this last year, I'm taking on a 31 Bags in 31 Days challenge this month, with a goal of purging one bag per day of unnecesssary clutter and/or garbage from our home.

I'm already ahead of the game, with three garbage bags destined for Goodwill in the back of my car.


 

{10}

This Week's Blessing:

90% certain I have felt baby flutters the last two evenings.

Sixteen weeks tomorrow!

The Big Brother

Several of you have asked how Kendry responded to our pregnancy news.

We actually waited until Thanksgiving to tell him. Lucky for you, and for posterity, we caught his reaction on camera.

Please excuse our three year old for sounding a little self absorbed in the first video.

His life as an only child is about to get rocked and he hasn't a clue.

Let's try that again, shall we?

Straight from the kiddo's mouth: he wants a baby sister.

Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime!

The exhaustion of this pregnancy is more than I recall from the last one, but I refuse to let it derail our December festivities.

Last weekend we celebrated both of our work Christmas parties. The white elephant exchange at Justin's party made me the proud new owner of reindeer antlers and a red nose that attach to your car.

It was love at first sight.

Just call me Rudolph.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On Sunday we saw our first few snowflakes.

If this isn't proof that my husband is still a kid at heart, I don't know what is: he promptly bundled up and took Kendry outside...while the Seahawks game was on!

The snowfall was short lived, but it inspired my very own Clark Griswold to string up a few more Christmas lights.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~


Earlier this week we prepared some homemade Christmas gifts: chocolate dipped candy canes.

The kiddo ate waaaay too much chocolate.

 

He dipped four candy canes and then told us he needed to go lay down because his tummy was hurting.


~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On Tuesday night we had our friends Wendy and Jacob over to decorate gingerbread houses.

The boys' attention spans were pretty short, except when it came to sneaking candy into their mouths.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~



Up next?

Christmas baking on Saturday with some wonderful girlfriends.

Bring on the LB's!

I don't know about you, but I'm on doctor's orders to keep gaining until June.

We'll Be Home For Christmas

No, not in Alaska, which I still fondly refer to as 'home', but our real home right here in the LC Valley.

This marks the very first year in our marriage that Justin and I will be home for Christmas.

It will be Kendry's first Christmas waking in his own bed. 

Our first Christmas around our very own tree, warmed by a fire in our very own fireplace.

Can you tell how much I am looking forward to this?

So much, in fact, that it seems to have upped my expectations for creating a perfect December for our family.

Gingerbread houses, an evening drive to view the various Christmas light displays, a baking day and the Christmas Eve candlelight service are all on the calendar.

Egg nog and hot cocoa with marshmellows are available to the kiddo on demand this month, no matter the time of day.

We're taking the time to slow down and cherish each moment, remembering the real reason of Christmas.

Google

After all, this isn't any other Christmas; this is our last Christmas as a family of three.