Gobble To You Wobble, 2014

 This year we went to Kalamazoo for Thanksgiving. We haven't been for a few years because Juliet was a hellacious traveler for the first year of her life. We hosted last year, but this year we got to go! We saw Aunt Madeleine's renovations (amazing) and had a great dinner. 

 We are still driving the rental van which has a DVD player built in. These girls were IN LOVE with it and were quiet all the way up watching Frozen. I am so anti DVD's in cars, but for this trip, I got it. And I was thankful. Also, I am IN LOVE with the new car seats. 

 All the littles. The girls had lots of fun playing with their cousins. 

 The entire Thanksgiving gang. 

It's the Holiday Season!

 Every year I get the girls a pair of Hanna Andersson Christmas jammies. This is the first year that we have deviated from stripes. I am pretty much in love. And a little sad because I had to order Leah size 110 for the first time. And I had to order Juliet a size 90. And I was convinced that they would both be pretty big. And they're really not. Tear. 

 These girls are so ready for Santa to come. Leah's list is like 10 miles long. After every commercial she says, "Maybe (insert name) can get me that for Christmas?" All Juliet wants is a Kitty Surprise. And some stuff for her baby. (Both covered). 

 This year I made Leah tone down her Christmas list. We did the, "Something you want, Something you need, Something to wear, Something to Read" list. Last year the list was out of control and this year showed signs of the same. I really don't want bratty tendencies this time of year. She had a hard time bringing down the list, but eventually did. We made the lists and put them in the mailbox for St. Nick. 

 They were pretty excited to mail their lists. 

The last day of Fall!?

 This week we had a day where is was 65 degrees. We went outside at 10 with the intentions of playing outside for a bit before we needed to eat lunch and go to school/babysitters. The girls had other ideas--they really wanted to go play in the woods (which was kind of random because we've probably only played back there like 3-5 times, ever. I looked at the woods and thought, "that would be really good light for pictures. I ran back inside for my camera. I'm so glad that I did. The girls were dressed in matching outfits, because they love it and ask to match most mornings. That part wasn't even planned. Leah was rocking day 2 of her hair style and Juliet had her hair in a crazy bun because she was being particularly picky about her hair that morning saying she wanted it like a "ballet-er". Hair obviously wasn't planned either. We just went back and explored for over an hour. The girls stopped a few times to let me take their pictures, but otherwise they just explored. 

 It's the perfect time of year to be back there, because I'm reasonably sure there aren't skunks or snakes underfoot. Or Poison Ivy. We saw lots of little hollowed out tree sections that had obviously been nests or burrows for families of furred creatures, but all they were all empty.  Leah loved walking high up on the branches of fallen trees. 

 Juliet liked pretending to row a boat with a stick. 

 I love Juliet's serious face in this picture. And Leah. Juliet's protector. (Unless it's dark. Then Juliet will protect Leah). 

 This picture isn't exactly centered but I love Leah's eyes. She doesn't like to look at cameras. She smiles and is happy, but always looks away. We actually had to have her get school picture retakes because of this. But, it's the stage she's in. It won't last forever. I feel like it exactly captures her at this exact moment. I like how their smiles are real, and I don't feel like it was a big production. I think I will frame it for sure. 

Now it's like 30 degrees out, and the winter coats and hats and mittens are out. So, I'm really thankful  we took the time to play in the woods this week. It could be the last we see of it until Spring. BOO!

My Beeper

 Juliet Renee. My Beeper. When she is tired, she puts both fingers in her mouth, and comes to find me to "beep" me. Beep is basically another way of saying that she is going to try to drive her finger through my belly button. It's so weird, but it's a habit that she's had since she was little (it wasn't always the belly button, though, it used to just be she liked to rub). Lately, I've been trying to begin the "breaking" process by sometimes telling her no. Sometimes she's okay with it, and other times she gets so mad and yells, "Me want to beep you!" and throws a tantrum. I know I should bite the bullet and end it, but she's my baby. And it's a strong little connection that her and I share (she wouldn't think of beeping anyone else).

These 2. The bring each other the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. 

Leah had a nuk that she gave up on her own at a little after 3. I'm hoping beeping might just end on it's own. I never thought she'd stop nursing, and then one day, she was just done. Done. 

 Post-bath I was trying to get some cute pictures. All she wanted to do was suck her fingers and beep. 

Dance Watch Week

 We had Leah's dance watch week this week. This year she is out of the preschool dance program, and into the "real" classes. She is currently in a 5-6 class. What a difference! The kids seem so much more focused and so much better (not that they weren't "good" last year). Leah is doing really well. Her spot is front and center in the first row. After watching the class, it is obvious that Leah takes dance seriously and really wants to do her best. She seems like she has some definite natural talent, too, which neither Chris nor I can take credit for. 

The night our car was hit by a drunk driver

 These two pictures make me laugh. Notice the 2 different costumes on Leah. The above costume was a costume I got for 90% off a few years ago. We saved it for a while. Yesterday we were going to costume party, and Leah finally decided to wear it (She wore her Elsa dress for all the other festivities). She had it on and ran around in it for *maybe* 40 minutes. After I took the picture I noticed the entire sleeve was detached and there was already a (large) rip around the seam where meets under the flowers. It was totally trashed. We had to make an emergency costume change into the good witch from Oz. Leah was a little upset at first, but brushed it off. 

While we were at Andy's house, a drunk driver hit our car. We were not in it. Thank God. Chris was downstairs playing music while I was playing with the kids when Jackie came to tell us that someone had "clipped" our car. This is what we came out to see. The poor kid was pretty drunk. And remorseful. But, mostly drunk. The force from his car pushed our car over the curve and into the car behind us. There's some pretty extensive damage to the front. And, some damage to the back, too. One police officer told us it was totaled, the other told us maybe not. We will see. 

 It's a pretty good lesson in not to drink and drive or text and drive, as he admitted that he was looking for his phone that had dropped when he hit us. 

 All night long I kept waking up and thinking about what could have happened if we were in the car or if we were loading the girls into the car. 

 Our car was parked 3 inches from the curb when we went inside. 

Our poor van. 

Halloween Night

 This was the first Halloween that Lean wanted to go Trick or Treating to houses. For the past several Halloween's she was adamant that she wouldn't wear a shirt under her costume or a jacket. So, she stayed home and handed out candy instead. This year, she was ready. She had no issues wearing a shirt under her costume, as long as it went with the costume. She ok-ed a white shirt. She even ok-ed a jacket and a scarf. 

 Here are the girls all ready to go. 

 I went with them to 1 house. Leah was so excited. I went back home then, and Leah, Juliet and Chris went trick or treating around the neighborhood. They were gone for almost a 1/2 hour which was pretty amazing considering that the weather was cold and rainy. Apparently, Juliet kept saying, "Me cold. No, I'm not" because she knew that if she said she was cold the trick-or-treating would have to stop. Leah even went through a "haunted house" that someone had made in their garage. 

The girls got lots of candy like full size candy bars and yummy snack food. They came home, we lit a fire, and munched on candy and watched a movie. It was the perfect Halloween!