And the Stockings Were Hung...

Preparing the house for Christmas takes a lot of time and work, but I just love the cozy feeling it gives me once completed...

Our bare naked tree...

Our naked entry way...

The girls, so eager to hang up their new ornaments...

Just a few more things and we should be all set!

Make it a Shutterfly Christmas

I love receiving Christmas cards every year.  I wait for the mail to come then I run to the mailbox and see if any new cards have arrived.  As much as I love receiving cards, I love to give them just as much.  They always have a picture of the girls on the front that we usually get professionally done.  But after looking back at some of the pictures I have taken this year, I decided that I was up for the challenge of getting the perfect portrait.  Once the photo was captured, I had to find some cards that would make the perfect Christmas card.  

That was a no-brainer.  Simply go to www.shutterfly.com because they have a ton of great cards to choose from.  Below are a couple of my favorites...

Hmm, which to choose??  I know whichever one I choose, you cannot go wrong with Shutterfly!

   

I Am Thankful

Thanksgiving day is here and there is so much to be thankful for...

I am thankful that we were able to be with family...

I am thankful for a healthy husband...

I am thankful for my well-behaved dog...

I am thankful for my beautiful daughters and even more thankful that one of those daughters still takes long naps (which is why she is missing from the photo)...

I am thankful for the food on our table...

I am thankful for the holiday traditions that I can pass down...

I am thankful for this little one who can act so silly at times yet gave the most wonderful blessing that still makes me tear up thinking of it...

Did I mention that I am thankful for family??

Happy Thanksgiving!

Family Portaits

The backdrop was pretty and the girls were all dressed, so I took advantage of more photo opportunities...

How could I resist??

The Perfect Picture

Each year I make it a point to send out Christmas cards to our family and friends.  I usually take the girls to get their picture taken and then order the cards from their tiny selection.  This year I decided against a formal picture and instead used Tommy and Kristin's backyard as the backdrop for what would hopefully be the perfect photo.

It took a few practice shots ...

But by photo #3, Sophia finally got into the spirit of things...

I wanted some solo shots as well and Lily posed up a storm...

Sophia kept giggling...

After going through the pictures, Joe and I couldn't agree on a favorite.  So this year's Christmas card will more than likely have more than one photo on it.  The more the merrier :)

A Godly Conversation

Now that Lily is in Catholic school, she is learning a lot about God and fills me in on every detail about what she learns.  Today we had a conversation in the store while going up and down the Christmas aisles.  The conversation went a little like this...

"Mommy, did you know that God died for us?"

"Yes He did."

"He died so we could have things."

"Oh yeah, like what?"

"Tuna fish."

The Graham Cracker

I mentioned that I had to go to Michael's today.  Upon doing so, Lily immediately told me she wanted to get a graham cracker.  I told her over and over again that I was going to Michael's, not the grocery store. She told me over and over again that she wanted to get a graham cracker.  

Then it dawned on me what she really wanted.  Not a GRAHAM cracker, but a...

NUTCRACKER...

She is infatuated with these things and carried it around all day cradling it like a baby...

She also gave it a name.  I thought she would name him Graham, but instead she chose for him to be called "Handsome".

Will Pose for Food

While waiting to meet friends for lunch, the girls ran around and did a little posing...