i know, it's been awhile.

Sighhh... well, I think winter is finally coming to an end. It's been brutal and I've been in hibernation mode. I hadn't noticed how long it's been since I've posted. I guess not too much has been going on since then. Matt has been really busy. Between work, school and other obligations, I feel like I never see him. He has been working really hard. The kids and I are hanging in there. Now that it's not arctic temps outside, there will be more to do. Emmett loves taking walks in the jogger and Ethnie is thrilled that the playground isn't buried in snow anymore. It's also great seeing all the neighbor kids playing together outside again. Very soon, I will be posting pictures of Steve's wedding and Emmett turning 9 months! Ethnie will be in her third ballet next month so watch for those pictures as well!

michelle

nutcracker 2010.

Today, Ethnie performed in the Nutcracker ballet at St. Cate's University. She was a baby mouse and had a small part in Act 1. She did great! She was so excited and wasn't nervous at all. I volunteered backstage so I got to be a part of all the action. After Ethnie's part was done she started crying because she didn't want to take off her costume. She said, "I want to be a mouse all day." She looked adorable and had a blast. Matt and I are very proud of her and can't wait to watch her in her next ballet!

santa babies.

This was the first year Ethnie would sit on Santa's lap and tell him what she wanted for Christmas. This happened to be the third Santa we saw this season so it took her a couple of times. She was still shy, but has definitely gotten better!

This year is Emmett's first Christmas. He sat on Santa's lap just fine and we got a professional photo taken for his baby book. I think it turned out pretty cute. We hope you all have a very merry Christmas!! Love!

snowpacalypse.

Last weekend we had a massive snow storm. Most of the metro area got 16+ inches of snow. Yeah, I know, awful. St. Paul schools were cancelled Monday and Tuesday because buses couldn't even drive down the side streets! And that's AFTER multiple plows. So Ethnie, being bored at home, attempted to play outside in the yard. She only lasted about 20 minutes. Not only was the snow up to her waist, but it was in the single digits as well. When she came inside she was frozen. Here are some pictures I took from inside watching her trying to walk through the snow. Stay warm everyone!

emmett turns 5 months old.

Emmett is getting bigger by the second! We can't believe he is 5 months old already. He really wants to sit by himself, but can't yet. He is grabbing at anything he can reach and smiles constantly. He really enjoys sitting in his entertainer and playing for longer periods of time.

thanksgiving at home.

So I turned 28 on Thanksgiving this year. Sigh. I'm still getting used to it... Anyway, we hosted Matt's family this year and I think for the most part it was a success. Everyone was able to make it (13 of us total) and we had a great meal. I didn't have to cook everything, but I was nervous about what I did make because it was for a lot of people and I used new recipes. The green bean casserole and potatoes I made turned out to be delicious. One can't really go wrong with marthastewart.com, right? I was also happy with how my table decor turned out. I went to the grocery store and got some bouquet fillers to put in vases and some fresh pears to use as place cards. I added some candles and Ethnie's artwork from school to the mix and - tah dah! Thanksgiving at home.
Among many desserts, our sister-in-law brought a birthday cake for me. It was a 'turkey' cake complete with mashed potatoes, carrots, beets and drumstick wrappers! I thought it was adorable and very appropriate for the occasion.
Ethnie was so excited to wear her new Christmas dress so we let her. She was the prettiest one of the party. It was Emmett's first Thanksgiving and we were so excited to have him join us. He loved all the company over too. Gobble gobble!

interested in free christmas cards? how about 50?!

Check this out!

is doing a Christmas promotion of their new 2010 holiday cards collection and giving away 50 free cards! I'd say that's a pretty sweet deal! It's also motivation to get your cards done and out on time.

Shutterfly has tons of adorable photo cards to choose from(803 to be exact), which makes it hard to pick because I want so many of them. A photo card is a great option because you can send someone you won't be able to see on Christmas an updated photo and holiday wishes all in one shot. I think most people not only want to know how you are, but also what you look like from year to year and a photo card gives you both. The styles and ideas Shutterfly provides are great! Here is the link to the photo cards: http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/holiday-cards. I really like this one because it's simple yet elegant:

I really like this one because it has that classic Christmas look:

and this one is my favorite because of the sparkle and it's all about the picture:

Shutterfly has many other products as well. This is the link to view their cute calendars: http://www.shutterfly.com/calendars. The features of these calendars are awesome because they incorporate photos to remind you of upcoming birthdays or other events! I like the wall calendars the best. Here is an example:

And how pretty are these?

Shutterfly also makes Christmas party invitations, which can be seen here: http://www.shutterfly.com/cards-stationery/christmas-invitations. I know people are always looking for good ideas for parties and get-togethers so check out theirs!
I hope many of you read this post so you can take advantage of a great deal.

Michelle

my big girl.

Yesterday morning, Ethnie rode the bus to preschool for the first time. Lucky for her, the bus stops right on our corner. We waited together for the bus and I could tell she was nervous. When the bus arrived, we both climbed on the bus and Ethnie stopped at the top of the steps. It was pretty loud in there so she got overwhelmed and looked up at me and said, "I don't know what to do." She then began to cry. I helped her to her seat and told her she only had to ride for four minutes. I had to hold back tears too! I felt bad that she was scared. I also told her how brave I thought she was and how proud I was of her. So, I had to leave her on the bus crying and thought about her the entire time she was at school. When I went to pick her up in the afternoon, she was all smiles and told me she liked riding the bus. Now she will ride the bus in the morning. I must say, it a luxury for a mother.

Michelle

yep. it's here.

This morning we woke up to a winter wonderland. Ethnie was thrilled. She wanted to go outside and play at 8:30 a.m., but I made her wait until 10:00. She got all bundled up and tried to shovel the walk and made snow angels. She said, "Mommy, this is my favorite day!" She lasted about 30 minutes then wanted to come in. The wind was pretty cold.