Just a few Thanksgiving Day Pics

We spent most of our Thanksgiving hanging out at home, Skyping with the family and watching the Parade and Football games. Here is my man drinking some coffee and watching the Titans kill the Lions.
While Jonathan watched the game I put together some yummy T-day snacks in the kitchen for us to munch on for "lunch". We didn't want to eat to much so we could save room for the big meal planned for later.
A wonderful couple at Church invited us and another family over for Thanksgiving dinner. Here I am with the Cristy and her kiddos (the "other family" invited over). All the little ones were eating some super yummy pumpkin cookies that Cristy made.
The guys spent most of the meal and afterwords chatting at the table. This pic is of our host, Frank, and JB all full after dinner.
This picture was taken to show how Jade smiles and says "cheese" for the camera. She only recently started doing this.
Here is the lovely Ivy, our hostess, and Cristy's cute kiddos.
We had a wonderful time, after dinner we played three rounds of "catch phrase". Two of the rounds the boys won and only one round we girls won. The sad thing is we girls out numbered the boys by one and they still beat us. *pout*.

While we adults played "catch phrase" the kids ran around playing with toys and Jade spent most of the night chasing their dog. Finally the poor doggy got tired and fell asleep. Jade still wouldn't leave him alone, as you see she is petting his head even while he's trying to sleep. lol
We are very full and happy. What a wonderful Thanksgiving we got to share with our fabulous friends. So many things we have to be Thankful for. I'm so glad we get to devote a special day each year to reflect on that. Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving as well!

Jade's new snow suit and our Christmas tree

So I am about a day late in getting Jade her snow gear, since we just spent a good portion of Saturday in the snow...but I figure better late then never. Now Jade will be all set to play in the snow when we go back home for Christmas/New Years.

I got the snow pants, gloves and scarf on Sunday, but I had to try them on Jade today and couldn't help taking some pics of my little pink bundle. The overalls are a bit big, but she'll grow into them soon enough I'm sure. Cute, huh?


Oh, and here is our tree that we got from the woods...the old fashion way:)

Our Christmas Tree Adventure

Friends of ours invited us to go Christmas Tree "shopping" the old fashion way. They invited us to join them trekking up into the mountains to find a Christmas tree in the woods. The real woods, not a Christmas tree farm. So we thought "why not". Neither of us had gone searching for a tree this way before and figured it would be a good family experience.

We headed off too the national forest and decided to go as high as we could...till we reached snow. So even though it was a mild, almost sunny day...by the time we made it up the mountain and reached the snow, it turned into a foggy, cloudy, some what snowy day. lol
We bundled ourselves us as best we could and made sure Jade had on plenty of layers. She seemed very interested in "all that white stuff" on the ground.
Some of other people who joined us had brought sleds, so Jade got a free ride while Dad pulled her up the hill.
Then, we decided to see if she'd like a real ride and down she went on the sled with her little friend steering in the back.
She did fine down the hill, but wanted mommy as soon as the sled stopped. lol
Then we went searching for our trees. JB showed Jade how you dust off the snow so you can see how the branches will lay. Jade loved knocking the snow off and pretty soon found a tree just her size she could knock all the snow off on.
But in the end, we opted to cut down a slightly larger tree.
By 12:45, Jade was pretty grumpy, tired and hungry. So this picture isn't all that great, but I had to get at least one shot with me:) Do you like my crazy outfit? hee, hee. I really need to look into getting a snow coat.
We made it home safe and sound, we had some fun and definatly made a good memory. Now I'm off to the store to find some fun, new, Christmas Decorations!

Conversations with Jade this morning

*Mom going in her room to get her up from bed*

Mom: Good Morning Jade!

Jade: HI! Dadda? Aaa, foot.

Mom: No, Daddy isn't here right now, what's wrong with your foot?

Jade *banging her foot on the side of the crib* Foot, ah, ah, why? aaa mmm

Mom: Oh, did your foot get stuck in the side of the crib?

Jade: Ah huh

Mom: I'm sorry, are you okay?

Jade: ah huh

Mom: Do you want to get up? Are you hungry?

Jade: Eat!! Peeass!

*taking Jade downstairs to the kitchen*

Mom: What do you want for breakfast?

Jade: BANA!

Mom: Oh, you want a banana?

Jade: *clapping with glee* ah, huh!

*hand Jade her banana and then turn around and sneeze*

Jade: u aright?

Mom: Yes, I'm fine. I just sneezed

Jade: Oh

*after breakfast upstairs, I'm on the computer working*

Jade: Ma-Ma! ah ma, ooue, moo, moo?

Mom: You want to watch a movie?

Jade: Ah huh

Mom: What movie do you want to watch? Potty Power or Happy Feet?

Jade: FEET!! Peease!

*grab Happy Feet from movie cabinet*

Jade: Wow!

Mom: You like the movie?

Jade: Ah, huh.

*Jade sneezes*

Mom: Ah oh, are you alright? Do you need a Kleenex?

Jade: Ah huh

*grab tissue, wipe Jade's nose*

Jade: Ank u! (thank you)

Mom: Your welcome.

Because she is so cute...

Jade saw me taking a pic for my beauty blog and wanted to pose to. She's so stinkin' cute!

Jade's Hair

These aren't great pictures, but I just wanted to show off Jade's little french braids I did in her hair on Sunday. I love the fact my daughter has enough hair for me to play styles with!

House wife.

Sometimes I find myself sitting around doing nothing. When I am in this state, there have been passing moments when I wonder "Gosh, what good "wife" type thing could I do to make my husband love me more? Or at least come home and think he is married to the best women ever".

I like to make these wondering thoughts end in some fantasy type thought such as: "absolutely nothing! You are the most perfect wife simply how you are!" I like to think that no amounts of make-up or clothes need to be added to make me look more beautiful. I also like to think that no amounts of house work, well behaved, dressed and washed child, warm, good smelling meals on the table, need to be done in order for my husband to ever question for a moment the choice he made in a wife.

But then, after these silly fantasy's pass, I do realize that sometimes I think the best thing I can do as a wife, is clean the house, care for the child, make myself look presentable, and cook a nice meal. Sometimes I think, really, that is all I need do to have my husband come home and greet me with a smile.

Is cleaning, cooking and mothering such a horrible chore? Well, sometimes...Yes! But then, often times. No, it really isn't. It isn't that difficult (well the cleaning and cooking part). A little dusting here, pick up toys there, vacuum the carpets, make the bed, do the dishes. Ta da, picked up, clean house. How long does it take me to do that anyway? And yet, I resent it. I want to be thought of as a good wife and a good mother without having to clean the house. Or cook the meals or...bath the child. (hee, hee)

What is my point? None. I was just wondering today what things I could do to make my husband feel loved, and then found myself thinking "huh, I could clean the bathroom". So, I cleaned the bathroom. Then I was sitting watching tv and also wondering if there was something more I should be doing. And that's when I noticed the floor rug and the crumbs under the table. So I got out the vacuum, broom and mop and in just a short amount of time had the floors vacuumed, swept and washed.
This won't garuntee me a happy husband at the end of the day, but I am hoping that perhaps it will grant me a happier husband then may have been had he entered his home and crunched on left over breakfast that had fallen off the table from this morning.

I'm a house wife. Plain and simple. Nothing exotic or luxurious about my job. But it's a job I can do, and sometimes I think I do well. And if being a house wife could some how make my husbands life some way easier...well, that makes me smile. At least it makes me smile for today.

Honey, if you read this, know I was thinking of you when I did my house chores today:) I Love you!

Jade reading books

Doing double duty

Jade is learning (like many new moms) that once you have a baby you may have to learn how to multi-task. I think she is doing a good job of it.

Some days I miss my family

Some days I miss my family. I miss all the craziness, all the silliness, all the conversation, all the activity, all the people. Some days when I look around my house (especially if Jade is napping) I think "man, my house sure is quiet".

Sometimes I compensate for this, I compensate by talking to myself all day er...talking to "Jade" all day. The wonders of a one sided conversation. Though, she is getting better, she says a word here and there. I asked her a question earlier and she said "sure". lol

Today, I was missing my family and I didn't feel much like talking (sore throat), so I just kept busy. I kept busy from 7-10:30 by working for my job and making Jade sit on the potty. I kept busy from 10:30-12:00 by going through two closets and pulling everything out and reorganizing and throwing away things I didn't need, wrapping Christmas presents and re-hiding them (I'm not sure why I'm hiding them since they are for my family...who are 3000 miles away, but you can never be to careful). I also folded two loads of laundry and put two more loads in the wash.

Then from noon-1pm Jade and I ate lunch while watching a pre-recorded "Amazing race" show.

From 1-4pm I folded and put away another load of laundry, ironed three shirts and one pair of pants. Hemmed a new pair of pants, cleaned three bathrooms, dusted the house, swept the floor, washed the floor, cleaned out under my bed (don't ask), did the dishes, checked the mail, and made Jade sit on the potty.

Thinking I was just about ready to be done I saw Jade walk down the stairs in her rainboots and thought "ya, we need some fresh air" so, I got on my rainboots and we went outside and raked and bagged about a billion leaves. That took us an hour. Then dinner at 5pm and at 5:40 the doorbell rang and two cute kids came over to play while their mommy went to workout.

It's is now close to 7pm. I recently finished making a breakfast casserole for tomorrows MOPS meeting and the kids are all playing nicely in Jade's room.
I look horrible. My hair is nasty, my face is nasty, my clothes are nasty. My day isn't over yet, at 9pm I get to go to church and help setup for the MOPS meeting for tomorrow. J is at a friends watching Football so aside from this morning I haven't seen him today.

This has been a busy day for me, lots of little projects and things to make me feel like a super busy stay at home mom. But now that I have a break, with nothing much to do for the next two hours I realized, I miss my family and I wish they were here with me tonight to make me laugh. I can't wait till Christmas so I can see everyone. That will be nice. I'll have 10 whole days of being surrounded by people and most likely I won't have to talk to myself or find projects to keep me busy all day.

Update: Oh, and I just spilled half my cup of tea all over the keyboard. Nice.

Two cute pics

Jade attended Kyri's birthday party last week, while we did get many pics from the party, this one of the two of them sitting together was my favorite. Oh, and of course, this one with Ben too!

"Mommy, I done!"

I heard Jade yell she was done and came and found the entire roll of toilet paper on the floor!

She was pretty pleased with herself too!

My daughter

Today is day two of "Getting Jade use to sitting on the potty" potty training attempt. I brought her out a bucket of toys and sat out her potty chair. Then I took off her pants and let her play.

I am working right now, so I wasn't really paying attention to what she was doing, but then I turned around and found this.

A pant-less baby wearing her necklace, bracelet and purse and examining some chapstick she found.
What is it for? How do I open it?
Ah, ha! Figured it out.
I don't want to label Jade, but these pictures do seem to say what I want to (girly girl!) lol!

Help me win a Free Canvas!

http://camilledawnphoto.typepad.com/camille_dawn_photo/2008/10/beautiful-serio.html

Do your remember the pictures I posted a little while ago of Jade in her blue dress? They were taken by Camille Dawn Photography and we were SO thrilled with each and every one of them. Well, right now, she is offering a gallery wrapped canvas to who ever wins the most comments about the art on their blog. So please, be a good friend and go to the link, check out our pics and then leave her a comment on her blog to help me win:)

each comment goes toward an opportunity to win a $400 canvas wall print. (Please only one comment per person.)