One holiday down...

The biggest one to go! I really do love Nov. and Dec. I hate certain aspects of these months (like snow, shopping, driving, etc...), but there is so much to love too! I love that these two holidays are so close and that we see friends and family so much! I love my kids excitement over all the holiday stuff! I haven't bought too many gifts yet - I just said to Kyle that we really need to get rid of the kids for a night and go out and do some shopping. The thing is, we really don't have a lot to get. For the girls I think we are mainly sticking to stocking type gifts and then I got a great deal on an art easle. I think we are going to get Braelyn some sort of cheap MP3 player too (like a Sansa - with FM tuner as well). So that is about it for that. Kyle and I are not doing any christmas gifts we said, and then that just leaves a couple DVD's for Kyle's side, and a family gift for the family name we drew on our side - that's it! I am done with Kyle's parents and I think for my parents we will all go in together as kids and get them something. Pretty basic Christmas around here and that is my FAVORITE part about it! I can't imagine having to buy something for EVERY little niece or nephew, or something for every extended Christmas party. It's all about hanging out and having a good time if you ask me - I could leave the present thing altogether!

Thanksgiving was great for us - lots of good family time. Braelyn kept saying she was thankful for our family being together - so cute. I think that stems off of Kyle being gone for that week hunting and her having to eat dinner with just mom every night! On Sat. we went out to Grand Rapids (about a 45 minute drive) to go and get some Krispy Kremes and then to sit at the airport and watch planes. We acutally got to see two take off and one land, so that is better than what we normally get to see! :) We like to do this little ritual every couple months and we were long overdue! Love me some Krispy Kremes! My favorites are the blueberry cake donuts and the maple glazed donuts!

Got all my decorations up - I'll share a few pics! I put the tree up when Gracyn was asleep and when she woke up and I took her downstairs she just stared. She did not go up to it and touch it or anything! All three of my girls have been amazing with not getting into things! I will say yesterday she did take an ornament off and bring it to me. I told her NO in a stern voice and brought it back to the tree and told her "no touch" and she never went to the tree again! Love that! So thankful for kids that never got into things like that!

(shocker - the picture is blurry - nice camera)

Pretty standard week this week. A vet appt to take Gauge to, a Dr. Appt. for Gracyn for her follow up flu shot, and Braelyn back into school routine after a week off. Church night again on Wed. night and pretty much this weekend is pretty low key. Starting next Mon. we have Christmas parties every weekend and quite a few throughout the weeks too on weeknights. Let the festivities begin!

I have a few LO's to share too (of course!)

This first one is for The-Lilypad Blog challenge this week - about your christmas wish! Here is one of my many wishes even though I KNOW it will not be a dream come true yet - it's fun to wish! I am also submitting some of my LO's to the Penscrappers Contest (b/c I do a lot of my scrapping on my Bamboo Tablet) and would love it if you would put in a few votes for me! Here is the link to it: http://www.penscrappers.com/2008/12/02/christmas-wish-mandakay/

And this one was a LO i just did for fun b/c I loved these little ballerina goodies! I also entered this one into the contest - VOTE HERE!

Thanks a bunch guys!
Hope you all have a safe and nice week!