SOCIAL MEDIA

Friday, January 1, 2010

Things I Loved This Holiday Season

  • Having my husband home from work.
  • Cioppino from Greg's grandmother's recipe. Thank you to Lulu and Jessica who whipped this up for us on Christmas Eve.
  • The snow. Enough to thoroughly enjoy from the comfort of my living room and not enough to deter any of our plans.
  • Having our family photographed. I love this shot because of what's happening in the picture. The photographer (my neighbor Kari) told Greg and I to kiss... the girls spontaneously decided to kiss each other too! Very sweet.
  • These blue eyes, most especially because her Daddy and I have hazel. Genetics are amazing.
  • While I wouldn't say that I'm a huge country music fan, I cannot get enough of Lady Antebellum's "I Need You Now."
  • This adorable ornament that my friend Simone sent me out of the blue! Thanks Lady!
  • Reading Geneva Magic Tree House books. She loves them and I love her loving them. Such fun.
  • Snapshots that are taken from "above." I'm telling you people, others may wonder who that GIANT was that took the picture of you and your friends, but the payoff is tremendous--super flattering!
  • Tinkerbell and the Lost Treasure movie. We drove to Tahoe and back before Christmas (fabulous trip--another post for that coming up soon) with the ladies. They were champs for surviving the car for as many hours as they did (10 hours the first leg, 2 the next, and 11.5 on the journey home).
  • This delightful cocktail my neighbor Shelly made for our Holiday Progressive party (again, fabulous time... another post on the way...). One ounce triple sec, Spumante champagne and frozen cranberries. As tasty as it is pretty--very sweet.
  • HBO'se True Blood. I knew I would like the series but we've held off getting HBO back (you know, trimming the fat in this recession). We broke down last week and have been enjoying a couple episodes from season one most nights after the girls go to bed. It's pretty graphic, kind of rough around the edges, and I love it. I've read the books and the series is not following the plot lines exactly... but it is living up to the story.
  • The new stamp I got that helps me makes these beauties:
  • Letters from my dad--that he sends to the girls. We call them "Papa Clyde Letters" and they are always a treat! Keep 'em coming Dad!
  • Having the Bills Girls to our house before the holidays. Rusty and Greg had a golf trip to Bandon Dunes with a bunch of guys at the beginning of December. I talked Staci in to visiting me with the little ladies while they were away. We had a lot of fun. Natalie joined Geneva and Piper at Amiguitos for two days of Spanish preschool, she got to do gymnastics with them and she joined Geneva for her Art class too. I dare say, with all the work I was caught up doing (Holiday stationary orders), Natalie had a better trip than Staci did! (Sorry Friend!)
  • This picture of my crazies:
  • Holiday Cards. I love to see how everyone's kids are growing up and to hear what everyone's been up to. I love looking through the cards over and over. I miss our family and friends and these little "hello's" are a treat!
  • Watching Jenn be a Momma:
  • Seeing Piper thoroughly enjoy her great-grandpa. Whenever she talks to my mom now she always asks her about "her dad." We invited Nana here in January... on the phone Piper said, "Yea Nana... Bring your dad!" Awesome.
  • This bed-head beauty:
  • My fresh wreath. Do you think it would be weird if I left it up until Valentine's Day?

This post may contain affiliate links and I may make a HUGE commission (j/k it's literally pennies) when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. You should know (and I'm legally required to tell you) that as an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Feel free to make me RICH. lol ;)

Polar Express

We ventured out to Hood River for a magical ride on the Polar Express this year!
The train took off from the station headed for a wintery visit with the big man himself.


All the kids wore pajamas and slippers. "Elf Helpers" roamed the cars to show the children the pages of the story, The Polar Express while it was read aloud over the speaker system.


She might look skeptical in this photo... but she got onboard with the experience in full swing.


Especially once she got her cookies and hot cocoa... or should I say, cookies and cup of whipped cream?


We picked up Santa at the North Pole and he made is rounds through all of the train cars to visit each and every kid.


See what I mean?
Zero skepticism.

We were delighted to share the holiday experience with the Keys Family.
Campbell did not "embrace" the idea of sitting on Santa's lap--but had a great time anyway!


See you next year Santa!
(Ok... so to be honest, it wasn't nearly fun enough to do it again next year... but maybe in 2011?)
Cheers!
(And NO... I could not get that other eye red-free!?!)

This post may contain affiliate links and I may make a HUGE commission (j/k it's literally pennies) when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. You should know (and I'm legally required to tell you) that as an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Feel free to make me RICH. lol ;)

Team Edward

Guess which nerd stood in line for the midnight showing of New Moon with all her nerdy girlfriends?

It was me!

We decided to embrace our inner cougars and make a party of it~
Dinner was great, the wine was better, and the company was full of giddy anticipation.

We arranged to have "adult concessions" during the movie.

... and enjoyed every minute!

This post may contain affiliate links and I may make a HUGE commission (j/k it's literally pennies) when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. You should know (and I'm legally required to tell you) that as an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Feel free to make me RICH. lol ;)

So Thankful!

My mom and grandpa made the drive to our house for Thanksgiving this year. It was so great to have them with us for the holiday.


It didn't take Piper and time at all to remember how much fun it is to have her GGPa around.


The fellas... relaxing in the morning.


The meal was terrific again this year. Everyone chipped in and the result was delicious.


GGPa got meet his newest great-grandson. My mom was in heaven with a new baby in the house as well.


Geneva entertained us with an impromptu fashion show. (The girl is either running around in her panties, or sporting a party dress and tiara... there is no middle-ground.)


Then it was time to get started on the gingerbread house project she had planned with her Nana.


Off to a great start!
Piper got involved as well. I'm not sure how much frosting and candy was consumed by the girls during this project... but they managed to have enough left-over to decorate the house...

Which Piper couldn't wait to show her GGPa!
Hope you had a nice Turkey Day as well!

This post may contain affiliate links and I may make a HUGE commission (j/k it's literally pennies) when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. You should know (and I'm legally required to tell you) that as an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Feel free to make me RICH. lol ;)

New Addition

Robert Benjamin Haskell Jr.
joined our family this year and we couldn't be more excited to welcome the little guy.

My cousin Jenn was a champ in the delivery room.

I was able to get up to Washington and meet him when he was just a couple days old.
New babies are so snoogley and nice!

Just look at this beautiful boy!

A few weeks later, Little Bobby and his family came down to Oregon to visit us at our house. Piper, who is forever pretending to be a mother was beside herself to be able to hold a real baby!

Geneva was a delighted at her chance to care for her new cousin also.

It's always so amazing to note how much they develop in the first few weeks... already getting to be such a big boy!

Here's the happy family on Christmas Day at our house.

Here are the Robert Benjamin Haskell's relaxing together on the couch.
I'm sure you'll be seeing much more of Bobby Junior on my blog (now that I have a little time to keep it updated better).

This post may contain affiliate links and I may make a HUGE commission (j/k it's literally pennies) when you click on the links at no additional cost to you. You should know (and I'm legally required to tell you) that as an Amazon Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Feel free to make me RICH. lol ;)