- [Yo] ho ho... -

...and a bottle of rum. Give Santa alllll the rum, that blessed man!!! 

Some loved him...

...some did not...

...but all got their shot! 

As soon as Santa arrived and everyone was forming a line to sit on his lap and rattle of their lists, Harper scooted right to the front and hopped on his lap. [Quite a 180 from her attitude towards the jolly old man in 2016!] Pretttttty sure he heard her whole life story, but she promised him she'd be a good girl before asking for "a baby that sings and sleeps" and hopping off his lap with a smile. 

Scarlett loved him, too...

...bless her brave little soul!

Cheers to another successful Croatian Lodge Christmas party and another fun round of Santa visits for all the cousins!

- Happy anniiiii, BRO! -

Dear Brian..... 

*sappy post commences* 

I'm sitting here staring at a blinking cursor wondering how the heck I can sum up SIX YEARS of wedded bliss in a few words ;) :), but here goes a little sub-par stab at it just for sh*ts and giggles.  First thangsss first: can we just talk about how unbelievably lucky you are that I was standing on the side of the road way back when and wanted to hitch a ride with you [a stranger]?! I mean...that is divine intervention if I've ever seen it; tickle me lucky that God so queerly led me to such a perfect partner!  I literalllllly love the life we've made!  If anyone hangs around our family for more than three minutes, it must be so obvious to them that you have embraced husband-hood and fatherhood like a champ. Day in and day out, you are so selfless and patient and gracious and fun and spontaneous.  I was thinking the other day that you are pretty much the entire head and heart of the family, and it's true; all I do is put the lipstick on us and make us look good!  I think I need to up my game this year after Harper has announced [several times to several different people!] that she's gonna marry her DADDY! :P

Thanks for sitting through my unity candle traditions x 6 years [and going strong]...

...and then taking me out for a nice KID-FREE dinna, even if it is only happens once per year [lolz].

You love us and lead us so well; thank you for being you! When we count our blessings, we [of courseeee] count you twice!

Love you!!!
xoxox,
B

- Ten months young! -

Well thissssssss is a fun month... TEN! TEN! TEN!!!

Sweet Sissy girl -- you are livin' your very best life, no doubt! You love to jabber/sing, clap, and dance, dance, dance to the music! You aren't the least bit bothered by the seemingly painful yet frequent neck-jerking tours of Kohl's, Wal-Mart, and any other place your big sister can find a cart to push you around in... 

...and the two of you are quite the duo, especially when it comes to making messes together!

You enjoyed sifting through and dumping the Halloween candy bucket [numerous times], and your newest trick is pulling up + standing! Of course, your favorite spot to wreak havoc is at the base of the dirty dishwasher.

Your hair is juuuust long enough for two tiny little piggies, and it's probably the most adorable thing I've ever seen in my entire lifeeee.

Happy T-E-N months! We love you, pretty little missy! :-* :-*

- Cookies for Santa -

After Brian gave me the BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER back in March, we've been dipping our toes into the world of vinyl crafting, and it is soooo fun! Harper loves to operate the Cricut machine [load the mat, start the cutting, pull off the vinyl scraps, etc.] and has been eager to be a part of any project she can get her hands on.  In light of our new fun hobby + Harper's enthusiasm +++ a chance to teach our kiddos a little bit about giving and generosity at Christmas time, we decided to open up shop and mass produce some "Cookies for Santa" plates! With our intention to adopt a family this year, we decided that all of the plate proceeds would go into Harper's hands to purchase, wrap, and help deliver gifts for a special family in need.

And so! We made our official sales pitch on Facebook, and .j.u.s.t..l.i.k.e..t.h.a.t. peeps were biting the bullet and Santa's [mini]workshop was up and running!

The three-year-old elf was doing cartwheels around the house at the thought of drumming up a little bit of business, and drum up a little bit of business did we! .....So much, in fact, that I had to cut off the orders less than 18 hours after we opened up shop [you know, for fear of the fun workshop turning into a not-fun sweatshop!].

23 plates upppp and 23 plates down! We had an amazing response!

^^ We did give a nice disclaimer to our beloved buyers that this was going to be a family project, and our work is definitely not professional or perfect! However, I wholeheartedly guarantee that each plate was made with love. And plusss, I highly doubt Santa Claus will be complaining once the plates are topped off with mounds of delicious cookies!

For everyone who ordered Santa plate or milk glass, you really "helped us help them" -- so thank you for buying into the reason for the season!!!  You boarded the giving ship and helped us sail! Your plates are finished and wrapped, so I will be contacting you soon for delivery! :-* 

- Ready, set, DIG! -

Oh my LAWD, I need to hop in a time capsule to take y'all back! back! backkkk to the beginning...

...but just back to [August 2018] will do for now.  I started hashing it all out HERE...

...and left off right hurr, where the silt fence and utility markings were all in place and we were just waiting for the basement guys to bring their shovels over and dig a giant hole.

A week or so later, those guys showed up with their shovels track hoe to mark out the basement... 

...and then... 

...VOILA!

We have a basement!!! And OY vey, sh*t is real. This house that we've talking about for forever and ever is finally taking flight!  Literally can't believe ittttt.

Brian never missed an opportunity to stop by and marvel...

...and soon he was out there working right alongside the basement guys! [I'm told these are photos of a) preparation to pour the footing and b) installation of form-a-drain...?]

"Look, Simba, everything the light touches is our kingdom..."  ...And over there will be your bedroom, and over there, your time out corner.

Woot! All done; ready for rock and then concrete!

But nottttt so fast! *thumbs down* ...A torrential downpour of DAYS of rain brought several setbacks for the general contractor, and poor Daddy spent lots of long hours days out at the slop hole digging trenches and pumping water and OH THE MISERY! When it finally dried out a bit, Uncle Garett and Daddy spent even more evenings scooping mud out where the walls started to cave in.  And while they worked? Snacks and claps from Harper -- always.

Next up: basement wall and porch forms!

Annnnnd next after that? Well, walls and basement concrete, of course! 

Stay tuned! 

- Out of the mouth of babes: VOL V -

While swinging at the park:
Harper:  "My mommy is too wittle to push us; we need our daddy!"
Kate:  "My daddy is so strong, he can hold up two kids at the same time!"
Harper:  "My daddy is so tall, he can touch 'da ceiling at our house!"


While FaceTiming Grammy:
"Grammy, when Scarwett was just born she didn't have any pants on! And when she was just born she didn't have a shirt on! And when she was just born she didn't have a diaper on!!! 'Dat's why Mommy had to put a blanket over she."

While getting her hair washed in the kitchen sink:
Harper:  "What's wrong Dad, what's wrong?  Why did you said, 'DAMNIT?'"
Brian:  "I said, 'Dang it.'"
Harper:  "No Daddy, why did you said, 'DAMNIT?!'"
Brian:  "Because that was lotion and not shampoo."


While driving past the YMCA: 
"Mommy, when we get older we need 'da be EX-ur-cisin' so our bones get strong."

Randomly:
Harper:  "Mommy, 'member when it was Fah-ver's Day?"
Me:  "Yes! What did we do on Father's Day?"
Harper:  "We gived Daddy wots of presents in bed!"


While playing with Barbies:
Harper [in Barbie #1 voice]:  "You wook pretty in your dress!"
Harper [in Barbie #2 voice]"  "Sankssss! I wike your hair! Why is it black and mine is brown?"
Harper [back to Barbie #1 voice]:  "Because 'dats 'da way God made me!"

After seeing a dinosaur cartoon on the TV:
"Mommy, dinosaurs are 'STINCT!"


While looking at a picture of us at our wedding:
Harper:  "'Dat church is beautiful!"
Me:  "Yes it is! That's Fr. Meconi and Mommy and Daddy!"
Harper:  "Why are all 'da other people in 'dere seats?"
Me:  "Because they were all at the wedding watching Mommy and Daddy get married."
Harper:  "But where was I?"
Me:  "You weren't born yet..."
Harper:  "Was I in your tummy?"
Me:  "Nope, not yet..."
Harper:  "Was Sissy in your tummy?"
Me:  "Nope, not yet..." 
Harper:  "Why do you only get married one time?"
Me:  "Because you find someone you love and marry them forever!  Some day, do you think you'll meet a stranger and fall in love and get married?"
Harper:  "NO! I telled you 'da other day 'dat I'm gonna marry my DADDY!"

As we were pulling into Chick-Fil-A drive-thru:
Me:  "Harper, what would you like at Chick-Fil-A? Maybe some chicken nuggets?"
Harper:  "No sank you, Mommy. I would wike a hot dog."


A few minutes later, after Grammy hit a construction bump in the road:
"GRAMMY, you almost got ketchup on my dress!"

As Scarlett was emptying out the Tupperware cabinet:
Harper:  "Scarwettttt! What is going ON in 'dis DUMP??! Scarwett keeps makin' messes, Mom..."
Me:  "It's ok, buddy. That's how she learns. We can pick it up pretty soon. 
Harper:  "But Daddy will be SO GRUMPY when he comes home 'cuz he doesn't wike it when Sissy weaves all her junk out!" 

As I was stepping out of the shower:
Harper:  "Mommy, Daddy is in 'da kitchen cookin' a BIRD!"
Me:  "Oh, yeah? Is it the turkey?"
Harper:  "No. No, he sayed it was a bird."
Me:  "Oh, ok..."
Harper:  "But it doesn't really wook wike a bird. It doesn't have eyes or a nose or feathers! But maybe it's just wike a ravioli or sumpin'."


While eating dinner:
"When we are adults we will stop eatin' food so we don't grow any more...else our heads will hit 'da sky!"

- Deliciousness a la Daycare -

A few weeks before [the real] Thanksgiving, we were invited to a delicious Thanksgiving Family Feast at the girls' daycare!  It worked out perfectly, since it was scheduled on one of the days they were already in attendance there at school.  Brian and I rolled in right after work to our kids waiting for us and a hot meal prepped by their teachers! Harper was absolutely THRILLED to be there and have dinner in her classroom with the combo of her parents + sister + teachers + friends together at table, and it was so lovely to see her flourishing in her school environment!  Both kids are growing and learning so much there every Monday/Wednesday, and I loved watching the mutual adoration between them and their teachers during dinner!

^^ Harper was really proud to show off her class's bulletin board in the hallway, where she made painted handprints and said she was thankful for "Flowers" and "Mommy + Daddy"..... :)

"'Member 'dat night at 'da school, Mommy? 'Member when my teachers ate dinner wif us? 'Member 'dat, Mommy??? ...Why do I wook grouchy?" ...Word. Idk, dude!

^^ Scarlett couldn't verbalize what she was thankful for for her class's bulletin board, but I'm prettttty sure it's something along the lines of "Mommy + Daddy" as well...! 
 
Thanks to the school for providing the great meal tonight, but double thanks for taking such great care of our kids day in and out all year long!  It means a lot to have a place that we totally trust to keep our kids alive [and thriving!] while we're away at work, and we've found that safe feeling here. We are so thankful for you!!! :) 

- The most predictable T-giving eva! -

Wellllll, I'm only...

...one year...no,

...two years...no,

...three years...no, no, nooo,

...make that FOUR YEARS deep into blabbering on and on about our Thanksgiving Day traditions, so if you've been around here for any amount of time you probably have your thumb on me by now and can go ahead and snooze right through this perfectly predictable post.

But! For those who feel like being pushed down the well-paved path...

...Thanksgiving Day 2018 brought another round [and Scarlett's first experience] of Black Friday ads and Starbucks and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade! 

[Check out the throwback pic from last year that I posted below juuuuuuust so you get the full image of how pathetic and ritualistic I've become... What can I say? Humans are a creature of habit.]

After a relaxing/lazy morning at the house, we headed to my grandparents' for lunch and then to Brian's aunt and uncle's for dinner.  The holidays are always a little wild with trying to wrangle the kids and skip from this to that while juggling meals and naps and toddler moods, but we're either starting to smooth out the process -- or more likely just lowering our standards so we're pleasantly surprised when the process goes smoothly. :)  Either way, I'll take it! 

So grateful for friends and family and happiness and health and everythinggggg in between! We are truly blessed!!! 

Happy Thanksgiving, sweet friends! We are thankful for you!

-----

ALSO! Addendum! I realized later that Scarlett wore the same dress on her first Thanksgiving that Harper wore on HER first Thanksgiving, and I just couldn't resist this side-by-side! Both sad/sober as can be, but gotta love it! lol