Dec 8- Dec 20

Picked up some new hangers while I was at Bed Bath & Beyond which led to cleaning out my closet, which led to painfully admitting that I am no longer the same size I was "BK" (before kids) and will never be again, which led to purging 3 giant garbage bags full of clothes for Goodwill.

I submitted a photo several weeks ago to one of Becky Higgins photo challenges...and to my surprise, it made it!  Talk about big time :)  Seeing my picture on THE Becky Higgins site.  Yay! 

I really wish this were not the sight I see every time I look down.  Unfortunately, the majority of the time, it is.  I sure hope this miserable, clingy, screechy phase will end soon.  I'm hanging on by a thread.

While Dan was off enjoying my gift to him of a birthday massage (that he drove himself to and paid for), the kids and I made him a birthday card/banner to surprise him when he got home.  Thank you Crayola for washable markers.

I was shocked to see Sydney carefully (and accurately) putting Bryce's cards away in a ziplock bag. It took her a while, but she picked almost all of them up.  I didn't tell her to, or show her how, she just got to work and did it.  Such a big girl!

This is what I found when I walked over to the door the other day.  Bryce has been matching up like items lately.  I've never done this with him, so it was so cool to see that he had done it all by himself.

Went with Cassie to the Design 1 Fashion show benefiting Helen DeVos Children's Hospital.  It was AMAZING!  We had a great girl's night out.  Horrible picture...but neither of us remembered to bring our cameras and this was a phone picture. (*note to self...do something with your arm when you take a picture to avoid looking like a behemoth)

Let Bryce talk me into playing outside for a very short few minutes.  It was freeeeeeezing, but he didn't mind, so I let him wander while I took some pictures.

Speaking of freezing...I accidentally turned the heat off instead of turning it down the night before.  Woke up to a 54 degree house and 9 degree temp outside.  Had to use the fireplace for a while to warm up the living room.

Dan and I went to our first Ugly Sweater Party over in Saint Clair Shores.  Fantastic!  However, these matching turtle-necks make it tough to see where Dan ends and I begin.  Yikes!

I love going out to get the mail each day and open up our Christmas cards.  We have them hanging up on the pantry doors and they are almost full!

Practicing my Bokeh pictures.  Not thrilled with the results, but I'm going to keep practicing.  Want to learn how to get this effect?  Click here.  or  Click here  I've got so much to learn!

Major cleaning day today.  Thankfully the kids were helpful and both slept a good chunk of the afternoon.  (which NEVER happens).  I pretty much just kept cleaning until they woke up.  Look at that floor shine!

Hop over to Project Life Tuesday  (even though it's Wednesday...whatever)at the Mom Creative and check out more Project Life Photos.

Nov 29-Dec 7

 We were getting jammies on and Bryce wouldn't cooperate, so I started being silly with him and put Sydney's jammies on him.  He thought it was so funny and played along with me. 

Tuesday-???

 I have really been struggling to keep the ornaments on the tree.  (well, at least the bottom half)  I gave Bryce the "one finger" rule, which seems to be working pretty well.  Sydney doesn't give a rat's ass what I tell her.

 We got quite a bit of snow this morning.  Some people love this...I, on the other hand...DO NOT.

 Dan and I had a neighborhood Holiday party which we were supposed to bring a dessert to.  After seeing this post, and this one, I decided to give these cake pops a try.  They were FANTASTIC!  I will be making these again!  (and again, and again.)

 More snow...ugh.

 We took the kids for a drive to look at some "rice krismas lights" as Bryce calls them.  It lasted about 10 minutes and both of them were screaming.  This is also a very bad picture, but it was a bad adventure, so it's all good.

 What a diva.  I took my velcro rollers out and Sydney was trying to put them on her head.  I love this girl when she is not screaming at me.

This boy is funny.  He comes out of the mudroom with my boots, his hat and two different gloves on.  He got them all on by himself too! 

Stop by the Mom Creative to see more Project Life pictures from the week.

Nov 9-Nov 28...seriously?

I swear...if I am going to try this again for 2011, I need to make it a priority to upload photos and actually journal them when they happen.  I don't even want to admit how behind I am on my journaling.  Thankfully I've been keeping up the blog better than the album.  Oh well, at least something is down in writing somewhere! 

click here to see more Project Life participants!

This girl is growing so much every day.  She has developed quite the little personality.  She is starting to really copy everything I do and say. 

In an attempt to learn more about my camera and get action shots that are not blurry with indoor lighting...I sort of encouraged the kids to repeatedly jump off the couch. 

Since these darn things are always all over the living room floor, Bryce and I made a rainbow.  He thought this was pretty cool.

Grabbed some supplies from the store and took advantage of one of the last warm-ish days we've had.  Dan and I managed to get all the exterior lights up before it started to rain.

Dan wanted to run to Best Buy to take a look at a new tv he was interested in.  Sure enough...he came home with it.   Yipee...now Handy Manny and Bob the Builder are even bigger...and in 3D!

Bryce was playing with his blocks and building his "sand castles".  It is so nice when he finds things to do that are quiet!

No reason really for this being the picture of the day.  He was just laying on the floor with his hands up behind his head and looked so grown up.  (of course he moved as I was trying to take a picture)

Dan took me to Chicago to celebrate my 30th birthday.  We left Wednesday afternoon and stayed through Friday.  It was so nice to have a quiet ride over and no kids to worry about!

Saturday was spent shopping, lunch, boat tour around the city, then dinner.  Such a nice day.  Click here for more pics of our trip.

Drove home Friday night only to find my house full of family!  Cannot believe Dan was able to keep that a surprise.  I'm one very lucky girl.

Aiden came over for a while to hang out while Cortney had her ultrasound.  The kids LOVE when "Ee-ee" comes over.

Tried to get a picture of our lights outside and it was just too cold.  This was the best I could get.

Normally I DO NOT appreciate being woken up any earlier than I have to, but this morning, Dan woke me up to take a look at the sunrise.  It was amazing.  Of course I had to run outside and get a picture.

Thanksgiving!  Yay!  It was so nice to have two back to back four day weekends.  We went over to Dan's parents for dinner.  Everything was delicious.  {cornucopia or megaphone?  you decide}

Friday we went to Allendale to cut down our first real tree.  Boy was it coooooold out side!  Found the perfect tree and even got a family picture.  Click here for more pictures of that adventure.

Dan was nice enough to hold down the fort for the day so I could drive over to Aunt Cathie's house with Mom and spend the day stamping!  We don't get to do this often enough, so when we do...we go all out!  I was able to get lots of cards done.

Dan made me bbq ribs and wings for dinner.  He did a great job, and I'm pretty sure he was darn proud of himself. 

oct 12- nov 8

 Dan got home from an overnight trip to Milwaukee and we just hung out as a family.  Went to downtown Ada and walked around, then had ice cream. 

 This fall has been the most beautiful few weeks that I can ever remember.  The trees in our yard are such bright colors right now, with never ending blue skies and sunshine.  I love this weather :)

 We've been trying to set up a girls night for a while now, and Meg was finally able to make it to Grand Rapids for the night.  We went to the piano bar and had a blast. 

 Meg and Nate hung around Saturday for a while and the boys played outside since it was another gorgeous day.

 Dan and I were feeling generous, so we let Bryce pick out a new toy while we were at Meijer.  Of all the choices he had, he really wanted this random truck from the Disney Cars section.  This truck wasn't even in the movie (that I can recall), but he HAD to have this one???

Hung out with the kids in the backyard this afternoon.  Tried to rake up some leaves for them to play in, but Bryce kept plowing his John Deere tractor through them pushing leaves all over the place.  They had fun though.

Today was a little gloomy and overcast.  Definately a grill cheese/tomato soup kind of day.

 Bryce really enjoys going to the library.   Of course he runs right to the toys when we get there, but eventually I persuade him to pick out some books too.  He was super excited this time to find a book from the same author as "smash, crash" 

 Went to Muskegon for the evening so Dan could get a few things together for a busy work day on Saturday.  Went out to dinner with Tom and Pat and caught this picture of the moon just as were about to leave.  This picture does not do it justice.  The moon was so huge and crazy bright.

 I continue to find silly things like this around the house.  Sydney likes to put toys in all sorts of places.  {...and for the record...YES, those are tassles on my husbands shoes....and YES, he is only 30...and YES, I highly disaprove of these}

 Went for a nice walk around downtown today.  We went down along the river which was something we've never done in the 10 years we've lived here.  Dan enjoyed it since he is always in such a rush while he's downtown everyday, he never gets to actually look around.  The kids seemed to like it.  Bryce loved looking over the bridges at the River.

 Date night :)  Dan and I went to the Winchester in EastTown.  OMG...so good!  We branched out and ordered some things we wouldn't normally get.  The left is Macaroni and Cheese with Buffalo meat, raised locally in Nunica.  {I know...but it was ah-mazing}  The right is pad tai noodles with grilled chicken. 

 NML hosted a super cute halloween party for the kiddos to trick or treat around the office.  Bryce got to practice his "trick-or-treat" and show off his bee costume.  Syd just ate her sucker and went along for the ride.  {they were nice enough to serve some wine for the parents too!}

 Kids and I went over to Ga-Ga and Papa's house for the night on Friday {stampin up party at Beth's house} and Dan did docks all day Saturday.  Aunt Cathie was nice enough to give Bryce the Bob the Builder toys she had.  He was in H.E.A.V.E.N!

 Happy Halloween!  It was a little chilly, so being the East Side G-Fab girl that I am, I insisted Dan drag the fireplace out to the driveway and pass out candy there.  It was great.  The kiddos did pretty well, but didn't last all that long.  Two of the Nieuwenhuis kiddos made it in the picture with us.  We also had the Ferris' over for pizza and trick or treating.

 To my shock and surprise, Dan took the day off of work to hang out with us, and actually suggested we go look at new cameras.  YAY!  Finally got my DSLR that I have been drooling over.  I have sooooooo much to learn.  Could not be more excited! 

Voting Day.  Can I say how excited I am that the comercials are done?  UGH!

 Our nightly ritual with Bryce.  At bedtime we let him hang with us and watch a show (almost always BOB), then we give him the countdown.  "5 more minutes" 

 Silly girl jumping all over the "naked" couch cushions while I washed all the slipcovers.

 First snow of the season.  Ok, it only stuck for about an hour.  I am not happy about seeing this.  Not one bit.

 Hung out at Ga-Ga and Papa's house again for the night.  Nate and Maddie were also over and the kids were eating ice cream and watching Yo Gabba Gabba.

 Dan and I went to the Lion's Game v. Jets today.  Kids stayed with Mom and Steve.  Had fun on our little date with no kids.  Met up with several of our neighbors who caravaned to the game also.

Sydney kept sitting on the potty, which of course made Bryce want to sit on it too.  If only they would actually use the darn thing.