2008 Revisited...

2008 went by in a blur.

• We said a sad goodbye to our sweetest old friend Toby.
• Ryann started Jr. High.
• Bayli grew & grew & grew - started standing, walking, talking and changed from a tiny newborn into a busy, busy toddler.
• Mike raced motorcycles.
• I blogged.
• Ryann swam for the Rocky Mountain Rapids.
• Skye & Madi moved to a new elementary school.
• Ryann danced and danced and danced - and joined the Jr. Ensemble.
• Madi discovered the joy of reading.
• Mike built things - a new shed, a scrapbook room and lots of shelves.
• Madi became a member of the Pre-Jr. Ensemble.
• Skye got brave at school.
• Madi (finally) got her own room.
• We got lucky and Grandma & Grandpa moved back to Colorado.
• We got the most delicious Thai restaurant at our end of town (that delivers!).
• My Squeester & I played lots of board games.
• We had two fun visits from Eric, Erika & Alex.
• We got a brand new baby niece.
• I had another year's proof of just how lucky I am. I am blessed with this life, this family, this journey.

I am so looking forward to 2009 - time with my sweet family, watching my girls learning, growing, meeting new challenges and discovering new talents,

and having their Grandparents here for it all.

Happy New Year Everyone!!

Christmas Decorations

I really, really love my Christmasy house.

I love the glow of the lights, my Willow Tree nativity, the fun festive decorations and my Christmas card wall.

I can't help but feel sad when I know it all has to come down.

Sigh.

But I tell my girls that it wouldn't be special if we did it all year long.

So,

only 358 more days to go...

Scrappin' Space!

Giving Madi her own room required not only some shed-building, but also some creative rearranging. My sweet hubby figured it all out to give me my very own scrapbooking room in the basement. We emptied out the storage room, painted, got new carpet installed and Mike built a work table and custom shelves.

I think it's beautiful & perfect.

I love to scrapbook with the tv on, so he gave me a flat-screen tv/dvd for Christmas. Now I'm totally set.

I am the luckiest girl!

Now I just need to find the time to use it...

Early Christmas Morning

I love, love these pictures -

taken early Christmas morning...

as beautiful and peaceful as our quiet family Christmas.

Madi's Christmas

1st one up @ 7:30 am

so excited!

Taylor Swift cd

Old Navy gift card

yummy turkey dinner

so happy

Bayli's 2nd Christmas

sleepy head

so not into present-opening

happy, happy, happy

dancing to Away in a Manger that plays on her nativity set

loves homemade cranberry sauce

Skye's Christmas

still doesn't like the egg nog

new, chubby baby doll

sweetest Santa card for Bayli

my pumpkin pie lover

more cranberries than turkey

"crowd surfing" during Ryann's Guitar Hero-playing

(where does she learn these things?)

"I wish Christmas was every Friday."

Ryann's Christmas

especially-hoped-for lime green ipod nano

sweet with her sisters

Aerosmith Guitar Hero

finally fitting into Aero clothes (xs)

Merry Christmas Baby!

'Twas the Night Before Christmas...

Bayli fell asleep on the way home from Grandma's

and missed the rest of the Christmas Eve festivities...

Christmas Eve gifts
matching Christmas pjs

cookies (and baklava) for Santa

carrots for reindeer


Daddy read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas

with great anticipation and visions of sugarplums, off to bed...

Lebanese Christmas Eve

Our traditional Lebanese Christmas Eve at Grandma Bess'...

really great food, family, presents, fun

A Sweet Christmas Tradition

Every Christmas, we love to give a little gift to our wonderful teachers, dance teachers, family, friends & neighbors.

So early in the month, I start on the first of what feels like 100 batches of carmel corn.

It's super easy and yummy!

Here's the recipe if you're looking for something fun for Christmas:

Christmas Carmel Corn

4 qts. popped corn (air-popped is best)

1 c. butter

2 c. packed brown sugar

1/2 c. white corn syrup

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 c. pecans

Melt butter on stovetop. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup & salt. Bring to boil and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally, do not overcook (it will taste burnt). Remove from heat and stir in baking soda.

Pour syrup over popcorn & nuts and toss gently to mix well. Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and pour on large sheet of aluminum foil to cool. When cool, it should separate easily and not be at all sticky. If it is still sticky, put it back in the oven for a few minutes.

Store in plastic bag or airtight container.

Happy Crunching!

December 22nd?

I can't believe it's the 22nd already!

Can we just freeze time and stay here for a couple of weeks??

Now that I am finally able to relax and enjoy the season...

Wishing you all fluffy snowflakes, sleepy mornings, hot cocoa, heartwarming carols, cozy houses aglow with Christmas lights and the peace that only Christmastime brings.

4 Dancing Girls

This week is Parents' Week at our Studio.

It's usually all-business, and we parents have to be content to peek through a tiny crack in the curtains.

But this week, we get to come in and watch, or in Bayli's case, join in... (more on that later - suffice it to say that she is not to be contained)

Madi's ballet group had an amazing little performance, complete with costumes. The other classes just let us see what they're working on, but it is always fun to watch my girls dance.

Bayli couldn't stand not being out there too. This was a rare moment of her not on the floor, and not screaming to get on the floor...

Here's a couple videos -

please excuse the intrusive Head in Madi's solo, the baby screeching to be let go and the jiggly camera from trying to contain said screechy baby...

Madi's Ballet Solo

Ryann's Jr. Ensemble Tap

(Ryann's the tiny one on the far left wearing all black)

Skye's class is today - I can't wait!

Christmas at Grandma's!

It's so much fun having my Mom & Dad in town! I can't even tell you.

I totally love saying "I'm just running over to my Mom's for a minute...". I'm so lucky!

Since they are spending Christmas with my brother's family (& new baby!!), my Mom had us all over for a Christmas brunch so we could celebrate before they left.

The food was awesome, the presents were fun, but I loved the company best!!

You can't even tell that Bayli has an ear infection that's about to send us to the After Hours Clinic...

Discovering Baby

Bayli discovered baby dolls this week.

She likes to carry it around on her shoulder or pat it gently on the back.

It's the sweetest thing ever.

Her newest word: baby

Peek A Boo

My silly, silly girl had so much fun playing Peek-A-Boo...

Where's Bayli?...

Peek A Boo!

The Day Skye Floated in Mid-Air (aka Mike's Work Christmas Party)

Yesterday was Mike's work Christmas party.

It was a lot of fun, even before Skye floated in mid-air.

Ryann was at Alex's Bat Mitzvah and I really missed her. The other girls all looked so beautiful. The food was delicious. Bayli fell in love with an adorable 18-month-old boy and they started holding hands right away. She followed him everywhere. Madi played with her friend Jordan. Then the Magic Show started.

The magician was hilarious and had everyone laughing. Then he picked my girl out of the audience to star in his finale. He actually had her floating in the air. It was so crazy!

My camera wasn't happy, so I didn't get the greatest pictures. I'm hoping someone will e-mail me some better ones. Here she is floating after the board and one chair were taken away - the 2nd chair at the very top of her head stayed there...

It was so much fun!!

Here's a few more pictures of our fun day...

Dressed Up

Ryann was invited to a friend's Bat Mitzvah and got a new dress & heels (really, heels?...) for the special occasion.

And I thought Bayli was growing up too fast...

Medieval Day

Yesterday was Medieval Day for the 4th grade.

Everyone did such a great job transforming the classrooms into a Castle, a Monastery, Medieval Marketplace and Sherwood Forest. The became ladies & knights, took a vow of silence, bartered for goods, played medieval games and had a feast. Madi was so lucky to have both her grandparents brave the snowstorm to come help out. They ran the knight helmet station at the Marketplace, served the Feast and helped turn Sherwood Forest back into Madi's classroom afterwards. We are so lucky to have such awesome grandparents!!

Bayli & I were there too, of course - I baked a double batch of medieval Bannocks for the feast and then showed up and tried my hardest to keep Bayli from wreaking too much havoc, medieval style. Believe me, it was a full time job. So I was extra grateful to have my Mom & Dad there! :) Thank you - we love you guys!!

Madi looked so beautiful in her Medieval Day costume and had a great day - Medieval Times but with electricity & running water.

Bayli loved playing with this ball.

They were the same size. :)