Thanks, Mikey!  I love you!

 

Noelle had so much fun at her Polar Express class Christmas party!  She did an awesome job decorating her cookie.  Jake and Noelle have been class buddies every year at Willie Brown; I love hanging out with them!

Noelle was worried she would get her own book in the book exchange (she’s listening to the left, right poem in this picture holding the book that she brought), but it all worked out! 

 

Claire and Noelle finishing up an awesome Christmas party!

 

We made so many memories and had so much fun this semester!  Here’s a few of our memories in pictures!

 

We’ve discovered Noelle is a super-speller!  She rarely misses even a Challenge Word.  It’s remarkable, really!  She spelled the word Fahrenheit correctly on her last test.  How many of you can type that without needing spell check?  I’ll take some pics of her more recent spelling tests too.  She’s a champ and thank God, because we have to practice many things, but spelling is not one of them!  Rose loves to hoard toys whenever there is more than one of the same toy together.  I think she’s sorting. 

  

Lots of dental appointments this fall and lots of patience needed by all!

 

Noelle is my shopping buddy!  She is always so excited to see what’s in store.  And speaking of, she’s officially got more jewelry than I do!  These pouches used to hold her polly pockets, but not anymore.  The crazy thing is, she never loses anything and knows exactly where everything is.  I don’t know how she keeps up with it all, but from birthdays, to saving money, to Christmases, she mostly wishes for jewelry, so she’s collected quite a bit!

 

I had fun cruising in the sunlight with the littles during the weekdays when they were both home together.  Man, I’m going to miss these park days that include 2/3 girls!  Anna Kate is such a joy, and I’m still cooking up a schedule that can give her some one-on-one time with me this spring before she starts kinder next year!

 

We had lots of Bobcats cheer games and birthday parties with sweet homemade cards included. 

Silliness with Anna Kate, who always keeps us laughing. 

 

Play lands galore, and flu shots, which I’m hoping are paying it forward as I type this (please don’t have the flu AK)!

 

Loving all of Noelle’s writing and stories this year, and not so much all of Rose’s messes, OMG!

Sums it all up right here… pretty much!

My firefighter and gift-loving giver!

 

Rara was here and preschool planking!

Cowgirls Ponds to the rescue!

Picture to the right is what Rose does when everyone else is asleep!  Watch your step when you get out of bed, Anna Kate!  Rose was here!

 

Noelle’s instrument project made out of household items and our long-awaited trip to Disney World!

 

Whoooooo cares!?!  Be YOU… do whatcha do!

Disney days!

 

After Disney, we had lots of Halloween fun!

 

More dentist appointments and more messes!

 

Creative pop-ups just for fun at home and of course, the hit of the season, Rainbow Loom!

 

Minions at the dentist and awesome art work by Anna Kate at Mrs. Paula’s.

A princess who missed a very special wedding because she was sick. 

Stacking toilet paper and paper towels.  Guests are welcome back now that we have fresh paper goods. 

Sad how fast they grow up!  Seeing them draw side by side was the sweetest thing ever!  Anna Kate – 4 1/2 Noelle – 7 1/2

My sweet “Pilgram,” always drawing for others. 

Lots of Jason’s Jellis (Deli) dates!

 

Getting upper expander seated and scenes from my everyday!  Hi there, baby Shrek!  Wanna help me clean up the kitchen!?!

 

Honoring Curt from afar.  Miss him now more than ever!  Keep thinking he would be telling me, “Just One More” if he had any advice for me.

  

Rose getting to go to HER friend’s birthdays.  So cool, Rose!  Popsicles and plasma cars!

 

Daddy dates dancing and learning the loom with Noelle.

Cutest photo-bomber ever! (she’s the only one that knows how to unbuckle her car seat)

 

Noelle drew her perfect Thanksgiving meal at school, and we got pretty close to it this year at Mimi’s.  Yum yum!  Lots of last minute play dates with the Banks’ boys.  They know how we roll!

My Thanksgiving Day (and every day) BFF!

  

After Thanksgiving, it was time to buckle down for some good old fashioned chores and saving up money for Christmas gifts (at the Penguin Patch).

  

The Banks Pirates with their new partner in crime, turned superheroes!

 

Lots of sleepovers with Emma-P!  Cutie Kate loved our ice days!

Reindeer spaghetti lunch date with my middle!

 

Weekly allergy shots, reactions that did me in, procedures that burned the nerves in my neck, steroid injections, and everything in between; Too many doctors’ appointments trying to investigate my decade long battle with fibromyalgia.  Since my diagnosis in 2000, not much has come out to help.  As of now, I’m at peace with it all, just learning how to best manage it so that I can live the quality of life that I want, dealing and thinking about it only when I have to.  Thanks for your continued prayers.  #myloveisstrongerthanmypain

 

These were our Christmas cards that we got during the first week of December.  We called them the beautiful over-achievers.  Lol!

And then Santa came to our house, to spread Christmas cheer and teach us that giving is the best form of receiving. 

 

My three little reindeer and a fourth (baby doll) that Rose keeps putting in my belly and pretending I’m “babysitting” for her.  These girls have baby fever!!!

Rose had tantrums that were larger than life and Anna Kate made lots of new friends!

 

My Christmas gift to all of you is to try my new favorite apple, the Jonagold!  Try it.  You will take one bit and thank me to yourself!  Merry Christmas!

 

 

Lots of memories with Santa!

 

And some memories we’d like to forget.  Anna Kate gave Rose a little haircut last week.  Rose said, “Anna Kate cut it; Time-out Anna Kate!”  Anna Kate’s version of the story was, “Rose asked me to.  She was sooooo excited!”  Changing subjects, our elf, Taylor, has been encouraging Rose in her super awesome interest in the potty.  The scene in the far right, we told the girls, was entitled “Potty-training and Pedicures.”  Lol, we’re getting there!

  

Last but not least, here’s an adorable picture of my sleigh full of lovely, beautiful, helpful Christmas elves!  The picture to the right, is of the big girls and Kay Kay and Grandpapa excited to go see the Nutcracker ballet, which gave us some sweet one-on-one time with Rose.  They had a delightful afternoon with their grandparents and will remember it always. 

Through lots of ups and downs, twists and turns, we’ve had a ball this fall, and it’s in the books!

 

The girls had such a blast at our neighborhood Christmas party this year!  We are so thankful for all of our neighbors and our Santa!

 

Noelle has found a real-life friend to admire, and her heart is at peace about Santa.  Such a tender and sweet girl; my heart is filled up!

 

These guys!

 

Cookies with Katie and Santa kisses… a pretty sweet night!

So fun!!!

  

I love the yoyo and pencils in the girls’ hands.  They are so precious!  Noelle took this picture of the glass vase filled with ornaments.  She asked if she could borrow my camera, and she took the coolest pictures tonight!  I was like, “Whoa!” when I first uploaded and saw them on my computer screen.  I’m so interested in her eye for all things art!

Amy, Susie, Santa and moi laughing all the way, hohoho!

 

Tell Santa all about it, girls!

 

This time of year is such a blast!  Simply having a wonderful Christmastime!

  

Oh, sweet baby Rose!  We adore you!

 

Mike and Noelle had a blast on her field trip last week!

A black bear skeleton!

A room to match Noelle!

Noelle should’ve been born in Japan.  Talk about loving the peace sign!

Laying on a bed of nails!

(The exclamation marks throughout this post are dedicated to Mike!  You know you love them, lol!!!)

 

To catch up a little, I don’t know where to start.  I guess I’ll start with my first love; Mike is such a wonderful father to our girls!  Two days a week, this fall, I’ve been out of town at the doctor.  It’s been really hard on us, but Mike has been amazing with the girls!  He’s literally my hero… and theirs.  Although things have gone very smoothly, last week was the hardest week so far, mostly for my heart.  To give context, I’m at everything the girls do.  That’s just one thing I’ve always managed to figure out.  I don’t call in sick, ever.  Well, this week, Noelle’s grade from her school got asked to perform at a city-wide Toys for Tots event.  They have been working on this performance ever since their “Go Fish” play.  Noelle has been beyond excited about it!  However, it fell on one of my out of town days.  I’m in a program that is helping me manage my fibromyalgia, and I’m paying it forward to take advantage of this opportunity.  I was 45 minutes away, stuck in traffic, when the performance started.  My heart was aching, even though deep down I knew I wouldn’t make it in time, I kept hoping that I would.  I just couldn’t stand not being there.  It literally broke my heart.  However, Mike fed and got all 3 girls dressed for the cold weather and to the Christmas event.  Not only that, but he recorded the whole thing for me so that when I got home, we could watch it and celebrate Noelle and her sweet enthusiasm for life together! 

After I spend a day out of town, I am literally dragging the next day.  It is all I can do to keep the littles safe, clean, and fed… just the basics.  Well, as the schedule turns out, Noelle had her 2nd grade field trip the very next day after this performace.  I knew I wouldn’t have the strength to drive to Ft. Worth to meet her group, so Mike took a vacation day off of work to be with Noelle and enjoy the day at the Ft. Worth museum with her (picture on the right).  It was so awesome for them to get to spend some one-on-one time together and experience a field trip together.  Things have a way of working out even better!  It’s always so important for Mike to be at work, while I take care of the girls, but this day for them was meant to be.  It melted my heart to see all of their pictures together of all of the fun they had.  You know, being a super mom, means filling back up your “bucket” so that you have something left to give or “pour out.”  I’m sacrificing a few things now, so that I can do even more in the future.  That has been a tough lesson for me to learn, but I’ve been running on E for quite some time.  I’m always so proud of my sweet, good, and kind family and how we work together to make it work, but last week, we seriously rose to the occasion.  I’m proud of the way we all worked together to be there for each other.  The girls are learning to be a little more flexible, Mike is rocking it out, and I’m using all the energy I have to get well. 

As far as this video of Noelle’s Toys for Tots performance, it kept me going and smiling all last week.  We’ve watched it so many times!  I hope it brings a big smile to your Monday!  Noelle is the diva wearing the shiny silver boots on the front row, to the left of the center.  ‘Tis the Season!  You go girl!!!

(If you can stick it out through the 12 minutes, they sing a Feliz Navidad song and rap song, creative choreography included!  I was so impressed their amazing teacher thought all this cuteness up!  They all knew they were so stinkin’ cute too!)  Oops!  We put two of the middle songs on the video twice.  My favorite song is the last one and starts at minute 10:45.  I’ll never hear, “We Wish you a Merry Christmas!” without thinking of these cute little jolly fists!

 

Upon arrival, the girls burst open the door and met Santa with such excitement!

Although Rose was a little bashful, she quickly warmed up!

Let the tea party and busy conversation begin!

Noelle made Santa Claus a drawing that said, “Love, Believe.”  She also made a bead charm with a bell on the end.  She taped the word “WOW” to the bottom of it.  Such a sweet gesture of friendship!

 

Lots of lively conversation!  What’s discussed with Santa, stays with Santa!  He knows our girls so well and motivated them to reach all of their current goals before Christmas!

 

Love the little pinky and eyes filled with wonder!

Santa chatting with Anna Kate!

 

Rose licked every last crumb off of her plate.  She’s 2 and so innocent.  This was adorable!

This is one of my favorite pictures.  Noelle was so very happy to be having tea with her friend.

Anna Kate deep in thought.  I’m so thankful to Mike for this beautiful picture that he captured!

 

Anna Kate and I were talking about how much fun she was having!

After tea, it was on to story time with Santa.

 

About half-way through, Rose got really sleepy and went over to the big chair to cuddle with Daddy.

But the big girls were deep into the story!

Santa had one more surprise up his sleeve, our very own Elf on the Shelf!  He explained all of the rules and said that if the girls were good, the elf would report back to Santa, and he would honor their Christmas wishes.

 

Santa Chuck is our friend.  He has been there for our family through many difficult times over the past few years, in prayer and in presence.  He has blessed us more than I can say.  We are so grateful that we have a real Santa who loves us and takes good care of us!  His genuine heart and caring spirit are refreshing and delightful.  Thank you, Santa Chuck!  We love you!!!

If you would like Santa to come surprise your kiddos for tea, story time, a party, Christmas eve, or anything you can think up, he’ll be there with bells and whistles.  To contact Santa for more detailed information, email him at Santa@santachucklee.com.