some pictures

my time is limited these days.
between the holidays, MP, and all the other fun stuff in between, it's no wonder my naps are few and far between... hehhhe.


only a few days left on the Mandarin Pixie sale!
check it out... all the 'old' stamps are on sale, and the new stamps are fun fun fun!!
(and don't be shy... spread the word!! i had orders to Montana, and North Dakota this week!! FUN!!)

wanted to share a few pics before the next week slips me by.
baby Fin pics are coming soon :) (those pics get their own post)
all is well... and Fin is a bit on the 'big' side. imagine that :)


now for the pictures...

daddy's alumni hockey game :)
love going to these. reminds me of our dating years :)
and as lilly says "hi stinky daddy"



dancing with her new 'ipod' and princess phone from grandma and grandpa h.
she hasnt quite put either of these down.



setting out cookies for santa with aunt melissa.
i forget the exact wording of lilly's letter... something like, "here's some cookies. it's sugar." yep, pretty much. good stuff.



christmas morning at my parents.
although the amount of gifts is a bit amazing, we were mostly glad to have everyone together for christmas.




alright everyone, have a wonderful week!
im off to start updating the MP site and blog...

merry christmas, a little early.

Many of you have seen this picture, but wanted to share here too.
I thought this year would be a bit 'easier' to take pictures.
Not so much.
But, as always... we got one that works.
1 out of 70 isn't bad :)



Christmas brings so many joys, and this year has been so much a reminder of that.

Our dear friend Marge, passed away last night. She was 87. She had been in Hospice for about a month, so we knew the time would be soon, but it is still hard to say goodbye.

Our family met her about 15 years ago, when I started writing to her husband who was then a Hospice patient. I was in middle school at the time, and it was part of a service my Campfire group was doing. Who knew that she would turn out to be like a grandma to me, and a parent to my parents. Her husband, Jean, passed away over 10 years ago. They had no children of their own, so we became their family.

Here is the last picture we have of Marge and miss lilly :)



We will miss you Marge.
Thank you for being part of our lives.
We love you!

im still here...

this holiday season has got to be the busiest and most tiring for me yet.
im sure it will only get better :) right?

here are the most recent belly pics.




and one with the big sister belly :)



lilly is enjoying making up her own songs these days...
our favorite so far (and this one comes up over and over and over... to the same made up tune)

"i have a hangnail Jesus... i have a hangnail Jesus...."

yes.
you read correct.

she has also mastered peeling off the 'no bite' nail polish that we are trying to use in attempt to stop her from gnawing her fingernails and toenails. oh this girl.

another 'job' of hers right now is talking back, and telling daddy and mommy 'no'. this has meant many a time-outs in the past several days.

we have a feeling this 'terrible two' thing may last a bit longer than they say. thats ok though, we love our miss lillian, and wouldn't have it any other way.

stuff

hey eveyone.
life is busy busy for me right now.
but i'm still smiling :)

*my mom is home now, and doing well with her recovery. thank you to everyone for all the warm thoughts and prayers!!

*thanks for the bday wishes for dave, i wish i could take credit on that dessert, but that was actually a HUGE delicious brownie that my sister sent him :) is was tooo good!

*lilly is still a little snotty nose (literally), but we are hoping she is well soon! we've been watching a lot of 'santa saves christmas' to keep her entertained.

*check out the sale and the new stamps over at the store... MandarinPixie... only a few days left to get all the 'old' stamps at sale prices :)

oh and one picture to share... lilly with santa right before the OSU/Michigan game, in November... lol. (notice her buckeye necklace)



i had actually vowed not to get in the habit of pics with santa every year (we did get one on her 1st christmas...). but there was no line, and he kept calling her back for hugs, and she was so good for him, i couldnt resist a picture! plus, he is the best santa and the same one she had in her 1st picture :)

lilly is still talking about part of their conversation.

santa: i see you have a buckeye necklace!
me: ask santa if he likes the buckeyes.
lilly: do you like the buckeyes?
santa: oh yes, but i think the game is going to be too close. (in reference to the OSU/MI game)

so now every time anyone asks lilly about santa (or the buckeyes) she says...

"santa says, too close!"



she makes me smile :)

happy birthday

happy birthday to my best friend.

i appreciate all you do.

for the daddy that you are.
for working so hard in all that you do.
for supporting me.

i love you so much.
happy birthday :)

update

hi everyone,
just popping in for a quick update.

my mom is doing so good, they think she may be released tomorrow! truly amazing. i havent 'googled' what happend to her yet. not quite ready. all i know is the surgeon said it was divine intervention, all he did was sew, and that it is a miracle she is still here and so many 'other' complications didnt come up. other medical people have said that 'people don't survive aortic dissections'... still seems so unreal, but i am sooooo happy that everything worked out the way it did!! i know a lot of you have gone through losing loved ones, and/or having sick loved ones... and i admire all of you for being so strong.

im rude to ask this... but if anyone would like to send my mom a card, email me and i will get you some info. i know she would really enjoy some fun happy mail.

also... (((HUGS))) to all of you who placed MP orders. that REALLY made me feel so good, and i needed a little smile this weekend :) the orders are all packed and sitting on the counter to head out tomorrow!!

ok, im off to bed. i am exhausted, still running on adrenaline, or strength, or whatever kicked in last week. baby fin has been kicking more and more, and lilly has been wonderful (even though she has a nasty cough right now) so my babies, and my mom are my strength right now.


hugs to all of you!!