The Beauties have been loving making all sorts of different types of crafts.  I am all about handmade, from the heart girfts for the holidays. 
In our craft quest, I have learned a very fascinating tidbit about my loving husband...he is pretty darn creative.  He can make a pretty sweet alligator from play-doh.  Not to mention, check out these peanut people magnets he helped craft!
He had all sorts of ideas...beehive hair, mo-hawks, and even mustaches.  I'm not sure who had more fun, daddy or the Beauties! 
The girls have had a great time picking out which peanut is being gifted to whom.  It's very sweet to see them in deep decision process, to match the correct peanut to the correct person.  Chloe decided her "triplet" peanuts (which are all exactly the same) have to stay here as well as one of the Lady Gaga peanuts (see Feathers).  It was a great project!  I have to give thanks to my friend Hitzy, for giving us the idea!  It was one we will defiantly do again!

The pukies

It is safe to say that our Chloe girl LOVES school.  She was home sick Wednesday and Thursday with a yucky tummy bug.  I felt like we were living with the girl from the Exorcist.  Projective vomit is never fun...especially when you have to clean it up.  Poor sweetie was so sick.  She is feeling much better and was able to go back to school today.  She was so excited, Daddy didn't even have to tell her to do any of her getting ready duties.
Hopefully the love of school continues all through her college years.

Three = Triplets

The Beauties have a new "game" they like to play.  They each have a doll stroller and instead of one baby per stroller, theirs have three babies each.  "This is called triplets."  Grammy Pam taught them this.  Now anytime they are playing with dolls, they each MUST have three.  "Because we are triplets."

Warm lights...warmer hearts

The tree trimming was an amazing success.  No broken ornaments, and only a few "cat fights" about whose ornament was whose and who was hanging which ones on the tree.  I think the key words "a few" are the success here.  The Beauties had a great time.  They each are very into "mine" and "yours" right now.  It was so cute to watch each of them pick one branch and try to hang as many of "their" ornaments on it as possible.  Matt and I kept trying to teach them to spread them out, put them all over the tree, not just on one branch.  They liked their way much better.

Daddy took turns lifting each one of them to the higher part of the tree.  They thought this was wonderful.  It was so sweet to see them pick out an ornament and wait in line for their turn with Daddy.

Chloe was in her glory to be able to place the star on top of the tree.  Her face beamed as Daddy lifted her up.  She fussed over the perfection of the placement for several minutes, before being satisfied with how it looked.

So proud of their masterpiece.  

Jocelyn showing her favorite ornament...a penguin.

 Posing and blowing kisses.

The tree has been up for three days now.  Each day, the ornaments are rearranged several times.  We have lost only two thus far.  Here's to hoping the number will stay small, as they are crushed when one is broken.
We keep telling them to look with their eyes not their hands...again, they like their way better.

We visited Santa today.  Farrah climbed right up into his lap, I was shocked!  Silvie was fine just sitting next to him.  Although Jocelyn frowned and would not talk to him, she gave him a big hug.  It was amazing to watch and listen to their interaction with him.  He told them to be sure and be kind to each other.  To share and not fight.  He told them about putting their toys away when they were finished playing and also to put their dirty clothing in the hamper...it was like he really did have a direct view into our home.  (wink)  The girls listened so intently with eyes wide as he spoke of the exact things that took place at our house.  They were amazed that he really did know.
I so excited for the holidays this year.  It makes my heart warm to think about our family and teaching our beauties the meaning of Christmas.

Timing is a strange gift

Chloe was able to see her "future husband" this past week.  Yes, his Mom and I have arranged their future marriage.  We think they are perfect for each other.  We are perfect "in-laws" for each other as well.  They had a great time catching up and playing together along with his two sweet sisters, the triplets and my good friend Fiona's two boys.  

Over the Thanksgiving Holiday they were home for a visit from Alabama, where they recently moved to.  It was bitter sweet.  The extended visit was due to the passing of Kelly's mother.  

It was wonderful to be able to spend time with their family, who we grew to love so quickly last year when Chloe and Aidan went to school together.

Kelly is an amazing woman.  She is kind and giving.  A wonderful mother.  A beautiful person.  

As we said goodbye after the evening, I was in tears at how strong she is.  Also because I wish we were able to stay more in touch now that we are in different states.  Although our friendship is still new, we have so many things in common.  Our hearts just seemed to connect so quickly (hence the arranged marriage of our children).  She made me smile, telling me that her and Aidan read the blog together.  (I hope you are smiling, Kelly.  You all really mean so much to us.)  It makes me realize that people come into our lives at such interesting times.  You meet people and realize that maybe it wasn't just by chance.  That there is true meaning in timing of relationships.  Although they are not in Iowa, they are never more than a phone call away, and that just thinking of them, brings them close to our hearts.

 

We are thinking of you all.  We are so sorry for the loss of your mother.  We hope that you know that we are never more than a thought away, and we think of you often.