5 on Friday

1. Have you met my new nephew? I haven't:( See you in 13 days buddy!
2. Here are my advent stockings! I was up to my elbows in felt for a few weeks. I neglected my family dinners for this felt. Go felt or go home!


3. This is Sophie, Mattie Sue's little buddy at school. They went to a birthday party together last weekend where they were taught a fairy dance at a ballet studio. They were SO excited!!!!!
and this is how she performed.......one finger in her mouth the whole song, frozen, not moving. I had instant flashbacks to last years battle with ballet.

4. And this is The Dream Mansion, a Christmas gift from Nama and Poppy that only to 2 1/2 hours to put together!
They LOVE it!!!!
5. The Arnold family Christmas tree. The girls are loving having the tree up (M.I.A starfish tree topper). They take the ornaments off and play with them (then loose some) then line them up, then hang them back up. Between this and the Dream Mansion (that took 2 1/2 hours to build) they really are enjoying each other and this festive season. We are ready for NAMAS!!!!
Merry Christmas and happy decorating!!

Baby Katie!

Baby Katie (who is now a 30 year old Secret Service Agent that packs heat) came to visit us from San Francisco (originally from Ohio) for Thanksgiving! We were sooooo excited to have her here!!! We took her to the strand to walk before the stuffing of the food. It was 83 and sunny!!


This was really funny!


"Mattie Sue, will take a picture of Katie and I on Thanksgiving?"


"Great one, thanks, let's try again!"
We used the timer and the wall for this one.
We celebrated with The Peers and The Browns this Thanksgiving! It was a wonderful day!! The food was SO tasty. I love Thanksgiving food. I made the Pioneer Woman's Sweet Potatoes. And other than the sweet potatoes crusted to my arm the night before I have to say they were THE BEST sweet potatoes ever. Yes, Martha Stewart, I like Ree's better!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

32 Birthdays!

My girlfriends surprised me on Sunday with a Pioneer Woman cookbook! AND THEN;) after opening the book we drove to hear her chat and sign books at Borders! She was so delightful and cheery. We escaped the long lines and hit up the mall while the signing began. We returned to the signing 2 hours later and tagged on to the back of the line. Poor thing, signing 2 hours worth of books......and still a smile on her face!

(Hey, hobbit on the end, sit up and shoulders back!)

Thanks friends!

Monterry Bay Aquarium!

My dad and his wife Sharon (Grandma and Grandpa) came out this past weekend to take the girls to the Monterry Bay Aquarium. This place was unbelievable! We were amazed and amused the entire time! After our trip the the aquarium we headed up the coast to San Francisco (those pics to come).



The Jellyfish were my favorite!! Pictures were not doctored. The second one down from here is from the iphone.





Malyn is a Sea Otter in her preschool class. We loved to watch these guys swim around!
Penguins!
Mattie Sue was watching the feeding.
There were so really cool little Seahorses too. This was a Dragon Seahorse.

This is the outside of the aquarium that is built alongside the ocean.
What a great trip! Thanks dad and Sharon for everything! San Fran pics to come!

Left overs

I found some pics in the camera that were too cute to pass up.

I took the girls to a Spooky Halloween Day at Manhattan Village Mall. They had arts and crafts, a sing along, story time (read by the Gap ladies), and face painting. I saw the line for the face painting and quickly walked by (maybe the girls didn't see what all the hype was about). They kept seeing kids with their faces painted and commenting on them. I finally gave in on one condition, one little mishap in line and we leave. They worked very hard and made it to the front of the line. When we got there Sue took one look at the guy and said.....no thanks. I eyeballed Malyn (praying she would get her face painted so the wait was worth our time). She totally pulled through and loved every minute of it. When her face was done Mattie Sue thought Malyn looked beautiful so she said she thought she could have hers painted but only a little bit.
Two kids is worth it! Dontchathink?

This picture is for Nama .T! These are the tea spoons you got me years ago and the magnetic ballerinas you got Sue. Here she is dressing the spoons!
Our friend Kristen came into town to play for Halloween. She brought the girls goody bags! There were lots of fun little treats and some tongue tattoos.
I love to watch kids trick or treat. I think it is the cutest thing ever. I love seeing what the little kids dress up as! It shows their little personalities in such a darling way. Her are my Ariels. Its so funny to me that they are both Ariel. It just shows how obsessed with each other they are. Thanks come playing with us Kristen!
We made our Rules chart the other day. I had Sue write it out hoping it would mean more. I framed it because I thought it was the cutest thing on the planet.
Rules
1. Hit and Sit
2. Respect
3. Be kind

Signed Mattie Sue (and she drew a picture of her and Malyn with hearts on their heads).

Witch and 2 Ariels~

Ready for school!!

A little Bono for ya!