Santa Face Cookies

Grandma Kathy has a Christmas tradition that started when she was a little girl, her Aunt Joene used to make "Santa Face Cookies" every year. When Mike was in kindergarden Kathy started her yearly "Santa Face Cookie" extravaganza. Last Saturday she started cutting cookies at 7:30. We got out the door at 9 and still arrived in time to help cut out the Santas. Mia is becoming quite the helper, she made the eyes, mouths, sprinkled the hats and put most of the coconut on the beards. I am so glad we can be a part of this tradition, I know it is something that Mia will remember forever.

Christmas Countdown

Only two weeks until Christmas Eve already. I thought I was doing good starting my Christmas shopping the day after Thanksgiving (not something I normally do). We put our tree up last weekend (last year I think we got a tree the weekend before Christmas) and even got it decorated. We decided to use Nickie's artificial tree this year, it fits in the little space we have perfectly. I didn't want to put the tree in the living room this year because I'm afraid Gabriel would try to climb it. One thing I wanted to find this year was a Christmas countdown something, I found one in a magazine that I wanted to make but guess what, NO TIME. But I did find one at Target on sale for $20 that I love.

A Letter

Last night when I went to bed I found this on my pillow.

"Hi mommy, gabey Baby Is screming
and me and Him
want to thank
You for every thing
yove done for us
Love you lots,

gabey Baby and
Mia Pia Pricess

XO XO XO XO XO XO"

First Birthday!

That's right, Gabriel will be ONE on Wednesday!

Today we had a Luau Birthday Party at Grandma Teresa's house to celebrate. I made the cake a "beach" with blue frosting for the ocean and graham crackers for the sand. Mia greeted everyone at the door with a lei and she also made a Hawaiian mixed CD from some songs on her iTunes (she is such a good helper). Gabriel got a lot of fun "big boy" toys and much needed new clothes. And he dug right into the cake!

Spaghetti

Thought I would share some pictures from dinner last Thursday.

Nine

Last Sunday Mia turned NINE! I still can't believe that I am the mother of a nine year old.

On Saturday we had a super fun "Backwards Party" at Grandma Chloe and Papa's house. The party "ended" at 1 and "started" at 4. When the guests arrived Mia greeted them with a "Goodbye I am glad you could come." The best part of the whole backwards theme, we got to eat cake FIRST. We forgot to take our camera to the party but I know there are pictures out there. I will ask around and post some later.

On Sunday we had a relaxing day at home with not much to do. (Hold on is this my birthday or Mia's?) She wanted to go to Red Lobster for dinner so she could get her favorite... crab legs. 

3 months old

Nine years old

Halloween Fun

I know this post has taken FOREVER for me to get to. Sorry for that but here it is.

This year Mia decided she didn't want to go "Trick-or-treating". I of course put up no argument and jumped at the chance to hit the high road and skip all the "in town" Halloween madness. So we decided to go have a quiet fun Halloween at Ron & Chloe's (Mia's dad's parents for those of you who might not know the Douglass family tree). She didn't miss out on candy entirely, she had no school on Halloween so we went to Grandma Kathy's school and Grandma Teresa's work and they both had treats for the kids.

Peter (Mia's dad), Mia, Gabe, Mike, and I went to Grandma and Papa's around 5. We had a LOT of fun cooking hot dogs on the fire. We also had a flashlight scavenger hunt, we had to find something for every letter of the alphabet (bonus points for halloween items). I made a super yummy brain to bring (made out of a watermelon). 

I didn't get many good pictures of the kids in there costumes. Mia was a princess and Gabriel was her knight in shining armor. But here is what I did get...