Tonight Christmas was officially welcomed to KC. Nothing says welcome to any holiday or season like fireworks set to Celine Dion and Company.
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So I say "Welcome back Christmas! We're glad you're here."
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But lest we allow Thanksgiving to be overlooked, here are some children filled with thankfulness...including C and J.

I pray your Thanksgiving is blessed with family, friend and fireworks if you're really lucky.

I so desperately want to create some homemade Christmas gifts. Perhaps one of these will fit the bill. Perhaps. And just perhaps one will be made tomorrow. Now which one will it be?
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1 \ 2 \ 3 \ 4 \ 5 \ 6 \ 7 \ 8
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Here's a hint...
{1} to compliment my pear cafe curtains
{2} for someone who might be lonely
{3} because they are awesome
{4} to spread Christmas chear
{5} for my nephew, I LOVE this one (the idea and the kid)
{6} just to see if I can
{7} for my girlies, not gonna lie
{8} who doesn't love a babooshka

photo from Homeschooling in the Rose Garden
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At just the right time in my hoe-hum children literature lull my friend Becky handed me this adorable book - A Hole is to Dig, A First Book of First Definitions. Might be my new favorite of all time. Maybe because its from the 1950s. Maybe because the pen-and-ink illustrations are precious. Or just maybe because it says things like, "Toes are to dance on." "Eyebrows are to go over your eyes." "A mountain is to go to the top." "The sun is to tell you when its everyday." Written just the way C talks.

x It seems like my sweet niece was just born (remember this?)
And now she's turning ONE!
See more great photos by B here.

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Grandma sent the girls home with Aunt Anna's old easel...much art shall be made between now and eighteen years from now I suspect. They painted a Christmas tree and a stable - can you tell we've been blaring the Christmas tunes around these parts?

Last night the girls, in their animal print pants, watched the planes fly in as we waited for the arrival of a good friend (6). Today we spent the day together, enjoying our guest and the fabulousness of a three-day-weekend. The fabulousness involved putting Carolyn's ever-longer hair in hot rollers (3) and the admiring the finished-curly product (5). Julia said she liked her hair just the way it was and, anyway, its more fun to pinch Mommy's neck than get beautified (2). The evening was wrapped up with a trip to the mall which included the ever-popular bell ringer attraction (4) and escalator ride (1) which is only fun going up, as C and J get rather frightened going back down. All-in-all a near-perfect November 20th I would say.

C is not the only one who can sing...now CLAP

Christmas Card Photos are some of my favorites.

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I remember each of these moments distinctly...

laying our sleeping infant in a Christmas stocking ever-so-carefully...

hanging a red blanket in the kitchen and plopping our angel in front...

walking through the Plaza with a little golden haired princess...

watching the girls hug and play on the front porch of our new house...

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Today the idea came to me for this year's photo.

Its going to be a doozy

if I can convince a certain handsome photographer I know

to help me achieve it.

Attending a First Birthday Party is on Sunday's list of things to-do...
here are some ideas of what to get the little:

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1. Board Books. Little hands can easily turn these pages, and the simple rhyme of Mem Fox's Time for Bed, or the quiet routine of Goodnight Moon are favorites at our house.

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2. Fridge DJ by Leapfrog. This magnetic 'radio' is a fantastic must-have for little ones, especially those who gravitate to the kitchen when mom is busy with dinner.

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3. P'Kolina Stacking Puzzle. This is a new toy that recently won an iParenting Media Award. The colors are fantastic and puzzles are great to start at a young age.

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4. Trumpette Mary Jane Tights. Babies are not exactly big fans of clunky shoes, especially as their little feet are learning to walk. These tights are fantastic to give the 'shoe' look without the difficulty of finding and keeping real shoes on.

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5. Rody Horse. This small rubber horse grabbed the girls' eyes as soon as we walked into Zoom a few months ago. It is flexible and soft enough that a new walker could bounce all over it and not get hurt. And as she grew, she could climb aboard and go for a fun ride.

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6. Bamboo Kids Utensils. For the eco-conscious baby (or mom I suppose) these utensils are safe and sustainable, designed to last.

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7. Your Birthday Book. An awesome keepsake book that documents every birthday from age 1 through 18. We have one for both C and J and I love them. Each year has a pocket to hold the birthday invite and other memorable pieces (school programs and report cards for instance), and each year has a page of interview questions for the child...watching their answers change and grow along with them, like "Who was the last person you kissed?" Hopefully the answer will be "Mommy!" for a very long time.

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8. Nicki Baby Green from Kathe Kruse. Julia has one of these little Kathe Kruse dolls, and if I was a little girl this is something I could totally latch on to. These are soft, cuddly and beautiful, what more do you need in a dolly?

up late, cuddling in bed, its all true.

Book Birthday Party (Part Two)...the guests
We have the most incredible family and friends!

(and if you can belive it, there were even a few we missed getting photos of...see Llama Llama Red Pajama and Sleeping Beauty here!)

By far the most incredible part of the evening was so many guests arriving in storybook character costumes (If you look closely in the Where's Waldo shots you'll see the Cat in the Hat even made the party!)! Brandon set up a photo shoot area to capture all the costume cuteness and that...will be...Part Two!

Birthday Party prep is at its peak at our house... my mother-in-law and sister-in-law joined in the over-the-top prep fun last night, and today we shall enjoy the fruits of our labor.

Lisa at the Red Thread is so creative, and the fact that she is experiencing the world from a whole different angle (read: Australia) her projects always bring unique touches that are not as common around these parts. Like these awesome Sweetie Beans that snuggle up perfectly in a little one's arms (honestly, they're perfect sized, check out her blog!) I can so see my little J cuddling one up as she tucks into bed.

Dinner: Californos in Westport...DELICIOUS

Conversation: Friends visiting from St. Louis...FANTASTIC

Rob Bell's Talk: Drops Like Stars...AMAZING