Happy Birthday

We celebrated Big Sis' birthday today. The actual day of her birthday we went shopping for the party. As we were driving home Big Sis asked if her friends would be waiting for her at home. I had a tough time explaining to her that we were celebrating days later. She still has no concept of time/days.

We had a fun party with friends despite our colds. Check out the pics.

Blowing out the candles on the cake she helped decorate.

Yummy!

Happy to be with her BF eating cake, what could be better?

Opening gifts, this one happened to start some serious fights with her friends. She just wouldn't share. Now I know why its best not to open gifts at the party.

Lil Sis trying out the gift from her Tante. Now they have dress-up masks to play cat and dog!

Cat and Dog meet!

Lil Sis and friend waiting for cake.

I've been tagged...

I got this from a friend. If you feel up to it, you too are tagged....

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Wrapping paper

2. Real tree or Artificial?
Artificial, but I love the smell of a real tree.

3. When do you put up the tree?
After Thanksgiving

4. When do you take the tree down?
After new years, but we are living with my parents so July! :) (jk mom)

5. Do you like egg nog?
Yes

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
Barbie and NKOTB

7. Do you have a nativity scene?
Yes we have two.

8. Hardest person to buy for?
Dad

9. Easiest person to buy for?
Daughters

10. Mail or email Christmas cards
Mail

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
None

12. Favorite Christmas movie?
Don't have one.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
November

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
Yes (don't hate)

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Cookies/anything with chocolate

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree?
Clear

17. Favorite Christmas song?
Big Sis singing "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Both

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?

Yes, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blizten, Rudolph

20. Angel on the tree top or star?
Star

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
Christmas Eve (Austrian tradition)

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
Bah-humbugs

23. Favorite ornament theme or color?
Silver and Glass/Crystal

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?
Ham, mashed potatoes, rolls, anything my mom makes.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?
Books and PJs

26. Who is most likely to respond to this?
Not sure

27. Who is least likely to respond to this?
My DH

Shaving

Yesterday at the welcome home party for my brother, my sis-in-law noticed that part of Big Sis' eyebrow was missing. I immediately started laughing (I know bad bad mom). Then I asked her what happened. "Nothing mom, I didn't do nothing". I wandered up stairs to the bathroom to compose myself and try to find evidence. My brother's razor was lying out. So I figured that was what she must have done. I went back downstairs and she still wouldn't fess up, just continued to lie.

The truth it turns out is even worse. The other day DH found her with my razor. She was running it through her hair and hair was falling out. He confronted her and told her that she shouldn't play with mom's razor. I had cleaned the bathroom Friday and thrown my old razor in the garbage (once again bad mom), which is where apparently Big Sis had found it. She is so lucky that she didn't cut herself. When my mother remarked to her how lucky she was that she didn't get hurt, Big Sis replied "I know lucky girls are really careful".

Lessons learned, depose of razors properly, teach kids about their danger, and teach Big Sis about telling lies. (I still can't believe she full on lied to me)

Grüezi, Elder

By brother came home from his mission (Zürich, Switzerland) on Friday night. It is so fun to have him home. Here are some pics of the event.

Chicken Pox and the Toilet

Yesterday while getting Lil Sis ready for Church, DH noticed that she had some blisters on her shoulders and chest. Turns out she has chicken pox, even though she had the vacination. It is however, a super mellow case. Only 4 or 5 and they don't seem to be bothering her. We think we may have gotten it from my grandma. She had the shingles and we visited with her after they had scabbed over. Apparently they hadn't all scabbed over. So now Lil Sis is on house arrest.

Today as I was doing my business Lil Sis decided to take an interest. As soon as I was finished she declared that she wanted to poop. I set her up on her toilet and gave her some privacy. And.... she did it! We have a break through. Some good is going to come from this chicken pox.

Sassy Lil Sis

Tonight we went for a drive with Oma and Opa to look at the christmas lights in Chino, CA. Lil Sis was chatting non stop. She was repeating over and over again (about 10 times) to Big Sis, "I see bubbles,Big Sis". Translation, "I (want) to see bubbles, Big Sis".

After about the tenth time Oma said, "You want to see some bubbles, Lil Sis?"

Lil Sis: "I talking to Big Sis, okay!"

It was so sassy it was cute, way to tell Oma off! I normally don't encourage that kind of behavior, but everyone was rolling.

The lights weren't all up. We'll have to go again in a couple weeks. The girls were excited by what we did see. They'll have a blast when its all up.

Polar Express

Last night we watched the Polar Express as a family. I thought no one had seen it before. Big Sis kept exclaiming that she had seen the movie before at Oma and Opa's. I however don't remember ever watching it and neither had my dad. So I thought Big Sis was just telling a tale. "It's soooo amazing mom, and not scary at all"

At the end during the intense action scenes Big Sis would tell us how the part would end. And what do you know she was right every time. So weird, she must have seen the movie.

Lil Sis has been a challenge lately. She is so Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I love Mr. Hyde who cuddles and obeys. Dr. Jekyll oddly enough is only displayed when Big Sis is present. If Lil Sis is alone she is just angelic.

My assignment in the nursery (kids age 18 months to 3 yrs.) at church has been challenging. Two kiddos cry almost the whole time and one kiddo tries to escape every 5 seconds. I was literally running after him about 5 times yesterday. And we had 9 kids and only 2 leaders. Time to get some parents involved. My problem is that I really don't want to bug the parents. I don't know if thats because I don't want to feel like I've failed or that I remember waiting longingly for the day my kids went to nursery so that I could enjoy class and I don't want to take that away from these parents.

What to do?