i should've been a great many things.

and staying updated on this blog is definitely one of those things as of late. so much has happened. sickness to the tenth power. ella's playschool christmas performance. christmas itself. brian's big 3-0. i should probably start from the beginning. and that beginning my friends shall be ella's playschool christmas performance. 

she belted out every song loud and proud. was the loudest shrieker (is that even a word?) in, we WISH you a merry christmas. knew her mark and did not deviate. cried when it was her turn to sit on santa's lap. and overall kicked serious christmas caroling butt. i was one proud momma. 

the jam.

there are several times throughout the day where i stop and reminisce on how great of a parent i am. like when ella calls me a butt. or when she is running around like a crazy person and doesn't listen. those times are the greatest of great. today was another such glorious moment in the glorious moment's of parenthood. while driving to costco and simultaneously singing christmas music at the top of our lungs, she stops and says quite matter of factly... 'mom can we listen to my song?' 'what song is your song,' i replied quite perplexed. 'you know, call me baby.' oh yes. that is my 4 year old daughter's song. how could i forget? 
so like any good, no great mother i turned it on and turned it up.
 '...ripped jeans skin was showin', hot night, wind was blowin', where you think you're goin' baby!' that is the jam. those are the times. just me and my girl. 

this weekend.

oh three day weekend where did you go? seriously, it went way too fast in my opinion. and the dread thought of upcoming parent conferences doesn't make me the happiest person this side of the mississippi that's for sure. ugh. actually double ugh. 
however, what is not double ugh is the amount of stuff i got accomplished the past three days. i went to church. got caught up on the 4 episodes of 90210 i had been neglecting. fought a cold. listened to captain whine. a lot.  oh--and did a little thing i like to call 'completely-overhaul-the-house,' which took me a cool 9 hours. a great many things i am, but one thing i am definitely not is a hoarder. i'm the antithesis of a hoarder. i'm a 'throw-something-away-if-i-can't-find-a-home-for-it' and if i need it later, then i'll just go buy it again. i was feeling overwhelmed with life, work, you name it...and boy, does a good 9 hour cleaning sesh make me feel a little lighter on my feet. (one thing i am is clothes sentimental! i got so upset cleaning out clothes they both couldn't fit in anymore! my littles are getting so big!) i digress. lastly, i crafted up a thankful turkey or two and finished the night off with....wait for it...mcdonalds and yogurt mill. college brianne made an appearance in all her glory. hurrah!

the difference a week makes.

this dude is 30 inches long, 21 pounds. waves buh-bye. found his tongue. and is starting to crawl on things. through things. under things. everything. 

the aftermath.

ella said she was sick of being a witch and made the executive decision to be a princess. captain was her dragon. ella cried. ella pouted. captain stared and took it all in. ella declared that she 'never wants to go to mommy's school again! the big kids are too scary.' i agreed. the face on ella in the last picture sums up the aftermath of our halloween.