Just me and my gal

I found a few cute pictures of me and Anna on my phone. I am always the one taking the photos, and I feel like I just don't have that many of me with my kids. It may seem odd, but I get a little paranoid about it because I want them to know what I looked like when they were little. I can pretty much guarantee they won't remember!


So Anna baby, here are a few pictures of you playing around with your crazy mama. You are 2.5 months old and I am 35.

Polar Express Day

Today was Polar Express Day for kindergarten kids. William got to wear his pajamas to school and watched the Polar Express movie in the auditorium. For snacks, the kids ate holiday donuts and drank hot chocolate. William didn't care for hot chocolate (not a surprise) but thought it was SO fun to wear pjs to school and see a movie. The kids also did a few art projects and spent the afternoon playing instead of doing school work. It was a fun way to usher in winter break!

Always busy. Always imagining.

I got such a kick out of watching Adeline play dress up on Saturday. She spent a majority of the day dressed like this and took her fashion statement very seriously.

Unlike William at this age, Adeline loves to wear hats (for dress up only) and boots of any kind. I couldn't bribe William with a hundred airplanes to wear boots when he was little.

Adeline loves to put my shoes on and clomp around the house. She puts hair rubber bands around her wrist like bracelets, grabs a purse and takes off with her grocery cart. "Bye! See you Mama!" And she drives her cart into a world of imaginary play.

My two best girls. Sisters!

Adeline 20 months old and Anna 3 months old

It was nice growing up with someone like you - someone to lean on, someone to count on... someone to tell on! ~Author Unknown

A sister is a forever friend. ~Author Unknown

My dear Big Sis, you are the greatest there is,
And amazing in everyway.
I greatly admire and look up to you,
Each and every day.

 

 

And below, Adeline 17 months and Anna 1 day old.

 

 

We welcomed Grand Elf 2012

December always brings the long anticipated arrival of our family elf, Grand Elf.  William has been waiting all month for the jolly red fellow to appear and on Saturday, December 8th, Grand Elf returned to the Barron house.

Every year, Grand Elf shows up on a random morning in December.  He spends all night rummaging through our pantry in order to prepare a festive North Pole theme breakfast for the kids.  William loves this day and looks forward to it with such excitement.  This was the first year that Adeline was big enough to "get it" and Grand Elf was a real treat for her too.

 

 

Saturday morning the kids came downstairs and William's eyes popped open and his face shined ear to ear with a big ol' smile.  "MOM!  COME QUICK!  GRAND ELF is back and he brought us a North Pole breakfast!  Come fast!  You've got to see this!" 

I raced down the stairs and low and behold, Grand Elf had worked his magic.  He set the table for our annual North Pole breakfast complete with Santa and Roudolph waffles, reindeer food (cereal mix), North Pole snowballs (donuts) and jolly little Santa straw cups.  Grand Elf really knows how much we love traditions around here....his North Pole breakfast is certainly tops in my book!

 

 

 

 

  As always, Grand Elf graciously brought the kids a toy and their Christmas pajamas.  William received an activity book full of mazes and puzzles as well as a little pinball game.  Adeline got a pink recorder which she used as a stir stick before testing it for a tune!  And sweet Anna baby got a
Santa headband.




William was completely thrilled to know that Grand Elf had not forgotten the Barron family.  He proudly read the note that was warpped up in Grand Elf's arms. Our elf even brought along a new friend this year who William named Peppermint. 

Adeline loved Grand Elf and Peppermint too. Since they are here for the month of December, she happily totes the two around the house with her baby dolls.  William has caught Grand Elf up to speed on the Ipad and looks for him every morning. 

Welcome to our home Grand Elf!  We are thrilled to have you back safe and sound from the North Pole.  We cannot wait to see what kind of trouble you get into this year. 

Happy Hanukkah 2012

William's class celebrated Hanukkah on Friday, December 7th.  I was able to attend and watched the children spin dreidels, eat donuts and listen to the story of Hanukkah. 

Anna visits Santa

Since moving to Tulsa, I have met two friends who each have baby girls 2 weeks younger than Anna.  Amanda is my friend from middle school and she has lived in Tulsa the last 4 years.  Her baby girl is Maggie.  Through Amanda, I met Stephanie.  Stephanie happens to live around the corner from me and she also has a baby girl, Claire.  Claire and Maggie are 7 hours apart.  Anna is the oldest of the bunch as she was born 2 weeks before her friends.

The fun part about meeting babies Anna's age is that Maggie and Claire both have siblings at Holland Hall.  And, these three girls will be classmates.  So, we (the moms) think it is pretty special to have these memories when our kids are 2 months old.  Maybe these pictures will reappear in a Senior slideshow at graduation.

Last week, we got together for lunch in Utica Square and took the girls to see Santa.  We all laughed because this year is probably the easiest year to take a child to see Santa.  They don't have a clue what is going on and there is no reason to cry!  Each little lady was wide eyed!