Happy birthday, peanut!

Today you are 3. M, you are growing so fast, it is hard to keep up at times!
You amaze us with your intelligence. You seem to take everything in.
We love to see your creative side come out through your playtime and the drawings that are starting to form.
You also amaze us with your energy and determination! You have been on the go since the day you were born (look at that delivery time!) and you really don't show signs of slowing down!
You also have wit and humor. You can be so goofy and quite the entertainer.
You clearly idolize your bigger sister. You also try to act bigger than you are and do not like to be held back!
You are always thinking 10 steps ahead of us! Slow down, sweetie! First things first, remember? Be patient.
We do get frustrated with you many times over (comes from the stubbornness trait at this age) but we do love you all the same. And you have a knack of making those pickle times into sweet times with a smile or a goofy act or with a sweetness that does run through you.
You act all independent and confident and fearless but inside there is still that baby who (finally!) wants snuggles from Mama and Daddy-o.
We love you, peanut. God has truly blessed us with you! We look forward to the many years to come to see you grow and blossom!

Cookie making

Today we got into the holiday mood some as we baked cookies for a cookie exchange I'm doing with our church's mom's group on Tuesday.
My holiday favorite are peanut butter blossoms. Might not sound like a holiday cookie to some but I love them! I am a sucker for peanut butter and chocolate! YUM-O!!
I made over 10 dozen cookies. It sounds like a lot but I was surprised at how fast it went. The girls helped a little. M did not like rolling the cookie balls in the sugar. S helped with the first double batch. I was solo on the second double batch, but again, it went very fast.
All these tasty cookies! I can't wait to see what we get at the exchange on Tuesday! Now to figure out how to store them until Christmas!!

Photo gifts

I am so amazed! The 50 free SeeHere photo cards I ordered (and blogged about) on Wednesday showed up today!!
Also, one of two free calendars from VistaPrint arrived yesterday. (And I see they have more freebies and deals I might have to consider!)
Lastly, I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of two free photo books I created through Winn-Dixie. (See Freebies4Mom for details about this. It was posted on Nov. 6, I believe.)
Lots of great photo gifts to give this holiday season!
Maybe this week I might get a start on those Christmas cards!

Bell ringing

Earlier this week the girls and I (along with a friend and her three kids) rang bells for the Salvation Army's Red Kettle Campaign.
It was a fun time, especially when the boys came up with a bell dance to entertain the shoppers. We certainly got more donations with that dancing!
I enjoy this service. It is typically a lot of fun (although two hours can be long for the girls and they tend to lose interest toward the end). It is also a great life lesson for the girls. We talk about people who are in need, how the money we collect will be used and how we are helping just by giving a couple hours of our time.
That's it. A couple hours of time make a world of difference for someone in need. So if you haven't signed up yet or haven't tried it yet, I encourage you to. Call your local Salvation Army office now.

Amazing deal on FREE photo cards!

Visit Freebies 4 Mom, one of my favorite blogs, to get the skinny on getting 50 free 4x8 photo cards. Absolutely, completely FREE!!
This offer has been in the blogsphere for a while but I'm just now getting to it.
I ordered mine tonight with no problems at all. I kept the card pretty simple but I think it's beautiful. Once I was done, I entered my information and waited to enter my payment info, for shipping at least, right? But, nope, I did not pay a penny!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Freebies 4 Mom and SeeHere by Fujifilm for such a wonderful gift!!!
(Update: I deleted the info I posted earlier about a free photo ornaments. Apparently that was not an accurate deal. See the comment below.)
I have a confession: I tend to be somewhat a slacker when it comes to sending out Christmas cards. I have the best intentions (you should see the bag of Christmas cards I still have from previous years!) One year I wanted to send one of those photo cards where you slip your picture in. Another year, I was just going to do regular Christmas cards. But, more often that I should admit, not all the cards make it in the mail. I don't know what the hang-up is. Maybe it's addressing the envelopes, which seems daunting.
But this year, I vow that everyone on our list should be getting a card! (And if I don't get one to you, I apologize in advance!)
Again, check out this fabulous freebie! And if you are new to SeeHere, you can get 100 free prints!
Also, before you get started on your photo cards, read up on Freebies 4 Mom for some tips to make the process go smoother. (There were some technical issues, I guess, but it should all be cleared up.)
You have until Nov. 30 to get in on this freebie.
Enjoy!!

Me time!

I am so excited! For the next four weeks, not counting next week, I get 50 minutes of me time! The girls start PPS tomorrow! Three days a week for four weeks!
I am excited for them. S is participating for the third time while M will give it a go for the first time. I know they will have a lot of fun with their buddies, make new friends, and, of course, learn a lot. There are some exciting themes in store!
I am excited for me because this means time just for me! Whatever will I do? I could go shopping without the girls but I think I will be more inclined to enjoy the time at a local coffee shop and read. :) I cannot wait. I know the time will fly but I will treasure every minute. It will be just the refresher I need.

Unstock your shelves

This season finds many families in need. Food pantries, among many other charitable organizations, are noting record numbers of families and individuals seeking their help. So here is a call to unstock your shelves and restock those in need.
It's easy to do. Next time you are at the grocery store, grab an extra can of vegetables or box of pasta. Pick up an extra tube of toothpaste or shampoo. Lots of organizations can take your extras and get them to those in need. Homeless shelters can use personal care items; food pantries can use canned and boxed non-perishables. Organizations that care for domestic abuse victims (a number that is also growing due to this poor economy) and expectant mothers and their babies can use all sorts of baby and personal care items.
Couponing seems to be popular these days so next time you head to the store for double coupon days, keep these organizations in mind. Instead of stocking your shelves, think of how you can help families in need.
Yes, this time of year encourages a season of giving, but perhaps you can start a trend in your home that can be year-round. This need is not going away once the Christmas wrapping has been tossed away.

PJ's

If you come to our house some night, don't be surprised to see one, a couple or all of us in our pj's.
Pj's are warm and comfy. And they seem to be perfect for this time of year. More often than not, the girls are still in their jammies. They nap (or have quiet time) until about 4, by which time, it's getting dark. I'm usually busy with house stuff or making dinner or both so there's no harm in letting them stay in their jammies. By 5 it's pitch black, so again, what harm in letting them stay in their jammies.
Then C and I often join the party. PJ's are comfortable and a giant stress reliever, in my humble opinion. I feel so cozy in them. And they are warm and comfy on these cold, dark nights.
So, feel free to come on over, play a game with us, join the jammie party.

Nearly done!

My Christmas shopping for the girls is nearly done! Generally I am not an early shopper but I've just happened to find some things that were on sale (great deals!) that I didn't want to pass up.
For Christmas we give the girls three gifts each (representing the number of gifts Jesus Christ received from the Three Kings) and then a couple small stocking stuffers.
So for S, I think I am done. I think I need one more gift for M. (And, on top of that, I had also picked up a couple birthday gifts for her.)
Now to keep an eye out for gifts for C. Or maybe we'll just get one big gift for the both of us. :)

What is this world coming to??

I heard Christmas music on a local station over the weekend! Christmas music! Actually, I think it was even before the weekend!!! BEFORE Halloween! What is this world coming to?? Seriously! I know the economy is in the tank and the stores want to drum up as much business as possible but they need to let up. It's too much to have to have the stress of Christmas so early. Let us enjoy one holiday at a time for goodness sake!