Hey everyone,

I am still learning all kinds of cool things with this blog, but you could choose to be a Follower of my blog.  (See where it says Be the First to Follow This Blog.) It let's me know who's reading it and who enjoys it.

I am busy getting ready to start a new blog soon, more of a creative edge.  I'll let you know when I do that, just in case you needed something ELSE to do on the internet!!!!

A

Clara was a real trooper with the Santas considering we had to take her to the dr. on Friday and she has a double ear infection. It looks like she is fussing in the one picture, but she isn't, it's just a bad picture.  She just looked and looked, but that's all.  She just wants to be down and moving all of the time now, and manages to get along pretty well.  

It is an extremely soggy day here, about 43 but with so much humidity it really doesn't feel that cool.  Later today we will decorate the tree, and Greta might even help me make some cookies. She has done a great job of occupying herself the past two days for some long stretches -- which for Greta is anything more than 20 minutes when she doesn't require my immediate attention. She loves the paint with water books, and I have GOT to go find more because yesterday she spent about a half an hour painting us all pictures and finished the last 3 pictures in the book.  Today she was practicing writing the letter G.  She's starting to get it, but most of the time it is backwards.

Greta still doesn't quite understand the whole purpose of Christmas stockings yet....

We saw the Big Man in Red not once, but twice this weekend!  We went to a little toy shop here yesterday, and then did one on our mall excursion today.  Greta was thoroughly excited both times, and I'm glad because right now that is something tangible that I can add to the bribe list. Why is it that childhood is just one great big bribe/lie?  Or, maybe it isn't and so far just Greta's is, sorry dear.  Either way, it is what it is.  Greta tends to challenge everything, and while the doctor says "she'll eat when she's hungry", watching Greta eat NOTHING but a banana for 10 hours just doesn't sit easily, so bring in the Santa bribe.  It didn't necessarily work that well, but I could see her thinking about it...so maybe there's hope for a future bribe to eat something off of her plate, or to get dressed....

As I review the posts and see what the blog looks like from your perspective, I realize that I may be choosing really bad colors to write with!  My eyes are still trying to focus from the bright on black background.  Sorry for temporarily blinding everyone, I will play around and see what else looks neat.  

Happy Thanksgiving!  Today was a gorgeous, sunny day -- up to 60 degrees!  I know many of you think we're crazy, but both Chris and I would feel more like kicking off the holiday season if it was a little chillier!  It doesn't matter where we live, we both like the cold, and it's not just because we're down here!!!!  But, alas, another warm Thanksgiving, so...we put up the Christmas tree.  We have a beautiful artificial pre-lit, but our 'cozy' abode requires a major overhaul to fit it in somewhere, and we couldn't find the surge surpressor we used last year so we will do the official lighting tomorrow night.  Ornaments probably tomorrow too. 

I was so excited because Chris did not have to go to work at all today.  Usually he has to go in for a few hours in the morning, but he had the whole day off.  We had a nice family walk this morning, enjoyed donuts and muffins and watched the parade.  After that it was deviled eggs, celery with cream cheese, and crackers and cheese for lunch.  

I hope you all are wondering when I'm going to tell you how the dinner actually went!  I had little faith in my abilities to do anything even so simple as to put a turkey breast in a bag in the oven.  However, I am pleased to say that it was very good!  Clearly Jennie-O was able to develop something fool-proof.  we had stuffing, mashed potatoes, turkey, a pomegranate, veggies, and while the turkey and the pomegranate were the only two things not to come out of a box or other container, I must admit the dinner was divine.  I decided to really get fancy and throw down a tablecloth and cloth napkins!  While it still didn't really seem like Thanksgiving with just our tiny little family, it was enjoyable and, most importantly, it was all ours.  Greta said she was thankful for "toys and dad", George is thankful that he can still jump up on the couch, Putter is thankful that he can jump on the bed, Paisley is not thankful that I had to garbage tie the fireplace screen shut, Clara is not thankful that she is sick, and I was thinking all day how I was going to preface this blog by being thankful that Clara was only up once last night, but now I realize that is because she is sick.    So, again, I am thankful that Chris was able to be home all day with us, AND -- after tomorrow -- that he has the whole weekend off too.  "Chris, what are you thankful for?"  Chris is thankful for his family, which I am glad he can still say after a day at home with all of us.  Chris is also wondering how long I am going to make this post, and upon review of what I have written, I will end this now.  

The holidays are here, let's give a cheer, see you soon.

xoxoxo

Chris, Adrienne, Greta, Clara and pets

Yesterday afternoon we went out to pick up a Christmas present, we weren't gone that long at all, but upon returning walked into the nightmare that our precious canines left us with -- an overturned garbage can complete with soggy coffee grounds deposited throughout the living room. Now, that is bad enough but this is the 3rd time in probably a little over a month that this has occurred! Chris was angry beyond words, and as we were cleaning this up and planted Greta on the chair with instructions not to move -- no need to get more yucky coffee footprints everywhere -- she said "It's okay daddy, you're still my best friend." Ahhh, out of the mouths of babes. How could that not melt a heart...it was like a hundred tinkling bells just breathed out of her thoughts. Later on, as I was sweeping up yet MORE coffee grounds (and only one of us in the house drinks coffee, wet grounds just seem to multiply....) Greta said "Mommy, it looks like you need some help, so I will help you sweep. You work over there, and I'll work over here." Is this the same child who made life so miserable not a few days before by refusing to use a public restroom (those automatic toilets have scarred her for life) hence requiring a rush home after a very unpleasant "accident"? It's a good thing I'm working on this blog so I can go back and read the pleasant memories when I need one.... Fortunately today was garbage day so we were able to clean everything up, and thank goodness we have a wonderful carpet cleaner. Not only did it help get the coffee grounds cleaned up, but who knows what it might need to clean up the next few days...the repurcussions of greedy dogs.

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This is a picture from the end of the race, I don't know why they put them in this order on here, it's just how it turns out.... Read the blog from the bottom I suppose!

Today was the BIG day. Despite the bitter cold, Chris ran his half marathon and did a wonderful job. He finished in hour and 47 minutes. Not bad for just 6 weeks of training.

We hung around before the race started, then the girls and I went back and made some signs, along with a few friends. We went back and waited for their big finish. Unfortunately, I don't have the best finishing pictures of Chris, because I was trying to get Greta up front to see him and wave her sign! Way to go to all the runners! Despite the bitter cold, all finished earlier than anticipated -- and Sarah, Meaghan and new friend Fletcher broke the clock because it stopped as soon as they crossed the finish line at 2 hours 17 minutes! (Make sure you ask me for a copy of that picture!) Congratulations also to new friends -- and newly engaged couple -- Allie and Fletcher.

Good Luck Chris on tomorrow's Half Marathon! We'll cheer you off and meet you at the Finish Line! And then we'll rub your tired tootsies. We LOVE You!

Hey, don't be surprised if this shows up
on your Christmas card!

Clara was worn out afterwards, and enjoyed

snuggling down for a much-needed nap.

During the baptism, they allowed the children's chapel

kids to come in and sit so they could see what was going
on. A cute concept, except for the one in front who eventually
made a paper airplane out of his piece of paper and tried to fly it.

Clara wants to crawl sooooooo badly! I have known all along that, despite the fact that Clara is 100 times easier than Greta, that ease might possibly change at some point. You see, Greta was always quite content to just be where we put her. She wasn't a reacher or grabber, she enjoyed sitting and observing or whatever. Clara, on the other hand, wants to touch/grab/pull/take anything in her field of vision. The more it isn't hers, the more she wants it (of course). I haven't encouraged the whole crawling thing at all, but last night as she was laying on her tummy playing with her toys, I watched her feverishly reach for the leg of the computer chair -- an arms' length away from her well-extended reach -- and then I watched her pull her little body forward. She only did it once, but that one slug-move was enough to get her what she wanted. The chair leg. To chew on. Yum.

So, as I watch my last baby sprout her new chompers, and get ready to crawl, I watch my first baby eagerly sit surrounded with a pile of books reading to her squirmy little sister whom she proudly labels as her "best friend". I am happy to announce that Greta can read (besides her own name) Clara, Mommy and Daddy. She can count to ten in Spanish, and is able to say I love you in German ('liebe dich'). She is 3 going on 23 and loves nailpolish (which Chris often offers to do for her -- what about me????), "lipstick" (chapstick) and has her own purse stocked with money, lipstick, a "phone", and usually a paper and pen or pencil. I think it's fair to say Greta will be a lefty, so thank goodness I know how to teach handwriting to young children!

Chris is running in his first half-marathon tomorrow. I am so proud of him! This is definitely not something I would ever be interested in doing. He has only been training for a short time, but I know he has the determination and ability to do a good job. We will probably cheer him on either at the start or try and meet him at the finish. Usually the weather here this time of year would not be too bad for a long run, but it is bitterly cold right now. No, not just "North Carolina" cold, I mean cold by any standards, particularly for before Thanksgiving. We saw snow flurries this morning, though they were pretty pathetic. Greta noticed them and remarked how pretty the snow was. It is not even 40 right now, and is 32 with the wind -- which is viciously cold. Now, I am not complaining mind you. I might have two southern belles, but Chris and I remain true Yankees through and through, and hope there is at least some snow on the ground at Christmas to show the girls what some real fun is.

Clara is the proud owner of 2 shiny (bottom) teeth. They didn't seem to make her life too miserable on their way here, though there was about two weeks there when she was going through at least 5 bibs a day. She has a back molar that, while not due to make its apperance for another 5 or 6 months, looks like it is just going to tease her for a while, and that one does occasionally bother her, though being a baby of very little discontent, she braves on.

Greta enjoyed Halloween, trick or treating was fun but she had more fun passing out candy. As Greta is a complete control-freak-anal-retentive young lady, she decided that when passing out more than one piece of candy to the eager droolers at our doorstep, she would make them wait while she found two MATCHING pieces of candy. For instane, it couldn't be a red and a purple sucker, it had to be 2 of the same color. This on the tails of the "Booty-head" incident, where she was in trouble at school for (with her 2 other partners in crime) were calling people "booty-heads". When her teacher explained that it is not nice to call people that, Greta (et al) promptly alerted the teacher "well they ARE one". oooooookkkkkkkaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay. Thanks Greta. I was just informed yesterday, that now the Evil 3 as I think her teacher is about to name them, are telling picking and choosing their "best friends" in class, and making sure the other kids know if they are in that elite group or not.

I can't help but wonder what lays before me....OH- I forgot to mention how addicted to this blog I am. I am obsessed with thinking about what I can write next!

Well, here I am embarking on a whole new technological journey, also known as another way to avoid putting away laundry or cleaning up dog puke off the carpet. But hey, it's so much more important to stay connected...right? Sure.

We had a wonderful weekend visit from dad, aka Grampy, and are excited that we actually bought a frozen turkey (breast) in some sort of bag thing that we are going to attempt to cook for Thanksgiving. Look out Kraft Mac and Cheese, momma's gone Rachel Ray! I'll be sure to let you know how it turns out, though I won't be surprised if we have some freak accident and cook the darn bird parts for hours only to find them still inedible and end up with not delivery but DiGiorno. However, miracles do happen, and I'm going to hope for the best.

Seeing as I'm still up at least 3 times a night, it's about time for me to retire for the evening. I'm going to go take a look and see what this thing really looks like, and hopefully return to write again soon.

By the by, this picture is one from Clara's baptism this weekend. It was beautiful, and I will post more pictures soon.