- Bed Bugs -

I really need to call an exterminator. Our home has an infestation. Of bed bugs. I woke up this morning, after Tom had left for work (of course, I was left home alone and helpless to face the creatures on my own...), and found myself surrounded! Erin was pressed against my left side as tight as could be. Brooke was smooshed against my right side, with her hand in my hair (she has a thing for hair, what can I say?) And Alix had made a nest in between my legs with her head on my lower stomach. Laying there, surrounded, I pondered how this could have happened. I was sure that I had gone to bed with only Tom as a companion. I was almost sure that I had been left alone in bed when he left for work at 4:55. So where had all these little bed bugs come from? As I closed my eyes and drifted back to sleep, I realized "Who cares?" I couldn't have been cozier or more surrounded by the people that I love. After all, they won't be little forever...

Scampering...

Have you ever noticed that your children don't walk anywhere? If they're happy, they run. If they're mad, they run. If they're bored, they run and run and run... Go to your room - run. Time to eat - run. But it's not really running. It's much cuter. I've decided it's "scampering" and I tried it yesterday. To start off, let me tell you that I am not a cute scamperer. I don't think it's possible once you are over 4 feet tall. I ran to make breakfast. I ran to wipe some little booties. I ran to get Sam. I ran. And ran. And ran. The girls loved it. I was the funniest thing they'd ever seen. You should have seen the looks we got running into the store. It was like a herd of elephants coming across the parking lot... Let me mention, that I run 8 miles at least twice a week. It doesn't matter. I was pooped! How do they do it? And my legs are a lot longer. The little people are taking three times as many steps. I'm still not sure what they see in scampering everywhere they go. Really, who wants to get to time-out faster? But they do. After a day of scampering, I'm exhausted. I'm sweaty. I'm a little embarrassed I scampered in public. I'm laughing. I'm a hero. Who knew that all it took was a day of scampering to make your people fall in love with you all over again?

Oh, and I know my picture has nothing to do with this post, but I love the older pictures of the girls.

Christmas Card Checklist...

Make Christmas cards - check

Make Christmas crossword - check

Take family Christmas pictures - check

Stick it all in envelopes - check

Address said envelopes - check

Mail Christmas cards -oops....

Don't worry folks, they'll get there by next Christmas for sure...

Christmas

The good... The bad... & The ugly...

The Good-
It was a white Christmas
I got a Cricut Expression!!
Tom was surprised by his gifts (for once...)
We read the story of Christ's birth by candle light
Many yummy goodies
The Bad-
Many yummy goodies- I ate them all...
Cancelled Christmas party due to snow
Cancelled Christmas program at church - due, of course ,to snow
Brooke noticed Santa's wrapping paper and mommy's were the same
The Ugly-
Who's children are those greedy little whiners?
Oh. Mine. Right.
And for good measure - I gained 5 pounds.
So proud. So proud.

At least they are cuties. Here they are looking so nice and sweet and inocent in their Christmas Eve pajamas. (I should probably know better than to post on my blog when I am severly frustrated by my children. I mean, Tom's children...)

Biggest Snoman in the World!

This is easily one of the funnest nights we have ever had as a family. We have all this fabulous snow and Tom and the girls started making a snowman. It got pretty big. I joined in and of course, things got carried away. Pretty soon our friends the Rosenlunds and the Clines came over (we needed A LOT more muscle power...) to help. It was wonderful. We used 2x2's to make a ramp and roll the middle section on. Surprisingly enough, no one was crushed or broken in the process. It took two guys on ladders to get the head on. It was so wonderful to be playing as a family and share it with some good friends as well. I sent pictures in to the local news stations, so I'm sure we'll be famous by morning...

The pictures are a little blurry because we didn't finish until late and it was really dark and the camera didn't focus too well.

Stuck...

What do Christmas cookies, icy roads, grandma, grandpa, Wes, movies, midnight, brides, grooms, fairies, hot chocolate, popcorn, diarrhea, and peace all have in common?

Why the Bishop family's day yesterday, of course! We started out making a snow bride, a snow groom and a snow fairy. Then Grandma Beth and Grandpa Albie came and got the girls a couple of hours of cookie making fun. Only it really started snowing. And snowing. And the girls never made it home. I hate to admit how my heart thrilled with secret joy. A whole night... No children... A quiet house... I almost cried with joy! The girls had a great time staying up until midnight, eating popcorn and hot chocolate and watching movies. Diarrhea, you ask? Well, that is the end result when Erin has too much cookie dough... Glad she was at Grandma's house...

Snow Day!!!

It snowed here in Puyallup! It does happen about once or twice a year. The whole 2 inches that fell canceled church, firesides and meetings alike. It was kind of nice... The girls love the snow and pray for it all winter. Here is some of the fun we've had...

Tom and Sam watching the girls play in the snow
Tom, Erin (purple coat) and Alix (snowsuit) jumping on the slippery trampoline. Snow is even better than shaving cream for slipping around...

Brooke throwing snow around.

The slide was also super speedy covered in snow...

"Mom, it's a perfect snow angel."

Erin

Erin, Alix, Mom and Brooke. In front of Tom's beautiful waterfall...

Alix collecting snow for the snow ice cream we make every time it snows. It's actually good and tastes just like real vanilla ice cream...

Snow in Erin's hair. ( I just like this picture, so you get to see it too...)

Brooke all rosy-cheeked and ready for hot cocoa!

(another) Quote of the day:
"Hey Tom, I got my hair trimmed today. Does it look different?"
Tom- "Sure."
"Really? How?"
Tom- "Washed..."

Note to self: Next time, DON'T ASK!

Quote of the Day:
"Girls, time to eat!"
Erin - "What's for dinner?"
"Hawaiian BBQ chicken."
Erin - "My choose to not be hungry!"

Huh. And it's not even mac-n-cheese...

Tom says I put the wrong picture up. He thinks this one is cuter. I love the funny look on her face in the other one. The choice is yours... Which one do you like best?