Christmas Eve and Day

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Oh what fun!

Also? 50+ pieces and that is only from 1 present.
Yaaaaaay.

Part of the Santa display. That Madee walked right past. Twice. And then was all, "Did Santa come? Where are the presents?


Madee playing with Eden's Santa gift. First time Eden got something Madee would want.

And the lessons in sharing begin.



Eden is trying to provide scale for Dad's new coffee travel mug.

It's GINORMOUS!

Gingerbread Houses

The concentration here kills me. I love how both of my kids tongues are usually sticking out of their mouths.

And how E is just pounding candy because "screw the freaking gingerbread man!"


WHUT?
Now for brief concentration from E, plus "I crush your head" from M.

Memories with Neener? Priceless.


Here is the entire village, including a smashed up bank (thanks E) because I turned my head for approximately 3 seconds.

Christmas Picture

I will still try and get this out to all our loved ones, but for some reason, every time I tried to print it, something got messed up.

But there's no reason why you can't enjoy it here, hunh?

Look at these faces.

I love them.

We have been all kinds of sick over here, so getting to Christmas pictures has been slow. Hopefully today will be a good day for cleaning up around here!

Happy week between Christmas and New Year's!

Christmas Eve

Lots of things are stirring around here. Like wacky toddlers running around with runny noses and their heads cut off.

Have I ever told you how Eden is an animal person? I don't even thinks she knows it, but she is. All the animals LOVE her, no matter how HARD she loves back.

She tends to put the "OW" in "meow", hunh, Mr. Kiggy?

Eden and her Grandpa Tom (PopPop) headed for some barbecue. Did you know PopPop used to have porkchop sideburns and a mustache and he smoked a pipe?

How very beatnik of him.

Also? He never had barbecue until like, 6 years ago.

I wonder what he ate?

Also, sometime recently the girls and I went to our first "Girls at Starbucks" date. Here is Madee stirring up her "chocolate HOT".

Eden likes hers, too.

My life is like this ALL THE TIME:

"Can't catch ME!!"

"BABEEZH BABEEZH BABEEZH!"



With alot of cuteness in between.

Merry Christmas Eve, everybody. See you sometime after Santa comes!

Christmas is Coming

Little people are very excited about elves and Santa visits in these parts.

Madee is hoping to get renters for her little tinkerbell teapot house this season.


Only nice fairies need apply.
Our teeny Christmas tree fills the house with merriment.


Sickness and business has kept me far from the blog, but we want to wish all our loved ones joy this holiday season.

Muchos besos from the Van Dervens!

Wordless Wednesday - My Girls

Holiday UPdate, yall

So, yah, about last week. ::side eye::
It was a weird week. Mostly because I was driving my best friend's mom to and from work, not sleeping with a teething Eden, and you have no idea the excitement, GRAMEE!

We have done so much shopping and bopping and driving and eating and seriously, the holiday merriment is only just beginning.

That said, I was much to discombobulated to do anything at all on the internets.

But look at the cuteness of my kids!
Double Retail Trouble



Pretty Little Lady

Oh, Madee you are just so smart. And such a lover. You LOVE your sister. You guys are finally having SO MUCH FUN together. You are making memories together. You guys do a whole lot of hilarious laughing.

You have also become such a darling little shopping/lunch/outing buddy as long as Eden isn't there to instigate some trouble.

You have become a little lady. You love to show off your room to new people. You want to start school SO BAD. You love to go garage sale-ing and often ask to go to Target to gaze at all the Tinkerbell toys.

I call you "Tink" all the time. You are delicious. You run really fast and you love to help me cook.


You are funny. And fun to be with.


You like to be held hard and close and you can snuggle better than anyone on the planet. You love your animals, and movies, and your Dad.

You are incredible.

And YOU, Eden. Well, YOU are a houligan. Whenever we are in public, though you just stay really quiet and stare at people and act all innocent. You love to say "NO." You don't like to hear it very often.

This is you saying "NO."

You have so much going on in your head, kiddo. You are smart beyond your words, and I know that is so frustrating.

I know because when you get frustrated you turn quite violent and thrash and head butt and punch. You are a fighter. You already kick Mad's butt and she will call time out out of fear of you and then start it all back up again and you always have some more whoop ass to hand out.

I am astounded at the things you know, and I know you feel pressure to just know and do everything your sister can do, but make sure you do your things in your own time.

You LOVE to sing, and dance, and you are very good at puzzles. You love play do and chalk and colors and all things artsy and crafty. You are a clown and you love to laugh real hard from your belly.

We love your room. You have a king bed and a TV with a DVD/VCR and the whole family loves to puppy pile on your bed and watch a movie together.

Then you pass out. And everybody sneaks out. It is the ultimate party room.

You KNOW things, kid. And I can't wait until you can share them with me. When we have special just you and me time? We are besties. i love to hold you. Your kisses are sweet like hot chocolate and they warm my whole soul.


You guys are so lucky to have each other. I am glad you like each other so much and I am really proud that I get to point to the 2 of you when I am pointing out MY kids.

Not that it is ever much of a mystery to anyone else.

Since yall act JUST LIKE me.

(Good luck with that!)

How Do I REALLY Feel?

Last night I went to yoga.

I was not my first time, and it won't be my last, I am sure, but goodness let me tell you, I HATE it.

Case in point: Last night the yoga instructor begins with "Grab a partner."

WHUT? GRAB A PARTNER? I did NOT come here to make friends, much less touch a stranger.

::heebs::

But I am a good sport, and after everybody surrounding me is partnered up, I say, "I guess it is you and me" to the guy standing right next to me.

::shivers::

Have I mentioned I am not all that touchy feely? Like not even ina sensitive "feelings" way much less actual body contact.

Gross. Even if you are HOT. Gross.

Anyhoo.

We are then instructed to grab our partners fore arms and lean back into a seated position. Which I think is dumb, because all the time we do crap like that in yoga without the awkwardness of touching or acknowledging the existence of someone else.

I grab the guy's forearms and he lets me, but doesn't grab my forearms back.

Seriously? Dude, this was not MY IDEA. Just grab my STUPID FOREARMS and get this over with. I am answered with limp non grabbing hands. We both sit back on invisible chairs, only I am doing all the touching and holding and an awkward situation is made more awkward. And now he is laughing all awkwardly like he is in 3rd grade.

And then the instructor says, "Look at your partner in the eyes with as much love and (whatever other words she used)...." and she just trails off into the distance as my thoughts rush to the foreground.

THIS is just my life right now. Hanging on to the wet noodles that surround but don't really cooperate with me. Having no control. Hanging on anyway.

And OF COURSE the wet noodle thinks it is funny. I want to drop him on his preacher seated ass, but I don't.

I HATE yoga.

I spend the rest of the session wavering back and forth between 2 thoughts.

"I am a good mother." and "Gosh this lady sure has an evil smile. How can someone so tiny and bendy be so evil?"

Do I believe either of those things?

I don't even think that is the point.

I just keep holding on.

Wordless Wednesday - 18 Months