Voila! My cupcake masterpiece is complete! I will say though that this is a wonderful idea if you are making SIX...not 60. Sheesh - I spent HOURS on these little guys! I had a great time with the girls though - which made it all worthwhile. It is rare anymore that I have really good moments with Bailey. I know it is normal - the teen years (sigh).....so I relish any and all good memories during these tumultuous years as she finds her way to adulthood. She's a good kid - don't get me wrong....I am just having a VERY hard time letting go - becoming less-important in her life (or at least outwardly so). I know this sounds selfish - but it is a very hard adjustment for me. For so long it was just she and I...and even though she still needs me - I know this to be true - it feels like she doesn't....and I'm having a hard time finding my place - knowing what my Mom role is supposed to look like right now. Ok - sheesh - must have needed a little talk-therapy there for a sec - cuz I truly just meant to post my awesome Santa cupcakes and that's it. Oops.

SNOW DAY!!!!!

Yea for snow days! Although the "storm" wasn't quite as awesome as super-dee-duper mega doppler-ologists predicted....it was sufficient for keeping us all home today. (It is before Noon...I'm still happy about this...check back around 3 to see if I'm still glad the house is full).

I stayed in my flannel PJs until at least 10 a.m., drank lots of coffee, played around on Facebook awhile and finally decided to shower. While getting dressed I heard loud noises outside. What could it be? A plow? Construction equipment? No! Not one, but TWO of our new neighbors clearing our driveway AND sidewalks! AWESOME!!! I (heart) this new neighborhood and my neighbors!

So I thought I would show my gratitude with some holiday baking. Lauren was all set to "help" me and I was quite excited too. HOWEVER...one potty "accident" and several disobedient moments later...I'm baking alone. (Hey - hurts me more than her, right?). Now...on to the recipes. Turns out I have no butter, no frosting, no white cake mix (for the super-cool Santa cupcakes I was going to try), no appropriately-colored cupcake liners....totally unprepared (per usual).

So I'm going to venture outside to find the nearest grocery-type store so I can try to get this thank you gesture accomplished today. Why do I think my luck isn't going to improve. Stay tuned for pics of my baking genius later today.

I know I've posted Bailey singing this song once before - but is it me...or does it keep getting better? (sorry....Mom pride). Here she is....at the ripe ole age of 13...singing her solo before the show choir concert (hence the sparkly dress). Also noteworthy - my Mom made Lauren a dress out of the same material because she was SOOOO jealous of Bailey's fancy dress. She wore it to the concert last night. So cute, right? Well...for about 15 minutes...and then NAUGHTY!!! I ended up giving her a tube of Mary Kay lip gloss since the pen/paper/snack/camera/etc. wasn't working to keep my little heathen quiet and in her seat for the rest of the concert. It shut her up for about 10-15 minutes....lip gloss on her cheeks, her eyebrows, her eyelids, eyelashes, nose, etc. I didn't care....she was quiet and not publicly disobedient for a few minutes. shwew. Ok - on to the video...then scroll down for pics of my sparkly dress girls.

I have "FOLLOWERS!" =-) Thanks, you TWO (you must be bored)...that's right...that's one more than a single person "following" me on here. ha! Does that mean I have a responsibility to write something intelligent? funny? entertaining? Probably - but I didn't gain two whoppin' "followers" by doing any of those things, so why start now, right?

Ok - now where was I....besides moving, unpacking, not blogging, blah, blah, blah. Oh, yes! Anniversary! Last week (12/4) Mark & I celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary. Four years - wow. Sometimes it feels like so much more (in a good, familiar way) and sometimes I can hardly believe how fast that time has gone! I remember a lot about our wedding day...maybe because it was one of the greatest days of my life and maybe also because I spent 9+ months living and breathing every intricate detail of the day's events. Mostly the former.

In case you weren't aware, the 4th wedding anniversary is the fruit/flower anniversary. The modern version is appliance. When I read that I was worried Mark would too....and he'd think, "Appliance? Well we've certainly got THAT more than covered this year, now don't we?" And of course he DID see that...and of course he DID think that...but being the awesome husband he is, he skipped ahead to the flower part anyway.

It was a busy week leading up to the anniversary - what - with the MOVE and all...and I almost forgot...so I knew for sure he almost (read: he did) forget. Ok...he didn't forget (whatever)...But the great thing about forgetting....making up for that fact is always a bonus. =-) I ordered a chocolate-covered fruit bouquet to be delivered to Mark at work. (photo note - he'd already eaten some of this...so it doesn't look as full as it did upon delivery)A little on the cheesy side....a lot on the totally over-priced, what a rip-off side....but hey...I got the fruit part in there...AND it was edible...win-win. I almost made a reservation for dinner for us...but thought I'd leave that one up to Mark.

So....after work, Mark arranged for my Mom to come watch the kids and off we went to dinner HERE. And waiting on our table for me...was THIS:

WOW! Talk about AWESOME! 5 red roses...one for each year of our marriage and one for the year ahead. LOTS of "Dude, you rock" looks from other men in the restaurant and several actual comments, including this one on our way out..."You're the MAN!" ha! I didn't mind the envious stares from the ladies in the restaurant either, I must say.

I honestly don't need a fancy dinner or even the flowers (but hey - LOVE that..just said I don't NEED it). I was just happy for time alone with my husband (NO KIDS!!! NO INTERRUPTIONS except someone asking me if I'd like more wine).....time to have an actual adult conversation and time to celebrate our marriage. I am sooooo blessed to be married to this man. I really need to show him that more throughout the year - and not just on our anniversary. He changed my life. I can't wait to celebrate many more years together.

We are all moved in to our new home! I promise I will take pictures soon...but I'd rather you come and visit us! If I show you on the blog - then you might not come.....

Anyway, we still have many, MANY more boxes to unpack, but we're in. We've successfully closed on the old house and have begun to settle in to our new address. We still feel like we're on vacation and might have to leave soon....or that the real owners will find us here and tell us to get out - ha. It is just such a dream - I take that back - I couldn't have even DREAMED of this house.

Lauren and Bailey are THRILLED with their new rooms and Grant is enjoying walking all over the place - exploring new cupboards to empty, new stairs to climb (and it seems he's even faster at it here). I'm figuring out all of our new appliances and working like a mad woman to get the garage organized enough so we can fit our vehicles inside it!

We enjoyed our first Thanksgiving in the new house (I have a picture - but it is on another camera - and I'm lazy - so I'll add it later - check back!). Despite my declaration that the kitchen would be closed during move-in week, I had a weak moment and bought a Turkey. The meal was simple - but the smell of turkey filled our home Thanksgiving day and we enjoyed a nice meal together in our formal dining room (who'd a-thunk?!)

Well - everyone but Lauren enjoyed the meal...she only ate a croissant and declared the rest "not her favorite." Ugh - that girl.

I skipped Black Friday - too tired. But I did try to get a nice picture of the kids for Christmas cards. They were dressed in browns and I had them sit in front of the fireplace under their stockings. But do you think....for one second I could get all 3 of them to look at the camera with their eyes OPEN and a decent expression on their face at the same time? 40+ pictures...and not ONE! And then Lauren started squirming and acting goofy and Grant started fussing because he wanted down....all the boy wants in life is down or up....and maybe food....that's it! Ugh - a do-over this weekend.

Saturday we ventured out to a tree farm to choose our first real Christmas tree. The weather was perfect - a little brisk - but great Christmas tree shopping weather. Lauren and Grant were surprised to see that Santa had made a special visit there. Lauren was VERY excited to see the jolly old soul, but Grant...not so much. Lauren told him that she'd be getting lots of toys....from HIM! (hate to break it to her about the "lots" part - ha). She said she wanted a guitar....just like Daddy. SWEET!

We settled on an 8-ft. Scotch Pine...and I LOVE IT! It is a beautiful tree...and you honestly have to touch it to know that it is real....it's that good! Pictures of it lit-up and decorated coming soon.

Sunday Mother Nature decided it was time for a dose of winter - and the snow fell. Before the wind picked up, Lauren & I played outside and built a snowman. Well, I built it while she wandered around in the snow, made snow angels and "shoveled."

Already we are making wonderful new memories in our new home. We are so thankful for this gift....and remember every day what a blessing it is.

All of this is dampered though by bad news in our family. We are praying for Nancy & Bill....because sometimes all you can do is pray. God knows what they are going through - and He knows exactly what they need. I'm praying He brings that to them quickly....and I'm praying they know how very much they are loved. I hate cancer.