literally

Not quite what I meant when I asked Lucy to "lay out" her clothes for school....I love the way kids think!

Let it snow!

 Sorry the pictures are a little mixed up...couldn't get them to cooperate today!

Lucy was loving all the snow!

It was up to Lucy's shoulders in some parts

This was the mound I shoveled right out of the garage

Kady was helping me shovel....to no avail.  They wanted me so bad at work, they sent someone to get me!



The drifts by our front door







Jim was proud of all his hard work....no snow plow or blower for us...WOW





I love the walls of snow surrounding our driveway.  The girls played on them forever today!





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The picture doesn't do it justice.  The snow was above the bumper of the cars.....sorry work, not even attempting  to get out of my garage.



My mom likes to tell me about the blizzard of '78...the year that I was born.  She shows us pictures of cars buried in the snow, and the walls of snow surrounding houses and driveways.  She tells me about plowing down B ave so they were ready if I came.  I love hearing those stories. 

My memories of the snowpalooza, blizzard 2011 will include having to work....deciding I couldn't get out, and having the hospital come bring me in.  The nurses that had to stay and sleep there, because they were not releasing anyone home, and thankfully that I was able to leave at the end of my shift.  I love to see my kids play in snow up to their waist.  Jim's shear joy in posing for pictures after all his hard work shoveling to clear our driveway...and everytime the snow plow has come now to clear the rest of our street.  

Bring it on...if it's going to be cold, and it's going to be winter...let it snow!

Lucy Jean

My little Lucy....such a girly girl.  You gotta love a girl that takes longer to get ready than you!  Still always a dress/skirt and tights.  She now gets herself completely dressed, including doing her hair (most days before I roll out of bed).  She is very interested in what she wears, and what I do.  She loves to shop and browse through clothes. 

She is so creative.  She loves to design things, create, decorate, paint, color....anything that she can dream up.  She is an amazing colorer, and her medium of choice is colored pencils.  She has extraordinary patience when it comes to staying in the lines, and she autographs every page.  I have never seen anyone go through coloring books like she does....and every page is used. 

such a happy girl

She shares a room with Kady and sleeps on the top (but loves to use Kady's bottom bunk for naptime).  She still naps...more than Kadence.  She is always the first one up at our house....and definitely a morning person

We always ask "Lucy, why do you ask so many questions?" and she answers "because I am inquisitive"  This is her IN a box of old barbie stuff at my parents house.  She checked out every last little treasure that my sister and I had stored in there.  She has a "treasure" drawer of her own in her dresser...if you ever think you lost something, look in there first.  She is very into organizing and cleaning....and is very good at it.  Must be a Koops gene. 

Beautiful girl inside and out (and don't ask about the washer she is sitting in, this is what happens when I go to work)

We are talking about kindergarten already.  I can't believe she will be old enough to go next fall! She is enjoying every day that she spends in preschool.  She has made some good friends, and even had a no mommy playdate with her friend Susan.  Lucy makes me laugh every day.  She loves to tell jokes (mostly about things being in her tummy...her audience of Kadence rolls when she starts these), teach things to her younger siblings, color, play with barbies, read, snuggle, and be my big helper.  Lucy has always been wise beyond her years....for example

• You can just call me high heel fashion girl
• You don't even look like my mom today (I was leaving for my work holiday party)
• Oh, I thought you said I needed a bra, (me) no you don't need a bra, (Lucy) Not yet!
• Maybe he's crying because of your outfit (as we were sitting at the table eating breakfast, and TJ wasn't happy in his highchair, I was wearing pajama pants and a tank top)

already?

 Sweet baby boy...4 months old today

loves the outdoors

daddy's photo shoot with our lil drooler

can't get enough of his fingers and hands

all smiles

he's just super chill, usually with his feet up on the table as well

bear hugs for mommy

yeah, that's from sleeping in his cushy papasan chair...it's like he nestles his head in to get comfy

always smiling, and always moving

trying on daddy's hat

jumps like it's going out of style

Love you buddy!  You bring all of us such joy and we are thankful everyday for you. 

Birdman

hmmm...were they naughty or nice?

cookies and milk for santa.  this is what Lucy was most excited about, and the next morning that Santa actually ate those cookies. 

Theodore's first Christmas

We had to wake Kadence up, not unusual.  Looks like she was on Santa's nice list

Lucy had counted all the presents and looked at all the tags before she woke Jim and I up that morning.  She informed me that Santa did not bring her the dog she wanted.  I told her that we didn't even up the gifts yet, and she said there wasn't a big enough rectangle to be the dog....good thing Grandma's are just as good as santa, knowing what kids want!

Back to it

Note to self, or to anyone else looking for random advice.  Please finish Christmas shopping and other random projects prior to returning to work from maternity leave.  It IS an enormous adjustment...for you, and the rest of the family.  Do NOT pick up extra hours because it sounds good for the paycheck in the first 2 weeks.  Snuggle every chance you get with your kids. 

I could actually keep writing forever.  I feel as sleep deprived as I did the first 2 weeks Theodore was home.  And sleep deprivation leads to a lot of babbling and carrying on from me. 

Needless to say I am cutting myself a break this year with Christmas pressures, outside obligations, and blogging.  Shopping still to do, most of my wrapping, and still some baking.  I am very excited to try and finish it all in the next 2 days....christmas music on full blast...I'm ready!  Merry Christmas to you all!