11/30/2011 ~ First Snow & First Christmas Cards

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This morning I woke to the first REAL snow in Aurora.  We've had a few short flurries but this time it was quite steady.  When I went to pick up the kids from school, I found the first two Christmas cards of the season in my mailbox.  What a wonderful day!

11/29/2011 ~ Santa Placemats

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If you know me well, you know that I really can't stand picking the kids up at school.  Don't get me wrong, I love when my children arrive home from school but all of the transition to get to the school and then all of the waiting combined with the social politics at the school yard are just not my cup of tea.  It was raining today though, so I got out of jail free as Patti brought the kids home for me.  It was nice to have the extra time to get the table all jazzed up with my childhood Santa placemats for their afternoon snack attack.  Time to break in that cookie jar!

These 4 Santa head placemats are from my childhood.  LOVE THEM SO MUCH.

How can you not love this thing.  Adorable Christmas goodness!

11/28/2011 ~ Decorating for Christmas

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I have been a little more organized than usual because I had a daycare tour for a potential new family.  Nothing inspires you to break out of your typical hoarding like walking strangers through your entire home.  Since we weren't participating in a playday Monday today, Griffin and I got cracking on the Christmas decorating.  He was one excited little helper and the toddlers were like kids in a candy shoppe!

My wreath appears to be missing a sparkling pear or a cluster of ornaments at the top.  They haven't surfaced for me to fix it yet.

The big snowman was my sibling snowman of my youth.  Naturally I had to get snowmen for each of my kids.

Mini nativity on the mantle

Tried a little garland swag on the mantle this year.

Griffin's Santa cut outs in the window

Cute little laundry line in the kitchen

Even Marco Polo gets some bling

Filled the toybox with Christmas toys for the good little girls and boys

With many toddlers around, we choose to hang our stockings up high

My sparkly tree

My glitter deer

A dash of Italiano

Snow globes

This old fella has been around for a very long time!

More decorations to come!

11/27/2011 ~ Studying for Spelling

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Everyone was gathered in Lil's room while she and Paul were going over her spelling words.  I took a minute to snap the moment.  This is typical Lamanna mayhem.  All kinds of different things going on in one very small space. 

Claire reads a book, Griffin plays with his light up toy from the Santa parade and Lil studies for spelling with Dad.

I thought the boys were going to buy a little light up bracelet and they came back with the child of a light sabre and disco ball!

11/26/2011 ~ Jangles Came to Town

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Everyone likes to wake up on a Saturday morning and discover that their Elf on the Shelf came to town!  Jangles arrived back in town thanks to a special little book that Griffin created to persuade him along.  To top it all off, we attended the Santa Under the Stars parade in Aurora tonight.  It was wonderful this year with more of a focus on Christmas and less of a focus on advertising business.  Here's hoping Jangles inspires some good behaviour!

11/25/2011 ~ The Cookie Jar

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Jordyn and Liam spent many years attending my childcare.  Years ago I received a blue cookie jar covered in snowflakes as a gift from them at Christmas.  Each year I pull it out when winter hits and so many fond memories of those two come flooding back.  Isn't it funny how something like a cookie jar can send you on a trip down memory lane?   Take time out to have cookies and milk with your kids because time flies and trust me, you want that cookies and milk kind of memory to stick around. 

11/24/2011 ~ Christmas Card 2011

60         I ordered our Christmas cards!  They haven't arrived yet.

Stationery card

View the entire collection of cards.

11/23/2011 ~ My first French Braid

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Lily got to talking about french braids this morning as we were the only ones up.  I pulled a book of hairstyles out of the cupboard and told her that I bought it back when she used to let me do her hair and had always hoped she would let me try some of the styles.  She told me that she wanted a french braid.  I got busy reading the instructions and tried my best on her bedhead.  I think it may have come out even better if I could have done it from a wet start, but Lily's hair is whispy like mine so we had some flyaways.  Not bad for a first try!

11/22/2011 ~ Too Cool for School

58  If you had the chance to read this post, then you'll appreciate the shirt in today's photo!

11/21/2011 ~ Playdate Monday Returns

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Griffin loves playdate Monday's.  We had his buddies over this morning for a couple of hours and the boys had a blast.  Claire and her crew really got into the train fun also!

11/20/2011 ~ 1st Mohawk Haircut and Hockey Game

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We won a facebook contest recently for a picture of Claire in her Yoda costume.  3rd place prize was a haircut.  Ironically, Claire hardly has any hair still at 2.5 years old so we hauled Griffin's bushy head over to Silly Scissors and he got his first Mohawk today.  He wanted it so badly!

Then we headed over to the arena where we met up with Zia, Zio, Nonna and the girls for Griffin and Paul's hockey game.  Griffin is the kid with the green laces on his skates and #17 on his Jersey.