Our Christmas Tree...

Christmas tree lights...

are a laughing matter. Jack was so very excited to decorate the tree last night. After 11 years of marriage, I thought we deserved some new glass balls for the tree. We had, up until this year, decorated the tree every year with the same glass balls I bought our first year of marriage. So...off to Target we went. We came home happy and ready to make the tree pretty. Kyle and Jack started with the lights, and that is when it happened. The first strand was good, then the second strand had some lights out (but we could make due), but the third strand was almost completely out. Changing light bulbs did not help. It is in my opinion that the tree we had a couple of years ago left so much sap that it did something to ruin the lights. We could not make the tree pretty. Jack was very disappointed and was not listening to our perfectly good promise of decorating it tonight. Molly was sick and did not care if we decorated it! I am hear to blog tonight to say that Kyle was the hero and bought new lights. He arrived home from work and we immediately went to work. Kyle hung the lights, and the kids and I hung the ornaments. The tree is beautiful. I will try and get a picture posted soon.

A Christmas tree hunting...

we will go! It was a great place, and lots of fun had by all. Best of all, we got a great tree!!

A car ride for Thanksgiving...

We took a road trip to Portland for Thanksgiving to see Jason, Caroline, Rynn, and Eleanor. Caroline's dad, Bix, was coming from Montana as well. It was a great day with great food, a little rain, lots of laughter from the kids, and a good time with family. There was also the grand excitement of a new dog - the Little's adopted Jake! He was great fun - really mellow - and enjoyed getting some love all day long. Thank you Jason and Caroline for hosting a wonderful day. We loved being with you all!

Fancy Nancy...

Molly was given these new ballet slippers and leg warmers as a birthday gift this past week. She immediately put them on and has not stopped playing with them since. They are the cutest thing. I was a bit surprised that she liked the leg warmers, but wears them all the time. I thought she looked precious in them!

Just a reminder...

Three years ago Kyle and I were blessed with the birth of our daughter, Molly Clark Parker. Kyle and I have loved the name Molly since way before we had kids. Clark is a family name from my mother's side of the family.

A little while ago, Kyle started to call Molly "bear" as a nickname. Kyle is all about the nickname, and always has been. She immediate liked it, and it has stuck. We call her that because she can be sweet and cuddly like a teddy bear, or she can be grumpy and wild like a grizzly bear. She has a lot of personality to show us - one might even venture to say it is a bit of drama!

The other day I was dropping her off at the playcare at the YMCA while I was going to work out. They like the cups and snacks to be labeled. Molly noticed that hers were not labeled, so she asked me to do this. She then proceeded to tell me to write on her snack bag - Molly Parker Bear! I laughed, and did just as she asked. She has referred to herself several times this way when asked what her name is. We think it is great!

Three little monkeys...

...sitting at a train station trying to get a picture!