J Cooper Photography

1.  A has been like a bottomless pit over the past few weeks…eating everything in sight.  This morning she woke up, threw on her favorite jeans, and came sauntering into my bathroom exclaiming, “geesh…you’d think someone could get me some new pants…this is getting painful!”  How is it that their clothes fit one week…and the next week they are busting the seams and high ridin’ to the likes of Eurkel?  We promptly headed to Old Navy for their $12 denim sale and now all is right in her little world once again.  Nothing like a new pair of blue jeans to set your world back in orbit

2.  I mentioned before Christmas that I ordered some quilts for the girls from THIS fantastic Etsy seller.  I had planned to whip them up myself.  Generally speaking…I have a very hard time purchasing things I *could* make myself (although there is NO way I could re-create the amazing free arm quilting on these beauties).  I had planned simple patchwork quilts.  But, alas…my sewing machine is still calling to me from the back of our storage closet.  So I caved and purchased FOUR quilts to go with the bunk beds that the girls’ “Baboo” handcrafted for their American Girls.  So this is a double whammy.  Go HERE to buy the adorable quilts.  And a BIG YIPPEEE to my Dad for his mad carpentry skillz…you rock Baboo!  The AG girls are lovin’ their new beds (the big girls love them too).

Doesn’t Kit looks comfy cozy??

I promised Jamie photos of the amazingly sweet quilts…so here you go girl!  THANKS AGAIN for taking time out of your busy schedule to help me make Christmas fun for my little girls!!

3.   Please tell me my kids aren’t the only children who spend countless hours crafting paper antlers and Scotch taping them to their brows.  Notice the jingle bells as well?  They may be weird…but they get points for creativity don’t they??

Kind of reminds me of this happy memory…any guess on the little artist in this photo?

My poor kids…they were destined to be strange.  Those are some seriously sad art skills I passed down to them!  (That is a pathetic “ho ho ho-ing” Santa suit I made out of paper in case you are scratching your chin here).

4.  We had dinner with some friends tonight.  The kind of friends you’ve known since Kindergarten and still can’t get enough of.  THANK YOU girls for your friendship over the years!!

5.  My kids squeaky clean in front of the Christmas tree…ready for the Cooper family Christmas celebration   I can’t believe I got them all sitting in the same spot smiling!

6.  The girls caught in a magical moment right after opening their brand new sleeping bags!!  We have a family tradition that we camp out in our family room, watch a new Christmas movie (Santa Buds this year), eat popcorn, drink hot chocolate, and snuggle up on Christmas Eve.  We had our family celebration before Christmas this year since we were traveling.  But the kids don’t know the difference.  It is so much fun to be creating special family memories while they are still little!

7. We had plans to travel to my sister’s BIG PINK PARTY HOUSE on Christmas Eve…but they were forecasting a BIG storm.  So we showed up TWO DAYS EARLY    And they didn’t even mind (or so they tell us).  My sister had 18 people snowed in at her house for FOUR DAYS.  Every year we try to get a photo of all of the grand kids together…and every year I think it gets worse!  But I’m gonna keep on trying!  The dynamics are constantly changing as they get older.  My girls idolize their youngest cousin…the girls in the middle idolize the older teens.  It is one big stair step of kids looking up to the next age group.  Yet the older ones still dote on the little ones…putting up with their shenanigans and letting them ride them like ponies.  AH…the memories!

8.  And when I say snowed in…I mean SNOWED in with the Interstates CLOSED for several days!  Of course it didn’t stop these little snow bunnies from having a good time

9.  I think I need a sugar detox program.  Anyone else feeling the effects of Christmas goodie overload?  Although I’m dreading the withdrawal.  And there are still a few cookies left.  Better wait until after the New Year don’t ya think??

10.  My sewing room is ALMOST done (I can’t wait to take you on a tour).  We might even squeak in this final project completion before the New Year!  Then I can get busy sewing and stocking my Etsy store….and hopefully raising the funds we need to bring our BABY HOME!!!