birthday wishes

{picture from last years birthday party - november 2006}

happy sixth birthday taelyn...we can't wait to come to your special birthday party tomorrow...enjoy your day!

chutes & ladders & fridays

"Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don't wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it's at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored." Earl Nightingale
in this soon-to-be stressful time of the year, i am determined not to give into that mode this year...i think i'll print this quote and post it on my bathroom mirror as a daily reminder what a special gift everyday really is...colin is home again today...nothing like a couple board games to make him feel better...peace.

today

did not go according to plan and thats ok...colin was home sick with a nasty cough...christmas shopping was put on hold...and since i was horrified to find a huge spiderweb growing in my kitchen blinds i decided it was time to tackle the dreaded window cleaning project...4 windows/6 hours/5 screens/250 wood blinds all dusted & ready for santa...suddenly the sky is more blue, the sun is brighter and i am actually thinking about cleaning the family room windows tomorrow...maybe...

responsibility

so this morning the phone rang at 8am...

justin: hi mom
mom: hi justin
justin: i won the character of the month at school, can you come for the lunch ceremony today at 11:55?
mom: congratulations jdog, of course i'll be there, why didn't i get an invitation? and by the way, what was the trait for this month?
justin: sorry, i forgot to give you your invitation...this months trait was responsibility.

(sounds real responsible, huh? nice job justin! his teacher had many wonderful things to say why she chose justin for this award)

to-do list for today

• chat with santa about the boys
• lunch at school with justin today (he just called and asked me to come)
• grocery shopping/dry cleaners/bank
• order a couple more christmas presents online (free shipping sites!)
• think about that christmas card picture
• call nikki & thank her for apple martini cocktails last night
• call steve & thank him for picking up dinner at chilis (awesome chicken tortilla soup!)
• call mom
• laundry - those piles multiply while i sleep at night
• catch up on office work b4 new envelope arrives today
• help boys make a christmas chain to help them countdown till christmas
• make holiday 'word' magnets...still working on ideas for this...details to follow

peace in your wednesday to-do lists...

stocking stuffers for all

just a couple cute things to pass along today:

• check out this free video from itunes this week from john mayer - love the song. ( go to itunes - music video - john mayer - say. click on free video)
• get some instant snow here and a portable tree also. (love keri smiths blog & books)
• this great perpetual calendar to get organized for 2008 - never miss a birthday or anniversary again
• print a set of these labels and you'll never have to guess when you put it in the freezer - thanks martha
• check out this calendar for your favorite holiday movie and set up the dvr
• and if i have a couple extra minutes, i am going to whip up a batch of these for any leftover holiday pie

96 ways to get into the spirit...

{picture of colin from october 2007}

ali edwards blog shared these first 72 ways to get into the holiday spirit... i had a make some alternative suggestions due to the weather here + i added a couple of my own ways...enjoy

Build a snowman (real or styrofoam)
Take a sled ride (real snow or man made kind)
Make hot cocoa (add kahlua for the adults)
Take a moonlit walk in the snow (or on the sidewalk)
Have dinner by candlelight
Make a list of 100 things you are grateful for
Bake cookies and give them to a neighbor
Give someone a gift anonymously
Have a holiday sing-along
Donate gifts to a needy family
Take a ride to look at holiday lights and decorations
Make snow angels (grass angels?)
Make a popcorn string
Simmer mulling spices
Make orange pomander balls
Cut out paper snowflakes
Go cross-country skiing (rent them if you don’t own them)
Go ice skating (yes, texas has an indoor rink somewhere)
Take bird seed with you on a hike
Snowshoe on a sunny day (working on a substitution for this one...)
Go caroling in your neighborhood or at a local nursing home
Put evergreens and other seasonal greens around your house
Host a cookie exchange
Take an egg nog break
Host a wreath-making party
Watch the snow fall (real or snow globe)
Read O. Henry’s Gift of the Magi
Gaze at the winter stars
Host a holiday dance party
Write holiday cards to 5 friends you have lost touch with
Pray for peace
Share your favorite holiday memories with your kids
Spent 30 minutes in silent reflection on the meaning of the holiday season in your life
Call five people you love and tell them why you love them
Invite someone new to dinner
Learn to knit a scarf
Make homemade soup
Cuddle under a blanket
Enjoy a cup of tea with a friend
Donate mittens and other winter items to a shelter
Attend a holiday concert
Share the story of the best present you ever received
Learn to play a holiday or a soothing song on an instrument
Make resolutions for the New Year
Have a late night cookie and milk break
Make a pine cone wreath
Put out food for the squirrels
Learn how the holidays are celebrated in different cultures
Shovel your neighbor’s driveway (sweep your neighbors driveway)
Learn to say "I love you" in five languages
Make breakfast food for dinner and eat in your pajamas
Warm yourself by a roaring fire
Give experiences instead of material gifts
Take a ride in a horse-drawn carriage
Volunteer at a soup kitchen
Write down the 10 best memories from the past year
Commit to support a charity for an entire year
Send a recent photo of your family to distant relatives and friends
Enjoy a cup of hot cider
Practice one random act of kindness each day in December
Dress up for a special holiday dinner at your own house
Offer to help someone who needs it at the grocery store
Make your own potpourri
Take a long winter’s nap
Plant bulbs in pots for winter blooms
Invite friends to have a sleepover at your house during the holidays
Write your what you’re thankful for on strips of paper and form it into a gratitude garland
Make breakfast food for dinner
Build a snow fort
Paint your own wrapping paper or find ways to create recycle giftwrap
Memorize a poem to recite at the dinner table
Eat snow (or snow cones)

OK, now i'll add a couple more ideas....
Find a picture of yourself when you were a child on christmas morning
Burn your favorite holiday songs and have a neighborhood swap
Go see santa at the clubhouse on saturday afternoon - perfect for holiday card picture
Help your neighbors take DOWN their christmas lights after the season (no cutting allowed)
Make a fire even if its warm outside and roast marshmallows
Have an advent chain making party in november for the kids
Record your favorite holiday movies to enjoy after christmas
Buy extra ornament hangers to share with your neighbors
Set up a wrapping center somewhere in your house
Have the kids decorate shipping boxes with stamp art
Put santa hats on the kids stuffed animals
Let the kids decorate their room
Start a holiday journal this year
Create your own holiday binder - rip out ideas/articles/recipes that inspire you
Make reindeer 'food' now & leave near the front door for the big night
Cut one commitment out of your holiday schedule = less stress
Watch its a wonderful life...try talking the kids into watching too
Use a candy cane to stir your hot cocoa
Hang some mistletoe (real or fake)
Form an assembly line when it is time for christmas cards
Take pictures before christmas of the little everyday preparations
Start an online photo album to share all holiday pictures
Mix together crushed candy canes & vanilla ice cream
Wear a santa hat in public, just once, this season

cyber monday

and i'm in full hibernation mode...steve is home sick...weather is still cool...office work piles are as tall as the holiday weekend laundry piles which are as tall as the piles of crumbs on the kitchen floor - can't decide which pile to hit first...and the internet keeps calling my name 'free shipping, free shipping, free shipping...' let ya know who won tomorrow...peace in all your cyber monday treats...

thanksgiving day

today we all gathered at nikki and greggs house to eat/drink/laugh and enjoy the holiday together...the 12 of us (hensons/smiths/sippels/ms. jessica) feasted on 25 pounds of perfectly cooked turkey with all the trimmings...shannon & nikki did laps around the kitchen while the guys watched football...the kids were angels (they must know santas watching!)...it was a great thanksgiving....nathan enjoyed singing to kelly clarkson & watching the cowboy cheerleaders...justin had three helpings of turkey & a huge slice of ms. nikkis pumpkin cheesecake + one slice for the trip home...colin was busy playing with noah & cooper...we are so thankful for a special day with special friends on the path...peace to all who will awake at 5am to hit the stores on black friday...double peace to all of you who will hit the outlet mall at midnight tonight...

super fun day

{today we have a special guest blogger..}
today, we made super bouncy super balls. it was very different to see how to make them. Colin made two different super balls. one was a light green with a glow-in-the-dark kind of green. he also made a red and blue one. Nathan made a green, red, & blue ball. Justin {that's me} made a half red & half blue. it Had to take an hour to make & probable a minute to demolish. i hope that we can have the next last for more then sixty seconds!

target wednesday

since the boys had off from school today, we decided to hit target for a little early christmas shopping...my goal was to get some ideas for them for christmas...their goal was to buy for their neighborhood kris kringle...2 hours later, we finished...both goals accomplished!! it was so fun to watch them pick out a special gift, they really had great & thoughtful ideas and target was enjoyable - stocked shelves & few customers - i'm sure this store will not look like this again till after the holidays...where did we go before target???

wednesday notes

ok...so i spend two hours this morning working on my printer problem...removing drivers/updating software/reading owners manuals/figuring out that there actually is a difference between windows & vista/visiting chat rooms {ALL which are foreign things/languages to me}...so justin walks by on his way outside & asks what i'm doing and i give him this nice long, complicated answer and you know what he said...why don't you just scan/save/import it into your laptop....hummmmmm, good idea....its not the total fix i was looking for but it solved my problem/got the printer off the kitchen island/allowed me to file away all those darn owner manuals....lesson learned - ask justin first, he truly knows more about computers than i do...reminds me of a quote steve and i used to use for justin - 'throw away the set of encyclopedias, son knows everything'

tuesdays blessings

colin was very busy last night coloring forever at the kitchen table...as he showed us the above picture he said "first comes this..." {nice turkey hand drawing} and then he flips the paper over and said "then comes this!" {nice cooked turkey on the table!}

how could you not just love that...love the funny things that colin thinks/draws/says...peace in all your thanksgiving preparations/travels/shopping...and an extra special path congrats to brandon who passed his test yesterday...we all gathered tonight to share in the excitement...heck, we'll use any excuse to party!

monday thanks...

love this list of creative ways to spend an hour...(better than watching the season finale of the bachelor...how do i get hooked into these series??...editted - he said NO to both!!!!!)

november thanks

• thankful for getting a flat tire on saturday (happened when steve was with us)
• thankful that firestone is open on sundays (flat tire replaced with no inconvenience)
• thankful for the boys new school classroom (all three boys love it & colin is excited to finally be in the 'big kids' portable)
• thankful for birthday parties at the main event (loved watching nathan interact with his friends from school + we had fun hanging out/playing/eating while nathan was at his party)
• thankful for thanksgiving week (mini 5 day vacation for the boys)
• thankful for thanksgiving dinner at the hensons (looking forward to fun, football and lots of laughs)
• thankful for the bachelor season finale this week (austin dude = bachelor)
• thankful for the miracle on 34th street this thurday on nbc (love that dvr thing)
• thankful for nikki blogging too

peace.

sunday thanks

go buffalo bills....sunday night football...watch out patriots - hannahs dressed to cheer!

saturday november thanks

today i am thankful for winning the mom vs. nathan sour skittle contest...i was able to keep a skittle intact for over 15 minutes in my mouth...it was a close one though...nathans constant laughing proved to be my advantage...contest was monitored closely by justin and judging was completed by steve...good thing i took that parenting 101 class to prepare me for all these exciting, wonderful life challenges....

tgif

thankful for great neighbors...fridays restaurant up the street...watching this dvd tonight with the boys...the weekend with no plans...all three boys surviving a week without game cube or nintendo ds or computer games (actually i survived the week!)..peace & thanksgiving to all.

friday catalogs that arrive in my mailbox

can't decide if i should buy steve this, this or this for christmas...haha...

thursday notes...

1. cell phone picture...yikes scary quality...
2. look what colin got at school today...he was allowed to pick out a toy from ms. blounts treasure chest for 'being good when no one else was except me & madison'...he is very proud of this guy so we made a big deal about it...
3. steve: 'what play did you see on your field trip?' nathan: 'elvis in wonderland'
4. mom: 'justin do you want to join after school choir?' justin: 'i'd better not mom, i need to be on the bus with colin in case something ever happened to him & nathan couldn't handle it.' mom: 'that was the most creative excuse i've ever heard.' (remember eddie haskle from leave it to beaver?...)

november thanks = add frosting

yesterdays muffins actually got better with some homemade frosting...try using whipping cream instead of milk!...delicious difference...i was able to get a couple things done on the dreaded to-do list + i picked up a boat load of mailing boxes for free at the post office + purchased holiday stamps...now i am ready to read oprahs magazine from cover to cover (she has some awesome ideas on her 'O' list this month like this) i think sarah found this first ! peppermint chocolate cupcakes are a gooooood thing...off to do some window shopping with nikki at the domain {i promise to only take one charge card steve} ...later

november thanks = homemade pumpkin muffins

made a quick batch of these today...it smells like november in here today even though its almost 90 outside and sunny...

mix: 2 eggs. 1/2 cup oil. 1 cup pumpkin. 1/2 cup water

add: 1 2/3 cup flour. 1 1/2 cup sugar. 1 teasp soda. 1/4 teasp powder. 1/2 teasp each cloves, nutmeg & cinnamon. add (optional) 1/2 cup walnuts/pecans/dates/raisins. today i added walnuts and raisins. bake 350 for 15-20 minutes for 24 muffins. enjoy.

[this recipe is from my high school classmate marys mom...been using it since 1982]

can you spell procrastinate?

right now i'm surfing the internet, now normally that is not a bad thing except i should be doing one and/or any of the following:

• office work (hello? the commission figures are due this friday)
• laundry (hello? the boys hamper is overflowing)
• baking pumpkin muffins (because its november & they just taste better in november)
• dry cleaners
• post office (finally mail that certified letter to honda)
• grocery store (someone got a sandwich with an inverted end piece)
• writing out those thanksgiving cards & mail them (lets see if i can get them out on time this year)
• close all the blinds in the house (that way i can't see all the dust on them!)
• something on the christmas list (anything)
• answering emails (i know i'm bad at this!)

ok...but look at these cute things i came across while i was avoiding my to-do list:

• this book
• and this to go with it
• and a sale going on over here (thanks for the email erin & steve ..i read my emails, just don't answer them)
• and this personalized jewelry

maybe a christmas gift for someone? me perhaps.....peace in your procrastination today

summer smiles

{photo taken by lisa sippel, july 2007, crescent beach}

found some great pictures at my kodak gallery online...totally forgot about this account and because i'm having a little printer/scanner problem this week, i had to get creative in finding pictures to post on the blog...when i found these pictures from my sil (sister-in-law) lisa, it was like finding a $20 bill in steves jean pocket before washing them...a priceless blessing! oliver, daniel & colin were just hanging out waiting for the official 'sippel grandkids sitting on the rowboat' picture...we are so blessed that we have all been able to gather in canada for at least one or two overlapping days each summer to take this photo with bob & faith...

{photo taken by lisa, crescent beach, canada, july 2007}
peace in finding a hidden treasure today...

november thanks...

{picture from aunt laurens cell phone, october 26th...check out the hats!}
for three boys who love school & enjoy doing their homework (honestly!) a simple, great blessing for today....peace.

monday visitor

{picture from july 2007 at crescent beach, canada - jim with our niece jayne, photo taken by lisa sippel}
guess who stopped in for a quick visit tonight? uncle jim - he has a meeting in houston this week & come down to texas a day early to play golf & have dinner with us...unfortunately he missed his early flight and had to skip a round of golf with steve but he arrived safe & sound at 7pm and we headed off to the daily grill for dinner and drinks...delicious seared rare ahi tuna & orange blood martini (highly recommended by sarah - thanks girl, you know your cocktails) started off our evening while we got caught up on the buffalo talk...thanks for the visit..next time, stay longer.

{matt. lisa. mahaney. oliver. charlotte & jayne - crescent beach, july 2007. photo taken by whoever was holding their camera!}

happy belated birthday matt !!

football saturday continues..

{picture is from crystal beach. canadian shore. july 2007. photo taken by julie}

even though its our first saturday without football, we'll still be watching the ut longhorns game, playing football in the street, maddon football on gamecube and watching friday nights light tonight (love that dvr thing)there will be a lot of football in the air...happy football saturday

november thanks..

one simple thanks today....for this...enjoy!

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• all 3 boys got a haircut today (yes, we let justin keep his hair long...zack looking)
• paper source holiday catalog (love those turkey place cards...)
• bought a christmas present today (1 down, 1 hundred to go)
• dominos pizza on fffn (friday family fun night)
• ok, they got the above order wrong 4 out of 8 were wrong...
• spy kids movie on the disney channel tonight
• making warm cinnamon rolls in the morning for the boys

november thanks...

love. peace. joy. strength. blue skies. health. family. smiles. coffee. contentment. simple things. little things. day to day routines. bus stops. homework. library cards. homemade cookies. friendships. internet access. photos.

cuter than the advent calendar...

hannah is almost 8 weeks old - is she not the cutest baby EVER? happy friday...

november thanks...

• mom had a great report from her doctor yesterday.
• made my first batch of these today...its officially holiday time now around here...nothing like christmas cookies to put one into the holiday mood...too early for stress yet...sending the whole batch to dell tomorrow minus the 4 cookies we (justin/nathan/colin and i ate today)
• the container store holiday catalog in my mailbox
• playing a family game of texas hold'em poker tonight (nate won!)
• great report cards came home today (i peeked online earlier today - just wanted to prepare myself!)
• packing the halloween stuff away today

too cute

how can you not love this idea? ali + martha = this advent calendar...how fun would this be to create & fill with great little treasures...stickers/plastic toys/candy/money...ok, now i'm back to reality...you can buy a cute one here or here or here or here ....peace in your calendar today.

do not attempt this at home

lesson #1 learned today: read all labels on blankets before washing/drying them (especially a mohair, wool blanket!).
lesson #2 learned today: do not pull a mohair blanket out of the dryer and shake just after you have taken a shower & put moisturizer on your legs.
lesson #3 learned today: dyson is an awesome vacuum cleaner and works great on mohair/walls/legs/clothes.
lesson #4 learned today: never wash/dry tan bathroom carpets after washing a dark blue #1.

ha. ha.

top 10 for today...

{picture is from december 2005...yes, steve flew home from texas just to cut down our christmas tree and in honor of a couple snow flakes in buffalo yesterday, i had to post this picture...}

with the holidays just around the corner, just wanted to share a couple ideas:

1. 25 ways to get a jump start from real simple has some really good ideas.


2. stock up on a couple of these bars for some soybean energy that tastes great. seasonal flavor...iced gingerbread!


3. many ideas and links for those holidays cards here...i will NOT be taking the picture on december 15th this year (as in years past). order your stamps and return address labels now.


4. check out this holiday catalog for great ideas for the book lover/music lover/movie lover on your list. take advantage of the shipping & gift wrapping too.


5. heres a cute idea to make if your feeling crafty. tie a gift card on top and the perfect gift for all those teachers on your list.


6. for some really different ideas for the gift-challenging people on your list.


7. for those out-of-town gifts...check out at these free shipping gifts from william sonoma.


8. cute stocking stuffers here and stop by for free gift wrapping lessons on the weekends if you are in the area and stock up on these for the perfect presentation as long as your there.


9. great homemade recipes


10. burn some holiday music for yourself, a hostess or as a holiday card on these...decorate with these...wrap in this for a personal gift.


11. if this list starts to overwhelm you, kick back and try one of these to put you into the holiday spirit....after all, there are 47 more days to get ready!

peace.

november thanks

with my little november thanks daily blog, i wanted to get the boys involved also...i had many different ideas but finally decided on keeping it real and simple and easy enough for the boys so hence....the thankful jar...each day we grab a leaf, jot down a word or two on what we are thankful for and drop it in the jar...i can't wait till thanksgiving to read each leaf...(i bought the leaves at hobby lobby on a garland swag for 3.00 and just cut each leaf off)...the boys are excited about it today, i'll let you know how it goes over tomorrow...heres to your thankful jar...today i am thankful for 3 boys who just love school & love to do their homework...today i am thankful for crayola making a box of 96 crayons...pure joy on colins face when he saw the new box today when he got home from school - watch out picasso...peace

november thanks...

today i am thankful for this and this and this...a cold front is heading our way for a day or two and i'm already for it...planning on driving the boys to the bus stop in the morning...might have to turn the seat warmers on...

picasso monday

do you remember the scene in toy story when mr. potato head rearranges his facial parts and says 'picasso'? well, cooper and i were hanging out together last week one morning watching the dvd & after that scene, cooper stands up, tilts his head to the side and says 'picasso'...now you just had to be there but it was the absolute cutest thing...to view the world thru a childs eyes is a precious gift and a priceless reminder...enjoy each moment..."life is all about enjoying the joy of the journey"...enjoy each picasso today...peace

weekend recap

bats on congress street/fridays for dinner downtown with butch & bonnie/poker game with the gang/flag football playoffs/tanners 5th birthday party at chuckie cheeses/ut football game on tv...longhorns won after a miracle 4th quarter/post season jets team football party at coach jeffs house complete with this movie at night on the garage door/sunday church/golf/the bee movie at the movies/library/grocery shopping/homework...can't believe we fit that all in...

november thanks...

today i am thankful for cheeseburgers on the grill/sippel stories/sunday night dinners together as a family/making life long memories/keeping traditions alive/sunday morning church & sunday school/spending time with the boys going to see this/having spontaneous neighbors who drop everything to join us at the theater/a library card & boys who enjoy searching for the perfect next book to read/picking up a roll of developed pictures at the grocery store/warm sunny november days/not forgetting daylight savings & changing all the clocks throughout the house....

football season ends...

our fall season of flag football is over...lots of running, lots of trophies and lots of dirty socks! all three boys had a fun season and are already talking about the spring season!

happy birthday deb

today is my sister-in-law debbies birthday but its just as easy to say my sister debbie...together we have solved the worlds problems, spent hundreds of dollars on phone bills and books and scrapbook goodies, scrapbooked all hours of the day and night, shared the joys of pregnancy together, finished a cocktail or two together-or bottle of wine or two, downed hundreds of cups of tim hortons together, spent endless hours chatting on the canadian shore while the kids were swimming, shared a draft or two in a pub in ireland, shared countless sippel stories together...i could go on and on and even though the miles separate us, we are as close as always! happy birthday deb - heres to another great year in this crazy, wonderful thing called life!!

november thanks...today i am thankful for this crazy, wonderful thing called life....

friday laughs with george bush

this one is pretty funny...steve wanted to contribute a little laugh for today...

http://www.stupidvideos.us/video.aspx/IDp~1572/George%20W.%20Bush%20imitation/Funny%20videos/

happy weekend....

november thanks...

today i am thankful for a wonderful husband/beautiful city/great neighbors/whole foods grocery store...spent the day exploring and showing off this city to butch & bonnie and then went back downtown at dusk to watch the bats under the congress street bridge(too bad the bats didn't fly out tonight!)

november thanks...

today i am thankful for fall/thanksgiving/holiday season approaching/family vistors...we had a full house for dinner tonite - butch & bonnie from buffalo and scott,nicole & parker from oregon all gathered in austin for a friends wedding...it was so fun to catch up with everyone...looking forward to showing them the austin sites tomorrow...peace