12.13.2010

hohoho.

couldn't resist this at anthropologie last week.

semi-handmade gift tags.

stamped onto red return address sticker labels.

perfect.

simple.

12.12.2010

recent reads.

recent quotes.

"and loneliness. i should say something of loneliness. the panic, the sweeping hysteria that comes not when you are without others, but when you are without yourself, adrift. i should describe the filthy province of mind, the blighted district inside, the place so crowded you cannot raise the lids of your eyes. your shoulders are drawn and your head has fallen and your chest is bruised by the constant assault of your heart. (p. 37)"

- hilary thayer hamann (anthropology of an american girl)

intense read.

600 plus pages.

not for everyone.

beautifully written.

rereleased after 7 years.

teenage memories.

a modern jane eyre story.



12.11.2010

saturday afternoon.

hanging in waco.

watching stony point.

with 20,000 of our closest friends.

great game.

filled with a north wind & cold hot chocolate.

filled with family time & blanket sharing.

filled with sunny skies & nighttime lights.

filled with boxed popcorn & cowboy boots.

we are one step closer to high school boys everyday!



12.10.2010

another exciting night at basketball last night.

we won with seconds to spare.

quiet night here.

justins in a basketball tournament.

the rest of us watched home alone.

wrapped some presents.

hohoho.

2 weeks till christmas.

12.9.2010

thursday in photos.

welcome rosie & snowflake!

thank you ms. bush for seeking out a

good family for your pets.

thank you nathan for making this

a family decision.

we now have 2 new members of the sippel family!

updates to follow.

12.8.2010

december daily.

todays word.

{snow}

leftover snow to be exact.

from the holiday party.

don't want to tell you how much snow costs

in texas.

{snapped these photos yesterday on the way home from school}

today was our annual holiday shopping day.
sarah took the day off from work and we did some
serious damage to our christmas gift list.
sarahs famous christmas cd was playing.
our lists where updated.
we started at starbucks.
ended at target.
in between we hit apple, anthropologie, bath & body works,
container store, zgallerie & old navy.
sunny and 60 today.
last year it was gray and rainy.
i think i spent more when its sunny!
-
traditions continued today.
early release for all 3 boys.
we decided to get some "brotherly" shopping done.
i sat in the front of target in the starbucks cafe
with the victim while the other two went in
search of the perfect gift.
love to watch them pay for and hide the perfect gift
in a double wrapped target bag.
love to watch the grin on their faces as they
sit down and throw out bad clues.
love to watch them all walk out with a bag
hidden behind their back.
love to watch justin actually take his gift
to the car to hide it.
love to watch them think of creative gifts with
a combined ten dollar limit.
love to watch.
love to sit.
love traditions!

12.7.2010

december daily.

todays word.

{fed ex}

missed him yesterday.

nothing worse then coming home to a

signature required sticker on the front door!

wonder whats inside this 10 x 16 box?

promise not to open it till you come home!

12.6.2010

daily december.

today word.

{merry}

second official holiday post office run today.

handmade return address labels.

weekend updates.

justin went to waco for the stoney point game

on saturday.

steve rolled out of bed after midnight to pick him up

at school.

steves holiday party on friday night.

at don & janes house.

the view just gets better & bigger every year.

case handyman finished our projects.

adopted a family at church for the holidays.

thankful poster project continues.

holiday binder is bursting at the seams.

hohoho - its holiday time around here.



12.3.2010

daily december.

todays word.

{cookbook}

finished reading this novel today.

enjoyed it.

fiction. current events. love.

all rolled into one.

the title doesn't even come into play

until half way through the book.

12.2.2010

december daily.

todays word.

{teamwork}

colin came to the hospital this afternoon

to help me stuff 300 santa goodie bags.

nathan "won" 2 guinea pigs at school

for our family pet.

justins basketball game tonight.

teamwork always win.

the hopewell hornets lost in overtime.

the guinea pigs arrive next week.

heres to being on a team!

12.1.2010

december daily.

todays word.

{organize}

something about turning that calendar page.

time to get ready for the big day.

the shipping station is stocked.

the wrapping center is open for business.

stocked with scissors, ribbon & candy canes.

gift tags of all sizes & color.

tape in rolls & tape in pieces.

sharpies, jingle bells & cellophane bags.

now all i need is some presents to wrap!

11.30.2010

3 days. 2 nights. 1 ranch. 248 photos.

here are a couple that didn't make the christmas card.

11.29.2010

{friday night}

how is it that one match can start a forest fire,

but it takes a whole box of matches to start a campfire?

~christy whitehead



11.28.2010

welcome to the ranch.

enjoy the blue skies.

enjoy the landscape.

enjoy the fresh air.

enjoy the no cell phone reception.

11.27.2010

so many more things to be thankful for.

the arena. cowboy larry.

afternoon trail rides.

sunset mountain hikes.

blue skies. perfect weather.

fresh air. falling asleep super early.

early mornings in the barn.

the game room. ping pong.

cowboy food. hayrides. bonfires.

smores with chocolate frosting.

(maybe they don't know about hershey bars here.)

wild thing. midnight. blackie. popcorn.

peanuts. goliath.

getting back on the horse.

no cell phone reception.

11.25.2010

happy thanksgiving y'all.

so many things to be thankful for.

our thanksgiving dinner tonight.

at a dude ranch.

on a picnic table.

under a tree.

with the hudsons.

warm and sunny.

just waiting for the cowboys & indians to show up!

11.24.2010

happy thanksgiving eve.

we watched planes, trains & automobiles last night

in honor of this holiday.

cowboy boot shopping today.

snack shopping with sarah today.

football games in the street today.

no school for the boys today.

one invisalign appointment today.

this is today.

11.23.2010

hohoho.

bought 14 christmas presents today.

perfect day to shop.

last day of school for the boys.

blue skies & 80.

ordered a little something for steve.

hope he'll be surprised!

get yours here.

-

{updated total: 15 presents today.}

11.23.2010

daily december is almost here.

i'm actually ready.

i've downloaded & printed my pages here.

i've picked out a couple extras here.

i've bookmarked some circles here.

i'm not sure if i'll be able to complete it,

but i'm excited to try!