O Christmas Tree!

We made our annual trek to the Christmas tree "farm" (aka, Home Depot) - oh, the weekend after Thanksgiving (but with so much to blog about we are sure to fall behind!) Thought maybe we'd get the pictures up! This is probably our last year (for a while anyway) that we make our trek to the Christmas tree "farm" because Mommy and Daddy are going to probably bite it and *gasp!* buy a fake tree. We always buy our tree Thanksgiving weekend with the best intentions, Mommy usually forgets to water it enough (come to think of it) and really - a real tree is going to set you back about $40 bucks (every year) and this year we had to buy all new lights because all FOUR of our strands pooped out on us (cha-ching! cha-ching!) and you can get pretty darn nice looking fake trees with lights attached for about $70 bucks. So there, in a Christmas and a half it has paid for itself. Mommy loves real trees, though. She always had "faux" trees growing up and hated it. I guess she thought real trees were for rich people therefore when she was young she decided she'd be rich and buy a real tree every year when she grew up. Well, that first part we are still working on (I hear PowerBall is up in the double digit millions again?) but this year, with a little convincing from Daddy (the epitome of "budget conscious") she relented and agreed, it's time to go faux! Better to spend that hard earned cash on diapers, right?

I can't believe we are only 11 days away from the BIG DAY! Last night we went shopping for Miss Mary Lou and I picked out some tea for her. We dined at Jason's Deli (and then ran like hell out the door so the cleaning crew didn't chase us down for the mess Anna made) - (actually, that's a joke. Daddy literally cleaned it on his hands and knees. We just can't be "those people" who trash a restaurant and go. Mommy and Daddy HATE THAT! SO TACKY!!!!) We drove around the neighborhood and looked at lights and sang Christmas songs. The lights weren't that great (I guess its the economy?) Daddy said, "Come on people! This is the rich neighborhood! You've got money!" To which I said, "Come on dudes! You've got money!" You think I'm joking?

These days when we drive around we insist Mommy sit in the back seat with us ("we" being me and Anna). I say, "Mommy! Sit with your two babies!" And then Daddy drives us around like he's our driver. Ha ha. It's so great being a girl!

Get back to work, people! The clock's a tickin'!

Love,

Lilly and Anna

Santa, Anna!

Last week we went to the Bass Pro Shops, like we did last year to see Santa. Of course last year, Anna wasn't around yet. You probably all remember my Christmas card of me screaming on Santa's lap and clutching George for dear life. This year I would not go near the man. Poor Anna is immobile and incapable of (very loudly) expressing her feelings the way I do so PLOP! right on the old man's lap.

Looks friendly, doesn't he? Good news is, Mommy took us to the mall and forced me on Santa's lap there so we still got a picture for our Christmas cards. Be on the lookout for those. Mommy actually has half of them ready to go! Way to go, Mommy! Way to be on top of it!

After Bass Pro Shop Santa Mommy tried (in vain) to get us to take a cute picture by the tree in the store. Well, Anna is too little to balance, so Daddy had to hold her and I was much more interested in breaking the button off the sash on my dress. This is actually the BEST picture Mommy got of the both of us. I tell you, no future career in modeling for me.

Love,

Lilly and Anna

Grampa's of a Certain Age...

Grampa, we hope you are feeling better! Mommy finally got your pictures in the mail to you yesterday so we hope those will put a smile on your face like the one in this picture. There must have been something real funny going on when we took this because we are ALL smiling and that is unusual!
Mommy realized last night when she was writing Christmas cards that the Thank You card she wrote was still in the pile. That makes this the second time Mommy has forgot to put stuff in the envelope she sent you. Mommy is getting DUMB in her old age, there's just no other explanation. But the pictures are in there and that's what's really important!
So to make up for it Grampa and Grammy we wanted to THANK YOU for coming to stay with us a few weeks ago and babysitting us and for our presents. We love you lots!!!
Love,
Lilly and Anna

Happy Birthday, Papa!

Happy Birthday, Papa I love you thiiiiiiis much!! We can't wait to see you again in a few weeks. We are so glad to have you in our lives and we love you lots and lots!!
Love,
Lilly and Anna (and Mommy & Daddy, too!)

I Got You, Babe...

I got you, babe...

I got you, babe...

I got you, and you, babe...

I got you, Mully...

I got you, Papa...

I got YOU, BABE!

Love,

Lilly and Anna

What Exactly Do You Do, Mommy?

Doesn't this picture just make you want to smile? Wouldn't it be great if Mommy could figure out how to rotate it? Well she couldn't...nonetheless, still a cute one!
Sooo, funny thing happened yesterday. Mommy came to get us from Miss Mary Lou's. I told Mommy, "Mommy work today!" Mommy, "Yes, Lilly! Mommy worked today!" Then we had a lengthy conversation (Mommy will spare the details) about what Daddy does ("Daddy is a baby doctor!") and what other kids' parents do ("Liam's Mommy works at school!" etc.) Then Mommy said, "What does Mommy do?" I said, "Mommy works!"
"What does Mommy do?"
"Mommy eats cookies!" If only Mommy got paid to do that...
And so on...then it occurred to Mommy that it is pretty hard to articulate what she does when you are 2 years old. It's hard for even some of Mommy's friends and family to articulate what she does. So Mommy thought she would clarify.
Here is what Mommy does NOT do:
- Sell Yellowpage ads
- Sell wireless phones
- Work for the "phone company"
What Mommy DOES do, in a high-level nutshell is:
- Works primarily with government and state/local entities to sell IT hardware and services including but not limited to: phone systems (this is what Mommy used to do exclusively when she actually did the design and pre-sales engineering work), networking gear, security, storage, data center space, disaster recovery, etc. Some of Mommy's customers actually write 7-figure checks to her company for their products and solutions! It's pretty cool, and Mommy LOVES her JOB! She makes a good living, it's flexible (i.e. it accomodates Mommy's perpetual tardiness) she saves a fair amount of money for us little peanuts, we get to wear cute clothes, etc. But how do you say all this when you're 2?
"Mommy works. Mommy eats cookies."
All part of a day's work...
Love,
Lilly and Anna