not just any commercial

check out this commercial that andrew (matt's youngest brother) filmed a couple months back... every time i watch it i just have to laugh in amazement! it's so professional!

twin cousins

most of the time they are fighting. if one has a toy, the other wants it. they spend more time playing with each other's toys, than their own. just about all the time, one of them is crying because the other took the toy they were playing with. but this, this was a rare moment of happiness that i must share.

guess what mommy got for christmas??

that's right, i got a new digital camera.
there will be lots of new movies for you to see.
for now, here's some of alaythia playing with her tea set and isaiah coming in the picture with his new raiders uniform, minus the helmet.
merry christmas!

here are some of my favorite pics so far

i'm an auntie you know...and i love it!

michael and hallie...the newlyweds...are isaiah's favorite people right now. mommy, daddy, papa, gg - doesn't matter. michael and hallie trump everyone!

papa and gg had a surprise for us tonight...a limo ride for the 13 of us to go look at christmas lights. it was such a fantastic memory, martinelli's, toasting and carols.

uncle matt and auntie laura were putting the babies to the ceiling and 'hanging' them there. they LOVED it!

this is all the siblings with their significant others...we're used to michael and andrew hugging each other for pictures. now, they each have women of their own!

me and my kiddos in front of the fire and christmas tree. we were on our own for the first few days, but daddy is here now and we're so glad!

gg and her girl.

isaiah and his auntie.

it's time to come clean

i've obviously not been as faithful to this as i have been in the past. and don't think it don't know it. it weighs on me. but if i'm honest i'm a bit scared...a bit like deer caught in headlights. i'm unable to do it.

here's why. it feels like over the past few months there has been this crescendo of interest in the blog. strangers, people that i barely know, people i know well, all saying they read faithfully. some say i should write a book. some talk about this story or that story. 'that was so creative!' 'how did you think of that?'

the other day i got a phone call from someone (who shall remain unnamed) and the first words out of their mouth were, 'you need to post! stop doing what your doing and put something cute and creative on there!' now i know they were joking, but it really did freak me out.

i never set out to be funny, or creative, or a writer. because i am none of those things. it's a fluke if any of those things happened. so now i'm paralyzed. afraid to be caught, afraid the truth will come out. so i shy away.

the reality is i live a very ordinary life, although with extra-ordinary people. and i never want this blog to become something that is mustered up, trying to 'be' something. i just wanted it to be my life. i haven't felt it would be authentic in this past month, so i shied away. i fight my own dragons. it's not because of comments, it's me. and i'm trying to overcome.

but i do feel it rising up in me again. a desire to share, thoughts to tell you about. unhindered by the thought that i must be anything else but myself.

not like everything else

the church that we became members of last week, (yes it's official) put out an advent CD this year. if you want something new you can check it out here. this is a breath of fresh air for me. we sang some of them in church today. all i have to say is 'what child is this'. amazing.

also, there's even a way to download it for free...it's pretty self explanatory, so i'll let you explore how to do it.

just in case you don't believe me

this may look like an ordinary piece of luggage to you. nice shape, svelte black color and nice straps to hold other pieces of luggage...no, it's much more.

one morning isaiah came running out to the kitchen and said, 'mom! you have GOT to come see where your daughter is hiding!' yes, this is one of his favorite ways to refer to alaythia or anyone really. i have to see 'what my husband' did, or 'my father' or 'my brother'.

so i follow him into our bedroom and begin my search. it's quiet and still. i listen for 'my daughter' and hear nothing...silence. aahh, a sweet sound -- and yet before i'm able to fully take in the moment -- i'm overcome with alaythia's ability to remain so still and quiet.

i look in all the usual spots and when all other options are exhausted, i walk over to our walk in closet, (that serves as storage). i see nothing, only the recently unloaded luggage sitting at the front.

and then, she pops out and growls.


i'm thrilled. exuberant. proud. laughing and clapping.

she's amazing!

(i didn't take the picture right then, i made her go back in while i grabbed the camera. she was all to happy to oblige.)