Number 200

hard to believe that this is the 200th time i've posted something on this blog!

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as the Christmas weekend comes to a close and i prepare to head back to work tomorrow i just wanted to take a minute and share a thank you..................

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thank you to all who shared gifts with us. they are greatly appreciated.

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thank you to my parents who drove up to see us in the snow.......i'm so glad you could make it and am happy you made it home safely...........

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but mostly i want to say that you to my heavenly father.....for without you we would have nothing to celebrate or be thankful for. many times during the Christmas season this year i have found myself thinking of how i take that all for granted..........struggling at times to put first the true reason we celebrate this time of year.

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And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

christmas eve greeting to all!

THE TROUBLE THAT THIS ELF CAUSES!

this little christmas elf has out done himself yet again. this time he is going out with a bang.....he spent all last night cutting out snowflakes and scattering cotton balls all over. the snow flakes are all over the floor, on the mantle, and hanging from the ceiling fan!

tonight after aubrey goes to sleep and all the lights are turned out for the night, jasper will make his way back to the north pole with santa...........

it has been another enjoyable year of tricks and hijinx......can't wait to see what he thinks up for next year!

JUST YOUR AVERAGE OUTDOOR WINTER SPORTS...........

while most people think the ski slope, sledding or ice hockey is the place to be outdoors in the winter......

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this guy has a much different idea of what winter fun is.........

now this girl on the other hand likes to stick with normal snow activities!!!

ANIMAL HOUSE

this is the scene we awoke to on the morning of aubrey's birthday..........

seems JASPER rounded up all of aubrey's stuffed animals and dolls and through a big party!

they tossed streamers, blew up ballons and carried on with their party all night while the rest of us slept.....

aubrey was thrilled to say the least that jasper had gone to so much trouble for her birthday! now what will he think of next?

ANOTHER YEAR OLDER

tomorrow aubrey will turn seven......

she has accomplished so much this year......

she has danced in her first ever recital! in front of tons of people!

i was SO proud of her that i cried .....

she danced in her teachers wedding.....

again i was so proud i cried.........

she got her ears pierced...........

she cried.........

she spent good times with LOTS of cousins.........

she laughed and played...........

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as i look back at the year i can't help but be proud of what this little girl has accomplished......for the most part she is shy....a bit timid at times.....
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she wanted to take dance lessons....she knew that a recital was in the future and that she would have to get up in front of others and perform.....she became determined and in the end she did not fail.....she has since dance in her teachers wedding....in front of several people......she has danced at festival of trees, also in front of other.....lots of them.....and she was wonderful! little by little she is coming out of her shell to do the things that will only make her a better person later on as she grows up.
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one day she informed me....yes "informed" me that she was going to be getting her ears pierced.....i knew she would cry because she had NO clue that it would hurt.....she almost didn't let the girl do the second ear.....but when i "informed" her it would make her walk lopsided she carried on and finished the job.

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aubrey, as you grow older, remember this one thing.....I LOVE YOU! i love you unconditionally.....there is nothing you could do or say to me that would make me feel any different. i know that in times to come you may say or do things i don't approve of....you may fail at something that you've tried so hard at but i will NEVER hold any of that against you, but will just love you all the more for trying.
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i hope you can see the love i have for you as you grow older that my own mother has shown me. i want to be the mom to you that mine is to me....the one that LOVES me unconditionally.
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so, now it is time to wipe away the tears and tell you one more time....
I LOVE YOU!
hope your birthday is a special one!

OUR VISTOR HAS ARRIVED

jasper has returned.

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this is the second year he has come to the house......arriving by mail staight from the north pole itself!

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here for only a short time.....he came on one of the biggest (only) snow storms of the year so far.....bringing with him a child sized snow shovel just for aubrey.

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since arriving about a week ago he has ventured out and about while aubrey sleeps......we usually find him in the morning stuck in the christmas tree, head first in a stocking and hiding behind the curtains......with two weeks left before returning to the north pole with santa, jasper has much time left to play fun little tricks on aubrey while she sleeps.................

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stay tuned for all the jasper shananagains to come...........

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edit: almost forgot! the toothfairy was here on the same night! lets just say that someone is having a hard time keeping track of it all our vistors this year!

GINGERBREAD ABODES

another year another eight gingerbread houses!

we arrived home from a trip to las vegas late on friday evening.....cleaned up the house on saturday and decorated the tree......and generally made the house all christmasy cozy.

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on sunday mom's, daughters and friends arrived for our third annual gingerbread house rising!

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saturday night i decided that i needed to make everyone aprons.....i love my new sewing machine with all it's cool varity of stitches!

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aubrey did great on her house again this year.....she was bouncing off the walls so i'm sure there was much candy consumed behind my back.