Hello, it's Bianca!

Just to refresh your memory, last year, my little one did not mind being around Santa. I appreciate that this guy had a real beard. We'll just forget about his deer-in-the-headlights expression, mmmmk? See how happy she is? See how she doesn't mind wearing antlers on her head? It's like a typical photo session. No need for any fuss.
Now fast forward to this year. One year later and we have a classic portrait of a child with Santa. Full on screaming, get-me-outta-here-mommy-like-NOW expression. It was in this moment that I was completely and totally dissected. Half of me wanted to roll on the floor with laughter, because honestly, you can't buy that kind of genuine expression. The other half of me wanted to pelt that Santa with my camera for just existing. How could he be so menacing that he made my daughter cry. My theory is the beard. It is so utterly full of fake curls that there is no way a REAL person's beard would look like that.

I figured if we put her in a female's lap and bribed her with candy she may evoke some kind of a Mari smile. Nope, not at all. She can spot fake from a mile away. She didn't want to tell either of them about her dog or ask for "pretty" for Christmas. (Which, when I ask her, "Mari, what would you like for Christmas?" She always responds with "Pretty." I don't know if that means she wants earrings (which are pretties) or snow (which is pretty) or clothes or a doll. Regardless, she wants pretty, so Santa will endeavor to make Christmas pretty in all definitions of that word for her.*)
We'll attempt another visit in Kansas and maybe this time she'll have the same reaction she did the first time. Who knows?

*and the asterisk for pretty means that Mommy will actually TRY to get gussied up for Christmas and be pretty too.

While I like Summer and Autumn, Winter has to be my favorite season for clothes. So many wonderful layers and lush textures that you can mix up! Also, the fabrics just pop when you outside playing in the leaves on the ground or in the snow.

Anyway, I went off thinking about cooler weather. Well, we have been lucky enough to have cool weather, well, cool enough to wear a coat (not every day, but many days). I've taken this opportunity to fully utilize Mari's cute clothes to coordinate with the weather. You see, every Wednesday and Friday, it's my turn to dress her and get her ready for school. Granted, she's usually a reluctant little thing to get up, much like her mother and father, a certifiable angry, gnarling monster with outta control hair and baby dragon breath (really, it's weird how odoriffic this child is). With Guapo's help and Radio Disney, we can usually coax her out of her blanket shell and back into the land of the living. Guapo covers her with his kisses, but unfortunately, her powers are much stronger than mine, and he will inevitably snuggle in tight with her and try to fall back to sleep himself. Do you see why it is so hard to leave on time on Wednesdays? Who can resist the two of them in a warm nest...so inviting! It's cuddle-mazing!

What was I saying? Oh yeah, clothes. Fridays...right. Well, Friday is also Holiday Party at school. Actually, they call it the Christmas party. And you know what? I think that's pretty darn cool. There's a whole variety of kiddos that go to her school, from all nationalities, and they all celebrate different customs, but none of them are complaining about a Christmas party. Why? Because regardless of where you came from, if you are kid and you've heard tales of Santa, you PROBABLY believe in him. I mean what isn't to like? This guy, who you only see once a year, comes by and gives you toys and candy. While we try to teach our daughter about Baby Jesus, the commercialized images of gifts and Santa and candy canes supercede our teachings. Regardless, the children are having a Christmas party and all of them are incredibly ecstatic about it because they get to eat cake again for their afternoon treat instead of carrots.

There I go again, going off on another tangent. Ok, so I dressed her in the Christmas outfit my mom bought for her. It reminded me of the red dress Annie wore in her movie. Because it did, I paired it with white tights and black patent leather shoes. These days, Mari has been taking her clothes off. I've been assured that it is a phase that most children go through. I've discovered a way around it, though. If I dress her in tights, then put a onesie over the tights, she will always have that base layer because the snaps have yet to captivate her attention long enough for her to figure out she can just pull them apart. Here she is about to go off to school. Again, I'm showcasing that gorgeous investment of a coat I found at Gap. *swoon*
See, it's the beginning of the clothing shed. :) I figure if the tights last all day without a hole and just a few stains, then we're doing pretty good. Also, when did my baby grow so fast? This dress is a 3T! A month ago, 2T was quite a bit too big. It seems that 2T fits her perfectly and 3T isn't that far behind from fitting.

Enjoy your Friday!

Next up, shortbread. Don loves dark chocolate. Me, not so much. On my last trip to the store, I'd splurged on some fancy-schmancy dark chocolate chunks. They totally filled up all of my luxury item budget, but it was well worth it for a surprise for him. I was unsure how much shortbread dough this would make, especially since the recipe called for it to be split in half while baking. There was no need to divide it in half, though because this was just fine. AND I tasted it and boy, was that some deliciousness right there. Today, it is all gone.
And just for fun, here's my sugarbean not happy about being up early. This was taken last Friday when it was cold. After snapping this photo, she was totally diggin' her mittens. So much so that I catch her wearing socks on her hands. I think I need to consider making her some sock puppets.

On Saturday, our wee one started having an unusual amount of dirty diapers. It came all of a sudden, and when Don remarked about them, I chalked it up to all of the grapes she'd eaten the night before. Certainly, eating an entire bunch of grapes warrants the type of reaction that we were experiencing first hand.

I like different patterns and textures. It makes me happy when things that aren't supposed to go together can work together to evoke someone's personality. Case in point:
I'm well aware that stripes do not go with floral pattern. Yes, that is a polka dotted ribbon on her dress as well. either way, Mari is just like me. She's all sorts of random spitfire in a bite-sized package. It is very difficult for me to find things in the stores for her to showcase her spirit. I have found some, but they are quite a bit more out of my budget.

Enter City Craft & JoAnn's fabric. I have found a plethora of treasures in the fabric department and now I'm itching to sew her some uber-cuteness. I've been drooling over this machine for the past couple of weeks, ever since Jacki first mentioned it to me. I'm gonna write a letter to Santa and ask for it! Although, in my letter, I will also ask for the accompanying accessories: bobbin and extra feet for it.

Anyway, I'm planning away at all of the projects I hope to complete, but first I must finish up the Christmas gifts. Here's a glimpse of the yummy craftiness going on over here:
Hope that's enough to whet your appetite. Tomorrow, I'll post about the different things I'm crocheting! wheee!

This is totally a pity party email, so I apologize in advance, but I just had to get this out. I can't let it get any more of me than it already has.

Today I received an email from a concerned neighbor who lives about 5 streets away, but talks to many people in the neighborhood. Some of the people they talk to include neighbors who live on our block. I don't want to turn this into an overblown thing and I applaud her courage for sharing with me, but I had to write this out because, well, I'm really hurt and confused.

Here's the gist of it all: We've been accused of housing rats in the backyard. Apparently, they've been scampering around and it has caught a neighbor's attention who not only reported us to the city, but also told this concerned neighbor of ours. Not once have we heard a single complaint from any of our neighbors, who we actually talk to on a weekly basis. So my first question is, when did things get to be so bad in the world that a neighbor can't walk a few feet to your house to talk to you about something they are concerned about? Or heck, pick up the phone or shoot an email. Lord knows our information is splattered all over the Internets.

Also, the city has never contacted us about having a rodent problem. When we first moved in, we were cited because the backyard fence was old (the original fence) and needed repairs. We had made the requested repairs at that time. One terrible storm passed through a couple of years ago and well, our rickety old fence was no more. We tore the whole thing down. We knew this would expose the world to our backyard. Which is even more concerning because we back up towards an extremely busy street. There's the city's brick fence that acts as a barrier between that street and our alley, but it isn't much. We have some trees that block the view, mostly. When we priced fences, I about had a heart attack! Even if we did it ourselves (which is totally do-able), there's still a cost factor, but most importantly, finding the time to install it. Regardless, we said we would hold off on putting up a fence until we had a proper play area for the little one. Everyone needs their own personal slide, right? And since someone ran off with our fire pit (an awesome wedding present, stolen in the night), we didn't want to spend money on something else that someone would run off with. Seriously, do you know how expensive swing sets and playhouses are?

I feel sick to my stomach at the thought that people think we are those people. We're the dirty neighbors who don't have pride in their home. What does that say about us?

I guess what hurts the most is that I actually thought our backyard was nice. Yes, it could use some work, but this past spring and summer, we toiled and labored. I concentrated on the patio area and Don focused on the yard. I like how he stacked all of our firewood on a makeshift platform at the base of the trees. He planted a garden for his family. He nurtured our trees, especially the Magnolia tree that we planted that first year. I put up some hanging plants and decorated the patio with other potted plants. We created many memories back there, enjoying the shade, and laughing as Mari hesitantly ran through the sprinkler during the summer. I made sun tea back there, we had evening dinners al fresco, and there were times I found myself hanging out there in the evening, thinking, pondering, and praying.

Not once did I see a rat. The rabbits no longer hang around there for fear of Guapo. He's caught a few of them, which is rather surprising, and he's even caught a bird. He's never caught a rat. I believe it is his antics that allowed our garden to thrive and prosper. We actually quite quite a fruitful crop this year!

But still...we're the neighbors with the rat problem, who people are afraid of approaching to voice a concern, I guess. Pretty heavy stuff that puts a dark cloud on a happy Thursday. *sigh*

This is true story post day...yaaay!

THE BLINDSIDE...based on a true story

I went in this movie knowing it would be emotionally gut wrenching and hopefully inspirational. I didn't leave disappointed. Spending my elementary years in a predominantly black neighborhood, I realized that many of my friends weren't going to have the same opportunities as others. Even at that tender age, they had resigned themselves to what was expected. Very, very bright kids with extraordinary athletic talent, they just weren't given the option to shine. Sometimes you just need someone to "see" you and believe in you. Just one person makes that difference. I knew this true story would take some movie license, but for the most part, from what I understand, it was true to form. I remember seeing Michael Oher play against Texas Tech last year at the Cotton Bowl. He was an integral part to their victory, a force all his own to shut out our defensive line. Not an easy feat!

Anyway, this movie has some moments of ultimate cheese, but overall, I really enjoyed it. Sandra Bullock fell into the part and I completely lost sight of her. I loved how well she played the character, and unlike some of the other characters she's played in the past, this one just stood out. I don't know if she'll win any acting awards, but I certainly hope she'll be nominated! Both the little boy who played SJ and the young man who played Michael stole my heart! I couldn't help but see the vulnerability in the Michael character, and his big burly body with a sensitive nature reminded me an awful lot of my own brother. I'm definitely buying this movie brand new! Go out and watch it tonight! Premium Cosmo with a fresh lemon twist...*clink*

THE CHANGELING...based on a true story

After so long, I finally got around to watching this movie. I knew the story behind it. Honestly, going into it, I really wanted to watch it so I could drool over the wonderful costumes, especially the hats that Angelina sported throughout. Because it was directed by Clint Eastwood, I had a high level of expectation for the movie. I'm not sure why we delayed so long. Possibly because I wasn't quite ready to see the images evoked on screen. Ever since having Mari, the thought of anything going awry with her gives me the heeby-jeebies and invariably leads to a delicate crying fit and an extremely melancholy mood. sigh...

Anyway, this movie was actually compelling. At first, I thought it went slow, but it slowly pulled me in. There were strong characters that I instantaneously hated. Angelina seemed like she had an old woman's voice. Maybe it was to give the impression that she was frail (because all I could think was give this woman a taco!!!), both in body and voice, when in reality, she was quite strong. I like her motto: Never start a fight, but always finish it. Definitely something to think about when you have your back against a well. Also, there are some haunting images that will stick with you, and I have no doubt I will have nightmares about them later. This was definitely worth the rental, but I'm not sure I would have enjoyed it as much in the theater. Raised glass of cheap Ballatore Spumante champagne...*clink*

We headed out early on Saturday morning for family portraits by Jackie. When I get the pics back from our session, I will be sure to share. Until then, here are some of the shots Don took while waiting for our turn to smile and pose. Here's a brief look at the Stone Creek Park in Flower Mound. It was an incredible location and perfect for an outdoor session. Love those rocks!
There was this bridge that we had to cross to get to the creek. Mari had a ball running over it and back. (Hi Jackie!)
Mari was hamming it up most of the morning, wanting to explore, and giddy while she did. However, when we sat her down to snap the photo, she wasn't having it. She totally had a mini meltdown at one point, even refusing marshmallows and M&M's. Here at the end, I tossed her in the air, with the hopes of getting a Mari smile. I think we got one.
I like this shot. Don said she looks like a coach. I told him I agreed. A coach who means business!
And I just can't get over how much this boy has grown. We seriously almost see eye to eye! Wow.
My beautiful sister rockin' the Sheffield Jersey. Actually, it doesn't say Sheffield, but that is who is number 1 this year.

Here's the full set of shots here:

Saturday night, we trekked out to Arlington to the Cowboy's Stadium to watch Texas Tech play Baylor. The final score: Tech 20 - Baylor 13. Defense won this game, let me tell you. Ruffin McNeill is the man! I love his passion and ability to motivate his players to get it done. And get it done they did. That last Baylor drive had me standing on my feet, Mari perched on my left hip, right arm extended in the air, waving my guns, screaming Raider Power! They stopped 'em and the goosebumps all over my body when they stopped them made that victory all the better. The best thing of all? Don, Mari, Sam, Cristian, Zeni, Mom, Dad, and Danika were all around us. Brother, Missy, Espi, Mikey, Zeke, Xavier, and Rob were all there too! There were tens of thousands of other Red Raider fans in attendance and let me tell you, it was such a wonderful sensation to hear the boom of RAIDER....POWER echo off the walls in Jerryworld.
We sat right next to the band, so getting hyped up was incredibly easy. By the end of the night, Danika knew all of the cheers and hand motions. Mari had a nice nap during the 3rd quarter, but woke up during the 4th to see the victory. Even she was waving her guns when she heard the fight song. (Does she hear it much? I think so.) It was so cute to hear her yell, "go, go, go!"
This is why I love college football! Man, after January I'm going to have to immerse myself in all kinds of crafty goodness to keep myself occupied. So long Fred's Philly. I'll be seeing you again in January for the bowl game and then I'll take a 7 month hiatus until next season.

We were very fortunate to have two Thanksgiving celebrations this year. Thursday night, we had a small family gathering, where we conferenced in Brother and Missy. The wonder of technology, right? He was at work and she was at home packing and getting ready for the trip. I'm so glad that we were able to be there together this evening, but it wasn't complete without Zeni and my Pops. Yep, those crab legs were fantastic! That morning, Don and I had whipped out a 10K and fell in and out of awareness while watching football.

We got up super early on Friday for the Black Friday deals. (4:15AM) I really wanted to take advantage of the sales to stretch the donated dollars by my group for the Salvation Army Angel Tree kids. I loaded up on: 2 mp3 players, a car seat, case of diapers, 2 dresses, a pair of shoes, an all-weather jacket, a princess blanket, with matching pajamas, and plate. While out and about, I also found some really cool megablocks for Mari and a Little People farm set. The best deal of the day had to have been the the gun safe we've been eyeballing for a few years now. We've kept Don's rifles in a locked gunny sack, but always wanted a fire proof gun safe to keep them in. We splurged and got it! (By the way, did you know it is illegal to have a gun in the home that isn't locked up around kids less than 12 years of age?) We were very lucky to have people help us to save on the cost of delivery and set up. (Thanks Espi, Simon, and Stacy!) I also scored some nifty plastic shoe boxes at Home Depot and an awesome tool tote that I plan to store my ribbon. AAAAND...we got some fabulous poinsettas for 99 cents! Later on we'll be delivering some of them to neighbors to spread joy. We all took a break for breakfast. While there my mom entered a contest to win a gas grill. Well, turns out, we're a finalist for it. They called us and let us know that the live drawing will happen on Wednesday. Afterwards, I picked up some SASSY gifts that I won't reveal because the surprise is for one of my readers. However, I was less than impressed when my mom and I made an excursion to Chico's fashion. The lady who helped my mom was patient and kind. The woman who checked us out was...well, I don't want to say what she was, but rest assured, a letter is being composed to send to the store manager. Later on, we had a girls fun time getting pedicures. Mari was a hoot. She really enjoyed dipping her feet in the water and getting a baby massage.

On Saturday, we were all able to be together. It has been a long while since that happened, and it was really great. It was a little less formal of a gathering, and I can't believe how much food we had. The turkey was so delicious, as was the mac and cheese. (Thanks Brother) Sam was mixing up the perfect drinks for everyone and Zeni was being a gracious non-alcoholic drink server. She was on it, especially with the refills. I loved that everyone helped out to prepare our meal.
This time when we did our prayer of Thanksgiving circle, there were definitely more of us. When it came to my turn, I knew I was going to be incredibly emotional. This year has been a valley amongst our peaks and valleys, but I know I'm so very lucky that my valleys aren't canyons. I have a lot of love and support surrounding me and I'm so very, very blessed by generosity, love, and prayers. It's truly hard to think about the bad when you are surrounded by so much positivity. I'm ever so grateful for special people. And that includes you who are reading this. I swear I'm just putting my words out in the universe, only to be ready by spammers and you special few. Thanks for being a sounding board!


Full set of photos here: