High Tea

Hosted by Momma & Adriana...

Ava's First Piggies

Joy...

...that's what he brings into my life.

He's mine, ladies...

Family Portraits

I have things to post for the month of December; but before I do that, let's take a step back to a one that should have gone up a couple months ago. This fall my photographer friend, Janelle Bradshaw, did our family portraits again. They're extra special to me since it was our first pictures as a family of 6.

Dude, Where's My Card?

If you're a local friend who usually gets a Christmas card from us, take this post as an apology/confession of stupidity.

You were supposed to get a card. It looked exactly as I had hoped...linen paper finish and all. *sigh*  But your card, at this point, is lost in a cosmic black hole called the postal system. Here's the story...

It started Saturday night as Steven and I fell into bed after a full day. I remember one of us suggesting (probably me) that we not set the alarm and just get up when the kids wake us up. While the little sirens may be going off right now in your head, our tired little heads heard nothing.  With four kids, we're usually bound to be awaken early by at least one of them.

Sunday morning arrived with me rolling over and seeing the numbers 8:02 on my alarm clock. A strange feeling of restfulness mixed with horror, popped my bed head off of the pillow. Now since Ava's birth, it's not an uncommon sight to see the Sieb van pulling out on a Sunday morning with me applying my make-up right there in the car.  That's how bad it already is. So you can imagine us rushing around to get everyone their Christmas best. Chaos ensued.  In the midst of all of this, the "hand to neighbors and friends" pile of Christmas cards was put with the "mail to out of town loved ones" pile.  And, of course, a rushed stop at the mailbox with mascara in hand didn't catch the misplaced cards.

After a top to bottom search of the house that night, we realized what had happen.  The problem was that those cards had only names on them...no return address.  I made a desperate call to the local post office the next morning.  Maybe it was my imagination, but the postal worker seemed to holding back a snorting chuckle because who does that with a stack of cards?! Ooh, ooh, ME!  PICK ME!! And we still have yet to retrieve our little lost cards.

So here is your lame blogged Christmas card...with just as much love attached to it. We hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

Ava's New Trick

Bulls, Band-aids, & Ava, too

A friend of ours has been taking a child development class and has used Adriana for some of her homework assignments.  I'm imagining the things her professor must be wondering about our family! During one of their times together she asked Adriana to make up a story. Later, she emailed me the original composition.

Little House on the Prairie 

as told by Adriana (note to self: explain plagiarism to four year old)

Once there was a little girl.

She walked down a little river and saw kittens.

She made a nest for birds.

When she walked down she had a dog and kittens.

They ran and played and walked down the river.

They saw a moose, cats, and bulls. They thought

they were going to run into them and the bull ran

into them. They crashed on the ground and had to

get a band-aid. Then the bull was nice; the bull had

to get a band-aid, too.

The End

And now we'll hear from the youngest Miss Sieb...

Ending the Day

Fabulous Family Day
Coffee to keep the parents fun- check.
Visit to Merrifield Gardens gorgeous Christmas display- check.
Visit to Borders- check.
Kids sneaking around each other, searching for the perfect under $5 gift for one another- check.
Dad getting revived with a nap- check.
Mom getting revived with more coffee- check.
Kids excitedly wrapping gifts for one another- check.
Reheated pasta dinner- check.
Playtime- check.
Popcorn- check.
Fireplace flickering- check.
Christmas music- check.
Finishing the day snuggled up, listening to Dad read Wait Until Then- check.

Grateful Momma- check.