Mommy's Helpers

The girls helped me make lunch the other day decked out in aprons. 

James just digitized this for Rebecca. It is the Scottish Campbell Clan. At its largest it can sew out nine inches tall!

Weird Home Remedy

I tried it and it worked. 

Be prepared, it might sound weird!

Anna had a bad cold. Her nose hasn't stopped running for the past five days and she was so wheezy that I was afraid she was going to have an attack of croup at night. 

Yesterday morning I tried the power of garlic. 

I made toast and put butter and honey on it then used my garlic press to squeeze a clove of fresh garlic on the toast. 

I was afraid Anna wouldn't eat it since it smelled so strong and the garlic tastes kind of hot on your tongue. I guess her nose was stopped up enough that it didn't bother her. She ate the whole serving! She smelled like garlic for the rest of the day, but the results were worth it. 

Her nose stopped running for awhile within ten minutes, she hasn't wheezed since, and when her nose started running  again it was clear for the first time. (Too much information - I know)

So it worked! You should give it a try when you are desperate and you don't mind reeking of garlic. 

Update on daily living

Lily was cold after her bath the other day - it was warm bathrobe time!

The music stand was in the hallway to jog my memory. I was competing with my violin students to see who could practice the most days that week. The prize was homemade chocolate chip cookies! We all tied with perfect daily practice records. So we just had to split the cookies three ways!

Anna enjoyed Grandma's Christmas gift.

I bought James a two-person Catan card game for Christmas. We've played several times. Who won this time, you ask? He won. Again. Oh well, it was fun to play together!

We got digitizing software and we got to watch our own design stitch out. 

Anna's hair was crazy curly after her bath!

That was an exciting bath. Our house heat was out, and Anna had a bad cold. I needed to give the girls a bath anyway so I risked it using super hot water. 

But...

I forgot that I just washed the cloth diapers in hot water. 

And...

James was trying to take a hot shower at the time. 

Lily said she had to go potty during her bath then said she had gone in the tub so I proceeded to use fresh water to shampoo their hair and get them out quickly. 

But...

There wasn't any more hot water. James discovered that fact in the middle of his shower too. 

Lily didn't get her hair washed after all. Oh well!

Growing in January

 There wasn't much room in the cart for Lily with groceries and a huge tub! The tubs were buy-one-get-one-free so I couldn't resist even though I wasn't sure it would fit. Lily managed it just fine. The tubs came in handy to store extra Christmas decorations and some cloth in the sewing room.

Lily helped stretch out the lights as they came off the tree. It is so sad to take down the pretty decorations! Someone needs to start a big January decoration tradition so it won't be such a let-down.

Tim and Becca Lewis had their baby - Paul was born after at least 20 hours of labor!

Anna is growing up so fast - she is interested in books and looks so mature as she studiously turns page after page.

Lily loves watching the Pixar Short, Mater and the Ghost Light. They were sitting so still watching it that I had to get a picture.

Look, Mommy! I can sit on the stool by myself!

Steve and Emily came over for a Catan-playing game night. Baby Keith is learning to walk and did very well pushing the stroller with Anna as a counter-weight for balance.

Christmas with the Bryans Pictures

I haven't updated my blog in awhile and I only have Christmas picture to share right now. Enjoy and be nostalgic for Christmas. :-)

These photos were from the gift exchange at Mom and Dad Bryan's house on Christmas Eve.

Dad got to open the photo book

They love the photo book with all ten grandchildren featured.

Carlie, Anna, Keith and Kylie representing four different families!

Carlie demonstrated the Christmas Look 2013

Merry Christmas!

We had a fun visit with Grandma and Grandpa Joyner and Aunt Becca. Becca did a photo shoot for us with her amazing camera.

Revolving tree + slow shutter speed = this!

The girls enjoyed Aunt Becca and their grandparents.

I have not gotten Rebecca's other pictures of the visit yet, but fun was had by all!

 Dad Joyner found out about a Christmas train display that we visited together. 

James and the girls got to ride the train!

The model train building was so neat!

The view from the stationmaster's chair was great.

Christmas Decorations

We put our Christmas decorations up the day after Thanksgiving and the girls love them. 

Anna  is especially enthralled with the tree lights.

Every time Anna comes in sight of the tree she points and says, "Oooh!" in the cutest way imaginable. She hasn't stopped admiring in these two weeks it has been up.

We got LED lights for the tree this year and they are super bright!

Lily adores the outside lights on our bushes. James put solid colors on the front bushes and each time we come home at night from anywhere Lily runs to them and points asking what color they are. She knows and could tell you herself, but the fun is in running back and forth across the front of the house calling out "What's dis one?"

It was warm for several days last week so James took the girls outside to play one morning. 

I am excited that I only have one more present to sew for Anna to be completely done with Christmas gifts! That is a very good thing because now I can prepare for Mom and Dad Joyner's visit the end of this week without stress or hurry.