T'was the night before Christmas......

It's Christmas Eve and there was soooo much to do today.

 ----visit Santa (taking in one more visit before he takes flight)
 ---- Christmas eve lunch (love spending special moments like this with my little ones)
 ----make cookies and sweets (we're so excited for CHRISTMAS!!)
 ----set out luminaries along our driveway and sidewalk (taking a spiritual moment to reflect)
---- Calls to NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command) This North American defense follows Santa's route around the world.

We're beyond excited.

We wish you a very..... MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE

strolling among thousands of luminaries

May visions of sugar plums dance in your head

Be safe, be warm and have a good night......
(CLICK HERE to check out our Christmas eve blog from last year)

chilling....

Hurray for Winter Break!!!!!

Bam, Fifi, Cookie and Sweetheart are officially on holiday break all this week and next; up till after the New Year.

We are sooooo EXCITED.

We're happy to say good-bye (for now) to the morning rush hour

We're happy to stay in our pj's all day long (if we so please)

We're staying home today, making cookies (and making our home smell sweet)

Now if only it would SNOW!!

a sprinkle a day.....

Cookie says, "Sprinkles are like glitter.... for food."

This pile of colorful sprinkles are left over (spillage) from the cupcake decorating that went DOWN last night.

Sweetheart, Fifi, and Cookie invited some friends over for a HUGE slept over party (I don't think they slept much though..... plenty of giggle-YES)

It was more like a make-over, dress up, nail salon, cupcake kind of night.

The house smelled yummy from baking cupcakes.
If only they made a perfume from that scent.

Special thanks to Fifi, Sweetheart, Cookie and their friends who did a great job tidying up afterwards.
(Click HERE to see what we were up to last summer)

along came mrs. wishy washy

The hardest working appliance in our house is probably our dishwasher (right after the washer and dryer..... of course)

So when it quit...it really had us missing our it.

Hand washing dishes started off as a fun task....everyone was more than happy to help wash, rinse and dry the dishes.

But... it quickly turned into a dreaded chore.

"Mommy, when are we getting the dishwasher fixed?"

Oh believe me, we were over joyed to hear that the day had arrived.....the day the new dishwasher was arrived!

Woo Hoo!!

Bye Bye overworked yet very much appreciated dishwasher...

"Bye Mr. Clean hello Mrs. Wishy Washy!"
(who knew the dishwasher had a name--Cookie knew)

Click HERE to see what we were up to last year on this date....

HOT sun and cool water fun

Sweetheart's very best friend, little Miss Katia, invited Sweetheart, Cookie and Princess Fifi over for swimming time.

Ohhhhh......... it was perfect timing....... especially with the HOT days we've been having lately.

The girls squealed with delight for the opportunity to have a girls day with little Miss Katia in her swimming pool.

Immediately the girls began trying on their swimming suits.

I suppose it's been a while since we've been swimming....the girls outgrew theirs....so it was time to purchase new swimming suits and coverups.

We had fun searching for the perfect color, the perfect cut and the perfect fit. We found it in the Harajuku collection at Target and the Selena Gomez collection at Kmart with super cute coverups from Costco.

Before I could get a picture of the girls in their swimsuits.........it was time to go to little Miss Katia's house. But believe me....they look so sweet, cute and summer ready in their new swim suits!

sweet indulgence....

Riddle me this---riddle me that.....

From my pics I've posted below.....what do you think happened today?

Cookie Monster thinks he knows

????

Come on now----we know you must have some idea!

leave your comment below.....

studying in style

Final exams are closer to reality than summer right now....

But that didn't stop my Princess Fifi from bringing it one step closer.

This is how Fifi studies....

 coconut scented sunblock

fun floral sunnies

 summer fun spaghetti/ tank top

super cute shorts

painted toesies and flip-flops 

 her most favorite summer tunes playing

big colorful beach blanket 

and in place of a wonderful summer novel she has her textbooks out for studying.

Wow!!

What a brilliant idea!

Awesome!

Leave it to Fifi to figured out a fabulous way to study!!

Shhhh Gotta study now....

My Fifi makes me smile all the time..... I admire her creativity, motivation and innovative thinking!!

fans forever....

Today is May the 4th......... therefore May the Fourth be with you.

Yes, we do have a collection of family light sabers.... 

;-)

purple pride

It's a lovely day to be at the APS track field for another track meet with Princess Fifi.

But this time we have another person to help cheer for Fifi.......NANA!!

Nana's here with us and has decided to extend her stay.

My runner....

Our team purple finished well....finished strong....finished FIRST!!
"Oh yeah"

It's a perfect day to be outdoors....enjoying the track and field events.

....Very exciting as we cheer on our school.

There's loads of school spirit and pride in the stands as well as on the track.

.... many strong runners....the competition is intense!!

VERY EXCITING....... as if they were runners in the Olympics.

hmmm....

Fifi is the only athlete who has her very own personal trainer on the in field
....BAM

Do you see Fifi in the starting lineup for the 800 meter dash....
(purple tank, turquoise Under Armour top, purple shorts, and purple ombré leggings with hot pink track runners--and of course a bow in her hair)

Go Fifi!!!!

can't catch me....

After school Princess Fifi is trying out for her school track and field team.

I'm proud of my little Fifi

She is accomplished in so many ways.....

She's super smart, beautiful, friendly, funny, athletic, and multi-talented.

She's got sky high ambitions and goals....

and what a cutie too.

I ♥ u princess

We're cheering for you....

I wonder if I can find track shoes in HOT PINK???

channeling our Hollywood glam....

Today is the Academy Awards............aka the Oscars

We like to think of ourselves as movie buffs, cinema aficionado, fellow actors, film critics and future recipients of Oscar.

We've decided to have our very own Oscars party tonight

--by invitation only--

exclusively for us....

We are wearing our very best Hollywood glamour 

We have on our "Who are you wearing? " Pj's

Princess Fifi, Sweetheart, Cookie and I have completed our glam with feather boas 

(from our dress up box)

 sparkly necklaces and bracelets 

(from our dress up jewelry box)

 glitter couture 

(from our arts and craft box)

fabulous tiaras 

(from our birthday box)

red soled Christian Louboutin 

(okay not really but we can pretend.....we actually have on slippers)

Bam is dapper in his top hat and tuxedo jacket

(Top hat is from the Halloween box and tuxedo jacket is code for house robe)

On the menu tonight: 

Midnight in Paris fromage plate (macaroni and cheese)

The Iron Lady lemonade (freckled lemonade: organic fresh strawberries blended with lemonade)

Moneyball bagette (olive oil, cheese, honey and tyme atop a sliced bagette)

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo toast (Nutella and cinnamon toast tartlets)

Hugo grey (earl grey tea with a spot of lemon and honey)

The Artist (assorted veggies on a skewer)

Rango sammich (mini turkey, cranberry and walnut sandwich on marble rye)

We're looking forward to watching the thrill of the awards and the acceptance speeches tonight.

Keeping in mind....

Someday we'll be hearing our name being called

Someday we'll be up there clutching that Oscar

Someday we'll be giving that acceptance speech

Someday.....

Someday....

The glitter and glam of Hollywood runs in our veins 

(and on our living room floor)

très amusant

sparkly smiles

HAPPY PRESIDENT'S DAY

Founding Father George Washington's birthday

Schools are out today for President's day.

But Sweetheart and Cookie have a pending dental appointment before they can officially call it a day off. 

(click here for blog about Fifi and Bam's dental visit)

Nom Nom Nom......

 As we wait for the dentist, a Giant set of teeth and a super sized toothbrush sit atop the countertop, looking rather CREEPY.......…

Sweetheart captured this image from the dentists' chair

 PERFECT dental check up for both Sweetheart and Cookie.

This is the goody bag the dentist gave to the girls....

Cookie took a picture of the contents of her goody bag

Green toothbrush, mini toothpaste, mini floss, toy surprise, stickers 

and TOKENS for the bouncy ball machine.

Hurray for BEAUTIFUL teeth.........and HEALTHY smiles

it's a glitter, stickers and lolli kind of day.....

Cookie and Sweetheart are finishing with last minute touches to their valentine cards for delivery tomorrow to their friends, teachers and classmates.

Vintage cards are sooo sweet.
Except these aren't the cards the girls gave out.....

They've also decorated their valentine "mail" boxes with red and pink paper and have layered upon layers of stickers and glitter to add that final POW........

Vintage 1950's

My girls are so sweet and so generous--
They've made sure everyone in their class will get a valentine card and a lollipop from them.
They even have extras for just in case......such big hearts **sigh**
I'm so in love with my little ones.

Vintage late 1940's

beautiful

A night out with my little ones.

It's not often we get out of the house on a cold winter evening.

 We drove up to the foothills and enjoyed the skyline of our little city.

We talked and we listened to each other while setting our gaze upon the city.

It's a big world and sometimes you just need to take a deep breath and sigh.......

I HEART you.....

We're decorating the house for Valentine's Day.
♡♡♡♡♡

The girls bought red beads that they found at Target's after Christmas 90% off clearance sale early in the month.

We love shopping the after holiday sales especially for decorations that we could use for multiple holidays or to decorated bedrooms, jewelry or adding to hair bows.

What fun........

FUN wooden beads

Quote from dentist office: "floss only the teeth u wanna keep"

Take care your teeth and FLOSS daily

My lil' ones understand this is a lifetime habit.

So when I tell them they have a dental appointment; they're always more than happy to go.

Plus our dentist is the BEST, FRIENDLIEST dentist around.

Bam and Princess Fifi had a dental appointment today.

(Sweetheart and Cookie next month)

It's a PERFECT checkup for them!

They appreciate the goody bags the dentist gives them.

 It's filled with mini toothpaste, mini floss, a toy surprise, tokens for the bouncy ball machine and a brand new toothbrush!!

Yay! for healthy teeth.......

special delivery for............ the Tooth Fairy

SMILE........

While attending a meeting, Cookie's loose tooth came out.

Cookie is happy, but she is not yet ready to debut her new smile.

She is joyous and excited about a visit from the tooth fairy tonight.

Oh that tooth fairy is so kind and generous! 

Tooth Fairy loves shiny healthy baby teeth.......

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas......

Oh Christmas tree 
Oh Christmas tree
Glowing on a warm evening at home
Oh Christmas tree
Oh Christmas tree
Every time the bell rings an angel gets her wings?
Oh Christmas tree
Oh Christmas tree
We don't want to ever see you go

All her glittery glory aglow 

We spent the day enjoying ourselves and our tree.
As we unpacked the ornaments and decorations, we recall all the memories they bring.
If only we could keep the tree up year a round; bringing us feelings of comfort and joy.

All snug in their beds with visions of sugar plums dancing in their head

......soon it will be Christmas day

In the air there's a feeling of Christmas.......

We're absolutely in love with the way our front porch looks.........

the clear bright stings of lights shine so glimmery and glizy; making us feel so fancy, cheerful and loved.

--Hurray for the Holidays--

Our Gingerbread House

We've decorating the house today!

After untangling strings and strings of lights.

Then testing and retesting many light bulbs and fuses......

--How do those strings of lights get so tangled? We remember carefully putting them away the year before with great consideration of the next year. 

Then BOOM! 

The string of lights come out of storage in a massive ball of tangle

Hahaha....

The children are convinced that roadrunners, raccoons, squirrels, AND aliens must delight in balling them up during the summer.

PRESENTING.............. (drum roll please) 

The Persingerfive Gingerbread house

 APPLAUSE -- APPLAUSE

Special Thanks to: 

Princess Fifi for patiently enduring the ritual of checking bulbs and fuses.

(and initiating and motivating the christmas decorating crew)

Sweetheart for holding and spinning around each post without getting too dizzy.

Cookie for finding those small nails when they dropped out of our hands.

AND

Bam for getting all those extension cords to fit properly.

I ♥ my children for making the most beautiful Gingerbread house in the WORLD!!