The end of the year

There's no way I'm going to end the year with a blog post about homemade pop tarts. Instead, I'll finish out the year with a post recounting what's been going on with us the past week or so.

Nora has been VERY LOUD AND WHINY in the car as of late so I came up with the brilliant idea that Jason could drop me and Nora off in Little Rock at the air port and then pick us up in Nashville ten hours later. I contacted Dan to see if we could score a buddy pass and if there were any flights that looked promising. It was all set up and on Sunday, we took off.

Naps have to happen, even in airports.

Nora enjoying having a whole row of seats to herself.

I thought it was hilarious that no one sat beside us or even across the isle from us.

Looking out the window at the lights of St. Louis

We made it to Tennessee without any incidents (Other than Nora throwing up on the way home from the airport. Very high altitude and then too many curves make for one queasy tummy.) and settled in at Bebe and Bubba's house.

By Monday, everyone had arrived. Lily and Eily were so happy to see each other again!

On Christmas morning, we woke up and dove into the presents.  





On Thursday, Abi and I took the girls to the Discovery Museum to get out of the house and burn off some energy. (And to give Bebe and Bubba a little break. :)

Claire, the mechanic

This was her tire assistant, Nora.

Eily was in charge of fluids.

This was the largest turtle I've ever seen. Nora was impressed.

Digging for bones

Lily the explorer

Rock spreader

Having fun in the shadow room

Shadows from the above picture

Of course we had to experience a tornado before we left. :)

Then, on Friday, we traveled home. There weren't any flights at a good time so Nora and I made the trek home with the rest of the family. There had been a heavy snow in Arkansas while we were gone and the girls were very excited to get home and make a snowman.

All of our snow was melted. Boo.

But Nanny and Pappy had a lot of now left (still do, actually) and on Saturday afternoon we went to their house. Uncle Josh came over and he and Elaina and Claire made a great snowman for Nanny!

Then late Saturday night our realtor called to say someone wanted to look at the house Sunday afternoon. So I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned and now we are just waiting to hear if the report is negative or positive.

Today, the last day of 2012 has been nice. We've picked up a little, we've done some laundry, we've worked on potty training and we've played with new toys. I'm enjoying the sound of the the girls playing together. Elaina and Claire are in the schoolroom creating a barbie town and Nora and Eily are on the couch reading books together. I'm so blessed to have my little family.