The Shawl Family Christmas!! We had a truly blessed and wonderful few Holiday Days with family. And will be seeing the Jackson side this weekend. Here is a pretty good family picture!! Its hard to get all 5 of us smiling and looking at the camera at the same time!!

Willow here is loving on Forneys dog Rex!! He was a sweet rescued yellow lab that likely weighed about 3 times Willow!! Willow was hoping to find him under the tree this morning but not this year!!
Here Willow is helping me make our first batch of Christmas cookies - we made these for Santa and he ate lots of them with milk - yum!!! The girls went a bit overboard on the sprinkles!! But they had fun and I got to use my Pampered Chef cookie press that has been collecting dust for the past few years!!

Merry Christmas!!

This past weekend I met Dr. Bob Sears!! He was amazing to listen to and a really nice doctor to talk to! I wish we had more pediatricians who felt as positive about attachment parenting, and BF as he was! Here I had him sign his new Vaccine Book. This is a GREAT book to help you explore and make informed decisions on the vaccines you choose to give or not give your children!! On one of my yahoo groups there is lots of questions from moms about vaccines and whether to selectively vax, or no vax or fully vax - its quite a controversial issue. I feel lucky that we are mostly out of vaccines for a few years!
But even so . . . It is an easy read and VERY informative!

finished knit project!!

I cannot believe I finished on time!!! These were made for my brother and SIL who are expecting baby Carlyn Austelle in early December!! I cannot wait to meet my niece and knowing how easy this pattern was i wish I had made this set for my girls when they were little!! I am not the fastest knitter - but I was impressed as how well they turned out! I just started another pair of booties of this same pattern. I'll post when I get them finished!!

How did we get here?

September came in like a tornado. I remember sometime in August before school started back saying to someone - I cannot wait until school and schedules start back. I am so ready for a scheduled day and some down time while the kids are in school . . . What was I thinking . . . Why was I wishing away the lazy days of summer??? Agghhhh . . . well that about sums up Sept and so far into October. Not that it has been all bad, or hectic, or crazy, or wild . . . Well - yes it has . . . but I love it! In late August Willow started 1st grade - if you remember any of my ranting from last year - we were a bit reluctant about starting another school year. Willow however, has overcome some great feats! She has made it through a 3 fire drills and a "real" school fire when the heating system smoked and the fire department had to come to the school. For anyone who knows willow - fire is her greatest fear and her kindergarten Teacher actually changed the safety unit to accommodate Willows fears . . . Willow has since told me that she feels brave now during fire drills and is very proud of herself for being able to maintain her "dignity" during the drills! Even after the "real" thing - she was fine!

Ava started preschool in early September and LOVES school. She does not like to call it preschool - "almost as big as Willow" school - is what she calls it! At firlst the teachers just at up her "cuteness" I warned them to beware that Ava tends to run all one end of the spectrum or the other. At first they did not understand . . . but after a short "honeymoon" into preschool Ava began to show her colors!! The first incident was when Ava decided that she was the flag holder, the door holder and the line leader all at the same time. Her teachers are SO patient! LOL On Thursday after buckling Ava into her carseat and shutting the minivan door, the teacher looked at me and said - Ava might tell you about a little boy who punched her in tummy - We had to talk to her and let her know that her friends do not take well to her spitting on them . . . Why was I not surprised that she spit on someone . . . Goodness . . . she tests every nerve in my body! So I never actually said anything to her but she quickly decided to tell daddy, with a beautiful sad face, " Daddy - Ethan punched me in the tummy today!" Mark quickly looked at me and said - what kind of preschool is this? I looked at him with that look - do you really think that was unprovoked? And said ask her why he punched her and just so matter of factly she said - Oh I spit on him! Other than that . . . she is happy, loves to paint, seems to mostly get along with her peers and seems to LOVE her teachers! I love the 2 and 1/2 hour break a few days a week!

Edisto Beach, 2007

Here are a few pictures from our family trip to Edisto Beach, SC. We had a great week, saw dolphins, hermit crabs, went on a boat trip (Willow got sea sick) and got lots of sun! Willow perfected her body boarding on the surf and Haleigh and Ava decided that they did NOT like the feel of sand in their pants so we were up at the beach showers every hour or so rinsing off!!

Unfortunately, Mark was not able to join us this year - but I had lots of help from my Aunt, and my parents. My brother and his wife and little boy also went along! I loved the solitude of the beach. If you are looking for a great getaway with NO hustle and bustle - Edisto is you place. I hope we get to go back again soon! - Maybe next year!

Willow lost her first tooth!! How exciting! July 16th, 2007!
She was playing Tug-o-war with her sister (with her teeth - yes!!) a day or so earlier and it became really loose and then finally on Tuesday - it came out! She is soooo excited and the tooth fairy gives a good bit more than I remember!!

This is Willow's 1st loos tooth!! She is SOOO excited about it coming out! We have the toothfairy box all ready and waiting. Iwonder what the toothfairy is handingout these days!!

I actually have on make up and am ready for a night out!! I look so happy bc my babysitter was taking the picture and Mark and I were ready for a night out on the town! A much needed - VERY expensive (babysitters don;t come cheap) night out! We went to see a Beatles Cover band!! Had a blast - drank a bit too much and felt it the next day! So here it is world! A pic of me and the girls!!

Haleigh is almost as tall as our Day Lillies! They were so vibrant!

Another good sister pic!

Haleigh's bday party withour playgroup. She was eating her cake with 2 spoons! We had it at our neighborhood pool.

I just really liked these pictures taken of the girls! This was the day that we got a gift from Aunt Marie for Haleigh. The pretty Yellow dress she is wearing.

Willow is just getting sooooo big.

Happy Birthday - Haleigh - your 2 now!! Pretty birthday dress that Aunt Marie sent

The girls!!

Went To Grandma Shawls for Haleighs 2nd bday. It was cooler, but a great temp for horse play! The girls love the horses and the barn!

This pic is of the girls after leaving the Dr. office after a Well Child Visit! (Yay - we weren't there for sickness!!) Halieigh is just about 27# - Willow age 6 is 37# and Ava - is 38# Hmmm . . . yes she is younger than Willow!! Haleigh had to get blood drawn and she did great! Willow held her hand and helped her be "brave". They got tons of stickers and then we all went to Starbucks for chocolate milk and coffee (for mom)!

Haleigh Ava and Willow took swim lessons in early June! They had a blast and now LOVE to swim without help from Mama!!

More Spring Pics!

Willow and Ava acting like "loving" sisters

This is a pic of when we went to the Cherry Blossom Festival in DC = Mark ran the 10 mile race again this year and the weather was finally good for him - and for us! Here MArk is walking with the girls near one of the monuments

Here I am with the girls and trying to keep Haleigh from jumping in the pools of water at the FDR memorial!

Hawks Nest State Park

We decided to go out a few weekends ago and find a place to take the kids to hike. We ended up at Hawks Nest and here are a few pics of us hiking! We had a great day!
The kids liked the pile of rocks more than the hiking trails!

Willow was getting tired after we just climed 100 steps!

Ice Cream Cones

Today after school we had icecream cones! It is pretty hot today and the girls really enjoyed the messiness!! I however, did not enjoy sticky hands as much!


Just look at this chocolate moustache.