Where in the world is Mistie Simpson

Most of you won't likely see this post because I assume most of you have quit checking some time ago. I certainly don't blame you. Don't take it personal. I haven't even wrote in my kids journals for four months. I haven't wrote about our new house, fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and if I don't get on the ball I will miss Christmas as well. I was so good about it for Avery I worry Clara will grow up and think I didn't care about her holidays and milestones. My life has been crazy. I can't seem to catch up. I watched Family Stone last night and decided I need to stop being crazy and cherish my kids. I always cherish my kids, but with a gut wrenching mix of anxiety. Have any of you seen Family Stone? I love that movie. Duane asked me last night why I loved it so much and I couldn't really answer. Just do. I love the house. I love that they have snow for Christmas. I love the family. I love that they all get together for Christmas. I want my family to be like that in the future (minus the breast cancer of course). Some day I will have all that. The house, the family, the Christmas. I'm starting my clinicals for school tomorrow. Add another dash of gut wrenching anxiety to the mix. Oh please let me get through clinicals. Its making my stomach turn just to think about it. My kids are upstairs screaming for me so that's the end of my post. Last time I left them to themselves for too long Clara ate the gingerbread houses. I am going to try to be better about posting because I want to print out my blog and use It as a journal of sorts. Has anybody done that? Where is the best place to get it done?

Laguna Beach

Here is the adorable little cottage we rented at Laguna Beach for the end of April. I am so excited to get to go on vacation. Its been a long time coming. I am already planning another trip somtime next year so I can take Avery to Disneyland.

Clara thinks this is so funny. I will look back and they will be holding hands in the car and Clara will just giggle.

Ice cream and snot

Avery is such a nice girls to share her icecream....................................

with a snot nose Clara.

I love my kids.

Clara in her new ride.

Avery helping Duane with the Wainscotting he did in Claras room.

Busted! Clara is really growing fast. She can crawl, she has two teeth coming in and she is pulling herself up to things. I was just saying Sunday that we need to lower her crib before she starts standing up. That very minute I heard Clara up from her nap. This is what we found. I would have posted a better picture, but it had an orb in it. Thanks to Becca that stuff scared the crap out of me.

Avery is becoming quite the artist.

Potty training time. She insists on Dora pantie's, princess shoes and her Barbie laptop.

It's been a long winter.

Avery and I are tired of winter. We want summer. I'm one who likes the snow, but this year is a little different with a rambunctious 2 year old. There have been many times she will get bundled up and go outside to eat snow, sled, ride her trike, or just walk around the neighborhood, but they are few and far between. SUMMER OR BUST!

Avery LOVES "mateup".

Clara has a tooth!

Duane and I went for a walk for the first time with the TWO of the kids in the jogger. Worked out great. They stayed toasty warm. Clara eventually fell asleep.

Cabin fun

Duane and I really enjoy playing at the cabin. Problem is we only go a couple of times a year. What a waste! I have so many memories of Yost as a child. The best ones of course included my Grandpa. He was the BEST! He was the one who taught me how to build a "rats nest", find the best pinion pine christmas tree, snow sled behind a truck like a champ and gather a shit load of pine nuts. Duane and I have decided this is the year we are going to play at the cabin alot. We hope to build the same memories with our kids.

Avery eating snow

More snow eating

Gavin Dean "cracking ice"

Christmas Day.

Christmas was modest this year, but memorable none the less. With our limited budget we decided to do more activities and less presents. I enjoyed spending the time with my kids and hope that I built some memories with them. Some of our activities included gingerbread house building, sledding, Christmas cookie making, various crafts, many nights of the Polar Express movie and of course driving around and looking at lights,. Avery said to me one night in bed after Christmas was said and done "Mom, I want to go see lights again." With that comment I feel it was a success. The older girls spent the first part of their Christmas break through Christmas morning at our house this year. That's always the best time to have them. Duane and the two older girls got Flip video cameras, Avery got her "dame" she had been telling us Santa was going to bring her (I tried desperately to use the "Santa won't bring you presents if your naughty" bit, but she still confidently insisted he would and continued on her naughty merry way)Clara got a few toys and books and I got a new cell phone. I really enjoyed Christmas and my family this year.