CHRISTMAS 2011

I love Christmas. I mean I freaking love it. I am one of those annoying people that start celebrating right after Halloween. This year was no different. Hannah was so much fun this year. It was the first year that she was willing to open presents. Not only was she willing, but she absolutely loved it! Lauren loved opening too, as she always has. This was the first year that Lauren didn't believe in Santa anymore though. :( It was a bummer but we still had fun with it. She took the reigns in moving our Elf, Jenny, every night. She absolutely loved doing it and we were happy to hand that little chore right over. She was a lot more creative than we were and she NEVER forgot. Way to go Lauren!

We were also overjoyed this year as we got our biggest Christmas wish granted just a few days before Christmas. My mom had the tumor removed from her lung and the biopsy results came back NEGATIVE!!!!! We were beyond excited!! She has been with us ever since and is recovering nicely!

Lauren and Hannah keeping my mom entertained after her surgery

Lauren's loot from Santa

Hannah's loot from Santa

Hannah's Baby Jesus. This is the only thing she asked for this year. Thanks to google search engine, Santa was able to locate one.

Lauren and Kit

Hannah reading a story to Baby Jesus. Max sweetness!

Every year Lauren gets Jamie a pajama pants and tshirt.  She was super excited when we found a Ralphie and Flick set at Target!

Hannah opening her Ipad!

"Mom! It's an Ipad!!"

Yelling "Cut the Rope! Cut the Rope" (her favorite app) What? Doesn't every 3 year old have a favorite app?

Hannah and Kanani

Hannah and her matching Bitty Twins!

Megan helping Hannah put together her Cinderella Castle she got from Aunt Jenny.

I love Christmas. And I love that it's over!

An Organized Pantry

My pantry was driving me crazy! Insane! When we moved into this house last January I went from a little cupboard for a pantry to this big pantry. I was so excited to have all this space to organize but no matter how much I organized and tried to keep things tidy, it always would end up looking like this. 

THIS makes me cranky. I walk in and have no idea what to fix for dinner. The kids have no idea what to have for a snack. Because you have no idea what in the world is in there. So I took matters into my own hands and created this mess.

And VOILA!!! I am so super stoked about my organized pantry I just want to close the door and hang out in there by myself. How did I organize that mess you ask? Well....

Hannah helped by making a tower out of Slim Fast cans! Booyah!

TOP SHELF

This shelf is basically for overflow. We tend to buy in bulk quite a bit so I have to have a place to store the extras.

SECOND SHELF

The overflow of ziploc bags and tissues are on the second shelf. We buy ziploc bags in the big cases at Costco so we always have extras of that stuff.

vitamins, adult meds and child meds

paper products (paper plates, napkins and wipes)

Behind are 4 tall containers of rice, spaghetti, beans and macaroni

Somehow I forgot to take a pic of the cereal containers. Also on this shelf is the cereal. I love, love, love these cereal containers. Before there would 2 or 3 different boxes of the same cereal opened, I would have no idea how much cereal we really had left and people wouldn't roll the bag down inside the cereal box so it would go stale. Boo. Not anymore! These OXO containers that I picked up at Bed Bath and Beyond solved that problem. They are super easy to open so even Lauren can do it and they keep everything nice and fresh. Most of all, I know exactly how much cereal is left!

THIRD SHELF

candy, bread, individual snacks

ziploc bags, foil and baking paper

cupcake liners, cookie cutters

boxed dinners and baking

kool-aid, seasoning packets

FOURTH SHELF

dog treats, behind is vinegar and peanut oil

Love these little babies! OXO lazy susans! Oils, hot sauces, dressings

These handy dandy shelves make seeing all your canned goods super easy

Snacks in OXO containers as well

BOTTOM SHELF

extra drinks

cookies, popcorn, crackers

mac-n-cheese

veggie bin

lemonade and teabags

hot chocolate

The chip basket is also on this shelf.. somehow missing a pic of that too.

FLOOR

shopping bags

One tote is for Lauren's school papers and the other is Hannah's school papers

Tada!! Mama isn't cranky anymore!! (about the pantry anyway!)