Where does the time go?

Unbelievable. Thanksgiving is already over and Christmas is just around the corner. Makes me wonder where the time goes. After uploading my pictures from the past week, I discovered where the time went. It went to waiting patiently at All Tune and Lube while our oil was changed..... and to honing our roller skating skills.
To dressing up our smiles with light up grills....
adhering, albeit reluctantly, to the strict guidelines set forth at Carousel Skate...
showing our love to one another...

and laughing hysterically while playing Apples to Apples.

It has also been spent snuggling with adorable babies...

posing for family portraits...

more snuggling with babies...

and perfecting our wrestling moves.

Obviously, some of our time has been spent pretending to be a banana...

trying to take naps...

and squeezing in just a little more baby snuggling.

We have also done our fair share of parade viewing...

participating in some good old fashioned family bonding...

and, believe it or not, even more skating at our new home away from home, Carousel Skate.

(Yes, that is me in the yellow shirt, showing off my sweet skills.)

A few moments have been spent wondering how it is possible that Theresa has surpassed Dawn in height (with roller skates providing a slight boost)...

and we also took some time to celebrate the birth of this lovely lady, Miss Hannah Berens.

We wrapped up the week with the much anticipated reception of the 2009 ornaments (Grace-Wonder Woman, Ella-a flamingo with a sea shell, Lily-a Jack In The Box and Jason-a grill)...

and the grand finale of decorating the tree.

Two of my favorite moments of the past week were not captured on camera but will forever be etched in my mind. As we were leaving the parade on Friday night, Ella reached for my hand and said, "Mom, I hope I grow up to be like you someday." I asked her why that was and she replied, "Because you are the best mom ever." Aww...

And then yesterday, I was paid the highest compliment a 3 year old can muster as I was deep frying tator tots. Lily proclaimed, "Mom, you are as good of a fry cook as Spongebob is." Next to Daddy, Spongebob is Lily's hero and so I can think of no greater honor to have bestowed upon me.

All wonderful ways to have spent the past week. I think it goes without saying, I didn't have to ponder too long to come up with my list of things to be thankful for this year. I hope you were able to spend time with your blessings as well.