All The Best To You In The New Year!

"Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning, but a going on with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us." ~Hal Borland



just a lil bit crossed eyes, just a lil bit drunk...

Wishing you all a very prosperous, fabulous, delicious, & nutrituous New Year!
Go 2009!!!!
Big Hugs
&
Big Love
To You All!!!!
love,
kristin

May you live all the days of your life.
- Jonathan Swift





All kinds of cutes have rocked my years & the best is yet to come!!!!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Christmas Rocked!!!!

I was just updating my blog, putting the xmas music back in the files for another year and realized I hadn't blogged in over a week! I hope everyone had a rockin wonderful Christmas with all the ones you love!
The Christmas spirit took a lot out of me. Exhaustion kicked in hardcore.
Probably because we were up until 3:00am on xmas eve wrapping presents and big daddy was putting together Bella's awesome pink babycenter, which took, i kid you not, 2 hours to put together. While he worked on that and I wrapped & we listened out to make sure no little feet were up out of bed, ( how scary that would of been, in our little house, at any second they so could of gotten up and saw us in the living room BUSTED!!!, but luckily it all worked out) As I wrapped, i ordered this really awesome movie on demand, called Where God Puts His Shoes, it was such a good movie to watch on Christmas Eve. It has John Leguizamo in it and he loses his job and him and his family end up in a shelter and he tries so hard to get a job in order to get this apartment for him & his family and no one gives him a break. It's on IFC on Comcast Demand. It really puts into perspective how tough it can be for families and it really made me count my blessings even more. Yeah, we joke about livin at 46 Howard in 5 rooms & Bella not having her own room yet, but it could be so much worse. How sad to see this family on Christmas Eve day smushed in a shelter on 2 little cots.....
Onto something not so sad. So back to 3:00 am, we were just finished cleaning up. The tree was lit up and Donald had just put out the crumbs on the plate to make it look as if Santa had just ate all the cookies. I was writing a letter from Santa to the children ( that he would leave next to the plate with crumbs on it ) and I turn and Jordan is standing right there, half asleep right next me! He sees all the wrapped presents and can't believe Santa was here. We were like "yep, Santa just left, ya just missed him!" Wow, that was a close one!
No sooner did he go back to bed, we finally set in our bed for what would be 2 and half whole hours of sleep. Then at 3:10 am, 2 little guys are at the bedroom door asking "can we sleep with you, the wind is scaring us" so all 4 of us, smush in the sweet queen size bed and by 5:15 i feel little Bella Lu climb up on the spacious queen sizer bed and that's it, 5:30 they are all up and ready to see what Santa left for them under the tree! And how cool was Santa leaving all this stuff! And how cool for the whole Toledo family to be up, RISE & SHINE it, at 5:30 on Christmas morning. Oh that was so cool.......

Thanks Santa!!!
Truly
We
Are
Blessed.

Baking Gingerbread Cookies

This past snowy Saturday evening, Bella stayed up past her bedtime and we baked lots of gingerbread cookies. I found out that it is one cookie that I can actually bake and not eat ( aka taste test ) because I am not really feeling the gingerbread taste. Nor does Bella. So we just had a ni time baking, staying up late and then decorating lots of gingerbread cookies that we later tossed. It was still worth it!
And notice the beautiful little pink heart Bella did with the pink icing all by herself! I looked over and she said "i made a heart" and she had put it right where the gingerbreads little heart would be and it was a perfect little heart, pretty good for a 3 year older.




Merry Christmas. We are getting very close to Santa's big visit!

Big Shout to Stefan Karl for rockin the show as Mr. Grinch!!!!

This is Robbie Rotten from the show Lazytown, he played Mr. Grinch today in the play.
He was amazing!

He rocked the whole show. It was a beautiful show, the costumes, the snow falling, the confetti, the voice of the little girl who played Cindy Lou. I'd see it again if I could. If you can see it I recommend it.
And this is what Robbie Rotten & Mr. Grinch looks like without makeup & costume.

He is a cutes!
And he is married with 4 children, 3 girls and a beautiful baby boy named Thor.
You can see his family and him at his website www.stefankarlfanclub.com.
My generous Mama was so kind to buy Jordan a red Grinch hoodie and we picked out for Max the cute Max doggie/reindeer stuffed animal and a Cindy Lu t-shirt for Bella Lu ( she wasted no time putting that on right when we got home ). And this tiny little Grinch finger puppet holding a candy cane, that alone was 10 dollar! God Love my Mother. When the man ever said "the total is 110.00 dollar", I was like "WHAT?!?!"
But my Mom said "it was a special treat." Thank you and love you Mama Gigi.
You're a special treat forever in our lives.




10 dollar candy cane & Grinch finger puppet. I mean, come on!

The stage right before the show began.
It was a beautiful show.

Tomorrow we go see it!

Tomorrow, my sweet Mama is taking Jordan & me to see it in Boston! Through the snow we will trudge and hop the train and enjoy the city, get some lunch or dinner.
I think I am more excited then Jordan!
I hope they sing the song from Faith Hill "Where Are You Christmas?", like she sings in the movie version. That's my favorite.
Stay warm & cozy as the snow falls soon!

Fa La La La La

We had a rockin good time at Steph's. First, we drove on down the country road to Theresa's ( Katie, we are taking you back there, so so good!!!)
And then off to an amazing store we went, like 3 cutes....
Then back to Steph's sweet house for yummy deserts and hot chocolate!
We missed you very much Katie and look forward to seeing you soon, at the next bloggers girls trip out!
Fa La La La La it all the way to Christmas and then when Christmas is over just keep on Fa La La La La-ing into an awesome New Year!

Piggybacks

With cousin Shayla.
Nana Zonnnnnia so kindly has given us for Christmas a beautiful Sony flatscreen and surround sound system. Feels like we are at Showcase Cinemas up in here at 46 Howard. You know how we roll up in the hood. Surround sound & a 40 inch flatscreen baby!!! yeah! ( note, these 2 great shots were taken by my other profesh photographer ~ Isabella Laila Toledo ~ watch out now! )


Anyways, while Nana Zon and Big Daddy were at Sears getting our new awesome tv and doing some xmas shopping of their own. I had all 4 kiddies with me on Friday night. I made them spaghetti and chocolate chip cook's, what a dinner! And then they shook it down on our big living room dancefloor to hip hop Harry and other jams. Shayla gave Macky & Bella piggybacks and we took some cute shots.

Buddy's Little Self Help Book

I love love love this movie! It's tradition to watch it every Christmas season. Will Ferrell rocks in this movie.
I just found our little "Buddy's Little Self Help Book", that I bought for .99 cents somewhere after the holidays like 2 years ago.
So let me share some of Buddy's Self Helpfulness with you all right now:


THE CODE OF ELVES
Treat every day like Christmas!
( especially if you have a beauty voice like myself )
There's room for everyone on the nice list! ~ we can only hope.....

IF YOU TRY YOUR BEST, YOU'LL NEVER BE A COTTON-HEAD NINNY MUGGINS.
hi

DON'T BE AFRAID TO SLAM DUNK THE STAR ONTO THE TOP OF THAT CHRISTMAS TREE.
laugh it ~ "Santa's gut a brand new bag"
"Make yoursELF necessary to somebody. Do not make life hard to any." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

and remember to
"shake your snow globe"
&
"skip everywhere!"

Welcome to the 2nd Edition of Getting To Know Your Family and Friends, Christmas Style. You know the drill. Get crack-a-lackin'!




1. Do you put up outdoor Christmas decorations?
We always have but this year we had to crack down on the electric bill, times are tough, so we just decorated inside the gingerbread house this year.
2. Do you have a favorite Christmas cookie?
I don't think there is a cookie I could dislike. I am a cookie addict!
3. What is the best gift you ever gave someone?
A collage of pictures of this very special person for his family to have forever.
4. Do you like fruitcake?
Let's just say if all cookies tasted like fruitcake then I'd be 20 pounds lighter. I no like.
5. What is your least favorite Christmas song?
"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year". I know it is the most wonderful time of the year and that is a classic, I just am not really feeling that guys voice & it's played way too much!
6. Do you go to church on Christmas Eve/Christmas Day?
I use to when I was little girl but now we stay cozy in our house and say our prayers from here.
7. Do you hang Christmas stockings? Where?
All over my chaotic little house! No fire place or mantel going on over here but they looks cute & colorful & Santa packs them up on Christmas Eve with lots of cool treats for the kids.
8. Do you truly believe "it's the most wonderful time of the year"?
Yes I do.
9. Have you ever worn a Santa hat?
I don't have one but the kids rock them and they look so cute & right in the Christmas spirit. I call them Santa's little helper's.
10. Are you more like Scrooge or Father Christmas?
Mama Christmas who likes rockin around the Christmas tree & bakin lots of cookies and then testing way too many to make sure they taste up to my sharing them with other's standards.
11. Do you hang mistletoe?
nope.
12. Does Santa wrap presents or just place them under your tree? Mrs. Claus does all the wrapping and this year she is thinking about setting some up right out of the boxes ( cause that putting stuff together on xmas morning can get a little frustrating with all those tie things, whose job is it to tie up the toys anyways?, those ties plain out suck!)SO some wrapped, some will be already to play with!
13. Can you ice skate?
I use to when I was a little girl but my feet always caved inward. I am sure now I would look like a total cutes on those blades. I haven't attempted it in many years. But I love rollerskating. Just thought I'd share that with you all.
14. Do you love snow?
Not too much. When I was little yes I loved it, no school days, hot chocolate after playing outside. Now I guess I am trying to love again through watching my kids enjoy it. But scary ice and being housebound when we get big storms...oh I just no like!
15. Which do you prefer-- giving or recieving?
I love giving!
16. Candy Canes-- yuck or yum?
yummo to me!
17. The 3 best things about Christmas?
All the houses lit up, baking lots of cookies ( and then eating them & of course sharing them with loved ones ) & listening to Celine Dion's xmas album, it's my favorite to wrap gifts to.
18. What type of decoration should stop being made?
I think any decoration can really work if you put some thought and creativity into it, my little pet peeve is when I drive my a house and they have like 1 strand of blue lights on a bushes and like 2 strands of white lights coming down the porch stairs, like what is that? what's the point, don't even put up the lights if they gona look like a crap, ya know what i mean?
19. Do you listen to 24/7 holiday radio?
Oh yeah, WROR. I love listening to the kids call into Santa between 5-7. Jordan listens sometimes with me and it's always rockin in the kitchen while I am baking.
20. Rudolph or Frosty?
I like Rudolph, he is so cute and I'm a sucker for the underdog!
Go Rudolph Baby!

Isn't this 1 cute gingerbread cake? Decorated by yours truly....Max & Bella Lu!
They were very proud of their decorating skills

Through the eyes of Max...Introducing Max's professional creative shots.

These shots may not make you crack up as they have made me, but just check them out anyways. They were taken by a little professional photographer named Maxwell Toledo.
Man, does he love snapping the shots! When he gets a hold of my camera and so far ( knock on wood ) he has been very careful with it, watch out! Macky takes some amazing shots.
I spoke with Santa and I am pretty sure Santa is bringing him his very own blue fisher price (made for destructive preschoolers, as sometimes Max is) digital camera.
I just laugh so much, everytime I look at these pictures.
They are so Max.






From the eye level pepperoni pizza shot, to the upside christmas tree shot, I just wanna pee my pants. He is so friggin cute!
My favorites has to be the cutes refrigerator shot. Who but Max would be so creative to capture the Simply Orange Juice and old pot of pasta in our beauty refrigerator? So Max!
I love you, Max.