How We Are

We had a great holiday! My Dad is feeling better. His PSA is down. He is kicking cancer's butt. I am so proud of him. I am especially proud of my Mom because she takes such good care of him. It is really tough, but she is handling it with such grace.

We had my parents over for Christmas Eve. We opened presents. Then Santa came to our house. Christmas morning the girls opened more gifts. That afternoon we went to Little Rock to be with Thara's family. We played lots of games. (Free throw matches, ping pong, Wii bowling, putt putt golf and more.) It was so much fun. We came home the next day and had Christmas at my parents' house with my brother's family.

We have had play dates and visited lots of friends that we don't see often enough.

It has been so wonderful being home with the girls. I am envious of stay at home moms.

Back to work Monday. Back to school, dance lessons, and Awana for MK. Back to day care and just learning all kinds of new things for Madelyn.

I just love this of Mary-Kate. Tell me how you really feel...

This is better!

Now it is Mady's turn to make a face!

They do love each other!

Mady is 7 months old

Mady is 7 months old!

She went from this...

To this in the last month

You are sitting by herself.

You are crawling everywhere.

We are making sure that Big Sister's little toys are out of reach.

You are still in size 2 diapers. I know you have gone up in weight, but I haven't weighed you this month.

You talk a lot. You say. "dadadadada."

I even hear "mamamamamam" ha!

We are having so much fun with you kiddo.

You are so calm and content. You are always happy. (Sister can push your buttons though.)

As long as you can see me, you seem to be fine.

I love you sweet girl!

Our Christmas Card 2010

From our family to yours...

Family Wall Noir Christmas Card

Create modern Christmas cards at Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Fun Times

Merry Christmas!

(At my parents' house)

Picture with their stockings made by Mrs. Cornelia.

She and I are in DAR together. She made these for each of my girls when they were born.

Mady kinda likes MK

Can't wait for the festivities to begin

We have been decorating cookies

MK is getting tired of having her picture made

Merry Christmas from my parents!

Honey letting MK have an early present.

So glad he was up for a picture today

PawPaw and his girls

MK before her school party.

I am so excited to be off for 2 weeks with the girls. There is no telling what we will get into.

My first Ho Ho Ho

My Mom got her this, it says "My first Ho Ho Ho!"

She was in a smiling mood so I posted another one!

And there is big sister!

Mady and Santa

MK is scared of Santa. I don't have a good picture with my camera of her with him.

She decided to go back through the line and tell him what she wanted though.

Mady can't one up her you know.

Our beauty shop had a "Princess Day" today. You could sign your daughter up for mini manicures,mini pedicures, and an updoo for a small fee.

MK with Snow White

Talking to Rudolph

Her picture with Snow White (AKA Ms. Shelley)

It was a fun day. This Mommy is tired!

Go Hogs Go and 6 months old

Mady is 6 months old

She is a little ham!

I got a little smile from her!

Mady, you are 6 months old. You weigh 15 pounds. I think you are a little heavier than this, but you have had a little stomach bug. You are in #2 size diapers.

You love bananas! You also love carrots. You are working on getting all of your teeth at the same time, I am afraid.

You have the most contagious laugh of anyone. I can tell you are smiling, by looking at your eyes.

You are so laid back. You are a people watcher. When I bring you to school, you look all around to see if your little friends are there.

Your teacher Ms. Cindy is crazy about you. I don't have to worry a bit when you are with her.

I know you love me, but you lurve your Daddy.

We love you sweet girl!

Random

I think Mady looks like me in this picture.

She loves her bumbo. My neighbor bought these shoes for MK. I saved them.`

I made this wreath. I am not crafty, but I think it came out good.

I had MK set up our Nativities this year. She loved it. Believe it or not she had everything perfect. After about an hour, I looked and saw this. I thought it was so funny. I hope it doesn't offend anyone. She said she wanted her toys to meet Baby Jesus. (I can't find him in the picture though.)

These are a few of her favorite things.

Thankful

Mady and I want to say "Happy Thanksgiving!"

Mady is almost 6 months old. I am late taking her picture.

She wanted to hold her card herself!

So thankful that my parents came over to my in-laws for Thanksgiving!

My children are blessed that the grands love each other and like to

be with the grandchildren at the same time.


So thankful for Aunts who give us lots of hugs!




This just makes me sad. My girl is growing too fast!


We have been working on a project. Can't wait to post the reveal.

It was huge that my Dad felt like coming for Thanksgiving! He has really been through it. I thought he looked super cute today! Please continue to keep him on your prayer lists. He needs it.

Couldn't pin MK down for a picture. She was too busy playing with her cousins!

Mary-Kate's Thanksgiving Feast 2010

Mary-Kate's Preschool had their annual Thanksgiving Feast on Friday. We were given a note at the first of the month telling us what costume we were to wear. Thankfully, we have a friend, who has done this before and loaned us the costume. MK is my picky eater. She did try turkey and the mashed potatoes. I was super proud of her! They had been working on a Thanksgiving unit, and this was a way to conclude the unit. Very fun for her.


Today, we have been cleaning out closets and toy boxes. We took some items to Good Will. I went to a friend's yard sale today. I bought a Bumbo and a stroller. Mady's teacher puts the babies in a circle in these Bumbos and they sit and coo and smile at each other. I thought it was so cute.

We are trying to get our house ready for Christmas decorating. It will be so much fun!

Tonight, Mary-Kate said she wanted me to hold her. I was holding Mady too. They both got so still, they fell out. I told Thara he had to capture this moment with them both sleeping at the same time. Good idea girls!

Shutterfly

Just recently I ordered a Shutterfly book on-line. It was a great way to capture the first couple of months with Mady. I plan to create another book. I think it is a great grandparent's gift.

You can get 50 free Christmas cards by going here. These cards are a beautiful way to spread Christmas cheer!

We had fun and didn't lose anyone!

I probably need to explain something. My church doesn't have Awana. I take MK to my brother's church for this. I just wanted to be a helper in the room. I love my brother's church. We visit often. The pastor is fabulous. Two weeks ago, our teacher wasn't there. It was a zoo. I wanted to help and make it great, but I didn't want to step on toes because I am not a member there. She had asked me in advance to do the story time. Since she wasn't there the time before that either, I told the volunteers I would do the craft and story time. Tell me what you think.

The kids came to the carpet. We took roll, reviewed rules, and sang the Cubby bear song. I did the Fall Harvest, special day lesson. We passed the Cubby bear around and each child told what they were Thankful for. MK said, "I am thankful for my Mommy." The kids said their Bible verse.

I had 3 stations set up. I had a jelly bean station. This station had a poem. I had little ziplock bags with the poem attached. Kids picked out the jelly beans that matched the poem. I found it on the Internet.

Red is for the blood He gave.

Green is for the grass He made.

Yellow is for the sun so bright.

Orange is for the edge of night.

Black is for the sins we made.

White is for the grace he gave.

Purple is for His hour of sorrow.

Pink is for our new tomorrow.

My second station was a thankful station. We traced the kids hands. In each finger we wrote what the kids told us they were thankful for. We turned the hand into a turkey.

The third station was color sheets and a tracing of the letter J for Jesus.

About every 7 minutes the kids rotated among the stations.

We had snack and played simon says. Before we knew it, it was time to go.

Thanks for letting me share.

I had to share a picture of MK. This was at her school. This was the trick she said that wasn't really magic. She said the only one with any real power is Jesus. Makes me proud.

I'm Still Here

Hi everyone! I'm still here. Last week was tough. My Dad was really sick and spent some time in the ER. He has cancer and is taking chemo treatments.

I had a respiratory infection and couldn't sleep well. I took a day off from work to try to get better. I had a cold in both eyes and lost my voice. Mommy's can't be sick for long with two little ones.

Mady is talking and says "Dadadadadada." Ha! It is so sweet! She is trying to crawl also. These second ones don't want to stay little long.

I am subbing for the Awana teacher this week. I am really nervous. I know I can do it, but I need enough to do to keep our little ones busy.

Thara and I visited Mary-Kate's class on Friday. Woody from Toy Story was stopping by. My daughter doesn't like costumes were faces are covered. I knew it would be rough on this day with this character coming to visit. MK didn't have to worry about "Woody." There was a magician there doing a few tricks and she got to be his assistant. She has gotten to be so shy, I was shocked that she volunteered and that he picked her. She told me later that it was fun, but it wasn't really magic.

Wish me luck on WED. We have about 15 kids and not all of them are 4. Some are 3. Not sure if I will have any help in there either. Our helpers have been no shows lately.

The Fun Thing About Girls is...

Dressing them alike for picture day! I had so much fun with this. Thanks to Carter's on-line. It isn't easy finding a 6 month and a 6x of the same thing. This year will be the last time the girls are ever in the same school building together.

Mady had the stomach bug last weekend and may I say it was awful. We got a few Halloween shots in her costume, but she wasn't having it.

Halloween 2010

It was cold tonight! MK didn't want to wear a coat because she said it would mess up her wings. So I put Mady's leg warmers on her arms! Ha! Her friends came over and we had a pizza party before they went trick or treating together. We have gone together every year for 4 years. They had a blast this year! After walking around the neighborhood, we came home and passed out candy. My parents came over and passed out candy for us while we were gone. We

probably had 300 kids tonight stop by. It was UNREAL.