3 Girls and a Dad

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

2010-02-13T12:39:00.004-06:00

It really happened this time ~ It actually snowed here in Texas and it snowed GOOD!!! We actually had enough snow to build tons of snowmen, have snowball fights, and do snow angels. It was absolutely breathtaking and the whole family had a blast! This was the heaviest snowfall that Tyler has seen in 28 YEARS!!! So you can see why we are all so excited about this and posting pics everywhere and talking about it!!!

My Baby is now 3!

2010-01-24T16:00:00.003-06:00

Abby on her new scooter! (And her shirt is what she wore last year on her birthday!)

Riding a horse with her Uncle Ry-Ry

Blowing out her candles (Notice her hands, it is the most precious thing, when she makes her wish, she puts them together like she is praying!)

Brooke, Abby and Natalie with Chuck E. Cheese

All the cousins at Chuck E. Cheese

Abby and her strawberry shortcake

Both pizzas decorated and ready to go in the oven!

This was taken just before we started on our pizzas ~ Somebody hugged somebody too tight and they both got mad!

Ready to make our own pizzas!

I just can't believe that my little girl is now a 3 year old! Where has the time gone? Abby had a wonderful birthday weekend...she stretches her birthday out as long as she can, just like her Momma! Friday was her actual birthday so I told her she could have whatever she wanted for dinner and dessert. She decided on making a pizza with all the fixins and she wanted strawberry shortcake for dessert. Can you tell who is NOT a picky eater at all??? I love Natalie's pizza...sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms, green peppers, italian sausage, cheddar cheese and black olives! She of course shared her pizza with her Daddy, and Abby and I shared. Abby decided on cheese, pepperoni, and sausage.
Her birthday weekend continued and on Saturday Poppa Edd came and picked her up and took her shopping and out to eat Mexican food ~ just the two of them! Since Poppa Edd was going to miss her family party at Chuck E Cheese today, he wanted to do something special with her. Abby had the best time!
Then today we had her family birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese. All the kids (and grown-ups) had so much fun eating pizza, playing games, and eating cake! I love how close in age all the cousins are...Brooke is 8, Jenna is 6, Natalie and Layla are 4 and Abby is 3 ~ All GIRLS!! I bet this will be a different scene in 13 years!!!

Trip to Hawaii

2009-11-18T22:07:00.001-06:00

What a wonderful trip we just had to Kauai for Traci and Chipper's wedding! Traci is Matt's cousin and they got married on the beach. We had such a great time and enjoyed seeing everyone! We rarely get to see Matt's side of the family since they live so far away in Alaska, so it was very special to spend 8 days with them in Hawaii! We spent many days at the beach, went sightseeing, ate lots of great food, played lots of CHEAP golf (Matt), and celebrated Traci getting married! Thanks for including us in your special day! Other than the chickens, Hawaii was wonderful!!! (For those of you who don't know, I despise any kind of bird...so hanging out at the beach in the sand with chickens clucking around you ~ ughh....NO!!! :)

The Hippie Chicks

2009-09-29T14:47:00.004-05:00

Natalie is playing soccer this fall. They are called the Hippie Chicks and they are the cutest group of 8 girls. We had our first game this past Saturday and I lost count after the other team scored 10 points. We did score 1 point just before the end of the game. They all had a great time and that is what counts! I think Natalie's favorite part was sitting on the sidelines having snacks and gatorade!

First day of school

2009-09-01T12:01:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was Natalie and Abby's first day of school. Natalie is in pre-k and Abby is in the older 2's class. They both love their teachers and they LOVE going to school. Let's just hope that remains the same as they get older! Abby amazed me. There were 3 kids crying in her class yesterday and she was consoling them saying, "Ahhh, don't cry, I'm very happy." She then yelled, "Bye Mom!" I miss them tons and the house is sure quiet for those 3 hours, 3 days a week...but I do enjoy the "Mommy Time." Yesterday I was all over the house...did laundry, bills, organized stuff, and got items ready to list on ebay. And it was all in peace and quiet! :)

Camping with Grandma and Grandpa in Arkansas

2009-08-27T13:26:00.008-05:00

Breakfasts at camp!

Walking to the bathhouse with Daddy.

"ROOAAAARRR"....(we are bears in the bear cave!)

Entrance to the Bear Cave

Eating s'mores with Grandpa!

Napping in the tent ~ Hot, hot, hot!!!

Abby napping

Family Pic

Views of the state park

Abby sightseeing with Grandma and Grandpa

Pic with the grandkids

Posing for a pic!

Our tent!

We went met Grandma and Grandpa at Petit Jean State Park in Arkansas for a camping trip in July. It was such a great time and the girls had a BLAST!!! It was absolutely beautiful there and the views were breathtaking! Matt, Natalie, Abby and myself camped in a tent! Thank you Mark and Ally for letting us borrow all the camping gear! It was huge and had room for everything! The girls got the biggest kick out of it! We definitely will be planning another trip again soon...just not in JULY when it is 100 degrees out!! :)

End of Summer & Ready for Fall

2009-08-27T10:38:00.005-05:00

Gosh, I can't believe that summer is almost over! It flew by so fast! Abby is now in a "big girl" bed. She has done great! We decided to give her the queen bed that we had in storage. This way, whenever we have company, we finally will have a bed for them to sleep in at night! And Abby can bunk with Natalie. I put all of her old stuff, crib, changing table, bedding, etc., on Craig's List and Ebay and in turn bought all her new bedding and furniture. I also painted her room a lavender color. It's so cute and she loves spending time in her room! Natalie is about to start soccer this fall. We have her first practice today and she is all ready in her gear! She posed this way ON HER OWN!!! And made Abby pose this way too. She said it was the "soccer picture" pose. She makes me laugh!

Vacation Bible School

2009-06-26T15:12:00.005-05:00

Today was the last day of a very fun week of Vacation Bible School for Natalie. This was out at my Mom's church and she had a blast! I hope this video works. I was shocked that Natalie had no fear at all doing this in front of the whole church! It was too cute! Especially the part where she "gets down and boogies!"
(I honestly think she was placed on the end because of her hand motions and dancing!
Abby can't wait to attend. Of course, she has to wait 2 more summers. Here are pics though of her getting up and dancing at the end. That smile is priceless!

6 Year Anniversary

2009-06-26T15:04:00.002-05:00

With the help of my brother and Granny, Matt and I had a wonderful 6 year anniversary. My brother watched the kids and treated us to dinner one night at Mercado's. And my Mom watched the girls for an entire day and evening so Matt and I could spend the day together. We went ziplining, swimming, and out to eat. The ziplining was AWESOME! What views we got to see...truly spectacular! We also enjoyed swimming...we spent the entire time floating on noodles in the deep end of the pool...usually we are at the other end trying to keep up with the girls. It was very relaxing! Thank you Matt for a wonderful 6 years and I look forward to many many more!

Get Ready...

2009-06-26T14:57:00.003-05:00

Get Ready for a bunch of posts from me...I'm trying to catch up! First are pics from my cousin's graduation party in May. Can't believe Hunter is off to A&M. We are all so proud of you! We also had 2 other cousins graduate in the family...Tyler in Alaska and Caroline in Colorado! Gosh, how time flies by so fast!

I'm baaaaaaaaacckkkkk...

2009-05-22T12:51:00.006-05:00

Oh my goodness...I can't believe February was the last time that I posted to my blog! There are no excuses, other than I discovered facebook and I've been updating and posting pics on there!
So where to begin?? Natalie just turned 4 years old on the 16th, Matt is back working in the car business again, and Abby is your typical 2 year old...fiesty and fun!
Here are pics from Natalie's birthday. We started off the morning with Mickey Mouse pancakes, and then off to her birthday party riding toy parade! Everyone brought their favorite riding toys and we had a parade to honor the birthday girl! Natalie's favorite gift....What else but her new Tinkerbell bike!

>

We are here...alive and kicking!!

2009-02-10T16:06:00.002-06:00

Giving Dad a Makeover!

Nat and her scarf that she wears in 80 degree weather!

Nat on Super Bowl Sunday in her Cowboys outfit that is 2 sizes to small..She won't give it up! (We need a Bears outfit...hint...hint!!)

Abby and Natalie getting ready for Abby's party

Sisters :)

Oh my gosh...I can't believe that it has been since Christmas Eve since my last post! Things have just been crazy...to put it mildly! Matt is still interviewing and looking for a job. Abby celebrated her 2nd birthday on the 22nd of January. Matt celebrated his birthday on Super Bowl Sunday. All I know is that I am ready for Spring weather and I'm ready for everyone to be healthy! I think this has been the toughest winter yet with sicknesses. I hope to get back into blogging...I'm a very routined person, and things have been somewhat "un-routine" lately! :)

The Polar Express

2008-12-24T15:14:00.004-06:00

The Polar Express Train

Trying to get a group pic...

Waiting to arrive at the North Pole

Abby seeing the North Pole

Natalie seeing the North Pole

Visiting with Santa and receiving the special bell

Pure excitement after talking with Santa

Here are pics from our 2nd annual trip to the Polar Express with our neighbors. Last year, it was just Natalie and myself...but this year Daddy and Abby came along with us. We all had a blast sipping hot chocolate, singing Christmas carols, listening to the story, seeing the North Pole, visiting with Santa, and receiving the special bell from Santa. All in all, it was a wonderful night!

Here Comes Santa Claus...

2008-12-17T21:46:00.002-06:00

Today Granny treated the girls to a visit with Santa Claus. It was wonderful because we were the only ones there and they got to sit and chat for a while. The girls were so excited and just lit up when they saw him and sat in his lap. Knock on wood, I have never had any meltdowns when it came to seeing Santa!! Santa asked what Natalie wanted and she said, "A stroller because my sister won't share mine with me anymore!" And of course, Abby just wants whatever her big sis wants!!

Frosty the Snowman

2008-12-16T16:44:00.003-06:00

I thought this was too funny...she is determined to learn Frosty the Snowman..but everytime she comes to corncob, she forgets pipe...Hope it works!

ICE!

2008-12-14T08:37:00.009-06:00

Last week we headed to Dallas for an interview with Matt. We decided to make a long weekend out of it and go visit our closest friends, do a little Christmas shopping, and just hang out and have a good time. We needed a little getaway.
We were so lucky to get to see "ICE" at the Gaylord in Grapevine while we were up there. It is something I have always wanted to do and I always here people talking on and on about it! I don't even know how to explain this, other than is it breathtaking! The girls loved it! It is a 14,000 square foot "ICE" exhibit that features 2 million pounds of ice in a variety of holiday scenes and sculptures hand carved by 40artisans from China. As you enter the exhibit you are given warm parkas because the place is only 9 degrees!!!!! After we went through the exhibit, we went and toured the hotel lobby and got to meet Santa, see live reindeer, see a huge life size gingerbread house, and they had over 1.2 million Christmas lights to look at all over the hotel. It really put us in the Christmas spirit! We then got to have some adult time without the kiddos and we played the game of Taboo...oh, how I love that game. It is one of my favorites! I did however lose both games...I can blame that on my partners, right?? :)

Thanksgiving Christmas Dinner

2008-12-09T19:36:00.004-06:00

Here is what I found the other day...Natalie was in our dining room and she had a stuffed animal in every chair...the table was set...and each animal had food. Natalie invited Daddy and myself to "Thanksgiving Christmas Dinner." It was so cute! I know she picked this up from Grandma and Grandpa's house when we all had Thanksgiving Lunch/Dinner. She loved being with all the family and doing her favorite thing...EATING!!!

Thanksgiving Holiday

2008-12-04T21:52:00.006-06:00

Oh my gosh...I can't believe I missed the whole month of November and didn't even blog!!! Things have been very busy lately and November came and went in a flash! We had the BEST Thanksgiving with Matt's family in Illinois. Matt's sister and brother-n-law and their adorable 1 year old twins flew all the way from Alaska to Illinois. So Natalie and Abby got to meet their cousins for the first time and they fell in love! Thank you Grandma and Grandpa for such a wonderful time! It was crazy and there was never a dull moment with a 3 1/2 year old, almost 2 year old, and two 1 year olds. And to top off the awesome food, spending time with family, celebrating the twins first birthday...we got SNOW!!! The girls had a blast making snowballs and throwing them at each other! I'm just going to post a few pics of our trip, and then I'll come back soon and do a slideshow for all the family to see!

Jordan eating her birthday cake at the big First Birthday Party!

Dekar eating his birthday cake!

Daddy and Auntie Paige holding the twins after all the partying!

Shirt says it all..."Team Grandpa" and "Team Grandma"

Natalie making a snowball!

Abby making her snowball!

Matt and sister Melanie with all the kids!

Abby and Natalie enjoying the snow!

All the cousins posing for a picture!

Grandpa and his girls!

Happy Halloween!!

2008-10-31T21:26:00.003-05:00

Family Time

2008-10-29T19:04:00.007-05:00

What a fun time we have all had this past week! Matt's sister, "Aunt Amy", came all the way from Alaska to visit and we also had Grandma and Grandpa come down from Illinois. Matt's parents camped out at the State Park and I must say that I absolutely LOVED that place! I had no idea how beautiful and fun this place was...and it is only 20 minutes away from us. We did a lot of fun things while everyone was down...the zoo, animal safari, and spending time out at the campground. The weather was perfect! The girls were very sad to see everyone go, but they will have so many special memories of all the things that we did as a family.

Toddler Fair

2008-10-07T14:58:00.004-05:00

Ready for the Toddler Fair

Pappa Edd, Abby, and Granny

Abby making a picture frame

Abby and Granny just chatting...

Posing for a picture

Mommy and Abby (who is ready for a nap!)

Trying to catch some ducks or duckies as Abby would say...

The toddler fair was last week at Abby's Mother's Day Out School. They got to dress up like a farmer and take part in tons of games, food, and crafts. Granny and Pappa Edd even came out to take part in the festivities. We all had a wonderful time!

Here's to Sisters

2008-10-02T17:05:00.006-05:00

All of the sudden we have noticed a huge bonding between Nat and Abby. It is so cute. Abby ADORES Nat and mimicks everything her big sister does...good or bad! :)
They have been into "Building Tents" lately...I think it comes from my childhood. I always loved making tents and crawling into them and reading, etc. Nat and Abby get all their pillows and blankets and stuffed animals and have a great time hanging out together. We also have been watching a lot of football lately and the girls love to take part in all the action. If you notice the football pick of Abby...how she is wearing panties over her pajamas...Well, that is so she can be like sister and wear them too! I can't wait to see the 2 of them grow closer and have a wonderful friendship together. How awesome to always have a best friend around...to know they will always be there for you. Here's to sisters!!!

First Day of School...

2008-09-11T16:43:00.005-05:00

Here are some pics of the girls on their first day of Mother's Day Out last week. It is twice a week for around 3 hours each day. Natalie went last year and this year Abby gets to attend! They both love it and absolutely LOVE their backpacks and lunchboxes! It still doesn't seem like Abby is old enough to go...she is my baby...but around the corner she will be turning 2! She always cried last year when we would take sister, and she didn't get to go...so she really gets a kick out of going this year. All of the sudden she mimicks EVERYTHING that sister does...and I mean everything! She just adores Natalie and it melts my heart. I on the other hand am dealing with free time when they are at school...what a weird feeling to run my errands, do my ebay, clean the house, etc...with no interruptions. I miss them terribly, but it is kind of nice to have Mommy time. I seriously don't know what I'm going to do when they go to school school...all day...ughh....they are growing up too fast!

Our Trip to the Beach

2008-08-27T18:31:00.003-05:00

I can't believe it has been almost a month and a half since I have updated the blog! Where has the time gone? We have been very busy and actually just got back from our trip to Florida. We went with our neighbors and had a wonderful time. Tropical Storm Fay held off until the very last day of our trip...thank goodness! All it brought was some rain, but nothing serious. Nat and Abby loved the beach. They enjoyed it last summer, but this summer they really got into the whole beach thing! They played in the ocean, loved building sandcastles in the sand, rode boogie boards, and hunted for seashells. I have such fond memories of Florida. My parents started taking me when I was 3 and it became our annual summer trip. Plus, having our wedding there was very special. Since my dad has been gone, Matt and I have continued the tradition of going every summer. I'm so thankful he enjoys it as much as I do, and we love seeing the girls making their own memories. Here are some pics of the trip...

We also have celebrated tons of birthdays the past month and a half...Happy birthday to my Uncle Mark, my niece Jenna, Pappa Edd, our cousin Layla, and a special happy 60th to my Mom! We threw her a surprise birthday party with the whole family and even surprised her with a visit from her sister. She flew in all the way from California for the big day! Thanks you for being a wonderful Mom and you don't look a day over 30! Love you!

Balloon Race

2008-07-15T18:36:00.005-05:00

Here are some pics from the Balloon Race that we went to this past weekend. It is a 3 day event with tons of festivities! We actually didn't attend the race itself...that started at 6:30 a.m. on Saturday morning and I believe our family is still sleeping at that time! Anywho, we went to the balloon glow that Friday night. From what I hear, this is the 2nd largest balloon race in the US. I have to admit..it was awesome! They had tons of fair food, a whole kids area, a live band, and of course the balloons! I had never been and we all had a great time. Nat and Abby both loved it when they would count down from 10 to 1 and then all the balloons would light up. I had to include a pic of the band that played after the balloon glow. It was a Led Zeppelin cover band that mimicked EVERYTHING about Led Zeppelin. Check out the Robert Plant look a like! Too funny!!!

Arriving at the balloon race..

2 skydivers during the preshow...

Nat & Abby watching the skydivers jump from the planes...

Natalie waiting for the balloon glow to start...

The Balloons starting to blow up...

Pics of some of the balloons...

The Purple Monster Balloon...

Dad and Abby dancing to the band...

Robert Plant???

Summer Fun!

2008-07-11T15:28:00.008-05:00

Ok..I'm finally around to posting summer pics and I'm just now realizing that summer is halfway over~CRAZY!!! Things here are finally getting back to normal. Matt is doing great and feeling great too! I'm happy to report there has been no snoring, coughing, hacking, tossing, or turning going on in the bedroom! So it looks like the surgery did wonders!! The girls are doing great...growing like weeds!! We have spent a lot of time out at the pool, taking walks around the neighborhood, playing at our park, having fun with chalk on the back porch, eating yummy summer foods, having cookouts with the neighbors...overall just a lot of summer fun! Here are pics from the past month! Sorry it has taken me so long to post!

Having a poscicle with Daddy after playing hard in the 100 degree weather!

Waiting patiently for the water to fill up the swimming pool!

Oh the pain...the drama...sister is trying to hold my hand!!!

Playing in the pool!

Matt with all the cousins on 4th of July!

Abby just finishing her first popcicle all by herself...notice her face, the clothes, the car!!!

The girls all clean after their baths and ready for bed...watching a quick show with Daddy before bedtime!

Return to Normalcy...

2008-06-21T15:37:00.003-05:00

Well, things here have been crazy busy and we just can't wait for things to get back to normal again. As most of you know Matt had his tonsils, adnoids, deviated septum, and soft palate surgery. We knew it was going to be a difficult recovery with a lot of ups and downs...and that is sure what we have been going through lately! Matt did great with the surgery. He ended up having to spend the night in the hospital because of his sleep apnea. It was in the severe range so they wanted to keep an eye on him. Natalie has been such an angel with him. She is very concerned about her Daddy and always wants to check in on him. She even gave him her blanket and bunny that she NEVER lets anyone have...so they would make him feel better! Matt has been doing a lot better the past couple of days...I feel so sorry for him because he finally has his appetite back, but it hurts too much to eat solid foods still. He has already dropped 12 pounds! (I wish I could say the same for me!) We did however have a scary night a couple of nights ago..he woke up and thought he was having a heart attack. We rushed to the ER and it turns out he has pluracy. I guess it is somewhat common when you have anesthesia for surgery?? So we have been monitoring that lately. And I am happy to announce that he hasn't had a cig for over a week. I am sooo proud of him!
The girls are doing good. Nat and I went swimming this morning to get out of the house. She had swimming lessons last week and is AMAZING in the water! She is a little fish and goes under all the time!
Oh, and we did have two special days that we just passed, but he was laid up in bed! Matt and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary on the 14th and then we had Father's Day on the 15th.
Enough of my rambling...got to go check on all the kids!

Pigtails

2008-06-04T16:43:00.005-05:00

Just thought this was so cute...Abby in pigtails...I can't believe her hair is long enough to even put in pigtails! Nat wasn't able to wear pigtails until she was around 2 1/2 years old! I love going back and looking at pics of Nat when she was Abby's age...it is neat to see their similarites and differences! Here is a pick of Nat at 17 months..

Oh, and I thought this was interesting too...I looked in both of the girls baby books and gas prices when Nat was born were at $1.86 a gallon. It was $1.95 when Abby was born. I just can't believe how high they are now...I just filled up last week and it was over $100 to fill the tank...OUCH!!! :)

Don't Be Frightened...

2008-05-28T17:57:00.003-05:00

Okay everyone...Don't be frightened by the following pics! Actually, I freaked out after I saw the pictures, rather than when my hubby was tossing them in the air! The girls were belly laughing so hard and Abby was yelling "gen" "gen" (again, again!)

We had a wonderful Memorial Day Holiday. We went out to Granny and Pappa Edd's house and went swimming with the girls. They had a blast! Then we all ate some barbeque and went out on the barge on the lake. Abby was the first kid to get in the lake. She has no fear...pretty scary!! Then my nieces followed and Natalie and even Granny jumped in the lake! It turned out to be a great day after all the thunderstorms came through...

Girl Time

2008-05-28T12:23:00.004-05:00

Just want to say how thankful I am for my wonderful hubby for letting me have a girls getaway this past week. I cannot even express how renewed and refreshed I feel...I missed the girls terribly and my husband...but I had such a great relaxing getaway. My best friend from Dallas and I shopped, talked, laughed, relaxed at the spa, ate, played WII (my first time!!), ate, slept, and did I say that we ate?? Her hubby was out of town, so we hung out at her house and relaxed in the peace and quiet! I love you A and I am so thankful that our husbands introduced us and that we became friends. You have such a sweet soul and I enjoyed getting to spend time with you.

Happy 3rd Birthday Natalie!

2008-05-19T17:07:00.004-05:00

Natalie had a wonderful 3rd birthday. It started out a little rocky...but ended up great! Poor thing got sick the night before her birthday. She had 103 temp and just felt horrible. She spent most of her birthday laying on the couch watching movies. She was back to her self again by her birthday party which was yesterday. We had a cowboy theme party and had hamburgers, hot dogs, and cupcakes. The whole reasoning behind the cowboy theme party was that she has a pair of cowboy boots that she wears ALL the time...even with her pajamas! She received tons of awesome presents and has been busy playing with everything all day! Nat even woke up at 4:00 this morning to play with her toys...I guess she was a little excited!

3 Years

2008-05-13T11:44:00.003-05:00

Her first time to eat cake!

Our 1 year old!

Our 2 year old!

Dancing at her Luau party!

I can't believe Natalie will be 3 this Friday. The years have just flown by so fast! This year is the first year that she really understands what her birthday is...she is SOOOO excited! Everyday when she wakes up she asks us if this is her Happy Day. I pulled up some pics from her last 2 birthday parties. She has just grown up so fast. I love you Natalie and can't wait to celebrate your special day!

Mother's Day

2008-05-12T12:04:00.004-05:00

Nat brought me home some goodies for Mother's Day from her Mother's Day Out School last Thursday. This is one of the things that she gave me. Her teacher asked Natalie some questions and then wrote them down on paper. It was the cutest thing EVER! This is what it said:

MY MOTHER
Name: Mommy
Age: 12
Favorite Drink: Juice
Favorite Food: Spaghetti
Favorite Place to Shop: The Cookie Store
Favorite Thing to do with my Mom: I like to play with Mom. I love Mom. I like to go for walks with Mom.
Love,
Natalie

I would like to know what the Cookie Store is??? I thought for sure she would have said Wal-Mart or Target!

Getaway

2008-05-08T17:22:00.004-05:00

Last weekend the hubby and I had a nice getaway for our annual trip to Dallas to see Kenny Chesney. He really puts on a great show and this year Brooks & Dunn and Leann Rimes opened up for him. Brooks and Dunn was probably my favorite, but it was bittersweet because that was one of my Dad's favorite bands. I thought about him a bunch while we were there.
Matt and I got to Dallas early so we went to our favorite Mexican food restaurant in downtown Dallas. It was soooo good! Then we met all of our friends at the concert around 3:00 for a big tailgating party. Everyone sets up tents and grills out and just has a good time before and after the concert.
Thank you to our sweet babysitter for taking care of the girls! It was so nice to have a little break and enjoy time with the hubby and friends. Nat and Abby had a blast and enjoyed having you spend the night!

Road Trip

2008-04-29T12:05:00.003-05:00

We were spontaneous this past weekend and decided to take a road trip up to Branson, Missouri. Grandpa and Grandma had a long weekend, so we thought we would pick a place in the middle and meet for a visit. (Better than driving 17 hours to come see us or vice versa!) It was about 9 hours for us to drive there, and for Grandma and Grandpa to drive down from Illinois. Perfect middle ground. The girls had a blast...especially Natalie! The trip was short, so hopefully next time we will make it a couple of days longer. And I have a new favorite food...a fried pork tenderloin sandwich...yes, I didn't say it was healthy...but it was oh, so good! The tenderloin was double the size of the bread!

Natalie and her life jacket which she wouldn't take off!!

Mom and Nat getting ready for our paddle boat ride!

Dad and Nat pose for a pic!

Dad, Mom, and Nat out on Table Rock Lake

Natalie swinging on the horse swing

The girls playing with all the toy vehicles

Grandma gave Abby her first blueberry muffin and she LOVED it!! It was hilarious! I was trying to eat one too, and she screamed at me until I gave her mine! Excuse the red eye..forgot to fix it before I posted it!

Grandpa and Nat

Natalie at Table Rock Dam

The Drive Home

Texas Day

2008-04-24T16:17:00.005-05:00

Today was "Texas Day" at Nat's Mother's Day Out School. She had a blast, but when it was time for the program and singing...she was done! All that was on her mind was eating barbeque and chips! Here are some pics from the different activities they had...My favorite was the cow patty toss...her expression was priceless!!!

Alaska

2008-04-21T17:25:00.003-05:00

Here are pics from Matt's trip to Alaska. He had a great time and took over 250 pictures!!! He was able to visit with both of his sisters, his aunt and uncle, brother-in-laws, cousins and he finally got to meet his new nephew and niece that are twins! I'm so jealous...I wish that I was able to hold them! Some of the pictures are absolutely breathtaking! They look like they came out of a National Geographic Magazine...Alaska is truly God's Country! Enjoy!

Waiting...

2008-04-15T21:55:00.003-05:00

Well...our girls only 8 day extravaganza is almost over...yes, my hubby is due home shortly! He has been out of town visiting family up in Alaska. Nat, Abby and I have had a great 8 days, but we are ready for Daddy to get home! I just looked up his flight and it has been delayed almost 3 hours so that puts him home a bit later than we thought, but at least he is on his way home! The girls and I had a fun time together. We visited a drive thru animal safari with my brother and his daughters, had picnics, played at the park, cut Natalie's hair, visited with my aunt and uncle and cousins, played with our neighbors across the street, and ate a lot of fun foods! We missed seeing the family in Alaska and hopefully we can make the next trip! Here are a few pics of Nat's new haircut and the drive thru safari, which by the way, is AMAZING!! Kangaroos, Zebras, Camels, and tons of other animals just walk or hop up to your car and you get to feed them. Natalie loved it and Abby said, "hi" and "bye" and "wowwwwww" to every single animal! Excuse the picture quality...Matt had our good camera, so I was taking pictures with my phone.

Easter Sunday

2008-03-25T16:20:00.005-05:00

Nat hunting Easter Eggs at Granny's House

Nat just waking up to see what the Easter Bunny left all the family!

Nat & Abby posing for a picture!

All the cousins...Abby, Jenna, Natalie, and Brooke

Nat and Uncle RyRy

Abby getting ready to take a nap on Uncle RyRy

Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter! We woke up and went to church with Granny, Pappa Edd, Uncle RyRy, and Brooke and Jenna. Afterwards, we all went back to Granny's house and had brunch and hunted Easter eggs. The weather ended up being perfect. It was supposed to be cold and rainy, but the sun was shining! We then came back to our house and all took naps. Nat's nap is usually 2 hours long, but she only napped for 30 minutes. I'm a firm believer now in too much sugar!!! Once everyone else woke up, we checked out what the Easter Bunny left us in our baskets and then we hunted more Easter eggs! I was pretty impressed..the Easter Bunny even left me a basket filled with goodies!

Hello Easter Bunny!

2008-03-20T14:46:00.003-05:00

Granny and I took the girls to see the Easter Bunny. I was amazed that neither one of them didn't cry. They both were happy to see him. Shocking isn't it, because I am not fond of our Easter Bunny. I think he is kind of scary looking...those big buggy eyes...Anyway, Abby kept kissing him and Nat loved shaking his hand. It was too cute. Nat still does her silly smile...it is so extreme...she fights so hard to smile so big!
Nat also had her Easter egg hunt and party at her Mother's Day out school. She was so excited to hunt for eggs. She found one and was completely satisfied. Nat kept yelling, "Look Mommy, I found an egg...I'm all done!"

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2008-03-17T16:40:00.002-05:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! I also want to welcome baby Addi to the world! Our neighbors had their baby today and she is precious! I can't believe how little she is! I just don't remember Abby or Natalie being that tiny. They didn't find out what they were having, so we were all very anxious to hear what it would be. I think it was so neat to not find out, but I could never do that! My personality would not allow it. I love to plan and prepare!
We all had a great weekend. The weather was BEAUTIFUL!!! Sunny and in the 70's. We went to the park and had a picnic. We also got to watch Dad drive his remote control car. The park had a big area next to it...perfect for driving his car. However, if you look close, you can see he wrecked the thing! The wheels were barely hanging on...Here are some pics.

Catching up...

2008-03-11T21:10:00.004-05:00

Okay...I'm having a difficult time keeping up with the blog...I need to get back into a routine of things...
The girls are great. They have both been sick again, but are finally better. This weather has been crazy and I'm sure that is the problem...one day it is 80 and the next it is snowing!!
Abby is trying so hard to walk. She will take 3 steps and then she dives onto the floor. It is hilarious. It's as if she were jumping off stage into a mosh pit at a rock concert. She cracks herself up everytime she falls...
Natalie is busy busy...all over the place!!! Her memory is unbelievable..I think she will be one of those people that hears the lecture from the teacher and doesn't even have to study...Lucky her!!! I read the book, "Brown Bear, Brown Bear," the other day, and she read it back to me when I was finished. Truly...she read it from front to back reciting the words just like I did when I read it to her!!! She loves her big girl bed and sleeps great! Now we have to start thinking of potty training!
Matt is doing good. He is actually spending the night away tonight doing a sleep study at the hospital. He has to do it for insurance purposes because he will be getting his tonsils and adnoids and something else done...
This past Saturday was the 4 year anniversary of my Dad's death. It has been a tough week, and I'm still taking things just one day at a time. My Mom, brother, and I met at our usual restaurant that we do every year on the 8th. We took the girls this time which was fun. They always have a way of making you smile and laugh when things are tough.
Hopefully I will get back into the hang of things and posting on the blog!! :)

Been Way Too Long...

2008-02-19T16:23:00.004-06:00

It has been way too long since I last blogged...Things have just been pretty busy and I can't seem to find the time to sit and take 15 minutes to write! Or I'm finding myself just too tired to do it. We all had a great Valentine's Day last week. M and I got to go out on a date the Wednesday before V-day which was very nice. It had been a long time since the 2 of us went anywhere together. On Valentine's Nat helped me make cupcakes for our family and the neighbors. I have a pic of Abby when she woke up from her nap and she got to lick the mix off the spoon. It was too funny!! The Friday after Valentine's we closed on our flip house. We are officially done and the buyers have moved into the house.

And Nat has some big news to share...She is no longer sleeping in her crib...as of this past weekend, she is sleeping in her big girl bed. M and I decided since we were home this past weekend that we would try it out and see what happened. She had a rough first night...just couldn't stay in bed...I'm assuming she was over excited about the whole event. But since then, she has done great! She takes her usual 2 hour nap and sleeps for 11 hours at night. She gets a sticker every time she sleeps in her bed and stays in her bed. When she gets 12 stickers (1 week's worth), Mommy will take her shopping for a book. Now all I have to do is relax and learn to sleep again...I have this fear of her wandering the house at night when we are sleeping...and it is causing me to not sleep at nights! I had no problem when I knew she was safe in her crib...but this is an adjustment!

Ab is still trying to walk. She can take a few steps, but then falls to the floor in excitement! She gets a kick out of falling down??? I can't wait till she starts chasing after Nat and can actually keep up with her. That should be interesting. I still can't believe how much hair she has...Nat was still almost bald when she turned 1, but Ab has a head full of hair...just look at that pic!

Not this weekend, but next weekend, M and I have a getaway for ONE NIGHT! I am soooo excited. Our sweet babysitter is staying overnight with the girls. We actually are leaving around noon on Saturday and will not be back until 3ish Sunday afternoon.
Well, my Nat is calling me...she is up from her nap! :)

Still partying, Grilled Cheese, & Suprises..

2008-02-07T11:32:00.001-06:00

Yes, I'm still here. We still had some partying left to do after Ab's birthday. Next came Matt's birthday. We celebrated as a family last Friday night. Nat helped decorate a cake and I made Matt a special dinner. What's did I cook, you might ask?? Well, I do think of myself as a good cook. I enjoy cooking and I told Matt that I would make WHATEVER he wanted since it was his birthday. Do you know what he asked for?????????? Grilled Cheese and tomato soup!!!!! WHAT?????? He said that is what he was craving, but all I kept on thinking was him telling people that I made him grilled cheese for his birthday dinner???!!!! So that is what I made him and we all had grilled cheese and cake. And then of course I hear my husband on the phone saying, "Oh, we had a wonderful dinner...my wife slaved over the stove all night and cooked me a wonderful birthday dinner..she made me grilled cheese!!" Ughhh....he thinks he is so funny sometimes!!
The next night I had planned a surprise party for Matt. 5 other couples met us at a nice restaurant and we celebrated his birthday and then went out afterwards. He was completely surprised! I was thrilled that I pulled it off and no one said anything about the party.
And finally we ended our weekend on Sunday for the superbowl. We had friends come in from out of town to spend the night and we went to a superbowl party. It was tons of fun and I LOVED the game!!! Go Giants!

Party like Rock Stars!

2008-01-28T20:40:00.000-06:00

Well, we are finally done with partying for Abby's first birthday! (Now we just have to get ready for Dad's birthday this Friday!) I think Abby thoroughly enjoyed her "birthday week!" We started celebrating on Tuesday for her actual birthday. The 4 of us and Granny and Pappa Edd all went to Chuck E Cheese. Abby enjoyed riding the rides and of course Nat had a blast earning tickets and eating pizza. We all shared a small birthday cake that was FREE for Abby's 1st Birthday from Brookshires Grocery Store! Abby really enjoyed eating the cake!!! We then came home and opened up presents from Grandma and Grandpa from Illinois! She loves her guitar! Thanks!

Two days later, Abby was lucky enough to have cake again! This time it was for breakfast!!! We had her 1 year birthday pics done and had her dressed in just bloomers and put a birthday cake in front of her. And then she was able to do whatever she wanted with the cake! The pics turned out so cute! Some of them were hilarious! The funny part was that the cake had sprinkles on it and everytime she went for some cake, the sprinkles would fall to the floor. Well, Abby couldn't stand that, so she kept on picking up all the sprinkles and eating them! Here is a little preview of the birthday cake pictures.

And finally, we had a small birthday party for Abby on Sunday. It was all of the family and our neighbors across the street. Abby was able to enjoy her 3rd birthday cake and play with all her cousins and friends. We opened up presents and then all the kids and the men went to the park down the street. Thanks for everyone who shared with Abby's 1st birthday!

Happy Birthday To You!

2008-01-22T15:52:00.000-06:00

Today is Ab's first birthday! Happy Birthday Ab! We are having a little birthday party with family on Sunday to celebrate her big day, so tonight we will probably go out to eat at Chuck E Cheese's and then have a little cake with just the 4 of us. Nat is all excited about having "happy cake!" She wants to know where her happy cake is and when will mommy be picking it up?? I told her that her birthday is in May and that is when she will have her own happy cake. She said, "Oh, okay mommy...my cake is in May...I see mommy!" I will post more pics of the birthday girl opening her presents and eating cake. These are just a few from today while we were playing with blocks with sister.

Thank goodness for hand-me downs...and making history...

2008-01-20T15:24:00.000-06:00

I never realized the pros of having 2 girls...one right after the other...but it is sooo nice to already have a wardrobe for Ab. I mean on one hand, everything she wears is used and she rarely gets anything new, but on the other...it is wonderful to get so much use out of Nat's old clothes and it is easy on the pocketbook!!! It was so nice on Friday when it decided to SNOW that I pulled out Nat's old coat and boots...and "voila" Ab was ready to get out in the snow! Here is a pic of Ab and her hand me downs and the other pic is of Nat and her cousins. They came by to visit today and had lunch with us. Nat was sooooo excited! As you can see she is still wearing her cowboy outfit with her favorite jacket and her hat that she won't take off!!! And lets not forget the pink crocks with socks!!! Is this a normal thing for a 2 1/2 year old to be so adimate about what she wears??? Poor thing doesn't realize that the Cowboys are out of the playoffs!!!

Oh, and something I am very proud to announce...my cousin Margaux made the band at her school and made history at the same time! She is the first girl to ever play percussion...Margaux beat out a bunch of boys and she will be playing drums for her school! Great Job Margaux!!

Next time, Knock on Wood...

2008-01-15T15:58:00.000-06:00

Ok...can everyone read the last paragraph of the last post...the part where it says, everyone is doing great...no one has been sick...well, that didn't last too long, did it????!!!! I should have ended that post with, "Knock on wood!" Yup, the girls are sick, I feel yucky, and M is sick too. Of course, this all happened yesterday morning when he was leaving to go out of town for 3 days for work. There are no fevers as of today, but Nat keeps telling me her neck hurts. I'm assuming that means her throat because mine is HORRIBLE!!! I actually don't want to eat because it hurts to much to swallow...and for me not to eat..that should tell you something!!! So, it is just us girls again tonight and we are going to take it easy. Hopefully they will go to bed and sleep tonight. I desperately need sleep right now. Nat has been crying on and off for the past couple of nights. Poor thing, it must be tough when you are that little and don't feel good. Ab is sick too, but she just goes with the flow...she has snot coming out of her nose and she can't stop coughing..but she still manages to crawl non stop all over the house and smiles and laughs at everything.
Oh and I have some great news...We have a contract on our "Flip House!!!!" I just hope that everything goes smoothly and we can finally get rid of that house. We learned so many things for our first flip and we managed to surive. It has been on the market since August and now we finally have a buyer! Yippeee!!!

Mommy, Uh-ohs, Crowns & Root Canals...

2008-01-09T11:41:00.000-06:00

Well, these words just about sum up the past week. Nat has all of the sudden started calling me Mommy instead of Momma, and I LOVE IT!!! It sounds so cute and it is turning me into such a softy!!! I think she knows it too! She will say, "Mommy, I need you...I need my Mommy." Oh...it just makes my heart melt!!

Ab has discovered uh-ohs...it is sooo funny! She will drop stuff and all of the sudden you will hear, "uh-ohhhhhhh." She especially does it with food since she is starting to eat big people food. Nat tried it last night and dropped her whole plate of dinner and said uh-oh...Seriously, what do you do?? M & I have been laughing at Ab saying it all the time, and then Nat tries it and drops her whole plate of food???? Ugh.....

And I had a first this week...on Monday I had to get a crown and a root canal. Oh, it was the best time EVER!!! Seriously though...it wasn't as bad as I thought. I got myself all worked up and it surprised me how easy it was...Of course, it helped that the dentist sent me to la-la land with the gas. I enjoyed that.

Other than that, things have finally calmed down a bit. Everyone has been feeling great, nobody has been sick, we are back into our routine after the holidays, and now we are getting ready for Ab's FIRST birthday!! I can't believe she will be turning 1.

Slow...Down,...Eat...Slow, Talk...Slow, Drive...Slow..

2007-12-31T16:28:00.000-06:00

Well, I know it has been a while since I last wrote...a lot has happened in the past couple of weeks. We lost a wonderful person on the 19th of December. M's grandma passed away. She was 92 years old. I am soooo thankful that we made it up to Illinois over Thanksgiving. We were able to spend a lot of time with her and she got to meet A for the first time. We drove up to Illinois for the services and stayed through the day after Christmas. The girls had a great time seeing Grandma and Grandpa again and A got to meet her aunt Amy for the first time from Alaska. Here is a pic that I found from Thanksgiving 2005 when N met Great Grandma for the first time. I am reminded of something that Great Grandma always said to all the kids...."Slow Down, Eat...Slow, Talk...Slow, and Drive...Slow.." What a great quote to live by..

It has been a whirlwind since we got back home. The girls had Christmas in Illinois, then we did our Christmas the day after we got home, then Granny and Pappa Edd came over to do Christmas, and then finally last night we celebrated with my aunt and uncle and cousins. Isn't Christmas just the best when you are a kid...I just loved seeing how excited they would get opening presents. Here are some pics of the girls and all their many Chrismas celebrations, a pic of M's sister and A, a pic of the "white" Christmas that I got to enjoy...FINALLY!! And a few others...oh and my favorite of N sitting on the radiator at Grandma and Grandpa's house looking for Santa...it is sooo cute!!"
Hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year's Eve and I will see you in 2008!!

Ride on the Polar Express...

2007-12-19T22:26:00.000-06:00

N and I had such a treat the other night. We were invited with our neighbors to go ride the "Polar Express" and go to the North Pole. N is still talking about the choo choo train. I'm sure most of you know the book, but for those of you who don't know it...you have to read it! This experience was done just like the book! N and I got to board a real train and ride it to the North Pole to pick up Santa. The train ride lasted about an hour. Everyone wore their pjs and they served us hot chocolate and rice krispie treats. The conductor came around and met all the children and stamped our tickets..just like the book and movie. We all sang Christmas carols and they read the actual story while we were on board. Then we arrived to the "North Pole" and it was so beautiful! Next Santa came on board and rode the train with us. He came and visited with N and gave her a Christmas bell from his sleigh. She was in awe of the whole experience! N has not let go of her bell and keeps on telling everyone how Santa gave it to her. Now when you ask her what she wants from Santa for xmas, she just says, "Oh Mommy, he gave me a bell!"

Getting in the Christmas spirit...

2007-12-10T20:16:00.001-06:00

Last night we all wanted to get in the Christmas spirit, so we put on our pajamas and went and got eggnog milkshakes and looked at Christmas lights. It hit 80 degrees yesterday then fell to the 40's by late afternoon, so it was perfect weather last night. We went to the 2 houses that have their lights set to music and it is a huge light show. It was great. N loved it! Here are some pics of the girls before we left and of course M wanted me to share the lights that he did on our house!

Looking Back...

2007-12-08T17:03:00.000-06:00

Just thought I would dig through old photos from N's first and second Christmas. She was such a ham...and of course, she still is...N was 7 months old for her first xmas and 1 year and a half for her second. I remember that she loved wrapping paper and bows and LOVED Santa Claus!

I can't believe that this is A's first Christmas. I was thinking that she was here last xmas, but now I remember...I was 9 months pregnant last xmas...oh, how things are different this year! What a special holiday for her! Hopefully we will go see Santa this week. I am anxious to see what the girls do. N has always loved Santa..it is the Easter Bunny that she doesn't like very much.

All I want for Christmas is my 2 front teeth..

2007-12-05T14:34:00.000-06:00

Well, A has 3 top teeth coming in as we speak...and can you tell she is so proud!!!

Getting ready for the holidays...

2007-12-03T11:49:00.001-06:00

Just so everyone will know..I think the blogging will slow down quite a bit during the holidays!!! I can't believe that it is already December. We have been very busy for the past week. M has started working on the outside xmas lights. He is so funny...he really is Clark Griswold and wants to go all out with lights and decorations! He has an ongoing battle with our neighbors to decorate with lights! Of course, it is just a battle with himself...I don't even think our neighbors know about it! We bought a huge 8 foot Snowman to put in the yard. We still have all the outlining of the grass to do, but then the outside should be done! I haven't done much with the inside of the house yet other than put up N and A's Christmas trees. N is so excited about her tree. I probably will have to move it out of reach, because all she wants to do is touch it and hold the ornaments. We set up our Christmas tree in the living room, but of course the dreadful has happened...the lights in the middle are all out. Oh well, we will just make do and probably have to buy a tree after Christmas when they are on sale. Hopefully this week I can get the tree and inside of the house decorated. I also have to figure out how to keep A out of the tree...mmmm...any suggestions would be great! :)
I went and visited my aunt and uncle and cousins yesterday in their new house. I just love it and we are so happy for them! I can't wait to see it all decorated...my aunt is such the decorator!
And then their is shopping which I haven't even started!!! That's the fun part though..I love buying for other people!
And last, I sent most of you the link of our family getting "elfed," but in case you missed it...you definitely need to do it with your family. It is hilarious! The website is www.elfyourself.com. Happy Holidays!

Thanksgiving Holiday

2007-11-27T16:22:00.000-06:00

Well, we are finally back from our vacation to Illinois. Other than the 17 hour drive each way, the trip was so much fun! We left last Tuesday after N's Thanksgiving Program and Feast at her Mother's Day Out School. This was our first program with N and she was just precious! At one point during the program, a little boy in her class began to cry and our little N went over to him and consoled him for the remainder of the program. It was hilarious! She would hold his cheeks and wipe away his tears..then hug and kiss him. I have it on video on my video camera..but of course, I don't know how to put it on the blog?? After the program, we had a sit down Thanksgiving Feast with every possible food you could imagine! Maybe that would explain why we were ready to nap when we left for Illinois right after the program???

The drive to Illinois was very long...it took us about 17 hours to get there...we took 2 days to drive up there...the girls were very good..considering being trapped in a vehicle for that long! We mainly visited with Grandma and Grandpa and ate tons of food! We also got to see friends that we haven't seen in quite a long time! It was so much fun to see all of our kids play together!

I was hoping for a white Thanksgiving, but instead it decided to snow HARD the day we left. Actually, it started when we were loading up the car with all of our stuff. I was bummed, but at least I got to see snow! Anyway, here are some pics from our trip. The windmills are in a little town near Grandma and Grandpa's house. They were HUGE! N looked like a little ant standing next to them. A & N both LOVED playing with Rita the dog. I have to say though...Rita was a bit jealous of the attention N & A were getting from Grandma and Grandpa! Oh, and I hope Rita isn't too sick from all the food N was feeding her!!!

And after 2 long days of driving for 17 hours, you would think our kids would be excited to see our house and pull into our driveway...NOPE, N started crying hysterically and yelling, "No Mamma and Daddy...please go to hotel, no home, go to hotel!!!"

Bunches of things and Exciting News!!

2007-11-19T21:42:00.000-06:00

Yes, we are still here...things have been super busy lately and I just haven't had time to post on the blog. We are leaving tomorrow for Illinois and I am VERY excited to get out of town! If I can just get through all the packing, which I despise doing, I will be in a great mood! It is so hard to pack for a 2 year old and a 10 month old..you have to bring so much stuff!! Get ready Grandma and Grandpa, cause here we come with a Uhaul!!! :)

The medicine seems to finally be working with N & A!!! They are feeling much better. The coughing and runny nose is not nearly as bad as it was last week! A, on the other hand was running a temperature tonight and very fussy...I think she is teething..you can tell her top two teeth are about to pop through...At least let's hope that it is teething and nothing else!

And now for some very exciting news...I am so excited to announce that M and I are a proud aunt and uncle of twins! They arrived yesterday, very early, but they are doing great! Momma was 27 weeks and 2 days, and she and Dad are doing good. We miss you guys so much and can't wait to meet J (girl) & D (boy)!

Here is a pick of A and her very 1st bubble bath and N and her new hat to take to Illinois. She just takes it off to sleep..it is hilarious...it will be 80 degrees outside and she has on her winter hat! She loves it!

Checkup

2007-11-12T15:00:00.000-06:00

A had her 9 month checkup today and did great! She is SUPER tall for her age and a little under average for her weight...complete opposite of our little N! Too funny! They both have sinus infections (so we think), so they are getting put on an antibiotic. Our doc doesn't think it is allergies because the medicine that the other doc gave us, hasn't done a thing..actually they both got worse over the weekend...AGAIN!! Now their throats are red with white bumps, etc...
On another note, I am SO excited because we are going to visit the grandparents in Illinois over Thanksgiving!!! Maybe a change in weather and scenery will do the girls good! :) I'm looking forward to good company and good food!!! And a little Gin Rummy card playing with the men...hehehehe...

Beautiful Day

2007-11-08T14:11:00.000-06:00

Well, the girls are still coughing and have snotty noses...we are trying allergy medicine to see if it might be allergies????? We shall see...
I couldn't help but get the girls out today because is is absolutely beautiful! It is blue skies, sunny, and 65 degrees. We are getting the girls pics done this evening. These will be the first pics of them together. It should be a very interesting session...N doesn't sit still at all, and since A has learned how to crawl..that is all she wants to do! Oh, and I thought I would post some old pics for all the Bears fans out there...these are from the last superbowl when A was just 2 weeks old!

Red Blueberries

2007-11-06T15:45:00.001-06:00

I just think this is too funny not to share...Kids AMAZE me and make me laugh with their language and way of thinking...
Here's the story...N is obsessed with blueberries and now they are not available at the grocery store anymore...guess they are out of season?? So I thought I would buy her raspberries to try and see if she likes them. One evening I gave her some raspberries and told her what they were and she loved them. Now when she is hungry she will say, "Momma, have red blueberries please?" I'll ask N, "Do you mean raspberries??" And she will reply very sternly, "No silly Momma, RED BLUEBERRIES!!!"
Oh and by the way...The girls are SICK AGAIN!!! Both of them went back to the doctor today. Horrible coughing, stuffy nose, etc. I really need some prayers..this has been going on since mid September and it is wearing me down. I know it's that time of year and the weather is not helping..but it just breaks my heart to see them so miserable. We are now trying allergy medicine to see if that might be the problem????

The War has begun...

2007-11-04T22:15:00.001-06:00

Son-in-law vs. Mother-in-law...yup, the battle has begun! As most of you know, Matt is a die hard Bears fan and can't stand the Cowboys! Granny on the other hand is a die hard Cowboys fan period! They are always trying to get N to say, "Go Cowboys, Boo Bears" or "Go Bears, Cowboys stink!" Well, Granny pulled one over on Matt tonight for the Cowboy game. Pappa Edd & Granny came over to watch the game and she had bought them outfits to wear. We went into N's room and got both N and A dressed and they came out to surprise Matt. He just laughed and was speechless. N was running around yelling Go Boys, Go Boys! It was so cute! I'm just wondering what Matt's payback will be????

Uploading Videos

2007-11-03T17:32:00.000-05:00

Ok, I think I finally figured out how to put videos on the blog. I can only do it from my digital camera..I don't have a clue how to upload videos from our video camera...one day I will learn! This is from Halloween Night. Notice how Natalie switches from fast dancing to slow dancing when the music changes...too funny!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Driving Lessons

2007-11-03T17:01:00.000-05:00

Well, the day has come...N had to teach A how to drive her car. N wasn't too happy at first about sharing her car, but when she found out she could push A down the street, she was very excited. A enjoyed the ride a lot!
We had one of those horrible experiences with our computer yesterday...it quit working! It freaked me out because I haven't finished copying pics to discs, etc. My whole life is on our computer. After endless hours and days, M figured out it was the wireless mouse and keyboard. We are not sure what happened, but we borrowed an extra set that Granny and Pappa Edd had, and now it works. Hallelujah!!!! Now I just need to spend some time and copy everything to a hard disc!!!

Happy Halloween!

2007-10-31T21:39:00.000-05:00

Here are the girls in their 50's outfits for Halloween. We had a great time trick-or-treating in our neighborhood. Granny and Pappa Edd came over and we went with our neighbors across the street. Pappa Edd also brought his grandson, Brandon and N just fell in LOVE with him! He was awesome with the girls and loved playing with them and pushing them in the stroller. N loved going up to the doors and saying, "Trick-or Treat"...only problem was that she would just go up to the doors and try to open them and go into their house! She loved getting all the different kinds of candy, even though she really wasn't sure what the candy was...When we got home, I gave her a piece of chocolate and her eyes and smile just lit up! A had a fun time too...she just sat in her stroller and enjoyed the ride! Hope everyone had a great Halloween!

Lemon Icebox Pie

2007-10-30T22:24:00.000-05:00

Forgot to mention what my wonderful hubby made for my birthday. Besides his famous spaghetti, he made my favorite dessert of all time...Lemon Icebox Pie. Here are pics of the girls enjoying it too! N ate it all in about 5 seconds flat, and I gave A a small bite after she ate all her sweet potatoes! She wasn't sure what to think, other than she kept on licking her lips to get more!

Long Time, No Blog

2007-10-30T22:05:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! We have been super busy lately, and I actually forgot that I had started this whole blog thing! Imagine that! M and I had a great getaway this past weekend for my birthday. We enjoyed relaxing, sleeping in late, and the peace and quiet! We got back yesterday and the girls had a BLAST with Granny and Pappa Edd.

N had her Halloween Parade and party at school today. She loved wearing her costume and was just dancing all over the place! All the kids were so cute in their costumes. We will be trick-or-treating with the neighbors tomorrow night for Halloween. It is supposed to get up into the 80's, but then fall to the 50's late Halloween night.

Here is a pic of A...she has started to pull up to a standing position and she is so proud! Just in the past month she has been doing so much...rolling from one end of the house to the other, pushing herself to a sitting position, pulling up to a standing position, waving, clapping, and imitating things we do!

Still sick...

2007-10-24T12:29:00.001-05:00

Well, N is still sick and guess who caught it from her...yes, A is sick too. They are both so miserable with colds and coughs. They went to the doctor on Monday and A has an ear infection on top of her cold. Poor thing. I've actually been very lucky with N and A so far...this is our first ear infection ever! So~we are still hanging out at the house. They both do really good during the day, it is just the nights when they cough and cough and cough...it just breaks my heart because they are so tired, but the cough and stuffy nose keeps them up. And poor A sucks her thumb so she is having a rough time trying to figure out how to suck her thumb but still breathe through her mouth!
On a happy note...It is absolutely beautiful today. Clear and cool..around 67 degrees. I just want to be out and running around, but we are going to sit tight until we are all better. I definitely hope they are better by this weekend. M and I have a getaway weekend for my birthday and Granny and Pappa Edd are watching the girls. I'm very excited about that! It will be so nice to have a weekend away from everything!!!

Hit again...

2007-10-19T15:18:00.001-05:00

Yet again, N has another cold. This makes the 4th one in 2 months! I don't know if it is the weather, or what, but that poor girl catches them all the time! She woke up this morning and couldn't breathe at all. Of course, this doesn't slow her down one bit. N is so good when she is sick...you wouldn't even know that she felt bad if it weren't for all the crap pouring out of her nose! And her appetite doesn't slow down either! :) I'm trying to keep her away from A, but that isn't going very well. Especially now that A puts every single thing in her mouth! Oh well, we will just enjoy staying at home, relaxing, and taking it easy and hope that A doesn't catch it! I hope N is feeling better by tomorrow though...We were invited by another family to go to the Rose Festival Parade. I think N would love seeing all the floats, cars, animals, and listening to the marching bands, etc. We shall see....
I wish you could hear her now...she is down for her nap and snoring so loud...you can hear her clear through the sound machine in her room, with the door closed, and I'm in the kitchen! It's so cute when little kids snore, but that's another issue when husbands snore!!! :)
Here she is passed out in her bed..and yes, she sleeps with all that stuff! That's a whole other story in itself...:)

Reminiscing

2007-10-16T10:40:00.000-05:00

I just can't believe how fast time has gone by...I was up last night thinking of how this will be N's 3rd Halloween and that A will be 9 months old next week! The advice that I remember the most that friends and family gave me when I had both of my daughters was to enjoy every minute because they grow up so fast! Boy were they right! I dug through my computer files late last night and found these pics from N's 1st and 2nd Halloween. She was such a ham!

I'm excited about this Halloween. N and A's costumes are so cute. I figure this will be the last year that I can choose N's costume, because next year she will fully understand everything about Halloween...so this year I chose something that takes me back to my all time favorite movie.

Pappy's Pumpkin Patch

2007-10-13T15:53:00.001-05:00

Here is a slideshow from our day at Pappy's Pumpkin Patch. This place had everything...from a haystack maze to hayrides, face painting, a fish pond where you could feed the catfish, a pumpkin patch to pick out your pumpkins, a carving area to design and carve out your pumpkins, a huge playground and picnic table area...and even tetherball! M and I wanted to test our skills at tetherball since it had been since middle school that we had played, but I didn't want to embarrass him and whip his butt! M and I were very pleased with this pumpkin patch and N and A had a blast! We were ready to go at the end...it reached almost 90 and it was HOT with the sun shining down on us. Not fall weather yet..but hopefully it is coming!

Naked Chef

2007-10-12T11:31:00.000-05:00

Has anyone heard of the show, "The Naked Chef," on The Food Network? If you haven't, it's a cooking show that has to do with cooking food with maximum flavor, but minimum effort...and a very cute guy! It's not the chef that's naked, it's the food. But have you heard who is replacing Jamie Oliver next season??? Yes, our own N is the new host! Sorry, I couldn't help but post these pics..I think it is so funny! N will hate her mother for doing this when she is older...:) But for now...we will laugh...

Wired at 3:45 a.m.

2007-10-12T03:44:00.000-05:00

I have no idea why I am typing at 3:45 a.m. I am wide awake and I laid in bed for over an hour before I decided to get up and be productive!!! So here I am typing and I'm thinking to myself...the girls will be up and ready to go in 4 hours!!! N usually sleeps pretty good, but tonight she has been talking in her sleep...it is so funny...she's saying, "Go Cowboys, no Go Bears, no Go Cowboys, Granny, Pappa Edd, Dada, Momma, Abby..." To explain this furthur..when the Cowboys played the Bears a while back, Granny and Pappa Edd came over to watch. M and I were telling N to go for the Bears...while Granny and Pappa Edd were telling her to go for the Cowboys...now she just loves football, and she loves looking at Daddy and saying, "Go Cowboys!" She knows it gets him going...and he will tickle her, etc. I have to say though..after the game on Monday night, I'm starting to root for the boys again!

First Day of the Blog...

2007-10-11T16:55:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone! I'm testing my computer skills right now and learning how to "blog" as "bloggers" would say...

We will see how it goes, but I think it is a great way to stay in touch with family and friends...especially those that are far away from us! Hopefully I can keep up with this, along with keeping up with 2 kids!! Here is a pic of N and A. I will have to learn how to upload videos, and show everyone A's new thing...she has learned how to wave hello and goodbye and that is ALL she ever does...she waves to the tv, her toys, even to herself...it is hilarious!!