Where Did January Go?

Okay, so I'm a little behind in my blogging. It has been a couple of crazy weeks. I am hoping this
cold cycle will end soon. I have discovered with three little ones it is ten times worse when it comes to getting sick. They just keep passing it around. I'm hoping we will see an end to it pretty soon. I will post pictures of Christmas and Aubrey's birthday in the next post. Its really hard to believe she is one. She has been keeping me busy. She is now walking all over the place and is very much glued to my hip a good majority of the time. Her vocabulary is growing even faster
then the other two. We just got word that Piper is at the top of the list for school this fall. Ben and me are breathing a sigh of relief. Piper really wants to go to school and I don't think she would be very happy to stay at home another year. We are looking at schools for Riley for
kindergarten this fall. I couldn't believe enrollment starts this soon! I'm in disbelief
that she will be five this year but to think she will be in kindergarten by this time next year
is killing me. Where did the time go? Wasn't it just yesterday we had brought her home from the hospital? I'm really glad I have this opportunity to be at home for at least a little while. They're growing up so fast and I don't want to miss a minute of it. I'm going to go and work on uploading a slide show plus maybe take the Christmas music off my blog since we are now into February.......

Happy 1ST Birthday Aubrey!

Its hard to believe Aubrey is one today. It seems like yesterday Ben and me were weighing the pros and cons of adding another child into our crazy duo.I'm glad we did. I can't remember what life was like before her. I look forward to watching her grow and seeing her personality develop more. In honor of her birthday, here are some of the things I love about Aubrey.

1. I love her smile.

2. The way she snuggles under my chin

3. Her laugh

4. How proud she is of her accomplishments

5. Her adoration for her big sisters

6. The way she giggles when she plays with the dog

7. She is the head of the welcoming committee when Daddy walks in the door

8. Her love of food. (Its nice after two picky eaters. She gets her from Daddy)

9. Her Frankenstein walk

10.When she calls for Mama

An Unexpected Christmas Blessing

As I've said in previous posts, God has been good to us this year. I will admit it alot of things have happened this year that have been really crummy but God has seen our family through
the tough times. Which brings me to share this story with you. We had decided this Christmas, we were going to scale back a bit. Not only for financial reasons but we really want to make sure as the girls grow up to instill the true meaning of Christmas. I will admit there were several things I wanted to get the girls for Christmas. I had wanted to get them this really cool kitchen that they played with at Sam's Club every time we went there. I wanted to get them new pajamas and slippers for Christmas Eve. Random stuff they really didn't need but it was stuff I thought would be fun to buy. Ben and me went a different route with their presents. Last night I was on the phone with my mom when call waiting beeped. I decided to ignore the call and call whoever it was back later. To be honest our family doesn't answer the beeps unless we think it may be important. I come by it honestly. (I love you Mom:) ) Anyway it happened to be our neighbor. Ben called her back and apparently one of her friends is having a giving Christmas with her teenagers. Her kids were to pick out a family and buy gifts for them instead of receiving gifts this year. She asked my neighbor if she knew of anyone who could use any help this year. Our name came up due to the fact I'd lost my job and Ben has helped her with many things over the last year. Ben bundled up the girls and went over to her house to pick up the presents.She also had wanted to meet the girls. ( I didn't go because of this nasty cold that won't go away.) When the girls came back they were so excited! They opened gifts there. They received coloring books,a Bible,new dress-up shoes,pajamas,slippers and a new play kitchen. Does God work in mysterious ways or what?! They may have been little things but it does proves that no prayer is too little, unimportant, or even unspoken, God is listening at all times and He does answer is awesome ways!

Piperisms

I thought I would take a minute and share part of Piper's personality with you. She is learning something new everyday. It helps having big sister Riley around to teach her so many things.
Its also a bad thing because she is growing up too fast. So here are a few things I have heard recently that has made me laugh.

Talking to Aubrey:
Ladies and Gentleman! Welcome to the Races!!!!!! (I wonder where she got that from? ;) )

Singing with Riley the Bingo song
And Bingo was his Nemo (we are a little obsessed with Nemo)

Ladies and Gentleman! Welcome to the Piper Show!!!
That's Me! I'm eating snow off my boot!

And here is my favorite conversation I had with her. I was trying to convince her to tell Santa what she wanted for Christmas. I've been prepping her for our visit to the mall. I really wasn't trying to be mean, I really wanted one picture of her not screaming with Santa. I asked her "What if Santa brings you coal? Which are like lumps of dirt." She'd tell me no and say she wanted Nemo toys. The day of the visit we are going over things again and this is what she tells me..
"Mama, I want lumps of dirt. I'm not sitting in his lap."

New Traditions

I am really enjoying Christmas this year. Riley and Piper are at that age where they are starting to understand Christmas. With this has come the 'I wants'. Every toy they have seen on TV or in the store they have to have for Christmas. So since they beginning to understand how Christmas works, Ben and me decided they were old enough to learn the meaning of it. My Grammy bought a Nativity set for my mom the year I was born. It is a really nice set. The fantastic thing about it is made of durable plastic and the figures are very life like. The camels I do have to say have great expressions. One of the reasons she bought it was so I could touch it without the worries of anything getting broken. My mom passed it down to me. So this year we have been talking about the birth of Jesus. We get down all the pieces and go through the story.
Its so amazing to see things through their eyes and the part I love the most is they are so excited about it. Riley will run up and ask" Can we get your pieces down?' This has also helped Baby Jesus stay in his manger. For a little baby, He gets around. Ben and me have traditions that we have grown up with and have shared with the girls but its also nice for us to create our own too. I've included pictures of decorating the tree. I found these bells at JoAnn's and they have been a big hit.( as you can tell by the pictures.) I really thought I would only have to keep Aubrey out of the tree but Riley and Piper love playing with the decorations. There is a huge clump of ornaments in the middle of the tree. Riley and Piper moved them higher to keep them from Aubrey. Now if only I could keep them out of the tree. Oh well. Good thing Christmas only comes around once a year.

Baby Steps

Its official. Aubrey took her first five steps!I can't believe it. This last year has just
flown by. I knew this day was coming. She is now crossing over from baby to toddler.
With her being the last one, I've been trying to savor every moment and its gone by way too
fast. Its also been fun to watch Riley and Piper get excited with her milestones. Now I guess it is time to dig out my running shoes. This Mama has just gotten awhole busier.

A New Breed - Purple-Spotted Little Girls

I know there has been a few people wondering if this story would make it on to my blog.
At the time it happened I failed to see the humor in it. Let me set the back round and scene for you. On Monday, (Ben's birthday by the way) I had decided to give the girls a bath after naptime. Now my room and bathroom are adjoining. I have a big garden tub. Its easier to give them a bath in there because it is bigger and I can sit in the doorway and multi-task if need be. The girls had been playing great and wanted to stay in the tub longer. Aubrey had had enough of her sisters and wanted out. Not a big deal. So Aubrey was crawling back and forth between the girls and me. It turned into a game. On one of her trips to see her sisters I didn't catch the little purple bottle of nail polish she gave to her sisters. Apparently she is just like Riley and Piper, she has a knack for finding items, that she can't have and super long arms. Plus throw in a need for approval from her big sisters and you have trouble.There is a big lip on the tub. Kinda like seat. The girls play with toys there,nothing out of the normal. With their backs to me happily playing with their toys, I periodically ask if they are ready to get out. They tell me no. And things continue. Riley turns around a few minutes later and says "Mama. the purple isn't coming off." Hmmm. Weird. I go over thinking its another game of theirs. To my surprise and to be honest, my horror, there is a half purple moon in my tub. I have them get out of the tub and see that it is all over their little bodies too. A couple of bottles of nail polish remover later. There are still flecks on their bodies and my tub( Happy Birthday honey! Poor Ben. I don't think he expected to come home to that) which will just have to wear off in time. I wonder if Harold's mother ever felt this way. Days like these I keep telling myself they won't be this little forever and I will miss these days. Plus years from now they will make great stories for family functions.

Happy Birthday to My Wonderful Husband!

Happy Birthday Ben! You do get better with age. It been amazing watching you grow as
a husband,father,and and as a man of God.I am very blessed to be your wife. Here is to many more great years! I love you!

A Very Blessed Thanksgiving

There are so many things we have to be thankful for this year. Our family,friends,jobs, our health, just to name a few. God has really blessed us this year.And there are still more blessings to come! Erica Jayne arrived safely this morning at 5lbs 13.9 oz. She is beautiful and everyone is doing great! I hope everyone's Thanksgiving is as fantastic as ours is!

Definitely Not Mickey Mouse

I'm sorry its been awhile since my last post. I've been having computer trouble. I know what else is new right?! Now its fixed( thanks to Lana) and I can share the girls' latest adventure. Riley and Piper woke up at 5:00 am on Friday morning and started taking their dresser drawers out to play with them. Ben told them to go back to bed. My husband is a early riser but even that was too early. They go back to bed and get up at nine. I tell them to start putting their clothes back and I will go get breakfast ready. Sounds like a good plan right?! What could possibly go wrong? Aubrey at this point is starting to fuss and I told her to go see what her sisters are doing. Piper then sticks her head out and says " Auuubbbbuuuuurrrreeeyyy come here!" in a singsong voice. That should have been a red flag. For all of you who don't know, Piper is not a big fan of her little sister or any child littler then her. Don't get me wrong she will play with kids but prefers the older crowd. Plus Aubrey really likes pulling hair and Piper is her main target. I really didn't put too much thought into it, I figured she was trying to avoid picking up her clothes . Riley ( our resident drama queen) starts screaming bloody murder. Nothing new there. I love Riley, she is one of the biggest joys of my life but everything seems to set the waterworks off. After a couple of minutes go by (to see if they resolve the problem first)I called for her. Ready for this? Piper comes out first holding something by its tail. As she is getting closer, I realize it is fuzzy and moving.Its a mouse! Not Mickey but a real one. By now I am thoroughly grossed out at this point, I told her to set it down. Poor thing is wet and isn't moving, still breathing though. I put him in a bucket and asked for the story. Riley told me the mouse rode on Diego's head (the dog) into the room and when she tried to hold it, it bit her. Piper adds,Diego had him in his mouth and apparently she just picked him up by his tail. At this point all three girls and the dog are surrounding him. Who isn't interested in the mouse? The cat. There is something wrong with this picture right? After a million phone calls later, Riley doesn't need to go in and get a shot. Mice aren't as prone to diseases as other rodents. We released him and hopefully he will be the last mouse my daughters catch.

Prayer

I wanted to take a quick minute to point out the new link I added to my blog. If you click on the
little girl on the top right corner, it will lead you to the Bring the Rain blog. Angie Smith had put together seven prayers you can say for your children during the day. There are verses to go along with it. I encourage everyone to take a minute to read it. One of the most important things we should do as parents, for our children is to be always praying for them.. I would even encourage you to even check out her story too. Her faith and strength is a real inspiration.

First Day of School

Finally I'm getting new pictures uploaded! This is Riley's first day of school. She is in the Ready Four program. I thought last year was hard but this year I think it somehow was harder. She is getting so big. She is four going on twenty! Such the little adult. I'm trying so hard to keep her little but they do grow up so fast, I think even faster then generations past. It always amazes me the things that pop out of her mouth. Riley is so creative and so smart. Would you expect anything less from my child?! Just kidding. I love whenever we are working out details, whether its for a trip to Target( Greatest store ever opened!) or a party, she tells me " Mama, that will be perfect!". I ask myself where she gets comes up with this stuff and find myself pausing as I make plans with my mom or sister, telling them 'That will be perfect' Proving she does listen but only when she wants to. Back to my post, I do tend to get distracted (esp. when talking about the girls) Here are the pictures of her first day of school. Such a big girl! Enjoy!

Look Mama!

No hands!

Waiting for Riley at the bus stop

Yay! Riley is home!