aunt Gracie

Tonight, while I helped cook dinner for our big family crowd, my sister took all the little kids upstairs and played dress up. For two hours.

When she has kids of her own, and my kids aren't the most amazing kids in the world to her anymore, I will truly miss what a wonderful aunt and uncle she and her husband are. Cause let's face it, I was a much better aunt before I had kids of my own! :)

I love that the ten year age gap between us has shrunk as she has grown up.

I love that when she comes to town, we make cards and jewelry and watch movies and cook and drop everything to spend tons of time together.

I love that she now listens to me when I give her book recommendations.

I am learning how she is a bit different as a married lady. But liking it more and more.

I love what a true friend she is to her funny high school friends.

I love that she thinks I'm cool too.

and I wish that she could visit more often!!

Happy Birthday to Lu again!

my beautiful birthday girl!

yes, you CAN make black icing! this cake turned out sooo well!
Jake made a yummy yummy Spanish paella
cousins played with sesame street face balloons




Lu was showered with presents from her sweet family! she had a very concerned look on her face with each present but loved everything!

did i mention it was also Grace's birthday party? :) (luckily it was her favorite cake flavor as well and she didn't mind sharing an Elmo cake!)
happy birthday to my sweet baby sister and my sweet baby girl!

4 months of life lessons

We are adjusting. W is adjusting to being an "active Dad" again. I am adjusting to someone messing with my routine again. The girls are adjusting to not freaking out every time he leaves the room he will be gone for month again.

But we've learned a lot.

My girls and I needed girl days even though it was four months of girl days.

The four of us are better together.

My little big girl is truly on her own growth and learning curve.

It's one heck of a ride!

A cockroach in a box of panty liners can ruin your whole morning.

I lucked out by choosing my current job over my last job.

I have wonderful, supportive family and friends.

I have never felt people praying for me so strongly.

My husband grounds me.

I get flaky without him around.

I cook for my husband.

Our next home will have a garage and not be on the second floor.

My husband is the motivator behind Family Home Evening.

My big girl is growing up really fast!

I didn't make all the food he hates when he was gone. My girls don't like much of it either.

I still sleep on my side of the bed when he's gone, just more toward the middle.

I have a weird "thing" for kudzu.

Alabama is lush and green and beautiful.

You CAN eat too much sushi.

I can navigate a big city all by my lonesome.

Dorothy's shoes don't shine that much in person.

I still need to learn to use a plunger.

I hate taking out the trash....might have known that one before.

I love my husband dearly.

I need my husband.

My girls need their daddy.

I am so thankful that we have an eternal family.

Visitin'

some of my girls' favorites are in town!

Lu had so much fun playing with Jason on the floor that she looked up at him and said, "I wud oo, Jason" (I had to translate that it was spontaneous love) and then she bawled when we told her it was bedtime!
she was putting her people to bed.
yes, tucked snugly in bed....in her pants.
love it!

Look Whoooo's in PreK!!

The first day went so smoothly! She was much clingier the next day (more what I expected) but is enjoying everyday so far!!!

Decked out from head to toe and soooooo excited!

Lu wanted part of the action! She insisted on having her hair done, a bow, and to get dressed just like sissy, and kept saying "I go school" over and over. Ummmm, how about Grandma's wonderful daycare??

We had new shoes for running around!
A new dress to feel special!
A new backpack and special lunch box from Grandma to start things off right!
She marched right in, confident and sure, and found her seat!
And I went out in the hall and cried. :)

Meet the Teacher 8/17

Two days before school started, we got to tour the school and finally meet her real teacher!

ps-it's the teacher with blonde hair, blue eyes and pink lips! Score!

This is M's big school!

It's beautiful! We got lost finding her class-it's so big!

M is excited about her new school!
Her room is decked out in "owl theme" with a book corner (here they are sitting on the reading couch), computers, play areas, dress up, you name it!
I think it's highly likely that her neighbor there thinks she's pretty cute too!
Here are her teachers, Mrs. Shaid and Mrs. Strom (her main teacher on the right)
We also toured the library. This mural is on one of the walls-love it!
There are TWO music rooms, and TWO art rooms!
We left excited and ready for her new year!!!

Happy Birthday, Miss Lulu!

Lu has always had a piece of my heart.

She snuggled in right from the start and still does.

*She does everything in her own time. She talked and walked when she was darn well ready!

*She takes joy in everything around her, scrunching up her eyes with joy and grinning wildly!

*she loves sunglasses

*she loves to dance

*she loves to sing along with her favorite songs

*she loves a good "nuggo"

*she loves Elmo and Dora

*she has to have several stuffed animals, a pillow, a "nummy" and "ganky" to sleep well

*she loves to get her hair done and have "peety" hair

*she loves to be a big girl-sit at the table drink from a real cup, anything

*she won't walk down stairs without help

*she loves to color

* she loves story time

* she loves her butterfly lawn chair during movie time

*she talks to you out of the corner of her eye

*she loves to play peetyboo!

*she loves "Lalla" and Cinderella is the only princess movie she will watch the whole way through

*she loves to do anything her big sis is doing (we're starting to need two of everything!)

*she loves knock knock jokes

*she peeks around corners at you

*she likes to be comfy, perfectly situated wherever she is!

*she loves to rock it out to music in the car!

*she loves anything sweet and chocolatey

*if she's serious about telling you something, she'll squat down and use hand gestures!

Happy Birthday to my sweet girl with the blonde curls!

Hate Mail from our neighbors

It began with our neighbor, fed up with the pitter patter of little feet actually implying that we increased the noise when she gets home from work (because I keep track of ALL my neighbors' work schedules)

It ended with,

"ps-I thought you knew better than this."

I want to write one back saying,

"Sorry we disturbed you. ps-I thought you remembered what it was like when your kids were toddlers."

the end of the num nummy is near...

when it's a cigar rather than a soother

and when you start gnawing holes in it
it needs to go!

and when Dad gets home, they're gone!

Funny Face

I'm one of those moms who thinks their kids are so cute when they're crying! i know, mean!

3

We interrupt Lulu fest to update you on a few things!

THREE!!!!!! and no, not a third child, as the sweet man who sealed W and I in the temple assumed on FB, but three days!

Only three days left of single mommyhood, of noncooking, of our girl power summer (we need to rock out to the Black eyed Peas a bunch more, fast!), of slacking off, of lonely-husband-sick weekends, and of missing our Daddy!

THREE! that's so little, so few, there is definite light at the end of this tunnel!

Also, tonight we get to meet M's preK teacher and see her class! Wish us luck! It's exciting!

Lu's Firsts'

Lu had a big first year!

First Halloween

First Thanksgiving (as evidenced by freezing cold in her carseat in Minnesota!)

First Christmas (she was always rolling over to the tree and either eating it or falling asleep under the lights!)
First foods-she never looked back! She loved the human food and we've always joked that she's never really full....she just slows down!

First Valentine's (close enough-this is sister's birthday in early Feb)

First Easter
First swim-she was happier sitting by the sidelines than actually swimming that first summer, that has changed this year!
And first birthday (shown with emphatic signing "more" for more chocolate cake!!!)

Stay tuned for more! On to year two soon!