Christmas in January

Well, not really, but by the time I got to putting up a few pictures that is where we were at. Our holidays flew by in a blur. Christmas is my favorite time of year, but I would really like a December do over. There were just not enough days for me to take in all memories I wanted to . I was so busy with a seamstress project I had taken on, along with a wonderful ministry I started at our church called Coupons for Christ. In the past six months I had taken on couponing with quite a passion but wanted to do something more than build a stockpile. Instead, I sent out weekly emails detailing which coupons matched sale toiletry items at specific grocery stores. This matching allowed our congregation to collect almost 600 items for FREE! We then took those items and made gender specific bags that we passed out to the homeless on Christmas morning along with backpacks and gloves. We made over 100 bags with 5 to 6 items in each bag. It was by far, one of the highlights of my Christmas season. Here are just a few of the pics of all the items we collected.




Of course, Christmas wouldn't be complete if I wasn't surrounded by the people I love the most. The girls really enjoyed getting to see a different aspect of Christmas by helping with our bags for the homeless. I know it helped them to enjoy their gifts that much more. Christmas Eve we went to a beautiful service at our church that really helped to set the tone for our weekend. Then that evening we joined Jason's side of the family for an Italian themed dinner and desserts galore. Christmas morning Santa made a special delivery at our house that consisted of a trampoline! Finally, our Saturday afternoon and evening was spent relaxing at my parents house over a Texas style brisket feast! Here are a few pics we shot at their house, plus a classic of Brooke on Christmas morning!

My little fashionista,Bayleigh...whose philosophy is that you can never have too much sparkle

Brooke...always making sure she has a sassy pose for her pictures

My spunky little Brylee...couldn't believe we got her still long enough for a good picture

Best present ever...A Brooke doll!

Me and my handsome prince charming, he did not like me making him "pose" sitting down...I guess it wasn't manly enough for him...poor guy, he lives with 4 girls!

I am so blessed!

Well, not really, but by the time I got to putting up a few pictures that is where we were at. Our holidays flew by in a blur. Christmas is my favorite time of year, but I would really like a December do over. There were just not enough days for me to take in all memories I wanted to . I was so busy with a seamstress project I had taken on, along with a wonderful ministry I started at our church called Coupons for Christ. In the past six months I had taken on couponing with quite a passion but wanted to do something more than build a stockpile. Instead, I sent out weekly emails detailing which coupons matched sale toiletry items at specific grocery stores. This matching allowed our congregation to collect almost 600 items for FREE! We then took those items and made gender specific bags that we passed out to the homeless on Christmas morning along with backpacks and gloves. We made over 100 bags with 5 to 6 items in each bag. It was by far, one of the highlights of my Christmas season. Here are just a few of the pics of all the items we collected.

Sisterly Love

Summer came and went far faster than I would have liked this year. I loved the long, lazy days with my girls. We tried not to schedule too much. I just made the most of swimming, playing, and soaking in every second I could with them.

Now that Bayleigh is back in school it seems like the twins and I are on much more of a schedule as well. No more 9 o'clock breakfasts or staying up late. Last night, after dinner the girls were begging me to play outside. Rather than having them making messes while I tried to clean them up, I found this a very good idea. Although the high yesterday was well over one hundred, the evening actually seemed cooler than normal (by cool I mean 90s), and the girls played outside for almost an hour. This may not seem like much, but with hot, Arizona summers, the girls usually are wanting to come in after twenty minutes. Anyway, as I watched them from my kitchen sink hauling odds and ends up to the fort area of their playground and after everything was arranged perfectly, they all sat and held hands in a circle. The smiles on their faces were huge, filled with love for each other, and the bond of a special, secret moment between sisters. I don't know what was said or how the special fort meeting came to be, but having a glimplse at a very special moment between my three beautiful little girls, filled me so much happiness. Everywhere we look these days, there is so much sorrow, pain, and suffering. My three amazing little girls have taught me to love on a level I never knew possible. The showed me not to dwell on things that are better left in God's hands, to always stop and smell the roses, and to find the silver lining on every cloud.

These are a few of my favorite things...

Well, after quite the blogging vacation. I am back. This time I am not going to give any promises about how I will be a better blogger or give you any excuses as to why I forgot about our blog for so long. Instead, I am going to post some pics of my favorite people and give you some updates about what we have been up to.

After a summer that went by way to fast, Bayleigh started back to school. This year she is in first grade. She has become quite the reader and loves to write. I never realized how kids learning to read can be a blessing and a curse. In the past, before reading, I could scroll past shows in the TV guide, order what I wanted for the kids in the drive through, etc. Now, I Bayleigh is telling me what shows she wants to watch or exactly what she wants to eat, and I can't pretend like the show isn't on, or they don't have that on the menu. She knows and makes sure that the twins know, and I wind up with all three of them letting me know that they want to watch Tinkerbell for the 100th time! Of course, I couldn't be more proud of the little stinker. I don't think I ever have to worry about getting a speeding ticket again. She is excellent at monitoring my MPH, and is quick to remind me that breaking the law is wrong.

Here are a few pics of our little angel's first day back at school.


It is very important for Bayleigh to make her uniform as stylish/fancy as possible...bows, sashes, ribbons, but all that dims in comparison to her sweet smile and precious personality!

-Love this girl

-My three munchkins!



-I can't think of a better role model for the twins, she has the patience of a saint.

Now what would an update be if I didn't tell you about my other two blond-haired blue-eyed princesses. Starting with Brylee. Brylee can always find a way to make me laugh. She wants to be tough and strong, but is quite the softy on the inside. She always gives us a different perspective on every situation...she definitely thinks outside the box. Sleeping is hard for her. At naptime, she can find thirty different things to do, besides take a nap, even though she is so tired from playing so hard. She will always call out, "Someone...I need some help falling asleep." This usually involves a back rub and lots of snuggles. She is a great swimmer. She can dive to the bottom of the pool and pick up dive sticks. It is quite frightening watching someone so small, swim along the bottom of the pool.

Who can forget my Brooke. She certainly doesn't let herself fall on the wayside even though she is the smallest of the bunch. She has enough sass and priss for the whole house and then some. It can be very funny, but I must admit that it gets her in a lot of trouble sometimes. Her current favorite thing to do is role playing. She like you to give her an animal or person, and she will pretend to be that thing for quite some time. She takes it very seriously too. She won't deviate from her role to talk, play etc. She was pretending to be an otter while we were swimming one day. I don't think she spoke for about 25 min and was belly flopping into the pool and dragging herself along the deck. I think we might have an actress on our hands.

Well, I have stolen enough time away from my munchkins. A tea party awaits me...

Tis the Season

Bayleigh & her friends at school The class party...cookie decorating

Brooke in a dress my Meme made

Brylee in a dress my Meme made

Bayleigh, ready for the Christmas show in a dress from some friends in TN

Posing

Bayleigh's Christmas Play

Brooke

Brylee

Brylee with fondant

Brooke eating sprinkles

Bayleigh and Daddy

Daddy & the Sugar Bakers

Mrs. Claus teaching ballet

and doing the train

Look who's pushing the twins

The girls with Santa

The Christmas Season has kept us quite busy this year. Everything started before Thanksgiving when we were graced with a trip from my sister for one week. The girls were so excited (of course, so was I) and I wanted to cram as much into the week we had her as possible. I must admit, that it went by quicker than I would have liked, BUT she must have really enjoyed herself because she is coming back to see us the end of this month. Now as much as I'd love to share every detail of this fun Christmas season. I would far rather be savoring every second I have doing all those fun Christmas activities with my sweet little girls. So, I am just going to share with you some of the highlights with pictures!

Fall Time Firsts!!!

This fall seems to mean lots of new "firsts" at our house. I guess you could stay it all started with this...


Now, if you haven't figured it out yet, this isn't any ordinary picture of Bayleigh with her bike. There is something missing. Still haven't guessed it yet? I will give you a hint, there are TWO things missing. Okay, for those of you who still haven't got an answer it is...TRAINING WHEELS!!! While Jason and I were out of town for my ten year high school reunion, Bayleigh and my dad worked very hard on learning to ride her bike without her training wheels. Bayleigh is going to be in a mini mud madness triathlon for her school at the end of October and it was very important to her to ride a bike like a big girl.



Now, Brooke and Brylee also had a "first" this month as well. The girls took their first trip to the dentist. I was a little nervous as to how well the would sit in a chair while their teeth were being cleaned but they did GREAT!!! They both especially loved the spit sucker, but the highlight of the trip was when their dentist blew each of them up a latex glove balloon. They spent the rest of the morning trying to "milk" their cow udder balloon.

Miss Brooke

Miss Brylee

There was also one more BIG first for Bayleigh. On Saturday, October 9th, Bayleigh lost not one but TWO teeth. They had been loose for awhile, but some very intense flossing on my part popped them right out. No gums for this girl though...her two permanents had already grown in right behind. The tooth fairy was VERY generous. She left SEVEN dollars and a new tooth brush!

Zoo Trip

On September 15, Jason and I took Brooke and Brylee to the zoo for the morning. It was quite a strange feeling being there without Bayleigh, and when she found out about the trip, she was quite disappointed. I think that has been the hardest part of Kindergarten for her...wondering what she is missing out on while she is at school.

The trip was a fun one, and it was nice to spend that one on one time with Brooke and Brylee. They really tried to act the part of "big girls," and Jason and I shared many laughs over their funny quirks.

Brylee giving the Komodo dragon statue a kiss

Brooke checking the statues nose for boogers

Riding the statue while yelling "yee haw!"

Daddy and Brylee at lunch...the highlight of our picnic was the squirrel eating our crumbs at our feet

Looking for a rhino

Me and my beautiful little girls...rhino in the background

Brylee and Jason...just spotted a lion!

Sassy Brooke enjoying a snack

The cute hedgehog we got to see up close

Brylee...can't believe how fast their growing up

Brooke...striking a pose

Looking cool in our shades

No question who these girls look like!