Photostory Friday and Happy Birthday

Dad,

Thanks for all your love and support you have given us through the years. Craig and I were blessed with two wonderful parents who taught us by example not to sweat the small stuff. You make 60 look good!

I wanted to re-post some of my favorite childhood memories in honor of your birthday.

I have fond memories as a little girl driving around in your little yellow porsche...We'd honk at strangers--wave and laugh!

Playing baseball, hotbox, and basketball--We were always outside doing something.

Taking naps on the couch in the afternoon (both of us still have this habit)!

Waking up in the morning to music blaring in the living room
(Michael Jackson, Earth Wind & Fire...you name it).

Your love of music definitely rubbed off on us. And we are always up for a game of "Guess who sings this" when random songs come on the radio (sorry Jodi).

I loved to watch you dance on the linoleum floor in the kitchen (Bus Stop, Electric Slide).

Going for bike rides on warm summer days.

Going to the movies on HOT summer days and YOU would always fall asleep in the air-conditioned theater until you would snore and wake yourself up (ha-ha)!

I inherited your love of anything chocolate!

You always have such a great sense of humor and we love to laugh.

I always feel safe with you dad and am so lucky to have you.

HAPPY 60TH BIRTHDAY DAD...WE LOVE YOU!

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Their ears are broken

I haven't felt very inspired to post much on the blog lately and I am blaming much of that on the three year old monsters I've been dealing with. I read MANY horror stories from a few of my fellow blogging mamas with multiples a little older than my girls about this gawd-awful age. Forget the terrible two's. It's the tear-your-hair-out freakin' frustating three's that have me tempted to book the next flight to the looney bin.

But then my friend Suz sent me an invite to an exclusive club last week that just might help my sanity.

It's the "OMG, I need a glass of wine or I'm gonna sell my kids" Club.

And I'm running for President.

Photostory Friday and A day with Friends

The girls and I spent the day with our quad buddies for a day of fun on Monday. The weather was perfect, the kiddos behaved really well, and Gen and I always have a great time comparing parenting notes and chasing the kids around together.

With 7 kids betweeen us, there are always a couple who try to sneak away!

The McNulty crew was happy to share one of their favorite outdoor spots with us and all of the kids had a great time throwing rocks at the ducks in the river.

Miss Molly

Russell "the ladies man"


Alyssa

Makena


Ally and Riley



Riley and Libby

We skipped naptime, but Makena wasn't going for it. She had to take a quick snooze in the wagon on the walk home from the river.

The girls and I can't wait until our next play date!

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Wordful Wednesday and Priorities

"Yeah mom, I know it's time to eat lunch, but I gotta get in touch with my peeps first."

--Alyssa

Is Texting 101 an elective in preschool now?

Go visit Angie for more Wordful Wednesday posts

Sunshine and another great book

The weather has been absolutely beautiful in our hood over the last week. The girls were so happy to get outside today and dig in the dirt and ride scooters. We are soaking up the sun before the next rainstorm heads our way this week.

Makena

Alyssa


Riley

While the girls were happily digging for worms, I was reading another great book with the sun shining on my face. A perfect day, I tell ya!

Photostory Friday and My Brave Girl

Riley has always been the leader of the pack in our house and recently she has added some new acomplishments to her list.

A few weeks ago, the girls had their 6 month check-up at the dentist and I was pleasantly surprised when Riley decided that she was a big girl and she could sit in the dentist chair all by herself. No crying about getting her teeth cleaned or having x-rays taken. She was such a big girl...I hope that when the next 6 month check-up comes around, Alyssa and Makena will be brave enough to sit on their own too!

Two weeks ago, Riley was brave enough to get her ears pierced when daddy took the girls to the mall. She cried a little bit, but the M&M cookie that she got from Mrs. Field's dried those tears up quickly. Alyssa and Makena were too scared to follow her lead. So for now, Riley loves showing off her earrings to everyone she sees!

Riley was the only one who wanted to get her face painted at a birthday party last weekend. She was so proud of her butterfly face and wouldn't let me wash it off that night before bed.

Watching Riley accomplish all these new things reminds me of how fast the girls are growing up. I recently asked Riley what she wanted to be when she grows up and she said "a fireman."

Such a brave girl!

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ABC's

Just our typical noisy bathtime fun!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

It's like a trainwreck....

But I can't stop watching. I missed the first 3 seasons, but I managed to get sucked into the cattiness of the 4th season of "The Real Housewives of Orange County."

Ahem. And the Bachelor started last week too. So I now have must-see T.V. to look forward to on Monday nights.

It's the mindless dribble that helps me unwind at the end of the day.

Wordful Wednesday and Makena's New Pet

We made a trip to Lolo and Lola's house around Thanksgiving and the girls just so happened to find a hidden treasure among Lola's garage-sale finds. You'd think most kids would be afraid of a large plastic lizard, but not my girls. It was love at first sight. And somehow there was never any disagreement that this lizard was Makena's.

So proud of her "iguana"

It's almost as big as she is....and it sleeps with her!

"Don't mess with my iguana!"

Go visit Angie for more Wordful Wednesday posts

Christmas cuteness

It has been awhile since I have posted a video of the girls and I thought this clip from Christmas morning was a fun one to share. Please ignore the sounds of Steve blowing his nose in the background. Sexy, I know.

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I love how Makena tries to shake some hidden treasure from the gift she opens.....money perhaps? We teach em' young around here! And don't be jealous of MY super crafty skills on the girl's stockings....you too can write your child's name with a glitter pen and be the envy of all of your friends. It's all I've got. Seriously, not one creative bone in my body.

Photstory Friday and My how you have grown!

Has it only been a year? My babies are turning into little ladies right before my eyes. I look at pictures from a year ago and my girls look so little. They have grown up so much in a year! No more diapers is a HUGE change... and they are talking like crazy and are so expressive. Not to mention that they are becoming more independent and want to do things their own way. They remind me everyday that they are "big girls."

Their quest for independence has me praying for patience on a daily basis, but at the end of the day I count my blessings and am so thankful for my girls.

Wishing you all a Happy New Year and a blessed 2009!

Jan 2008 pictures on top and Jan 2009 pictures on bottom

(From L to R: Riley, Alyssa, Makena)

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