OLDIE BUT GOODIE...

I was going through my pictures for a project and came across these silly photos that I took of Boo back in July.  I can tell by her pink cheeks...that she had been crazy and running around that afternoon :o)   Typical silly Bailey.  Can't help but love her!

SILLY AND QUIET...

Christmas day our two little miracles were full with lots of cute and silly energy.  After a morning of opening gifts and playing, they sat down quietly to watch the Walt Disney World parade (Brandon went down for a nap, a few minutes into the recording :).

This makes me wish we had more...they can have so much
fun together!

Okay...this REALLY makes me want more.
Don't you just want to squeeze him?!

Love, love, LOVE this silly girl.

Yep...both my children glue-on when watching tv :0)

MERRY CHRISTMAS...

Opening gifts was a ton of fun around our house.  Both of the children were very blessed!  Our morning started about 7:30a, Bailey got up and opened her gift from Santa (Bucky...the ship from Jake & The Neverland Pirates, a Disney show) and then she played with Brandon's Santa gift (Fisher Price stand up toy) until he woke up and finished his bottle.  We took turns opening stockings and gifts, ate some breakfast and settled in for the Disney Christmas Parade on tv. Lunch was easy, left over pizza, and dinner was pretty simple too...roast, mashed potatoes, rolls and green bean casserole.  At dinner, Brandon said his first two-word sentence, "hi baby" (he was looking at the baby Jesus on our table).  Such a big boy!!  We ended the night with some birthday cake and singing "happy birthday" to baby Jesus.

It was a pretty great day!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS!...

"For unto is born this day in the city of David, a savior which is Christ the Lord"  Luke 2:11

Last week, we got to stop by a local church that holds a living nativity each year (this was their 57th!).  We've done this the past couple of years of now.  It was really cold this particular night, but it made the experience all that more real.  I don't imagine that it was close to freezing temps when Christ was born...but it could have been cold and I'm sure that the barn was pretty darn dark and most definitely not sanitary.  Have you ever wondered if Mary was scared?  I mean, did she feel labor pains?  Did Joseph know what to do or was he just there and did the best he could?  Did Jesus pink right up after he was born?  Did he cry?  The bible doesn't document these things, so we just don't know.  I've known since a little girl that Jesus was born in a stable, that there were animals around and there was no room in the inn.  Shepards and wise men came to visit and baby Jesus must have been okay...because the story goes on.  But after giving birth to two babies, I have a entirely new perspective.  It was dark, it was dirty, they were alone and even though they knew that this birth was supernatural...that it was God-sent, God himself. I bet they were scared. Scared by the experience that they were going to go through that night and overwhelmed by the experience of raising this baby a savior.  Just something I was reflecting on tonight...

In a job interview several years back, I was asked (what I thought was) a very interested question. If I could sit down with any three people (living or dead) who would it be?  Two of my answers would be the same today:  Jesus and my great-grandparents (I was hoping I could get a two-for-one there :0)...but the third I would change.  Last time around I mentioned a president but no, now I would have to say Mary. I would really like a chance to sit down and talk with Mary.  To hear the first-hand story of the birth of Christ.  To hear about her time with the son of God.  I'm guessing that would be one pretty great cup of coffee :0)

Happy Birthday Jesus!

Cold but awesome!

Brandon had to stay in the car (much too cold outside)
 but...he didn't seem to mind :0)

CHRISTMAS PROGRAM...

At Bailey's school, kindergartners are the big kids on the block.  Then again, her school only goes through kindergarten :O).  As the "big kids", her class got to put on the costumes for the nativity/play and each child got to memorize a line or two.  Boo was Mary...we were super proud :O)   Poor baby was a little under the weather, but she was a trooper and did a great job.  I've included the full nativity below (lines are at the end) and one "song" out of three.  Enjoy!

13 MONTHS...

Our little man continues to grow, Praise God!  He is such a HUGE blessing and he's getting to be such a big boy!  Brandon now holds his own cup, walks with his scooter/push toy, will walk while holding just one of my hands and eats just about everything you put in front of him (and even those things that you don't put in front of him, but he grabs :0)  He loves, loves, loves his sissy and is super eager to do everything that she does.  He is wearing 12-18 month clothes, size 5 diapers and size 3.5W shoes.   He thinks almost any object can be a phone and he'll pick it up, hold it to his ear and say "hi".  He waves to people when we're out and he'll tell them both "hi" and "bye". He races to put as many cheerios in his mouth that he can (he'll take an entire fist full!) and he loves cheese.  Oh... his newest "trick" is Brandon has discovered that he can yell, at the top of his lungs.  So he'll sit there, yell and then crack up.  It's pretty cute, unless you're on the phone or in the car :0)

Happy lucky 13 little man!

PJ PARTY...

Last week, Boo got to wear her PJ's to school.  They had a Christmas PJ party.  The kids wore their PJ's and were allowed to bring a stuffed animal, blanket and pillow.  They ate popcorn and watched Christmas movies (a little learning was including...but mostly it was an "all fun" day :).

I got really lucky last year (or maybe it was even the year before that) and picked up these super cute Christmas pajamas at Gymboree on clearance.  They were super cheap which is why I'm thinking it may have been 2 years ago....I'm known to buy things really big, IF they are super cheap :)

Bailey had a lot of fun.  She took her stuffed reindeer (she wanted to bring her bear...but mama said "no way"...goodness, if we had lost that thing!) and a super fluffy blanket.  Such a neat day for her! :)

HOLD THEM A LITTLE TIGHTER...

Something as simple as looking at lights and visiting a small petting zoo had even more meaning last night.  Putting my babies to bed and hearing them wake up this morning...it has more meaning.  I held them even tighter last night, held them a little tighter this morning...I'll just keep holding them tighter.

WINTER?...

We had some pretty chilly temps yesterday and I think those are suppose to continue for a little while but, before then, man...did we have some pretty great weather!  Sunny and 68-70 degrees! LOVED it!  My mom teases me that that's not winter.  She prefers heavy jackets and snow.  But for me...I'll take sunny and 68 all winter long!

FAVORITE PERSON...

This picture warms my heart.  I can see joy on both of their faces.  My beautiful girl and my beautiful mother. How I got to be so blessed, I will never know.

When asked the other day, who her favorite person was....Boo thought for a moment.  We were pretty sure she'd say Evan or Reese (her two closest girlfriends) but her moment of thinking was just that...a moment and she came back with her response:

Yia Yia.

HAVE MOUTH....

Will carry :0)