Hobson Corner

School Time

2012-02-07T16:20:00.002-06:00

I've started doing a little bit of a structured "school time" with the older girls several days a week and we are loving it. They are learning so much, and it is fun to set aside a few minutes each day to work on the alphabet and numbers and stuff like that. Hannah is even learning how to trace letters with a pencil and this week she sounded out her first word "off." For those who think 2 and 3 years is too young to work on phonics... here's a fun video of Abbey trying to convince me she's ready too! :)

Ahhh... Rest

2012-02-03T17:57:00.002-06:00

The best husband EVER just watched all 3 girls so I could take a much-needed 2-hour nap. Thank you, Sweetie!

We moved Abigail out of the bassinet and into her crib in the girls' room this week and it is going well. It took a little adjustment, so none of us slept real well the first part of the week, but I think they are pretty much used to each other now. The older girls sleep through everything and enjoy telling Abbey good morning first thing when they wake up. And... Abbey is pretty much sleeping straight through the night, so they don't seem to be bothering her anymore either. And, I think she likes the extra space to roll around in the crib. As a side benefit, that means I can clean up the office/guest room where Abbey was sleeping so it will be ready for company the next time anyone is free to come visit (hint, hint). :)

Sweet Abigail

2012-01-25T14:00:00.003-06:00

Abigail is now officially 5 months old, and I can hardly believe it. The older girls have been so over-the-top entertaining lately, they've been featured in many of the blogs. But, I wouldn't want anyone to think Abbey has slipped into the background. How far from the truth! She is growing so fast and is often a central hub for household activity. The girls ask to play with her the moment she wakes up in the morning... bringing her toys if they think she's bored and I'm not getting her up fast enough... and she has now started joining us occasionally at mealtime for her first solid foods. (Hannah and Rebecca don't even seem to mind sharing the bananas with her... although Hannah is always careful to remind me when it's time to go to the store and get some more.) Abbey is just starting to sit up on her own, but she has already started scootching around and going up on her hands and knees. The other day we had a babysitter for Hannah and Rebecca so Shawn and I could go see a museum exhibit and it was special having a day trip with just Abigail. Such a sweet girl... She looks more like her sisters every day.

Happy Dances

2012-01-18T09:07:00.004-06:00

First, here is a short clip of Hannah and her exuberance at a dry bed the morning after our trip to the Children's Museum.

Next, we have some fun clips of the girls with their tapping shoes and Hannah's new "ballerina" outfit... closing with Becca singing to her baby. I'm telling you... life around here is fun.

Big Girl!

2012-01-16T09:02:00.004-06:00

This week Hannah officially made the switch to big-girl panties, full-time. That's right, no more pull-ups for her! And, to celebrate as a family we made a day trip to the Houston Children's Museum (with no accidents). What a blast!

2012... Here We Come!

2012-01-05T10:13:00.006-06:00

Grandma and Grandpa got Hannah her very own camera for Christmas and she's been taking lots of pictures (with varying levels of assistance and varied results, too!) :) Many of them are totally unidentifiable, but here are a few fun ones.

Cousin Jordyn

Grandma and Sister

Uncle Jeremy

Daddy

Close-up of Rebecca

I "think" this is the top of Grandpa's head! LoL. Or is it baby Abbey?

Wheee!

2011-12-30T18:56:00.002-06:00

Ok, so I'm about 2 weeks behind. What should I expect after such a wonderful whirlwind of a Christmas? Between Shawn and the band playing Santa's Wonderland almost every night for a week, Christmas Eve with out of town relatives, an awesome Christmas morning service with 3 baptisms, a road-trip to see Grandma and Grandpa for a few days, then back just in time for a dinner party and more Santa's Wonderland... all I can say is "Wheee!" :) It's been loads of fun. So much that I'm not sure which photos and videos to post. The one of Hannah describing how to "baptize" her sister? Our picnic in the dining room where the tree used to be? Shawn playing his $1 guitar that the girls picked out for him for Christmas? Me, after the girls dressed me up in their new cowboy hats and sunglasses (stylin' for sure!)? How about the giant mess in my living room at the moment!? :) I hope you all have had a wonderful Christmas. I'm looking at the new necklace Shawn gave me with birthstones for all three of my girls and thanking God for all these precious gifts He's given me. It makes me excited about a fresh start in 2012. May we live each day of it for Him. :)

Hide-n-Seek

2011-12-15T14:51:00.003-06:00

The girls love playing Hide-n-Seek and I figure it's a good way to get out some energy and practice counting at the same time! Hannah counts to ten and then runs around shouting "ready I come!" When it's Becca's turn, she hides her eyes and then says something more like this: "Three, three... three... THREE!" The best, though, is when it's mommy's turn. The kids are getting better at finding good hiding places, but sometimes it's hard not to laugh. The other day, I found Hannah laying on the guest bed with her upper half laying on a pillow inside the pillow case. Of course, that left two little legs dangling out behind. The next time I went hunting for my girls I said "Hmmm.... where's Hannah?" Out came giggles and muffled voice saying "We're in the bathtub, over here..." I like Abbey's hiding spots the best. So far she still stays right where I put her. ;) Although, that may not last too much longer once she gets the hang of crawling.

Busy, Busy

2011-12-05T16:09:00.002-06:00

Check out our tree. :) December is always a busy time of year for us. Apparently, it's a busy time for kids, too! Here's a short video of some of the things my kids have been up to today.

Good Morning

2011-11-28T16:12:00.002-06:00

We generally get lots of smiles and laughs in the morning. The other day I went in to get Hannah up and found her like this. Apparently, she had a "baby in her tummy" (aka Mr. Bear) and was singing to him from her story book. The song? "Nothing but the Blood" I laughed so hard. Even harder when she came out later and announced it was time for the baby to come OUT of her tummy!

The Thanks Keep Coming...

2011-11-25T12:15:00.002-06:00

I have so much to be thankful for on this day-after-Thanksgiving. Spurred by a passage in Proverbs (30:7-9), I set out this year to demonstrate my gratitude to God by enjoying a variety of yummy foods but also exercising self-control and not over-stuffing myself. After all, how can the sin of gluttony be a demonstration of thanks? Plus, I don't want anything to make me so "full" and complacent that I forget my need of Him, as the verse in Proverbs warns. Amazingly, it was in many ways one of our best Thanksgivings yet. I truly did enjoy the food, not feeling the least bit deprived, and for once I didn't feel comatose afterward! Instead of everyone napping all afternoon, the adults were active and energetic and enjoyed playing several games together. This morning, my blood sugar was right where it should be, and I even felt up to a morning workout. Imagine THAT for black Friday!

Other post-Thanksgiving thanks include
--a restful night (all the kids slept till 8)
--a chest freezer to store the 4 turkeys I stocked up on at 25 cents a lb.
--my husband's first deer (which is now taking up the other half of the freezer!)
--a friend to help us process the deer
--the sound of the girls playing hide-and-seek in the next room
--a husband who took apart and unclogged the pipes under the kitchen sink this morning so I could make breakfast... with leftover ham. :)

Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T13:45:00.004-06:00

Thank You, God! That was the theme of our coloring time today as we get ready for Thanksgiving. The girls and I talked about how people can give thanks to God for the many ways He takes care of us. Then we made a picture list of things they were thankful for. Cute, huh? Maybe I should try making a list of my own...

Look Who's Rolling Over!

2011-11-18T10:17:00.002-06:00

Abbey rolled over for the first time this morning, and a couple of hours later she's going back and forth like a pro. Way to go, Abbey! Mommy is amazed... you're not even 3 months old yet. LOL.

Baby Dedication Day

2011-11-14T08:21:00.004-06:00

Here's a fun picture of us girls before church on Sunday. This weekend we had a special baby dedication service for Abigail. We don't do baby "baptism," since scripture makes it clear that salvation is by faith alone and baptism is a testimony of that salvation. The ceremony we had does not have any direct bearing on the spiritual state of our little girl, but it is a special time for us as parents to publicly thank God for our third little blessing and acknowledge the responsibility we have as parents to raise her in His ways. By God's grace, we commit to training them, disciplining them, loving them, and teaching them through what we say AND how we live.

Guess Who?

2011-11-07T10:16:00.003-06:00

Shawn and I had fun comparing baby pictures the other day. Amazing to see how similar the girls looked at this age, and yet we can still see subtle differences that characterize each one. My beautiful girls... Can you tell which is which?

One-on-One Time

2011-11-03T19:01:00.004-05:00

Thursday nights have become a special time for us lately. For the last two weeks, Shawn has invited Hannah to go with him to band practice. This gives them special daddy-daughter time and Hannah absolutely loves it! She gets a happy meal for dinner, brings her own little bag of activities to keep her occupied, and gets to stay up late since they don't get home until about an hour past bed-time. She adores the band's singer, enjoys dancing to the music and singing in her very own microphone, and most of all... she just treasures this time with "her dad."

While Hannah is out with Daddy, it has given me some special one-on-one time with Rebecca. We sit and play, practice her talking, and work on potty training. She really is starting to talk a little better and she grins really big any time I actually understand something she has said. We had a special dinner together and snuggled while Abbey took a nap. And, I hadn't really realized how much her own imagination has kicked in. She plays make-believe with Hannah all the time (with Hannah taking the lead), but tonight she actually played house with baby Abigail. It was so fun to watch her go to their toy kitchen and make a "treat" for Abigail and then bring her little toys and cover her with a blanket. Such a good big sister.

After I put Rebecca to bed, I then get about an hour of special alone time with Abigail before Shawn and Hannah get home. Sweet baby. Sweet times.

Favorite Time of Year

2011-11-01T13:50:00.002-05:00

November really is my favorite time of year. The weather has finally gotten cooler and we were able to enjoy our first fire in the fireplace at our new house. With the cooler weather comes a renewed energy and enthusiasm for doing things around the house, playing more with the kids (anyone up for "mother may I?"), and kickstarting a new exercise routine. The best part is when you can combine all three! Just try marching around the house while playing follow the leader as you put away the laundry. LOL.

Fall clothes are just so much more fun than summer clothes, too. Check out these cute dresses Mafee got the girls in honor of their annual Cookie Day festivities... yet one more reason we like the fall. :)

2 months, 18 months, 32 months, whee!

2011-10-27T13:20:00.002-05:00

Hello, Friend (a.k.a. "Sleep")

2011-10-17T04:14:00.002-05:00

It's 4:00 in the morning and I'm awake. That's nothing new. What is a welcome change is the fact that I am wide awake, well rested, and smiling at 4:00 in the morning. I am continually amazed at what a good sleeper Abigail is. From the beginning she has been sleeping good 3- to 4-hour stretches at night, but tonight... tonight she slept peacefully for a mind-blowing 7 hours!!! That meant that even though she went to bed at 8:30 and I didn't get to bed until after 10:00... I STILL got 5 hours sleep. And, for a mom with a newborn 5 hours' sleep is like an eternity! Of course, she was really hungry when she woke up and we had a longer feeding session than usual, but I didn't mind one bit. I'm reassured knowing she eats well and has continued to gain weight as she should, despite her longer sleeping patterns than my previous children. We even played for a while before I put her back down! Thank you, Lord, for sending rest when it is most needed. :)

Memo to all babies: Rested mommies are happy mommies. :)

Little Ballerinas

2011-10-11T17:24:00.003-05:00

Hannah finally got her first haircut this week... no more straggles! And here's a picture of Rebecca next in line (but just for a trim to keep it out of her eyes). They really do clean up well, honest. LOL. But the best is when they decide to dress up themselves. We babysat a friend of theirs the other day and it was quite a sight when we had three little tutus twirling around the living room at once. I guess it's a preview of what's to come when Abbey gets a bit bigger. Fun times! :)

Dirt Devil Magic

2011-10-06T11:03:00.004-05:00

Today I found a few new uses for our old Dirt Devil. The kids have gotten really good at making messes, just check out the fun video of them playing with play-doh. Notice how many tiny pieces Rebecca made? Between that and snack crumbs, there's always a mess to be cleaned up somewhere. The little red vacuum isn't very strong, but it is extremely lightweight and best of all it is Hannah-sized. Not only does it pick up the majority of the crumbs... 1) Hannah has fun doing it "herself" 2) Rebecca is entertained just watching the whole affair and 3) The noise apparently puts a crying Abigail right to sleep! Not bad for a $20 vacuum. LOL.

Abbey

2011-09-29T12:22:00.002-05:00

Not quite a smile... but it gives at least a hint of how cute she is in person. :)

Contagious Smiles

2011-09-28T11:18:00.004-05:00

Aren't smiles great? Some people say babies don't really smile, but I'll never believe it. There is nothing sweeter than when a baby looks up with recognition in her face and then smiles in response to a mommy's voice.... except maybe when she busts out in a huge grin for her daddy! Of course, we didn't have a camera on hand, but maybe we'll catch the evidence soon. Meanwhile, big sisters are more than happy to smile for the camera (usually). LOL.

Somebody's Awake

2011-09-19T20:00:00.004-05:00

At four weeks, Abbey is definitely becoming more alert. It is as if one day she just woke up. It has meant some shifting in our daily routines as she begins demanding a little bit more of my attention during the day, but I love watching her study my face as I hold her. Meanwhile, the older girls are getting better and better at occupying themselves while Mommy is busy. They play well together... mostly... and Hannah's imagination keeps us all quite entertained. Yesterday she was building some sort of tent in the living room. I couldn't help laughing when she explained to me that she was "Norah" and this was her "Nark" and we all needed to hurry because it was starting to rain. :) Fun days.

Fresh Air

2011-09-14T09:36:00.005-05:00

Now that it's the middle of September, it's so nice to have at least a couple of days a week that are not over 100 degrees! The girls have really appreciated being allowed out of the house to play again, and I've even resumed our daily walks for the most part. The girls seem to enjoy it. In fact, this morning I thought I'd skip our walk and let the girls play in the driveway for a while instead. It was fun... but after about 15 minutes they both climbed up in the stroller and started buckling in. I took the hint. :) Surprisingly, a neighborhood walk with two toddlers and an infant isn't as difficult as I had expected. Kind of peaceful, actually, thanks to the Ergo baby carrier (thanks, Janiece) and a fantastic double stroller (thanks, mom). Maybe the exercise will do me some good. :)

Meanwhile, Hannah finally has the opportunity to learn how to ride her tricycle. Of course, she gets lots of help from Rebecca. I hope to get plenty of fresh air in the next month or two while the weather is nice. Who knows? Maybe she'll master the steering part before Thanksgiving. :)

Slice of Life

2011-09-06T11:33:00.002-05:00

We are slowly beginning to establish a new normal around the house... and it appears "normal" now means plenty of noise and lots of kisses. Abbey's head is usually a bit slobery from all the loving she gets from her big sisters. It's really sweet to see, though. This morning, I woke up with a sore throat and little to no voice. It turned out it didn't really matter, though, because Hannah was in a VERY talkative mood and I'm not sure I would have gotten a word in anyway! Believe it or not, we do have those quiet moments every once in a while, too. For proof, here's a short video of the girls entertaining themselves.

Family of Five!

2011-08-31T12:08:00.005-05:00

The previous post is so funny to me because when I wrote it I never dreamed that Abbey would be in my arms by the end of the day. She was, though, technically. Our precious little girl was born at 11:42 p.m. on Monday, August 22, 2011. She weighed a delightful 8 lbs. 10 oz. and was 21 inches long. Since then we have been adjusting to life as a family of five. My mom stayed with us for a week and was a huge help. So was Shawn, who essentially took a week off from his normal office schedule. Today is my first day alone with all three kids, and so far it is going really well. I can't "compute" much longer though, because Abbey is getting hungry and the older girls are being suspiciously quiet in the other room. LOL.

Still waiting...

2011-08-22T09:33:00.001-05:00

Five days past due and a little sad this morning that the baby still hasn't come. Hannah brought me a baby doll to help me feel better. How sweet is that? :)

Stickers!

2011-08-16T11:11:00.002-05:00

Due date is tomorrow, but still no baby. In the meantime we are keeping ourselves occupied and trying to make the most of some mommy time with the girls before the baby starts demanding more of my attention.

Hannah got mail this week from Aunt Jessica. What fun! She really liked practicing her coloring and she's getting pretty good at identifying the various colors. Of course, the best part is plastering the stickers all over yourself! That's serious business. LoL.

Big Girls

2011-08-11T12:02:00.003-05:00

The girls are getting ready for their new sister to arrive and it makes for fun times at our house. Here's a picture of the cute cake from our "big sisters shower" and some shots of the beautiful new toddler bed that a friend of ours built for Rebecca so that the crib would be available for the baby. By the way, Rebecca LOVES the new bed and she looks so grown up when she climbs up under the covers all by herself. Now we're just waiting... and waiting.. for the baby to make her big debut. 39 weeks and counting...

Me and My Daddy

2011-08-05T12:21:00.003-05:00

With the baby coming soon, Shawn has started taking Hannah places with him more often to help lessen my load. Plus, it gives them some good one-on-one time. Today, Hannah got to go run an errand with Daddy at the mall (and since it was lunch time when they left the house, I suspect there may be a kids' meal involved as well). Hannah was pretty excited, as you can see in this clip. :)

Shower, Phones, Mafee Day

2011-08-04T19:17:00.003-05:00

We got new phones this week and I'm told I should be able to upload pics directly from my new phone to the blog, which may make it easier to post pics more often. Hopefully, I'll have a few to add soon. :) In the meantime, the church gave us a "big sister" shower last weekend, and it was really sweet. The girls were pretty excited about the party, although I'm still not sure they really understand that they are going to have a baby sister in the house very soon. In preparation, Mafee offered to take the girls for a day on Wednesday while she was off from work. It gave me a morning all to myself (woohoo!), an afternoon alone with my husband (woohoo!), and it gave the girls a chance to get used to things at Mafee's house since that's currently where we plan for them to go once labor starts. Thank you, Mafee, for wonderful Wednesday!

Sisters...

2011-07-28T10:49:00.002-05:00

Yesterday the girls just lined up against the wall and asked me to take their pictures, which was pretty rare. They were so cute just standing there together. It's hard to believe Hannah is going to be the "Experienced Big Sister" and Rebecca will soon be the "Little Big Sister in Training." I can't wait until Baby Abigail is here to had her little smile to the mix. Just a few weeks to go...

Getting Ready

2011-07-18T10:07:00.002-05:00

Less than one month to the due date, so we're starting to make a few preparations around the house. We rearranged the car seats in the van and I think the new setup is going to work great. I'm also working on arranging the girls' room, setting up the bassinet, washing blankets, etc. As a fun surprise, friends of ours told us they are building us a new toddler bed for Rebecca, which will free up the crib for the baby once she outgrows the bassinet. Fun! :)

Ballerinas and Puppeteers

2011-07-11T11:57:00.003-05:00

The girls and I have been having a lot of fun with new activities this week. Aunt Jaclynn sent them a couple of ballerina tutus so we've been doing lots more dancing and playing dress-up. Plus, just for fun, we gave our first attempt at putting on a puppet show for Daddy. Here's a short clip of the girls and their puppets saying "hello." (Our plot line wasn't very complex!) LOL.

Little Light of Mine

2011-07-07T15:27:00.003-05:00

One of Hannah's new favorite songs is "This Little Light of Mine." Here's a fun clip, just for Grandma... As you can see, the only hesitations my girls have about being on camera are making sure the camera is on, and that the screen is turned so they can see themselves, and that they each get equal "air time." Not a particularly shy bunch, that's for sure. :) In other news, we are eagerly awaiting the arrival of our newest little one sometime in the next 6-8 weeks. Already, Hannah is watching out for her littlest sister: the other day when I was feeling to determine the baby's position, she warned me "careful, Mommy... no break the baby!" Fun times.

All-Girl Band

2011-07-01T13:22:00.002-05:00

My kids definitely like music, whether they're dancing, singing, or playing their make-believe instruments. Here's a fun picture of Rebecca playing the drums (an upside-down trash can) and Hannah playing the flute (a rolled up window shade). With another girl on the way, I'm thinking maybe an all-girl band is in our future? :)

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-18T12:56:00.004-05:00

Happy Father's Day, Shawn, from our precious girls. We love you.

Look at Me!

2011-06-06T09:53:00.004-05:00

Hannah found a bag of hand-me-down clothes that are one size two big and spent all morning playing dress up. At one point, she came out in a fancy dress and announced "Look, I'm a flower girl!" :) A while later she came out with something frilly and said "I'm just like Melanie. Watch Hannah dance." She asked me to put some music on and then danced around the living room for nearly half an hour! LOL.

Other funny highlights from the week:
-When after jabbering all day, Hannah finally got still and said "Hannah's done talking."
-When Rebecca learned to roar like a lion and swipe a paw at us.
-When Shawn convinced Hannah that my belly button (which has recently become an outie) is the new baby's nose sticking out.
-When I realized that these days a romantic dinner simply means the kids are sleeping and we pour the grape cool-aid into real glasses instead of plastic.

Ready, Set... Go!

2011-06-02T09:20:00.002-05:00

Wow, has it only been a week?!?! The last 10 days or so have been a whirlwind. First the girls were sick, then we made a road trip to East Texas with family to put together Jessica's wedding. The bride was beautiful, and the flower girl did a great job (pictures to come soon, I hope). On the way back home, we stopped at a drive-thru safari park. The girls had a blast, and I think their daddy and I had enough laughs to last us a while. (Shawn snapped a short video on his phone, so once I figure out how to upload it, I'll let you see what I mean.) Since we've been home, Dad brought us the custom-made oak bench we asked for to cover the hearth to the fireplace. We LOVE it! It makes a great place for the girls to sit and look at their books, and it covers up the jagged brick that was just waiting for someone to fall on it. Plus, it looks great. Now that most of the excitement is behind us (vacation, family visits, travel, etc.), we are just trying to get back into something of a normal routine. But then, when you have a 2-year-old and a 1-year-old, I'm not sure what to consider "normal." LOL. They surprise me every day. Here's a short clip from yesterday when Hannah decided to teach Rebecca how to race.

Flower Girl Practice

2011-05-24T13:51:00.003-05:00

My sister's wedding is this weekend, so Hannah and I have started practicing for her big debut as "flower girl." It's going to be fun. :)

Calcu-phone

2011-05-20T19:56:00.002-05:00

The girls keep growing and growing and some of the stuff they come up with keeps me in stitches. Here's a fun pic of Rebecca saying "hello" on her car phone, and a couple of pics of Hannah practicing her newest skill--buckling her own car seat. (A little more indipendence is something I'm greatly encouraging as we get ready for the third baby. She can't undo it, but if she tries really hard, she can buckle it herself.) Other than that, here are a couple of my best laughable moments this week:

--Hannah's birthday prayer for Daddy: "Thank You for daddy's big happy-to-you cake. Amen."
--Rebecca attempting to "run" after her big sister, cackling all the way
--Hannah carrying around an old calculator and tucking it in her pants (like a pocket) and using it to make pretend phone calls to grandma. She couldn't remember what it was called, so she walked around all day calling it her "calcu-phone"

Mother's Day

2011-05-09T13:08:00.003-05:00

We had a really sweet Mother's Day this year. The girls made crafts for me, Shawn and some other dads took over nursery duty at church, and I had a long chat with my mom. :) There have been some challenging mommy moments in the last week or so, but we won't go into them. Instead, I want to share a few of my favorite mommy moments:

1. This morning Hannah made up a new song that went "I love you, I love you, I love you."
2. I caught Rebecca playing make believe with a baby doll.
3. Hannah spontaneously announced at the dinner table that "T is for TRAIN" and signed the letter "T" with her little hand.
4. Rebecca has suddenly started saying some words like "uh-oh, up, more, please, mama, and dada" and she signs a few of them, too.
5. Hannah has started playing "wedding" with some of her toys as she gets ready to be flower girl in her aunt's wedding in a couple of weeks.

Of course, some of this is spontaneous and most of it I'll never catch on camera, but here are a few cute clips:

Mail from Grandma

2011-05-04T11:12:00.002-05:00

Hannah was very excited to get her very own mail from Grandma the other day, with a surprise in it and everything! :) Thanks, Grandma!

Swimming and Hannah's Prayer

2011-05-03T11:19:00.004-05:00

Before the cold front came through, we actually had some pretty warm days....warm enough to get out swimming suits and blow up a small family pool in the backyard. The girls really liked this whole concept of taking a big bath outside and getting to splash as much as they wanted!

Another highlight of this past week was when I asked Hannah if she wanted to say a prayer during our normal Bible reading and prayer time. I wasn't sure what she'd do... and boy was I surprised. She actually launched into a long toddler-style prayer that I eventually had to interrupt by reminding her to say "amen." Some of it was gibberish, and some of it was obviously repeating things she has heard us say often, but I had to smile at the little extras that were all her own. God is so good, and the wonders of a two-year-old mind are beyond my comprehension... Here is a re-cap of the parts I can remember:

"Thank you for . . .

Kaila hurt (this is a person on our prayer list that I had said we were going to pray for today)

got to play game...

Mafee's house...

go for walk...

thank you, God, ...

go for walk...

Hannah's knees hurt...

Becca's knees...

Mommy sad... thank you Mommy happy

Daddy go to work...

thank you eat a cookie...

Amen."

He Is Risen!

2011-04-26T14:42:00.004-05:00

EASTER 2011

Ok, well to make up for last week (I was reprimanded for my lack of pictures in the previous post), this week I have several photos and a short video clip of my girls enjoying the sunshine. We had a wonderful Easter Sunday together, and today I let the girls play outside for a while. They are REALLY enjoying having a place to go outside and play. In fact, Hannah will often run around and put her shoes on first thing in the morning... just in case. The other day when I was letting the dog out, she showed up at the back door with sandals on over her feetie pajamas. She was ready! The video clip shows how well little sister is walking these days and it also shows our little nature lesson with a doodle bug. Lots of laughs these days... --Jennifer

Blessings from My Girls

2011-04-19T14:23:00.003-05:00

Today after buying groceries I finally had everyone loaded back up in the car. Hannah started whining for another cookie, and before I could pull out of the parking space I just broke down crying. Nothing was particularly wrong... but I am pregnant, and I seem to need a good cry every once in a while. It doesn't take much to set me off, and today two squirmy children and an increase in the price of my favorite snack was enough to do the trick. Hannah announced "Mommy sad," and then both girls immediately got quiet and still. After a minute, I regained my composure, took a deep breath, and put my seat belt on. From the back seat I heard a sweet little voice ask, "Mommy better now?" I chuckled and said, "Yes, I'm better now." Again she asked, "No more crying?" With a weak smile I replied, "No more crying." She waited just a few seconds and then posed her third question, "Hannah have some cookies now?"

What do you say to that?! :) God is good to me.

Happy Birthday, Rebecca!

2011-04-13T08:16:00.004-05:00

Today my little girl is 1. Can you believe it? Suddenly in the last couple of weeks she has begun walking and signing and saying a few words. We had a small party for her last night and big sister got to help with all the preparations. Daddy even got in on the act by making Texas-shaped hamburger patties and cooking cupcakes on the grill. We had a lot of fun, and Rebecca enjoyed playing with her new ball and new books. But, I think the best birthday present was finding out that she's going to have a baby sister. :)

Hannah blowing up balloons.

Rebecca walking.

My Big Girls

2011-04-06T13:57:00.004-05:00

We're still unpacking boxes--a few here and a few there--but it is slowly starting to feel more like home. We are really enjoying the extra space, and just in time. My girls are growing so fast! Hannah has been doing some intense potty training this week as we work toward becoming a "big girl." She's also started picking out some of her own clothes and getting dressed in the mornings (which explains why her dress is backwards!). Meanwhile, Rebecca is quickly approaching her first birthday and this week she has started saying a few words like "up" and "more" and I finally got her to take her first few steps. Here is a fun video of the girls playing together and enjoying their new room. Rebecca likes Hannah's bed so much... I think she will be more than ready to give up her crib by the time the new baby needs it. :)

Loving the New House

2011-03-31T14:53:00.002-05:00

We are having so much fun now that we are in the new house. Of course, we are still living out of boxes and there is still a little more painting to do... but already we love it. Once I unpack the box with the camera in it, I'll try to post some pics. LOL.

Moving!

2011-03-25T00:37:00.003-05:00

Aaaaahhhhh! We're moving this week. Life is a bit crazy. I hope to have some fun pics to share soon, but in the meantime we are frantically painting the new house and packing up the apartment. Whew. Long days and long nights. Kids are being real troopers.

Birthday Kitchen!

2011-03-09T10:19:00.004-06:00

We got the girls a toy kitchen for their birthdays this year, and so far it has been a big hit. Shawn and I put it together during their nap time and then unveiled it at Hannah's birthday party last weekend. Since then, it has been the first thing they've wanted to play with every morning. Hannah loves cooking, washing her hands, and answering the phone. Rebecca likes putting things in the cupboards and then checking to see if they are still there (over, and over, and over). Right now it is taking up a good section of the living room, but we hope to be in the new house soon so it can go in their bedroom (and I can get my living room back). Until then, it makes for some pretty good entertainment for all of us. :)

Sing, Sing, Sing

2011-03-01T15:11:00.004-06:00

Hannah has started singing lately, and it's a ton of fun for the rest of us. One of the thing she's been singing a lot lately is the Happy Birthday song (although her versions simply goes "happy to you!"). At a recent birthday party, Hannah went up to the birthday boy and said "Happy to you." I asked her if she could sing it for him and she thought for just a moment. Everyone got quiet and then she belted out with "Jingle Bells." I laughed so hard! One day last week she was in a particularly musical mood and ended up treating Rebecca and I to a full concert! Here are some fun clips. Enjoy the show!

A Princess, a Sister, and a Baby

2011-02-22T09:58:00.003-06:00

Hannah got to go to a "princess" birthday party last weekend with some bigger girls (ages 4 and 5), and she had a blast. I wasn't sure she would be quite old enough to sit still for a tea party or really appreciate playing dress-up, but boy was I wrong! I think Hannah had more fun than just about anyone there (except perhaps the birthday girl). She marveled at all the "pretty" things and used her very best manners at the tea party. It was so cute. :) Her little sister has been quite the charmer lately, too. Rebecca is totally into baby dolls. She has a doll that she carries around the house with her all the time. I've even caught her hugging, kissing, and feeding her baby. Who knew a ten-month-old could be that attached to a baby doll? LOL.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-15T11:59:00.003-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! Shawn had to work a little later than usual yesterday, so we had plenty of time for Hannah to make a home-made Valentine's card for her daddy and for me to make him his favorite dessert: pineapple upside-down cake. When Shawn came home, he brought a rose for each of his girls and some chocolate-covered strawberries for the kids. Hannah spent a good part of the evening "smelling" (blowing her nose on) HER flower. It was cute.

Snow Day!

2011-02-08T09:25:00.003-06:00

We had near-record temps last week and two days worth of snow and ice. It was perfect... just icy enough that most everyone got to stay home from work and school but not so bad we couldn't go out and enjoy it a bit.

Lots of Love in the House

2011-02-03T11:36:00.005-06:00

We had our first sonogram this week, and baby is looking great! It was so fun to see the heartbeat and watch the little arms and legs flailing around. It's hard to tell in the still shots, but when we were watching live we saw everything pretty clearly (unfortunately, it's too early to make out the gender LOL). We even saw several somersaults. No wonder I'm so hungry all the time! Things are also moving along with the house, and we hope to set a closing date soon. God has been so good to us lately, it seems we are just bursting at the seams. Then, to top it off... Hannah has a special February message for all of you that is sure to melt your heart (even with the snow storms forecast for tonight). :)

Playing Dress-Up

2011-01-31T13:02:00.004-06:00

Wow, the weeks keep going by so fast. Is it really almost February?!?! I haven't taken many pictures lately, but Mafee came to the rescue with these cute pics from the other night when we went over to their house to help Poppy set up his new TV. While the guys were working, Hannah kept everyone entertained by playing dress-up. Don't you like the red shoes and fancy feather boa? LOL. By the time the guys were done it had been a long night for Rebecca (my cuddly one), but Hannah wasn't quite ready to go. When they took the wrappings off the screen and Hannah finally realized what it was, her eyes got really big! She took a deep breath and then asked if she could "Watch-a-SHOW?!?!" Who could resist that?

Too Much Excitement

2011-01-24T17:44:00.003-06:00

We've had so much excitement in the last few days, plus modified schedules and a few missed naps. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when Rebecca fell asleep at the dinner table tonight. I know I've been wore out! Maybe it's because we are expecting baby #3. :) Maybe it's because we just signed a contract on our first house. :) Maybe it's because I have two adorable girls who keep me on my toes! Here are a couple of fun pictures of Hannah helping the inspectors by checking the house for "run-ability" and "hide-ability"--two very important factors for a toddler. :)

House Hunting is Fun

2011-01-14T09:22:00.005-06:00

We are in the process of looking for our first house, and Hannah seems to be enjoying it almost as much as the rest of us. From the way she reacted at the last showing, I think she'd be happy in any house with no furniture! We'll see what God has in store for us... In the meantime, it's been a pretty full week. Rebecca is cutting her first tooth, and Hannah took a bit of a tumble into Mafee's coffee table. Little bitty cuts to the forehead sure do bleed a lot! Thankfully, once we got her cleaned up she was just fine. Next week is shaping up to be a full one too, so I hope to have some fun updates and pictures to share. Until then, I pray you all are having a nice week.

Cruisin' in Style

2011-01-08T15:38:00.004-06:00

Woohoo! Grandma and Grandpa surprised us with this awesome double stroller. We've already gotten lots of use out of it, especially as the girls and I continue trying to work a 1-mile walk into our routine every day. It's really nice not having to carry one while I push the other, and I suspect we're going to appreciate it even more in the months ahead. ;)

Christmas Surprises

2010-12-29T19:43:00.003-06:00

Christmas was full of special surprises for the girls. We started the morning in the nursery by gathering together at Hannah's bed to read the Christmas story from Luke. When we moved to the living room, the girls weren't sure what to think at first. But, it only took a moment for Hannah to notice Rebecca's new rocking horse and take it for a ride. In the days since, Hannah has gotten the horse pretty well-trained, and Rebecca has even started getting the hang of it. Of course, we all have to take turns (and that means Bear, too). Aside from the rocking horse, I think the biggest hits were a tube of Hannah's "very own" chap stick, some red glitter shoes (which she's worn every day since), and some 25-cent plastic bead necklaces. So much for the more expensive gifts! LOL. We had a fun day and enjoyed giving gifts to our children. By the end of the day we were reminded that...

"If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" --Matthew 7:11

and...

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." --James 1:17

Pretty, Pretty

2010-12-21T17:55:00.003-06:00

We had a few minutes Sunday morning for the girls to pose in their pretty Christmas dresses. So much personality!

Counting Our Blessings

2010-12-15T13:28:00.004-06:00

One of our family traditions is to get a new ornament each year that represents one of the ways God has blessed us that particular year. This year I was able to recount the story for Hannah as I pulled out each new ornament and told her about the things God has done for us over the years. Add a second silver spoon for Rebecca and that makes 8 ornaments so far. I can't wait to see what the next ones are going to be! Meanwhile, December with the girls is a blast. Rebecca is trying to stand on her own, although she hasn't quite gotten the hang of it yet, and Hannah is talking up a storm. Shawn and I are having to use some real self-control when it comes to saving their Christmas presents 'till the 25th. I think we are more excited than they are! :)

New Best Friend

2010-12-11T08:53:00.003-06:00

Hannah appears to have a new best friend. Despite all the various teddy bears and other stuffed animals that have been given to her over the last couple of years, she became quite attached to this particular bear the last time we visited Grandma and Grandpa. It wasn't intended for her at all, but when it was time to go she carried it out to the van and strapped it in the carseat for the ride home. It was so cute, the bear's owner kindly let her keep it. Since then, that bear has been all over the house. Mr. Bear as we call him (not to be confused with "Night-Night Bear," another favorite) routinely gets diapers changed, eats snacks, goes for rides, dances to music, drinks out of a sippy cup, goes night-night, plays hide-and-seek, and just about anything else a toddler can think of. Why him, and not the other 20 stuffed animals in our house? I may never know. But this one apparently is special. :)

...and, by request, here's a picture of our little Christmas tree. As Hannah would say, "Pretty, pretty!"

Putting Up the Tree

2010-12-02T11:11:00.003-06:00

We finally got around to decorating this week, and it was so much fun. I wasn't sure how much Hannah would really engage, but she loved it. She was in charge of the star and also hung a bunch of the ornaments. She got really excited about the wreath on the front door and periodically points to the tree and says "Pretty!" Anyway, I think us parents enjoyed it way more than any kid ever did. LOL.

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-28T20:41:00.002-06:00

Wow, we had a fun and very full week. We got to go see Uncle Jeremy and Aunt Jaclynn and our new little addition to the family: Jordyn. :) It was loads of fun, but I'm afraid I don't have much for pictures. Perhaps Grandma and Grandpa got a few...?

Look Who's Standing

2010-11-16T10:46:00.003-06:00

In addition to playing with baby dolls and crawling a bit more efficiently, Rebecca is now pulling herself up. Yesterday I came out of the kitchen and found her standing up holding on to the ottoman. She stayed there for quite a while before plopping back down. Since then, she has also begun pulling up on chairs, tables, people, and anything else she can get a hold of. Meanwhile, Hannah has begun potty training in earnest, with cute little training pants and the whole deal. Sofar we've had about a 60% success rate, but I'm hoping that will improve each day if we stick with it. It's mommy who needs most of the training apparently. Twice now I've put Hannah on the potty, waited a few minutes, she says she's not done, I get impatient and make her get down anyway, then 30 seconds later we have an accident. You would think I'd learn my lesson. (Who knew potty training was so much work!?! Especially when you also have a crying baby in the living room, dinner on the stove, and a dog whining to go outside.) Anyway, we're having fun, and God is reminding me this week of just how blessed I am to be home with my girls.

We're Back!

2010-11-11T09:37:00.004-06:00

As promised, here are some fun pics from our wonderful vacation.

Like a Kid at Christmas

2010-11-01T18:17:00.003-05:00

This week it's Mommy's turn to be excited. If I were any more excited, I think I'd bust right out of my skin! I'm in the process of doing lots of laundry, dishes, and packing for a birthday vacation that starts this weekend. Shawn and I have been planning a trip to San Antonio for months and it's finally here. The girls are going to stay with Grandma and Grandpa, so it will be our first "over-night" outing without them. I'm sure I'll miss them terribly, but I'm really looking forward to it, too. It may be a while before I get a chance to do our next post, but between our time with family during the "kid exchange," our goofing around in San Antonio, the kids' fun with Grandma and Grandpa, and a trip to the zoo next week to wrap it all up... I'm sure we'll have plenty of fun pics. :)

Until then... here is a fun video of Hannah with a message for all of you. :)

Cookie Day, 2010!

2010-10-26T16:15:00.004-05:00

This year's cookie day with Mafee and Poppy was another huge success. This was Hannah's first year to participate as a "Jr. Baker," and she had a blast. I hear she ate her fair share of cookie dough and toppings along the way, too. :)

Learning All the Time

2010-10-19T16:18:00.005-05:00

This week I got down one of Hannah's birthday presents that we had been saving for when she got a little older. It is a set of books that come with a special pen that "reads" the page and makes lots of fun sounds when you point at things in the book. Hannah is still a little rough with books, so I keep this one put up and only get it out for her to play with every once in a while. She LOVES it, and whenever I ask if she wants to play with her "special book" she gets all excited and runs over to where I keep it.
Meanwhile, Rebecca is still learning the best ways to get around. She isn't quite crawling yet, but she knows how to get where she wants to go. She goes up on all fours and then lunges forward all at once. Once she gets her hands and knees coordinated with one another, it's going to be a race to keep up with her. :)

Oh!

2010-10-14T09:45:00.002-05:00

Does anyone know how to wash permanent marker off of little hands? How about knees, toes, calves, thighs, lips, and a tooth? Where does she find these things?

Sunday School

2010-10-12T12:56:00.003-05:00

This is just a fun picture of Hannah pushing a baby doll around during Sunday School. It is so fun watching her develop a taste for the things of God. Granted, right now she mostly likes the fun songs they sing, and during our family Bible readings at home she mostly likes looking at the pictures. Her favorite part of prayer time is the exhuberant "Amen!" at the end, and she likes signing the words to "Jesus Loves Me." Still, I pray that each and every exposure helps prepare her little heart to understand and respond to the love of our great God. He has been so good to us, and I am eager to see my girls grow and begin walking with Him.

Big Girl Bed

2010-10-07T09:18:00.003-05:00

Last week each of the girls was bumped up into a new bed. While Daddy was away for the day, Hannah and I worked together to assemble her new "big girl" toddler bed. She's pretty good at handing me screws and banging on things with the extra screw driver. Then we got out the baby bedding and made her bed with a red and yellow blanket and red pillow and put the matching crib bumper in the crib for Rebecca, who has outgrown the little bassinet/playpen she had been sleeping in. It took a couple of days to adjust to the new arrangement, but now the girls both love their new beds. Hannah is so cute when she kneels at her little bed for bedtime prayers and she is really great about staying in bed all night and playing with her teddybear in the morning until Mommy or Daddy comes to get her up.

Happy Day!

2010-10-04T13:50:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to Aunt Jessica!
Happy Anniversary to Uncle Jeremy and Aunt Jaclynn!

Special Spot on Hwy 6

2010-10-04T13:30:00.002-05:00

On our trip home from Grandma and Grandpa's last week, we stopped for a break at a little rest stop. It was nice to get the girls out of the van, change diapers, and let everyone stretch their legs. Plus, this particular rest stop has some special memories. This is the place where, about 7 years ago, Shawn and I stopped during a similar trip. We were dating at the time and were returning from our first trip to visit my parents. We call this little picnic table on the side of the road our "pre-engagement spot," because even though we had only been dating for about a month, this is where Shawn said, "I think I want to ask you to marry me." He assured me that this was not a proposal (not quite ready for that yet), but sort of a "pre" proposal. I laughed and asked if that made this my "pre-yes." He blushed and said, "I don't know, is it?" It's so funny to think about now... we both giggled and then grinned really big the whole way home. Sure enough, a couple of months later he made a formal proposal, I formally accepted, and we were married not long after that. Fast forward to 2010 and here we are with two beautiful girls. To see them sitting on that same picnic table last weekend was a special treat.

Radio Flyer

2010-09-27T18:08:00.003-05:00

Last weekend Grandpa showed Hannah the red wagon he and Grandma had fixed up for her. They put a lot of work into repainting it, and boy was it a hit! Hannah's favorite words all weekend were "More?" and "More!". The video clip isn't the greatest, but Hannah loves watching it over and over. She shouts "Whee!" every time. :)

Little Mommy

2010-09-21T22:14:00.002-05:00

It's amazing to me how closely Hannah pays attention and copies everything I do. She's definitely a little "mommy" in the making. This is a fun picture of her wearing her baby doll in my baby carrier. When she's not doing that, she's usually dressing teddy bears or taking stuffed bunnies to the "potty." :)

Sisters

2010-09-14T11:06:00.003-05:00

It's fun seeing the girls beginning to play with each other a little bit. Hannah likes trying to entertain the baby and make her laugh. :)

Sitting Up!

2010-09-09T20:30:00.003-05:00

We had a great holiday weekend with grandparents, and now that we are back Rebecca has really started sitting up on her own. The Boppy seems to help give her a little stability (and break her fall). :) I think she likes the new view.

Rebecca's First Friends

2010-09-01T10:02:00.003-05:00

Rebecca is becoming more playful, and she has a couple of best buddies around the house to keep life fun. It's not unusual to find her rolling around with the doggie (or sharing a much-deserved rest) or holding hands with her sister. So cute. :)

Happy Birthday, Grandpa!

2010-08-26T09:30:00.004-05:00

Here are a couple of fun videos from Hannah for Grandpa's special day. Love you!

Makes Sense to Me...

2010-08-24T10:15:00.004-05:00

This week we've seen Rebecca's personality come out more and more and we've seen Hannah's mind working overtime. You can see her little brain processing things and figuring things out and sometimes the stuff she comes up with just makes me laugh. A few days ago she figured out how to climb up to the kitchen table and fix herself a bread sandwich. When a shipment of Shawn's theology books came in the mail, she figured it was right up her alley. I found her "reading" out loud in her most serious voice. Then today, I nearly laughed out loud. Hannah has gotten to be a pretty good mommy's helper. Often, when Rebecca is crying, I ask Hannah to find a toy for her sister and she does a good job of running and fetching one of the baby toys for me. This morning Hannah must have figured more toys would do the trick faster. Makes sense to me... LOL. The funniest part is that it worked. Rebecca was happy as can be and didn't start crying again until I tried to "rescue" her and remove a bunch of the toys. Oh, Hannah, what am I going to do with you? :)

Fun in the Sun

2010-08-19T11:09:00.003-05:00

On most days, the girls and I take a 1-mile walk to start off the day. Sometimes, we then take a little time to swing on the porch, color the sidewalk, or blow bubbles before we go back inside for baths. This morning was really hot and humid, but we had a lot of fun--especially Hannah, who ended up with dirt all over her face (along with some remains of breakfast!).

Suprise!

2010-08-16T08:06:00.004-05:00

We had a fun suprise visit from Grandma, Grandpa, and Aunt Jessica this weekend.

They brought a kiddie pool and a bubble maker and lots of yummy food for an impromptu indoor picnic. Of course, the girls got plenty of attention. :)

Cool Cuties

2010-08-11T08:42:00.003-05:00

Last week the girls' cousin turned 13 and we had fun at her Hollywood-themed birthday party. Here are a few pics of the girls in their "cool" glasses. Other than that, we've not been up to much. It seems like my daily life just revolves around trips to the potty chair, dirty diapers, fixing snacks (so they can make more dirty diapers), and cleaning up messes. But, I have to admit I'm still enjoying myself. :) Who knew baby life could be so fun?

Keeping Up

2010-08-04T11:30:00.004-05:00

The girls are growing so fast, we're just trying to keep up with them. :) Rebecca is semi-mobile now. She rolls over consistently to the right, whether front to back or back to front. She can make it part way across the room if she wants to! Plus, she's started scootching, too, like an inch-worm. I can't believe how strong she is. She doesn't like being left out at meal-time, and Hannah's not quite ready to give up the high-chair/booster seat so we used a gift card someone had given us to go get Rebecca a chair of her very own. They look so cute sitting next to each other at the dinner table. :) This week we also expanded the nursery by getting rid of our desk and a bunch of office stuff. It is now the "girls' room." We moved Rebecca downstairs with Hannah, rearranged a little bit, and hung name plates on the walls. The girls seem to be tolerating each other well at night (Rebecca is sleeping through the nights--mostly), and I think they actually like playing in there together now that there is more room. Thanks, Daddy! :)

Giggles All Around

2010-07-28T13:17:00.006-05:00

Hannah has been full of giggles lately. Her newest favorite activity is trying to dress herself up in everyone else's clothes. It doesn't matter whether it's Daddy's socks, Mommy's shoes, Rebecca's dress, or her own pants (on top of her head)! What fun.

Rebecca Rolled Over!

2010-07-25T08:35:00.002-05:00

I'll post more later this week, but for now I just wanted to share the exciting news that Rebecca rolled over all by herself for the first time this morning. :) Hannah was much older before she finally started rolling over, so I'm pretty excited. Way to go, Rebecca!

The Zoo

2010-07-19T18:46:00.003-05:00

This weekend we took our first trip to the zoo, and it was a blast. Both of the girls did really great. Rebecca is more alert than ever these days, and Hannah has been practicing her animal sounds as we look through picture books. It was fun showing her what the real animals look like. She had fun picking out animals on her own, too. For example, the Cameron Zoo apparentlly has the largest "dog" I've ever seen (it was really a bear), and a giant "duck" too (a pelican). While we were there, Mafee bought Hannah a kiddie drink that came in a cup shaped like a lion. What a hit! Hannah has wanted to drink out of her "roar" cup ever since. :) Here is a clip of Hannah making her animal sounds and some fun pics of Rebecca (cruising at the zoo and playing on the way home) and Hannah (checking out the monkeys at the zoo and then crashing on the way home). :)

3 Months (going on 3 years)!

2010-07-13T10:05:00.004-05:00

Today is Rebecca's 3-month "birthday," and I can't believe it. Doesn't she look so grown up? The girls keep me so busy that the time is going by much faster this time around. Rebecca is so strong for her age, too! She likes being propped up vertical and even tries to sit up forward on her own. She manages longer and longer each time before she finally topples over. Of course, that means I can't set her on the couch anymore! Meanwhile, Hannah had some kind of bug last week and ran a fever for a couple of days. I couldn't believe it when she just laid down quietly on the couch and went to sleep. We knew she was fully recovered the next day when she started chasing the dog around the house again. :) LOL.

Fun with Family

2010-07-05T10:22:00.003-05:00

We had a wonderful time this weekend with Grandma and Grandpa and Aunt Jessica. Thanks, you guys! Rebecca's baby dedication service went well and Hannah enjoyed playing with everybody at the park on Saturday. I think Mom got better pics than I did... but here's a few just for fun. Aren't the girls' matching dresses cute? :)

Getting Ready...

2010-07-04T08:03:00.004-05:00

I'm a little behind on this week's blog. The girls and I spent this past week getting ready for a visit from Grandma and Grandpa and Aunt Jessica. They tried to be on extra good behavior so mommy could get things done...

Then Hannah wanted to be a big helper and wear her apron just like mommy's...

And Rebecca practiced being cute....

Another Week with My Girls

2010-06-22T13:33:00.004-05:00

Last week was Hannah's first VBS and it was lots of fun, but by the end of the week she was wore out. Plus, after a week of later-than-usual bed times and Father's Day spent at the pool, we are still recovering. :) So, this week we are just staying close to home and taking it one day at a time. Rebecca is starting to be able to sit up on the couch if she is propped between the cusions, and Hannah likes "helping" her.

Growing Vocabulary

2010-06-15T13:48:00.002-05:00

Hannah's vocabulary continues to grow. Last week she added the word "NO," so that's made for a new challenge. LOL. A while back I tried getting her to say a few things on video, but I didn't plan very well. As soon as I tried to get her to say "cheese" her response was essentially "yes, please!" and that was the end of that. :) I guess I should have saved all the food-related words for last! Although sometimes Shawn and I are the only ones who can understand her... here are a few of her favorite words:

ah-puh = apple, up, open, help (depending on the context and which sign she puts with it)
moe = more
no = no (or sometimes, yes)
tseah = yeah, yes
psss = please
chsss = cheese
mm-ma = milk
nah = snack
nie-nie = good night
uh + (head nod) = yes ma'am
uh-oh = oops; that was really on purpose but I don't want to get in trouble for it; somebody just made a dirty diaper; or mommy ran over the curb

Chef in the Making

2010-06-07T22:39:00.005-05:00

Here's a fun video of Hannah helping Mommy in the kitchen. We have matching aprons and everything! LOL. Whatever she was mixing sure must have been good... and no calories either. :)

Fun All Around

2010-06-01T20:05:00.004-05:00

This week I have been looking for new activities to engage Hannah and Rebecca. For Hannah, this has included playing with crayons, sidewalk chalk, and playdough (although the playdough will have to wait a bit--all she did was try to eat it!). We also got out her little splash pool and let her play in the water on the front porch. I can't believe how much she's grown since she played in the pool last summer. For Rebecca, we are trying tummy play time on the floor. Today, Hannah saw Rebecca on the floor and figured she and her baby should join the fun. :)

Sunday Best

2010-05-24T10:53:00.003-05:00

This is just a really cute picture of Hannah all dressed up for church, rocking her baby doll while I was getting Rebecca ready. Don't let the picture fool you, though...The peaceful scene didn't last too long before they were both crying and we were struggling just to make it to church on time. LOL :)

Six Years and Counting

2010-05-22T10:55:00.003-05:00

Today is the 6-year anniversary of the day I married the best husband in the world. (Happy anniversary, sweetheart!) Life together has been so much fun, and the girls just add to that. Yesterday, the whole family played Hannah's first real game of hide-and seek. We laughed so much. I can't decide what was funnier... watching Hannah hunt all over the house when it was her turn to be "it" or the sight of daddy crouched down in a corner where he almost got stuck! Or maybe it was Hannah buried under a pile of laundry. :) God has blessed me so much. I hope we have many more years of hide-and seek ahead of us.