Hugs and Kisses From A Friend

Just thoughts...

It's late...my mind is running and I can't seem to keep up.  What's new?  On this night I don't really mind being up.  I can't stop thinking about how incredibly blessed I am.  God's really opened my eyes tonight to all the amazing things around me.  I haven't felt this grateful in a long time and for that I am grateful.  

I have two of the most hilarious, loving, sweet, smart, hard-working children I could ever ask for.  I know I say this at ever age, but this is my favorite age!  Two three years olds, I never would have thought I would be having this much fun in life!  They keep me laughing and on my toes at all times.  They are quite a team and I pray they always are.  Their special bond is remarkable and unbreakable.  As it should be...

My amazing husband, I can't say enough.  He sees things in me I didn't even know were there.  He has made me a better person than I ever thought possible.  I'm eternally grateful for his love.  He's a better daddy than I ever thought possible.  Connor and Macy absolutely adore him!  There isn't enough time in the day to wrestle and cuddle with daddy.  He has no idea the memories he's making with them.  I pray he hangs the moon in their eyes forever.

I have friends that are no longer friends, but family.  They have seen me through the mountains and valleys of life, and love me anyway.  Thank you.

And of course God...He has his hand on me.  He is real and leads with a strong hand.  Always in the best direction for me of course. 

I am blessed...

Bikes!

It's official!  We are bike riders!!!!!!!!!!!!  Thanks Auntie Audra for the bikes, we are loving them!  We have each crashed a couple times but no broken bones yet.  Macy has a cut in her mouth, a hurt nose and Connor has a wounded knee but other than that we are great!  We keep getting back on so the excitement is still there!  Sadly Brian was out of town for the first ride so we got it on video.  They took to it so easily!  Mommy on the other hand is having a hard time pushing two bikes up the hill in our neighborhood.  The new rule is someone has to walk theirs up the hill.  :)  It's exhausting to "watch" them ride!

3rd Birthday Party!

We were successful at turning 3!!!!!  We had a great Dora and Diego party!  The bouncy house was a hit with everyone except Macy.  We finally got her in, but not for long.  She likes her feet on solid ground, not having her feet flipped up in the air by Connor!  Connor thought the more flipping the better.  We couldn't get him out of the bouncy house!  

They each got their own Happy Birthday song, and LOVED IT!  They had been talking about having their own song, and blowing out their candles.  You can see the smile on Macy's face when she is blowing out her candles.  She had waited for that moment for "forever" to her.  Connor enjoyed his song too, he had a hard time blowing out the candles because of his huge smile!  They got lots of great presents, and were excited to start playing with all of them.  

The whole family pitched in with the "Adventure" birthday.  All the cousins helped take the guests through the "adventure", including a slide, tunnel and the final destination being the bouncy house!    

This is the first birthday that it seems right that they are another year older.  The first two years flew by so fast that I just couldn't believe it was time for another birthday.  This year it seems like it is time for them to be 3.  They have come so far, and can do so much more than ever before.  I am finding this age to be my favorite!  (I say that every year!)  It just keeps getting better!  

I'm holding onto that, it's only getting better.  Each day holds new adventures and new opportunities to grow, both for them and me.  I'm cherishing each day.

January snow and ice

Brian and the kids (fur kids and 

human kids) enjoying some rest!

Mommy and Connor

Macy jumping, she never stops jumping!

This is how we knew it was time

to come in, Connor's eyelashes were

covered in snow!

We were supposed to leave tomorrow for Phoenix and get out of this freezing cold weather.  However, our flight is cancelled...already.  We now leave Sunday morning.  So, since there isn't a lot we can do about the weather, we decided to enjoy it!  We played outside and had a blast!  Macy didn't like it at first, but then grew to like it.  She liked throwing snow and juming in it, Connor liked running in the snow and cleaning off his swing.  (even outside he can't stop cleaning!)  We enjoyed some great family time today, Brian cancelled work today (yeah!) and only worked on the computer for awhile this morning.  It was some great family time the rest of the day.  Man, I love snow (ice) days!

Christmas 2009

                                                                   We decided we would start our own tradition of staying home Christmas morning and then going to the extended family for the weekend.  Not the best year to start this!  We are snowed in!!!  We had a blizzard Christmas Eve and now can't even get out or driveway.  Thankfully we have food and each other!  

We had a nice meal last night for Christmas Eve, didn't have church due to cancelling it for weather.  So we spent the time at home baking Santa's cookies and playing the Wii.  Connor hit two homeruns in baseball!  They had a rough time going to sleep, but once asleep they were out.  Santa worked his magic with no worries they would wake up.  Brian and I watched a movie and relaxed after the festivities.

The kids LOVED what Santa brought.  On the way down the stairs this morning Connor said, "Woooo!"  They got jeeps, a single trampoline with safety pole, and a sucker.  The sucker was actually the only thing they wanted.  Santa was just generous this year...

We have been outside and played a bit in the snow.  With Connor's bronchitis we couldn't stay out long, but we couldn't pass up the opportunity.  They may not see snow again until they are 20!  At least this much of it!  We were only outside long enough to get pictures, and make a tiny snowman...that mommy made in record time to check it off the list.  

We are having a great time, but wish we could be with the whole family.  This is the second holiday in a row we have missed...not a good trend to be setting.  Hopefully we will be able to get out tomorrow.  All the interstates in Oklahoma were shut down last night, they are back open today but our neighborhood is awful.  An ambulance got stuck on our hill earlier this morning.  Not a good day to need emergency vehicles.  We decided to take it easy today and try to travel tomorrow when the snowplows have had a little more time to work their magic.  

We wish you all a Merry Christmas!

Noises...

I was awoken last night about 4:30am to noises.  After listening awhile, I realized what those "noises" were.  The kids were up, and chatting up a storm.  I have to say, I don't ever remember a time that they were both up chatting to each other.  Many a nights I'll hear one or the other but never both.  I thought to myself that they will stop soon don't bother getting out of the nice warm bed.  However, after 10 minutes they still hadn't concluded their business with each other so I decided to take charge and put a stop to this early morning business meeting.  

I stopped at their door to see if I could figure out what they were talking about first though...knowledge is power after all.  This is a bit of what I heard: 

Connor: See Santa Macy, yes?

Macy: Yes.  My turn to talk.  umna, umna, umna, umna, all fall down!

Connor: Connor's turn to talk.  See Santa Macy.  Green sucker Macy, blue sucker Connor.  Ok, Macy's turn.

Macy: umna, umna, umna, all stand up!  (at this point I hear what I believe to be her hands slapping her mattress)

Connor: What you mean Macy?  

Macy: umna, umna, umna, all fall down!

LOTS OF GIGGLES

At this point I'm having to calm myself down outside the door so they don't hear me laughing.  This went on and on...I decide to go in and be scrooge anyway.  They both look at me and say, "What doing mommy?"  I told them it was time to sleep and I tucked Connor in.  I stroked his head as he lay on his pillow and all of a sudden he reaches up and strokes my head.  I couldn't stop the chuckle that came out.  Which of course made him laugh.  Which of course made Macy laugh.  You would have thought we were having a party in there.  After holding hands with them and giving lots of "hug and kiss?"'s and high fives (this is a new one to our nighttime routine) I shut the door and left feeling so blessed.  

Big kid beds

We have finally changed the cribs to toddler beds!  After finding Connor playing superman across the two beds, we realized it was time to change them.  Brian worked this morning on them both cribs...I mean beds.  That will take some time to get used to.  They napped in them, and did a great job staying in them, not once getting out.  They woke up, called out, "Mommy, we're awake!"  We told them they have to have permission to get out of bed.  With their room being right by the top of the stairs, we don't want to take any chances.  

They are so excited about being in big kid beds!  After nap today, Connor got out of bed then told me he wanted to go back to bed.  (This only happens when he's sick)  He just wanted to get back into his "big boy bed"!  He crawls in and pulls the covers up over his head.  SO cute!  

I'm finding this a hard step to move past.  NEVER have they not been in a crib!  Just when I get used to a certain stage, they move into another one!  I'm thrilled, but I also know I'm never going to get these times back.  The life of a mother...