My ladies

Remember how our family won a session with the absolutely amazing Brooke Snow?

She just posted some images from a session done with the ladies at our house, and I just had to share!

They are beautiful, and Brooke is just uber talented.

See them here, and send her some well deserved love.

Weekend Update.

This weekend was just lovely. Almost perfect.

Heather and Jody and their lovely clan came up to join us and we packed a whole lot of fun into our 3 day visit! The second they walk in the cousins start up right where they left off. It's so much fun to watch, and reminds me of the time we spent with our cousins growing up. They are so lucky to have such fun together, and it's amazing how much they all love each other. It's really beautiful to watch.

Brielle has a small "crush" on Travis and spent most of the weekend snuggled up to him like this. It's darling, and isn't she about the cutest things you've ever seen? For Christmas Heather, my mom, and I gifted our men with tickets to Saturday night's Aggie game, so my amazing niece Breje' babysat all the kiddos while we went to Hamilton's to eat (yum), and to the game, all worry free because Breje' is very capable, and the kids had so much fun with her. The only thing missing was Amy. :(Each year my mom makes sure the kids get to decorate Valentine cookies at her house, and it's quite a sugary sight to see. Adyson actually got quite good this time and didn't go too overboard with the frosting, Sienna though, well, she's got a ways to go before she learns the "less is more" rule.

Sunday everyone gathered at our house for the big game. It was one of the funnest Superbowl game days we've had. The kids ran around tearing the house apart and eating way too much sugar, the men folk watched the game intently, and us ladies made some fun flower clips and pins and crafted the day away. (I know, I'm not usually so crafty, but it ended up being so much fun! During half time we busted out our new "just dance" wii game. Here's a nice shot of Trav and Jody dancing to M.C. Hammer....awesome.

And even though I am embarrassing myself here, heather has posted a nice clip of my dad kicking my butt dancing over on her blog. The embarrassment is worth it, just so you can see my dad and his smooth movies.

I haven't laughed that hard in a while!And here's just a few of our fun creations.
I just can't tell you how much I adore my family. It seems that when we all get together hilarity ensues, and love abounds.

Can I please have another weekend just like this one? Soon?

Missing those curls

Out of curiosity I straightened Enna Bugs hair for the first time, in a long time today. Do you think she liked it?

And really, can you believe her hair is that long? I had NO idea!

Sienna love, I think you are a beauty either way, but I sure missed your curls today. You look much to old with straight hair, and I think you lost a little of your lovely spunk without them too!

Sunday with the ladies

We used to go to church at 1:30, making for very lazy Sunday mornings, and busy Sunday evenings. But now we go at 9:00.

This gives the ladies so much play time and today they took complete advantage of it. Saturday we purchased the new wii game, Just Dance. It's a total hit with the girls (and curiously enough, dad too). The second we walked in they changed their clothes (Notice Sienna's swimsuit cover up is her choice of "outfit for the day. She puts that thing on at least once a day, and it really deserves a post of it's own), and they were downstairs shaking their stuff. It's about the cutest thing in the world to watch and they are both pretty good at it.
If your wondering, this particular dance is to Kylie Manogue's, I just can't get you out of my head. And strangely enough, I can't get that song out of my head now. Go figure.

When they finally tired of dancing, they came upstairs to watch a movie. Travis and I decided to go downstairs and watch the football game, and we assumed all was well upstairs. (Remember what they say about Assuming?)

Um, this is what we found when we went to check on them.

Sienna made a "pillow house" using every single pillow in the house.

Scroll down, it gets worse.

Adyson made her house surrounded by pillows and with a good chunk of her Barbies as guests. She and Sienna were just sitting around chatting like best friends and watching their movie like they'd done nothing wrong.

Cute. So cute. And so messy.

Here is the face I got when I mentioned that at some point the mess has to be cleaned up.

Not happy.

The girls are at a stage right now where either they are fighting because A) Adyson doesn't want Sienna following her around or B) Sienna is just trying to make Adyson mad, but Sundays they are just best friends. They do everything together and I even caught them hugging tonight before bed. The highlight of the day was when I went to brush Sienna's teeth she told Adyson, "Go ahead and dance with your prince Ady, I'll be there as soon as I brush my teeth."

I just love their imaginations!

Happy Sunday to you all.

And Heather, I blogged this for you, so you better just get busy and update yours now. Chop chop.

{Sunbeam}

After 3 weeks of being inactive due to the sickness that took. forever. to. leave, we made it to church on Sunday, and Sienna had her first week as a Sunbeam.

I think she's quite cute. (Side note: One of my favorite things about Sienna is that when she smiles really big, or laughs really hard, her eyes all but disappear. Melts my heart.)And because of the sickness, this is the first time the ladies were able to wear there Christmas dresses to church, and cause there cute, it must be posted. (Side note: picnik will no longer let me edit pics and save them, making the ladies have some red eye problems. Anyone know why? I miss it so...)

{Heartbroken}

Why must you leave us Simon Cowell?

Why?

(And since I'm complaining, why are you coming back Kara Dioguardio, why?)

AI starts tonight, and while I'm not a bif fan of the lifelong auditions, I can't wait to have a long season of bonding with Mr. Cowell before he leaves us.

Next year's gonna be rough dawg, without him.

Will you still watch? Will you miss him too? And who should replace him?
(I think the English accent is a must, but he can have good hair and clothes that aren't 3 sizes to small.)

Sisters

Sweet little Sienna has been feeling pretty crappy this last week. She's had a terrible stomach ache, a little flu, an ear ache, and has had a really high fever. We've spent most of the week trying to comfort her, and babying her.

Yesterday I walked in on my sweet little ladies snuggling on the couch, Adyson rubbing Sienna's forehead and Seinna was draped right around her body just letting Adyson try to take care of her.

My heart melted.

I sure hope they always want to take care of each other like this.
I know they will fight.
Over boys.
And clothes.

But I really hope that when they are sick, or just in need of a friend, they will turn to each other.
I just adore these little girls of mine.

Christmas Part 2, plus a few extra celebrations!

Now I shall mourn.

Christmas is officially over.

Our trees are even down.

And although I'm totally ready for my house to feel less cluttered, I'm sure gonna miss the warm glow from my trees. Don't you love that?

Anywhoo...here's how it all went down.

Jody and Heather got here and within an hour the kids were already begging to get the party started! The gifts had been calling to them for much to long....

Adyson got the Moxi car she's been wanting for a while....do you think she likes it?

Sienna just LOVES opening gifts. She LOVES everything she gets.....and just wanted to keep opening all night long.

Brielle got a new princess dress, and you must agree she looks just adorable. This little girl has the whole entire family wrapped right around her finger!

Breje, Adyson, and Sienna sporting matching jammies. My little girls are quite proud of this, and Breje is kind enough to amuse them....

It's utter chaos at my moms house with 7 grand kids and grandparents who spoil each and every one of them rotten! (Not to mention their aunts and uncles spoil them a bit too). After they've torn into each gift, it looks like a small tornado has gone through the basement. We clean up, them dump out the garbage bags to look for the small piece that has been thrown out, then we clean up again....then spend a good hour assembling the gifts. The kids had an absolute blast and had so much fun playing with their toys the rest of the weekend. This has been an especially hard year for my parents with my Grandma passing away so quickly before Christmas, but still managed to go the extra mile for us and make sure our Christmas was special. Thanks ma and pa!

My brother Cody's Birthday is Dec. 30, and my nephew Trayson's b-day is Dec. 27th, so we got to fit in a little celebration for them on New Years Eve. Here we are at Texas Roadhouse eating their B-day dinner.

Cody wouldn't ride the saddle.

Party Pooper.

Tray did, reluctantly.

Here's Trav and I a few hours before the ball dropped. Let's all pray for my hair to grow longer with each picture you see of me. (a resolution).All seven of them. I think they are just so grand!Pops made it till 10 on NYE. Seriously, this picture was taken at 9:30. Pathetic? Yes.His cute little granddaughter Sienna made it much. much. later than him. Here she is at 10 and I don't see a sign of tired in her!

And Brielle managed to stay up right along with her. Watching these two together is priceless. They are becoming fast best friends and it is just so precious. They are quite pleased in this picture because Grandma gave them some marshmallows. (I wonder why they stayed up so late? Could it be because they had so much sugar at 10:00 at night?) Thanks Grandma....

Amy and Simon. I'm in love with this little boy and his blue eyes.
New years day we decided to take the kids sledding. It was a bit crazy because Heather's kids were here without snow clothes, and we had a total of 3 sleds for 7 kids. (Totally unprepared!) but we all had so much fun! The snow was falling soft beautiful flakes, and it wasn't too cold making it perfect for sledding, and watching.

Here's the ladies. This was their first time sledding, and just so you know, they are big fans. Huge.Breje' taking Adyson on her last ride.Sienna loved sledding, but she was just happy to be outside in the snow. This kid could live outside in the cold.
I love her. Really, a lot!

Adyson and Daddy. It was so much fun to watch Ads because it's just her nature to be nervous, but she got right on (with a little coaxing) and loved it! All in all it was a lovely weekend, chuck full of family, too much food, and lots of laughs (and coughs...). I am completely ready for a little schedule! Here's wishing you all a wonderful 2010!

So excited!

Our little family won an amazing photo session with the uber talented Brooke Snow!

To say I am excited is an understatement.
We feel very blessed, and very lucky!

Head here to see here photoblog.
She is honestly an amazing photographer, who is really going the extra mile for our family.

Thanks Brooke! We can't wait!

Christmas: Part 1.

Boo to Christmas being over. Boo to forever lasting cold, no more treats left on my doorstep, no more "Be good kids, Santa is watching."

I sure love Christmas, and can't believe that this years has come and gone already. We have yet to celebrate with my family because my sister wont be here till Wed...so we are holding onto that last piece of Christmas as long as we can!

This Christmas was sure different then most. We were all so emotionally, and physically worn out from everything that happened with my Grandma, and her funeral was just Dec. 22nd, making Christmas sneak right up on us. But by Christmas Eve, we all were ready for it, and couldn't wait to celebrate.

On Christmas Eve morning each year my ladies wake up to a gift from Mrs. Claus. This is my very favorite tradition! She usually brings them a cute shirt to wear that day and a little surprise. This year Adyson was so excited she couldn't sleep, and when she awoke to a new webkinz, and a cute little shirt she was beyond thrilled.

Sienna was pretty excited too, can you tell?Here's a self taken pic of Adyson and I, do we look excited or what?Each year Grandma Lorraine comes up with some fun games for us to play. This year Adyson won the second round of the house burning dice game, and she was beyond excited. It was a great start to the night for her!
We played the 7-11 treat game, where the huge twix bar got passed from person to person about 100 times. Who knew? (Trav ended up with it, if you were wondering.)

Then it was gift time! Here's Enna with a tea set from Tiff, which she adores. And the ladies with their new walkee talkee's from Grandma. These have been a huge hit.After the gifts Grandma took all the kids upstairs to surprise us with new jammies she made for each of them, and a darling pillow case. The kids came running down to model them, and then Grandpa read "The night before Christmas" while they snuggled down in their comfy pj's and pillows. It was pretty cute stuff.Tiff gave Adyson a hair stylist kit, complete with a smock, gloves, clips, color bowls, and even a brush...I LOVE this gift! Rheagen was a good sport to let Adyson practice on her. Christmas eve was lovely and wonderful. Thanks Kidmans for always making it such a fun night!


The ladies went right to sleep on Christmas eve, shockingly! And slept till about 7:30, but woke up ready to go! Here they are waiting to go downstairs. Don't mind the foggy camera, it had been in my car all night...

Adyson got everything she wanted and so much more. Her she is modeling the Taylor Swift CD. Santa accidentally got the Karaoke CD, so that was a bummer. Dumb Santa.

Sienna has been begging for this Strawberry Shortcake doll, that you do "make-up" on for months, and of course Santa delivered. Along with all the other things she added to her list whenever people would ask what Santa was gonna bring her. She is one. smart. cookie.

Oh, and Santa brought make-up. Sienna used most of hers in one sitting. Pretty?
I think the best part of Christmas this year has been watching these 2 play. We've let them keep their new things downstairs in the family room for the week and they've pretty much lived down there with there toys. There's been 0 fighting, and just lots of laughs. It's a Christmas miracle!

We are excited that we still have Christmas #2 coming in a few days. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas filled with joy. And I wish you all a Happy New Year!