Been a while...

Yep, it's been a while! And here we are, with a New Year upon us - 2010, who would have thought? And I have no resolutions firmly in tact! I have a few that I've contemplated, but nothing mapped out in place...other than, the inevitable Weight Watchers!

So, this will not be a resolution post, although it's my first for the year.

We had a fabulous Christmas this year. The girls were adorably cute through the December season. We decorated, we baked, we made candy, the only thing we didn't really do is go outside and make snowmen, etc...but there is plenty of snow still around. We'll get to it!

Annie has been consistently progressing in her speech. Every day it seems we get a newer, more complete thought out of her and she's not even 2 yet! Last week was marked by her "pinching" my *patootie* and saying "I got your biscuits!" This week was marked by, "I want a cheestick, too!" and "I don't want it" (after she took two miniscule bites of the cheesestick).

It's very fun to hear Grace and Annie talk with each other. I have full confidence that Annie is understanding everything now, as she responds appropriately. Next up for her will by potty-training! Woohoo :)

Grace is consistently surprising us with her speech, too. She constantly asks what new words mean and then tries to incorporate them into her speech as soon as she can. She has picked up "left" and "right" from somewhere and will be the kind of student in elementary who "gets" her teachers jokes - I can just tell! I always loved those kiddos! :) It's weird to be thinking about Kindergarten for her, but we are!

Clint has almost reached his 2 year anniversary at MPI. It will be 2 years in March. He is still enjoying it and we are so thankful for the Lord's provision for us in this job, while many are laid off in our area, we are both gainfully employed with excellent benefits. Although our house is small and the bills are many, we have so much to be thankful for!

So - that should catch us up to January 2010. I really didn't intend for a 2 month break from Blogland, but it happened, thanks to busy work, holiday, November doldrums and a crappy case of carpal tunnel! I like having a blog to chart things and times with the girls, so I plan to keep it up and if I could just get myself to the store and remember to buy a new memory card, lots more pictures of two of the cutest girls on the planet!

Gracie's Birthday Pics

What a crazy, busy weekend! Two birthday parties - one on Saturday, with Clint's mom, sister and the cousins (4 & 9 years old -two girls! :) and we headed over to Chuck E. Cheese, which is the absolute craziest place to go on a Saturday afternoon! But, well, every kid has to have at least one C.E.Cheese birthday party, right? (Hopefully, I'll get better at this birthday party thing and it will be the last!)

The girls (& Clint) had a blast playing all the games and we brought a princess cake with us to go with our pizza. Meijers does a very nice job of making cakes. I was pleased. It tasted yummy (can you really go wrong with cake? Unless I make it, of course) and Grace was very happy about the princesses!

The Cinderella was lit up

Blowing out the candles

Opening up the cards, check out that inflatable crown. She just loved that thing! Wore it the whole time we were there!


I think this is an absolutely DARLING picture of Annie!

Got the Magic Ariel Doll - her hair changes colors in water. Grace has been talking about it for weeks!

For the Gilson party, we had a great meal after church at Mom & Dad's house, we had a small ladybug theme, because ever since we found out we were going to have Grace, Daddy has been calling her "Ladybug" - that's his nickname for her and he made this adorable (yes, I said "he") Ladybug cake for her. Didn't it turn out well!? So nice to have an artist for a hubby!

Way tastier than Meijers any day!

Daddy & his Ladybug

Yep, still got the crown on!

She's four now. We have arrived, folks. We have arrived!

Annie did awesome these two days. She was sunshine the whole time!

Phew. We made it, but I tell you what - that little 4 year old was in bed early last night! She was pooped all yesterday from her Birthday Extravaganza! Here's hoping for a fabulous year! Next year, she'll be taking cupcakes to Kindergarten! *Sniff!*

Lugie Vs. Boogie

Actual conversation this morning in the car.

Grace: *Hack! Hack!*

Grace: Momma, a booger came out my MOUTH!

Me: When a booger comes out your mouth, it's called a LUGIE (sp??)! Way to go!

Grace: Lugie! *cracks up*

What a great way to start a week!

My Gracie Girl

My little Gracie girl is FOUR today.

Can that be right?

It seems like just yesterday she was my sweet, little, PERFECT baby who slept from 7pm to 7am, who never fussed and was the picture of sunshine. She was a baby-sitter's dream!

I remember praying for this day to come when we were in the throes of the terrible 2's and 3's. Amidst potty-training and temper tantrums, my mother and friends assured me that everyday is one more that she is older and that something happens when they turn 4.

Well, that day is here! *Sniff*

Grace is such a fantastic mix of lovable, maddening, comical, impressionable and mischeivous. She is so intelligent, verbal and dramatic, (because, oh, yes, we've traded tantrums for dramatics!) and has personality coming out her socks!

I can't wait to see what she'll be like in school and as she makes her way in this crazy world.

Happy Birthday, Gracie Girl! I love you.

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Trick or Treat Pictures to come, but in the meantime - enjoy this! :)

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

More Punkin Pics

Here are a couple of shots *in the light* of the pumpkins Clint carved.

Grace said she just wanted a happy pumpkin with a big smile...


And Annie, of course, didn't specify, but he carved a Dora pumpkin for her. I wish everybody could see this pumpkin - because it's really, really REALLY good. He didn't use a stencil or pattern or anything! Just drew it on with a pencil and one of the story books for reference.

Proud to say that both my girls are "hams" in front of the camera!

Feelin' better

We had a TERRIBLE week last week. I don't think it was full-blown H1N1, but Grace ran a low-grade fever for a week straight, Annie had unexplainable spots and they both had yucky croupy sounding coughs when they laid down for bed, which 4 out of 5 nights resulted in puking episodes. Blech.

Thankfully that is over and we are on to celebrating Fall and of course, Halloween to be followed by Grace's birthday. Wow - and then, Thanksgiving and then Christmas - yikes! It feels like November and December are going to fly.

Yesterday we got the girls doing a little bit of raking...

Grace did well, but Annie, for some reason, was very into her nose. All my pics are of her doing this! ha ha ha

Then we carved up our pumpkins after dinner.

Grace got right in there with her hands - I was actually quite surprised!

My job was mainly to keep this one away from the knives...no easy feat! I took her picture and then distracted her with the camera. Bwah-ha-ha!

Not sure what she's confused about here...actually, I think she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. She's going through a VAIN phase. (I hope it's a phase anyway! :P )

Only happy punkins for us! The one on the left is just a happy face, the one in the middle is actually a very good replication of Dora the Explorer - minus the hair. You just have to get the right perspective. Took me a while and Clint had to explain that the circle was her face and neck - not her mouth and then it came in for me! One more to go tonight...