It's been a while...

I was doing so good posting every week (or so) and then nothing for 2 months! Life got busy, or more accurately, life is always busy and this is something that fell by the wayside. Just so no one else thinks that they can be slackers, I may not have been posting but I was still keeping up with all the blogs I read :-).

Cookout and Hayride with my Moms Group

My moms group did a cookout and hayride and we have a fabulous time! Usually when we plan a night out it is without the husbands and the kids (we love 'em but we need our time away). Well, we decided to invite the whole family for this event and it was so much fun.

Rylee with chocolate on her face.

It was a perfect night to enjoy the fire.

Kristi and Jacob

Kim and Michelle

Jennifer, Marc and Jett - please keep them in your prayers - Marc

got to join us while on a short (2 week) leave from Iraq

Fun at the Pumpkin Farm

A few weeks ago we headed to Waldon Farms with my neighbor and her kids to "pick" some pumpkins. It was a really cute little place and the kids had a great time.

Rylee and Keely showing off their pumpkins.

Rylee down on the farm!

Keely down on the farm!

Reagan down on the farm!

Reagan playing on the toys.

Shouldn't they be having fun??? No, mom made

them stop and take a picture together :-).

The Many Styles of Reagan

I just had to share with you my most recent pictures of Reagan's unique style. Her philosophy is the more the better. It doesn't matter the accessory...she just wants a lot of them. I hope that one day she can use it for good :-)!!!

Obviously, you can't miss the headbands but notice the wrist and fingers too. This was a style she enjoyed for about 3 or 4 days...no kidding.

Here is Reagan playing with her friend Jonathon. She is sporting the "eyes" (which most of us would call sun glasses) and the lovely rain boots.

Cream Cheese Filled Strawberries

These are great for showers or any type of entertaining. They taste so yummy!

Cream Cheese Filled Strawberries

32 Starwberries

Filling:
12 oz Cream Cheese
3/4 cup powder sugar
1/4 tsp almond extract

Cut an X in the strawberry to create a pocket and use a zip lock bag to squeeze in the filling. Refridgerate before serving.

Happy Birthday Reagan Elizabeth!

Today is my baby girl's 2nd birthday! She is a precious child and has been such a blessing in our lives! She has a wonderful smile (that she won't share with just anyone), she thinks her sister is the greatest and is still happiest when she has blankie in her arms :-).

Life lessons from our kids: Matt and I got Reagan a roller coaster for her birthday and Rylee wanted to give her a sucker. Both were in the living room when Reagan got up this morning, however, the first thing she noticed and the only she cared about was the sucker that was from her sister. After the sucker was open and in her mouth she decided to get excited about the coaster.

What she's doing now...

• within the past month or two her talking switch has been turned on and she'll carry on a conversation with us


• still our picky eater (hot dogs, chicken nuggets, fruit, crackers and cereal...these aren't the only things she eats but the things I know I can get her to eat)


• sleeping in a big girl bed for about almost 3 months now


• has definitely realized her ability to protest :-)


• LOVES: jewelry, lipstick, playing with her baby dolls and coloring/art/play dough

(Reagan acting camera shy)

Exciting News...

(above: picture and baby by Kim Wheeler :-D)

I won some incredibly cute, personalized art by Kim at Small Words. I check out her blog all the time and this week she had a contest going on and all you had to do was leave a comment. Never did I think I had a chance at winning...but I did!!! I am so excited! I don't know that I've ever won anything of value before. Maybe this will motivate me to do some decorating in the girls rooms.

All about me...

I think I'm going to set a record for number of posts this month...I've not blogged this much in a long time! I have been tagged, so here are 6 random facts about me:


1- My two favorite flavors are caramel and cinnamon (sorry Pam!). Yum, yum...I love 'em! Notice they are both desert/sweet flavors. That tells you something else about me :-).

2- Matt and I met on a blind date and married exactly a year (to the date) after our first date. Alomst 7 years later, I have no doubt it was the best decision I've ever made!!!

(this picture was taken the year we were married)

3- I really enjoy girly movies...you know the Julia Roberts/Cameron Diaz/Reese Whitherspoon type movies. The kind of movies that don't have a very thick plot and you can watch the first 5 minutes and the last 5 minutes and pretty much have the movie, yeah those are the ones I talking about.

4- I have big babies! Both of my girls were over 9 lbs when they were born...skipped right over those newborn diapers :-).

5- My favorite new blog is http://www.simplemom.net/. I am a pretty practical girl and she is very practical and inspiring!

6- My favorite color is green. It's a happy color and it reminds me of the outdoors and nature. When we built our house I painted my kitchen green...I mean really green...and after the first coat of paint Matt said "are you sure this is the color you want???" I think he even likes it now!

***I tag Bethany, Melissa, Pam, Amy, Terra, Lisa***

Well, that's it for randomness on my part! Here are the rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you

2. Post the rules to your blog

3. Write 6 random things about myself

4. Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them

5. Let each person you have tagged know by leaving a comment on their blog.

6. Let the tagger know when your entry is posted.

Invisible

My mom sent me this today. Amazing timing I tell ya!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YU0aNAHXP0

I had one of those moments this weekend...I was tired of laundry, tired of cooking, tired of cleaning the house 3 times a day and tired of whining girls (who's attitudes just reflect that of their mom). Being a mom is the most challenging job I've ever had. It's challenging because it's not about me and I don't get the recognition that I so enjoy. The one thing I know, though, is that it is the greatest opportunity I've ever been given. So, for the rest of today :-), I will remind myself with every dirty sock I pick up and spill that I clean up that I am blessed to be able do it for the 3 most important people in my life.

School Days...

Carson Andrew

Keely Parker

Margaret "Maggie" Elaine

Fast forward 5 years and these 3 precious babies (my nieces and nephew) are all starting school this year. It's a little overwhelming when I stop and realize how grown up they really are. They are amazing kids now and I can't wait to see the impact they have on the world around them. My prayer for them is that God will bless them with an exciting and wonderful year and that His light will shine in their lives!

I'm a photo thief! If the following pictures were taken from your blog, please forgive me :-). The past few weeks I seem to have forgotten I own a camera. A few shots of what we've been up to since my last post...

Swimming and lunch at Terra's...it was the perfect day and we had great company. The only one missing from the picture is Amy and she is behind the camera. Thank you Terra for a fun day!!!

Bethany and I met Dad, Amy, Rachael and Emily up in the mountains for a surprise birthday celebration for my dad. We had a great time and as always, Rachael and Emily spoiled us helping with the babies.

Terra and I took Rylee and Julia to see the American Girl movie. What a cute movie! By the end of the movie the girls were both in the same seat and had gone through twizzlers and a box of crunch. I think they had a great time too!