5 Years

THEN

AND NOW

It's been 5 years since we had the cutest little Christmas wedding, ever! A lot has changed. We both weigh more, sleep less and stress a lot more than we should. But we are both so very blessed in this life! It's been a great marriage and I look forward to many, many more years!

Last night, we celebrated by going to dinner at our special place-Julians. It is the BEST food ever and I love going any chance we get. Much to my surprise, Jaime handed me an anniversary gift while we were there. Now, you need to know...we had decided that we were going to buy a Keurig for our giftto each other. We both want one and I thought that was the plan. Apparently, it still is...HOWEVER, Jaime had found a great deal on a pair of new diamond earrings for me over a month ago! I was shocked! And they are so beautiful! It was a great night!

Happy anniversary Jaime. Love you!

A Very Merry Christmas

This year was our first Christmas as a family of four and we have tried to make the most out of the whole month! This time of year is my absolute favorite and I have such fond memories of Christmas as a child. I go to great lengths to make sure my girls not only love the magic of Christmas, but also remember that ultimately, it's all about Jesus! This year was great in both regards. Maddie and I talked about Mary/Joseph/baby Jesus almost on a daily basis. JTB really helped her put things into perspective this year too! She was also super excited about Santa this time and was always asking about him. A few highlights from our month were:

• looking at Christmas lights
• watching Christmas movies and drinking hot chocolate
• Maddie helping mommy decorate the tree
• shopping for our yearly Christmas ornament
• going to the Cracker Barrel and getting Brooklyn's stocking
• Tyler Christmas Parade
• Journey Through Bethlehem
• talking to Santa and later, writing him a letter
• making cookies and other snacks
• daddy's Christmas party in Longview
• Maddie's Christmas party at church
• young adult SS class scavenger hunt
• Christmas stories

It was a busy month (always is) and I intentionally cram as much in as possible! There are so many fun and memorable things to do! On Christmas Eve, we went to my parent's house and ate some fabulous chicken and sausage gumbo. Then we stuck around long enough to listen to my dad read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas so that we could all sign the book. Then we scurried out the door and drove down the road back to our house so that we could do our own things before putting the girls to bed. We made some cookies for Santa, and while those cooked, we read How the Grinch Stole Christmas (a favorite of Jaime's from childhood) and the story of Jesus' birth from Luke. Maddie was then allowed to eat one cookie and watch a short Christmas movie before heading to bed. I told her that she HAD to stay in bed tonight and go to sleep as quickly as she could so that Santa would stop by. I think she listened because I didn't hear a peep and began wrapping gifts around 10 or so. I was able to get in bed at about midnight only to be woken up at 2! Maddie told me that she saw a shadow and thought it might be Santa!! I asked her if she looked at the tree yet and she hadn't so she ran into the living room. She was gone for several mintues and I just knew she was destroying all the presents, so I got out of bed. However, I found her quietly sitting in front of the tree, thumbing through a Christmas book that was propped in front (she gets a new one very year)! It was so cute. For a few minutes we sat in front of the tree, oohing and aahing. We then decided we better go back to sleep! Luckily, the family slept from that point till 7:30! Then we got up, opened presents, ate breakfast and headed to church for a worship service. After that, we headed back out to Nana and Papaw's house to spend the day doing Christmas with them. We opened more presents, took naps, played with new toys, and ate the greatest chicken and dressing meal ever. The green beans, sweet potato casserole, homemade monkey bread, and turkey weren't too bad either! ;) Yumm! By the end of the evening, Jaime and I were completely worn out but it was such a fun day!

Now, a new year is approaching us. Jaime and I are about to celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary and we are both very excited to see what the Lord has in store for us this next year as we reflect on the past year of 2011. We are already so blessed!



Family Picture Day

A few weeks ago, I called my good friend and photographer and asked him to take some new pictures of our little family! I enjoy doing pictures this time of year and now that Brooklyn is a little older (and mommy is a little thinner!!) I knew it was time to get some great shots! Of course, I dressed the girls a like and Jaime and I tried to match too. He did a fantastic job capturing our family of four and I couldn't be happier! Here are just a few samples!

8 months

I can hardly believe that 8 months have passed since I delivered our beautiful little Brooklyn! What an amazing addition she is to our family! She is my sweet cuddler and a terrific baby!

At 8 months you:

-wear size 3 diapers
-6/9 month clothing
-you will have your next well child exam next month so I will know more about weight and length then
-are still a great eater! You enjoy cereal/fruit for breakfast, a veggie for lunch, and the same with maybe some fruit for dinner. You also are starting to enjoy little puffs and yogurt melts, though I break them up pretty small because you still don't have A SINGLE TOOTH! Nope....only gums!
-still love to nurse though we are coming down in feedings. You usually nurse for the last time at about 7 in the evening and go to bed at 8.
-sleep from 8 to about 6:30 or 7.You nurse as soon as you wake up. You usually take 2, two hour naps. Once around 9am and again at about 1 or 1:30 in the afternoon.
-you are still easily amused and love to laugh. Recently, you've started making grunting noises when you see something you want along with trying to make other noises with your mouth(usually to mimic sister).
-you lean over pretty far when you are sitting with toys, especially if you see a toy you would like, and almost make it to the crawling position. I think that you are close to crawling but still struggle with getting one leg stuck from underneath you.

I can hardly believe how great of a baby you are. I am just so blessed!!

Watching daddy's fire

Your ornament

JTB 2011

When I tell you that I love Journey Through Bethlehem, I mean I really LOVE it! And this year was no different. Actually...it was maybe my favorite year in all the 14 years that I've been a part! I had the opportunity to witness some really neat things that still brings me tears when I think about it.

Since the beginning, we've always been known for the drive-thru portion of the town, but within the past few years we've also started offering a guided walk-thru. In a nutshell, you are led through the town by a shepherd and you stop at a few "key places" along the way(i.e. the census taker, the inn, the manger, etc...). Each night, for atleast and hour or so, Brooklyn was in the manger as baby Jesus and she did great! Maddie was also baby Jesus when she was little but we did not offer a walk-thru at that point so I didn't get to totally experience what I did this year! It was amazing! The neat thing about walking thru versus driving is that you can get a little closer to the manger. That is a pretty cool thing when there is a real baby there to interact with you! Oh, Brooklyn was such a big hit and I could not have been more proud! She wore a white gown and I covered her with an additional white blanket. Since we were in the manger, we were blocked mostly from the wind so she never really got too cold. Two of the four nights, Jaime was able to be my Joseph and it was such a fun time to see and hear people's different reactions. I can't always hear what people are saying from their car, but when they are standing right next to you, there's no question!

What stood out to me the most this year from my experience as Mary was:
-the oohs and aahs over Baby Jesus! It didn't matter if Brooklyn was flapping her arms and talking or letting out a cry from getting tired, the people loved it all!
-moms and dads kneeling before the manger and telling their own little ones that that baby was baby Jesus!
-one little girl sang a special song to Jesus and it was the cutest thing ever. Brooklyn simply smiled at her. Melted my heart!
-a mentally challenged guy came through and you could tell that he was so excited and stimulated by everything that was going on. He kept saying "Hi, my name is John" and "I like your baby" over and over again. What sweet innocence!
-a certain lady cried in front of the manger this year too. She was a first time visitor to JTB and loved every second of it. She just had to touch Brooklyn on the shoulder before she moved on, not believing that she was a real little baby!

It was wonderful and I already look forward to next year! Our feedback is always so positive and on Saturday night, we set a new record showing over 900 people the real meaning of Christmas! Wow! Many people also told us that it's just not Christmas until they load up their car and drive their family through JTB. What a blessing that is to us as a church to hear! It makes all the invested $, sick people (from the hay, cold, smoke), late nights and long work hours SO, SO very worth it!

All About Maddie

I can hardly believe, that come March, my first born will be 4 years old! My how the time has passed quickly! Now that Maddie is older, the posts documenting her progress, are few and far between. Things don't seem to change as quickly as they are right now for Brooklyn. However, I wanted to go ahead and write some things down that she does right now, so that I won't forget! Here goes nothing!

Maddie-

• you are a strong willed girl and have been since the moment you were born. I truly fell like that attribute will work well for you in life, but for now, we are really having to control that stubborn streak in you! Now that you are a big girl, it often comes out in very sassy and bossy ways-especially since your vocabulary has always been above par. You are the epitomy of a little mama and I remind you many times during the day that you are afterall, only 3!
• you are funny! Really funny! I don't know where you come up with some of the things you say and do, but if you aren't careful-it gets you in trouble too! Many times, you get sent to your room because of it. Then, once you are out of our sight, your daddy and I will often laugh about what you just did! Your a mess child!
• the world hasn't encountered a better big sister. You adore Brooklyn! You are very patient with her and can get her to laugh better than anyone. You are a great helper (getting things for me, throwing things away, etc..) and it's so precious to watch your reltionship blossom with your little sister. You don't like to see her cry and have already informed us that you do not want another sibling, just Brooklyn, and certainly not a little brother...because they are "stinky" according to you. Ha! Guess, we will just have to see about that!
• you have an amazing memory! You remember everything that is said to you, which is scary sometimes! You also still talk about the day that Brooklyn was born. You begin by saying that you were asleep in your room and when you walked out, Nana was on the couch. She asked you if you wanted to go to the hospital and you told her yes. Then you say that Brooklyn came out of my tummy. Same story, everytime. It's cute!
• you are a really good eater! Some of your favorites are: spaghetti, tacos, chicken nuggets, peanut butter and jelly(which you call jelly bread), carrots with ranch, raisins, marshmellows, applesauce, yogurt, cheese, salad, grilled cheese, and so on. You love to drink milk, water, juice and occasionally are allowed to get a sprite if you've been good.
• you are tall like your daddy but super skinny, probably only weighing between 33-35 pounds. You wear 4t pants for the length, but have to wear a belt around your waist and still are usually pulling your pants up!
• as for movies/tv shows, you really enjoy: SuperWhy, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins, or anything you can dance too. You love all Disney movies, especially anything that has to do with a princess!
• your imagination has really kicked in within this past year and I can hear you talking to yourself constantly when you play. You enjoy: coloring, playing with your kitchen, taking care of your baby dolls, dressing up in your princess outfits, playing with your hand-held gaming system, or anything outside-especially driving your car or ppplaying with your basketball goal!
• you follow commands easily and when yu aren't being bad, will also say yes mam and yes sir. Things you can do by yourself: get in and out of your carseat, fill up your cup with water, potty by yourself (unless there's been an accident, but that is rare), wash your hands, dress and undress yourself, put your shoes on, clean your room, and most other things too. Your understand everything but if it's something you struggle with doing, you'll say "Im not old enough yet."
• you're a big helper and actually enjoy it. You can help me fold clothes, unload the dishwasher and dust!
• some of your favorite things are: horses, puppies, the color blue, music, bedtime stories (we've made up a story each night about a Princess called Olivia!), Vacation bible School and Christmas (you are very excited this year)

You are an absolute joy, Maddie girl! I continue to pray that you will grow into a Godly young woman and that you will be a strong, confident person. I love you so much and thank God every day for allowing me to be your mom!

Tyler Christmas Parade and JTB

Every year, our church puts on Journey Through Bethelehem; a drive through nativity scene. It's my favorite event of the year and we always have a huge turn out! The past few years, we've decided to enter a float in the Tyler Christmas Parade to spread the word even more. This year was my first opportunity to participate in the parade and it was a lot of fun! Since I have a litle baby again, I was given the honor of dressing up as Mary and showing off the most adorable baby Jesus (2nd only to her big sister)! Brooklyn did great as we rode through downtown. It was so cute to hear the crowd clap for her and take pictures of my precious little one! They really got a big kick out of seeing a "real baby Jesus"! Big sister was awesome too. She dressed up like a donkey and rode on the float as well, hollering "Merry Christmas" over and over again! This week, JTB begins. It will be Wed-Sat from 6-8:30 at Trinity Baptist Church and it's totally free! So if you're looking for something fun to do, feel free to take a step back in time with us and watch as we try to display what Christmas is really all about! Rumor is....there's going to be one cute baby Jesus in the manger this year..... :)

Thanksgiving 2011

For Thanksgiving this year, we traveled to Washington state to visit my in-laws. It was an important trip for us to make since some of Jaime's family had never even met Maddie, let alone Brooklyn. So on Monday, we headed to Dallas and stayed at the Embassy Suites. We would be able to leave our car there for the week and take a free shuttle over to the airport the next morning so it was the perfect hotel for us. That night, we braved a torential downpour and went to the Rainforest cafe! It is such a fun atmosphere and I had not been there since after my wedding, almost 5 years ago! At first, Maddie thought it was "too loud" but then loved it!

The next morning, we got up extremely early and headed to the airport. It took a little more patience and a little extra time lugging all our stuff around (luggage, carry ons, kids, car seats, etc...) but luckily the process of getting through security and making it to our gate was relatively smooth! Now it was just time to wait on our flight. We ate breakfast, then I took Maddie to the restroom and made sure Brooklyn had a fresh diaper on. We finally boarded the plane. Now one thing you must know, is I absolutely HATE to fly. I don't enjoy it at all and usually feel bad due to me being so nervous. I was even more nervous this time since I would be traveling with my little girls. But as always, they did great! I nursed Brooklyn on take-off to help with her ears and she fell asleep instantly. Maddie also took a nap. Once the girls woke up, Maddie colored and Brooklyn played and talked. Luckily, we were surrounded by great people and a wonderful flight attendant. Jaime and I were very pleased! After about 4 hours, we landed in Seattle!!!

After landing, we rented a car and drove to Sumas (a town right on the Canadian border) where Jaime's sister and other family members live. We headed straight to his grandmother's house and met some family, while we waited on the rest of them to get off work. We stayed for several hours, then headed to a mountain lodge where we would be staying for the week. We were all exhausted, and even though Washington is 2 hours behind us, we still tried to get to bed at what would have been a "regular" time for us since we had been traveling all day.

Meeting our nephew for the first time!

We spent the next several days, cramming in as much family time as possible from both sides of the family. Jaime was able to get 2 different generation pictures in (his mom and dad's side) amongst many other pictures. We played games, took Maddie to see some horses (which she fed an apple to) and enjoyed each other's company. On Friday, we drove back to Seattle and stayed at a hotel across the street from the airport. We flew out Saturday morning and after a very bumpy flight, landed safely in Texas sometime Saturday afternoon. We had a great time, got some great pictures, and are now enjoying being home! Next up: Christmas!!!



Sweet 7 Month Old

Our Brooklyn is 7 months old today and such a joy! I can hardly believe how quickly the time is passing and wish some days that I could just freeze time. I can not even begin to describe how much I love this baby girl of mine. She is such an easy baby and I am just so blessed with her in my life!

At 7 months, you are:

-sitting up all by yourself
-eating 3 meals a day and still nursing as well
-sleeping from about 8-6
-taking 2 to 3 naps during the day
-wearing 6-9 month clothing
-wearing size 3 diaper
-becoming more interested in toys and sometimes, I'll catch you watching a cartoon on tv
-still no teeth but you have started messing around with your ear some. Maybe a sign of things to come.
-loves to cuddle and really enjoys bath time
-very ticklish still and you have the cutest little side-to-side rock when you hear music

I bought a new outfit last night that I thought was so cute. So along with our usual monthly photo, I decided to do a little mini photo shoot too!

I love you baby girl! :)

Cookie Makin'

I often forget to spend a little time with my big girl. I stay so busy with Brooklyn, and Maddie is older and so independent, that I usually send her off to entertain herself. While I don't think this is necessarily bad, I need to do a better job at splitting my time and having some one-on-one time with my oldest daughter when I can get a moment! So, today while Brooklyn slept, I pulled out some cookie play-dough that was given to me a while back. We had played with it once before and I decided it was high-time to make some cookies once again! We washed our hands really well and got to work! Maddie loved it and we now have some yummy (and shall I say....interesting!) cookies to munch on!

Excuse my very old cookie sheet! But how about those cookies? I think they turned out great! I so enjoyed spending some quality time with my Maddie girl today!