12-27-14 - 2014 Christmas Recap

Another wonderful Christmas!  We are so blessed and I am so thankful!  Andy's grandparents came and spent Christmas with us again this year, and we really enjoyed our time together.  We were able to get them a digital picture frame and load a bunch of old photos from their 50+ years together to surprise them and they were both so surprised!  Mama said it was one of the nicest gifts she'd ever received.  Definitely worth the effort we put into surprising them, just to see their reaction!  

Our annual family picture ornament:

 Me and the girls took time to make some melty beads ornaments together.  Fun little project, although not as straightforward as Pinterest made it sound! Haha!  Despite oiling the cookie cutters, the beads STUCK completely still.  Ruined a couple of my nice cutters, but it was still a worthwhile project.  Anna Claire loved doing it!

Juliana made this ornament at Playpals.  So glad all my girls have such nice teachers that look for ways to engage the class and make things meaningful.   

Andy's ornament to commemorate 2014: he took up cycling this year and has really enjoyed it.  In fact, Mama Betty got him a lot of cycling clothes and some new pedals for his Christmas present. 

 

 Anna Claire's 2014 ornament: the biggest thing that happened to her this year was starting school - she has changed and grown SO MUCH from the experience.  I am pleased and proud to see how she amazing she is, even though a piece of me feels like I'm losing a part of my baby.  :-)  Silly mama stuff.

 My 2014 ornament:  This year has been so incredibly blessed, but so challenging.  Sometimes I think I should have a superhero cape just for making it through the day!  :-)   Life is grand though, and I love my busy little family.

 Eliza's 2014 ornament - our traditional "Baby's 1st Christmas" ornament

Juliana really enjoyed Frozen this year.  Well, she and Anna Claire both have really, but at Christmastime this year, when I was considering what she really was "into" the most this year, it was a close tie between Frozen and Monsters,Inc./University.  In the end though, I decided Frozen probably won out. :-)

 Anna Claire's handiwork.

 Another ornament Anna Claire made at school. Cute.

 Juliana made this ornament. Sometimes it's just the simple things they really enjoy.

Mom found these cute little crocheted ornaments at the Southern Women's Show that we try to go to every year in Jacksonville.  She got them for Eliza so she would have something of her own. :-)

Poor little cute fingerprint bell. Anna Claire made it, but it's been through the wringer already.  Broken and repaired twice just this year.  Oh my!

Mom also bought me this cool goard at the Craft show - it lights up when plugged in.  Neat, huh?  I love the goard.  So pretty!

And finally......my VERY long-awaited Jesse Tree is finally finished!!  I am so proud of this!

12-26-14

12-25-14

12-15-14

Took all three girls to the park today and we had so much fun! Maybe Liza didn't care too much one way or another, but the other two girls had a blast! It was hot, but not too hot and they could run and play and have a wonderful time. When we left, I took the two little girls to the van and put them in it first and then came out to get Anna Claire. She said to me, "Mommy, I was missing you! Where were you?" And I told her that I had taken the other two girls to the car but that I would always come back for her and never leave her. She said, "You never leave me, because I would cry and be very sad." :-) Isn't that so sweet! She said "I love you, Mommy!" Such a precious girl! I hope they all grow up to love me like they do now. :-)

Junia was making Eliza laugh so much on our walk tonight!

She's learned to say "Liza"---it's adorable even though it's usually paired with, "no, Liza!"

12-13-14

So many cute memories--too many to ever be able to record!

Today the big girls baked Christmas (and Mickey) cookies with me and Nani. Fun times!! Juliana even pressed her cookie cutter down and then helped sprinkle. I think sprinkles were everywhere!!! It's an understatement to say that they really, really like shaking the sprinkles!!

Juliana was going in and out the back door and was hitting the wall with the knob as she would sling it open--I went out to scold her for slamming the door and she looked at me with all the mischief in her eyes that she could muster and said, "I MEAN!!"
I cracked up.

(Of course I tried to keep my scolding face on, but it was hilarious!!!)

The girls are really starting to play well together. The fight a good bit too but they really do love each other and that pleases me so much!

12-07-14

Eliza is trying so very hard to walk! I think it must be a matter of days before she gives it a good shot! :-) She is such a beautiful baby---all my babies have been beautiful, but right now she is just gorgeous. Big blue eyes, pretty pink lips with little points at the top, big gummy baby grin, strawberry blonde hair with curls around the back. Oh such a sweetie!

My big girls looked so pretty in their Christmas outfits together!

12-06-14

Fun day! Went to the Ashford christmas parade for the first time--me and the girls with the Kent's. It wasn't anything terribly special but it was active and lively and the girls had fun getting candy. :-)

Wore Eliza out though! She slept through the sirens and everything! She is such a charmer--she is loved everywhere she goes! And she's so beautiful!

Then afterwards Anna Claire got her face painted! Yay! Juliana thought she wanted to but it only took one stroke of the brush to decide differently! Haha!

Tonight we made a fire in my birthday fire pit for the first time (my gift from LAST YEAR!). Roasted a couple of hot dogs -- Anna Claire says, "I want to burn a hot dog< Mama!" So funny!

Me and Juliana took a long shower together to get the smoke off and she was hilarious--scolding her toys and shaking her little finger saying "no no-be nice!" She liked that! And filling cups with water and pouring them out. Sweet time with my middle baby. Love her so much.

12-05-14

Fun day with the family. Ate Goldfingers for lunch and laughed at Juliana's antics. She can be so sweet and silly when she's in the mood! She is just jabbering up a storm and gets soooo frustrated when you don't understand her! I feel the same way that I do when I am listening to two Spanish speaking people having a conversation---just grabbing for a word here or there that I can work from to determine the overall meaning!

Andy and the girls burned some leaves and pine straw, and then we tried our hand at making peeler bead ornaments for their teachers....turned out fair but nothing to write home about. Fun time together though!

12-04-14

Juliana loves her "school" although she forgets that every time we drop her off!

Today they were "reindeer!"

Juliana cracks me up! She's starting to develop a more individual "big girl" personality. She is absolutely in love with Monsters, Inc and Monsters University--she calls it monsters and giggles so cute and high pitched when you put it on!

She also said to me today "tickle me!" That's the first time I've heard her use any pronouns. Her speech is really taking off!

Today was Anna Claire's first school Christmas program! We enjoyed it so much! She was the letter "O" for omega. She spoke clearly and loudly and did fantastic! The only problem was that she and Caroline got into a tugging spat over who was going to hold the "o" place card up for the audience to see. :-(

Then tonight she helped me decorate my tree! Fun and special times with my big girl!

She actually did really well--placed them well and didn't pull on the branches. I was impressed!

12-03-14

The girls enjoyed being outside today!

Beautiful fall weather!