Valentines Day Sweathearts!!

Hi all. Hope you are well. I know I am behind on my pics, and I promise I will catch up, but I just have to post these pics first!!

Funny story. I had all these plans, and lost of supplies to make cute valentines crafts for everyone. I wanted to get a cute picture of the girls in their Valentines outfit. You know I went all crazy with matching bows and necklaces (and knit hats this time) :) Anyway, Bella got croup pretty bad the week before, and Madi got sick too. It was a great week. Needless to say, I did not get the crafts out :( The day before Valentines, we got the girls dressed up and went to our favorite restaurant (Joe's Farm Grill). It is on a farm and there is a lot of trees and green. It wasn't going well so Billy went to get in line for food. I was following the girls around with the camera and noticed a woman walking around with a camera. She came up and introduced herself. She said she was a photographer and gave me her card. She said the girls were adorable (of course) and asked if she could take their picture. I hesitated but said yes.

That afternoon I was in a panic. I couldn't believe I let some random person take pictures of the girls. She seemed so nice though (says everyone when they find out their neighbor is a serial killer). I have clearly been watching too much Criminal Minds. She said she would e-mail me the pics. I didn't dare tell Billy. I thought he would kill me. I raced to the computer when I got to work and checked my e-mail. The pics were there, sigh, along with a legit website. The pics are beautiful. I will definately be using her later this year for family pics. Her name is Sara Sourant. Check out her site here.

PS: I will give out copies when I get a chance!!

Tiffany

Changes

As you can see I have beautified my blog. I found a great website, thanks to my blogging buddy Lisa, that has free blog templates. So fancy!!


I also have made a number of resoultions to myself.


1. START WORKING OUT!! I need to get on this. I used to run alot, and liked it. My goal is to run the PF Changs 1/2 marathon with Billy next January. He has done it twice now and done well ( I am so proud!!) I have fallen of the wagon a little lately with my weight loss but am back on track and I think this will help!


2. CLEAN MY HOUSE!! It is a mess of clutter. Billy and I told each other, before we moved in, that we were going to keep it simple. Well a marriage and 2 babies later, that went out the window! I am going to go room by room and throw out or give to Good Will what we don't need or use, and keep only the essentials! Then, we can start painting and making our house a little more bright and cheerful. I will do this if it takes me months.


3. CURB MY SPENDING!! I love to shop! I admit it. Billy is right, I really need to stop. It is so hard. I have 2 beautiful girls and love to buy stuff for then, not to mention, I love clothes too. They do not need a new outfit for every day of the week, and they have enough bows for 10 people! It is enough and I am going to make a conscious effort to control myself. Billy will be so happy :)


4. STOP SPREADING MYSELF SO THIN!! So since I have had children, I have become a craft freak. I have never had a creative or artistic bone in my body, before now. I don't know what it is. I love to make them stuff, then you have the blogging and scrapbooking, and crafts for holidays and birthdays. It also relaxes me to sit on the couch and watch a show while I drink a glass of wine and make bows. I am sleep deprived, always late, busy all the time, and I neglect other stuff. I need to get my priorities in order. Family, Family, Family!
                1. Spending time with my kids and Billy 
                2. Fixing up my house
                3. Scrapbooking and blogging
                4. I guess work should be in there somewhere
                5. I feel like there are so many more things
                    but I need to keep it simple, that is the point.
 I guess I just try to be perfect with having my girls look cute, scrapbooking and making things for everyone. Combine that with taking care of my girls, spending time with Billy, and working, and it is impossible and only makes me feel worse. No one is perfect, so I need to get over it! I think the bow/necklace making is going to get curbed. I will still make stuff, like for gifts and baby showers, but I am not going to get so caught up.


5. EAT DINNER AT THE TABLE!! This is so important. It is family time to catch up and stop and take a breath. We are not very good at this. We all do our own thing, sometimes. When I was growing up we always ate dinner together, at the table, with no tv. I still remember those times fondly. I want that for my kids. This will mean I need to stop screwing around after work and get to bed. Then I can get up earlier, get my girls form daycare and make all of us dinner, before I get back to work.


6. TEACH MY KIDS MORE!! I have been worried about this for a while. I am not very good at working with Madi. She will be starting Kindergarten in August. She has not been in preschool, for various reasons. I am afraid she will be behind, so I am going to make a big effort to stop each day and work with her on letters, and writing, and numbers. Also, Bella is starting to talk more and it is a perfect time to teach her animal sounds, and colors, body parts (that sounds weird, but you know what i mean). Lastly, Billy and I have not regularly gone to church since we have been together, which does not bother me, I know what I believe, but I want the girls to know it too. My Mom and Dad bought Madi a bunch of bible story books for Christmas, which have been great! It has really got me talking to Madi about God and the Bible more. Thanks Mom and Dad!


Well I know this sounds like a long list, but it is really a few lifestyle changes that I think I can do. Maybe not all at once, but I am going to give it a really good try!! Hopefully it will put things into perspective. I have realized, this year, how blessed I am, and I don't need to get so caught up in all that extra stuff. I just need to love and be with my family.


Tiffany

CUTE ALERT!

 I just love my BOO BOP to pieces . She is so cute and sweet. She always has a smile on her beautiful face!

Here is a list of what I love about her!!

1. I love her smile.

2. I love her curly hair (hope it stays, it is awesome)

3. I love her big blue eyes.

4. I love when she says Uh Oh!

5. I love her chubby legs, especially when she wears leggins and boots!

6. I love when she says Oh WOW!

7. I love when she says All Done, as she is throwing her plate on the floor!:)

8. I love how she concentrates when she is playing, and she is taking things out, then putting them back into a container.

9. I love when she dances and shakes her shoulders and hips and bobs her head. It is adorable. I'll have to post video of that one!

10. I love when she cuddles with me in the rocking chair before bed at night!

11. I love the way she says Mamama, when she is upset.

12. I love how she clings to my legs and won't let go, when she wants me to hold her.

13. I love how her face lites up and she runs to me yelling when I pick her up from daycare!!

14. I love how she yells and pushes the dog when she is tryng to eat and he is in her face.

15. I love how she plays with daddy and runs screaming around the playroom as he chases her!

16. I love how she looks like daddy. (He is pretty darn good looking, after all!)

17. I love how she lites up when she sees Madi in the morning.

18. I love how she yells at Madi when Madi takes a toy from her!(so funny)

19. I love how much she loves being outside, and throws a fit when it is time to go in!

20. I love this beautiful baby, and can't believe we made her, amazing. I can't wait to see what kind of girl, and woman she grows into!

Well, I could go on and on. Here are just a few of the reasons, I couldn't live without Isabella!

Tiffany











Madi's 1st Camping Trip!!

 Hanging out in the tent.

 Daddy and Moo ready for a day of camping with matching bandanas!

 Goofing around.

 Worms Ewwww!!

 Catching butterflies.

 Eating Smores, MMM!!!

 She's having a blast!!

 Moo being Moo, and Daddy taking a pic of himself.

 On an ATV, oh I didn't need to see this one!!

 With the fish she caught, Daddy was so proud!!

 Guess she played hard.

 This is my favorite pic, they are holding a snake, by the way!!

 More butterflies.

 Cody Body loves camping too!!

This was the morning they were leaving. Madi doesn't want to go.

Every year since I've known him, Billy takes an annual camping trip to the White Mountains (in August). To me it sounds very unfun!!, but he loves it. This year he wanted to take Madi. I was very nervous, but he insisted. They had a blast, and I got to have Bella all to myself for 5 days!! Needless to say I got a lot of projects done because she is usually in meltdown mode by 7:30 or 8:00 pm. Here are the pics he took of the trip. Enjoy!

Tiffany



Christmas Recital Video!

Madi is so adorable! Hope you enjoy th clip. It is dark for several minutes in the beginning, but be patient, the cuteness is coming!!

Tiffany

Christmas Recital!

 

The girls in action!!

 

Our little Star!!

 

Backstage!

 

Madi with her teacher Miss Jaci.

Madi had a small Christmas recital on December 17. They were so cute!! I will try to post the video after this. My new plan, or resolution is to try to blog twice a month. One will be a new and current post and one will be an older post. Hopefully that way, I can get caught up. We will see how that goes. Hope everyone had a great Holiday!!!

Tiffany