Time

When HK got dressed this morning she looked down and said "I look very beautiful today. Take my picture." and then made sure I knew she wanted to be in the stroller for her photo and wanted Mantey beside her. Funny girls. Even with our photo shoot we were not late leaving for school...which is very impressive for us!  

No matter what is going on time just keeps ticking, doesn't it? Jared and I were talking recently and, between me being so sick again and his dad's heart attack, we feel like we "lost" June, July and August. I don't think either of us can tell you much about those months except that they were exhausting and pretty miserable. For example, between June and August I....kept the kids alive, told Jared to find his own dinner which he knew meant "make sure to eat it before you get home so that I don't smell it" and cleaned house even less. We didn't go out, see friends, take pictures (which is obvious when you look at the blog!), etc. There were many days the girls watched WAY too much tv and ate junk food all day long. We were just trying to survive.

Now I finally feel better, Jared's dad is home and doing well, and we've done more in September than we did all June/July/Aug combined. We have something this upcoming weekend but as soon as that is over we're moving the girls into the same room. Jared built headboards for new beds and I'm working on covering them with fabric. There are boxes and boxes and boxes stacked every where in the house. Our plan is to move HK into Matney's room, move the guest room into HK's old room and make the old guest room the nursery. Know what that means? Every closet, under every bed, every drawer, etc has to get cleaned out and switched to another room. This house looks like a bomb exploded...and it just about has! Compared to the last three months we're moving 300% faster! Jared built new shelves and we've redone the playroom and hall closets and the pantry. I've cleaned out the garage, emptied drawers and closets, under beds and under bathroom sinks. Both freezers and the fridge have finally gotten cleaned out. I know our garbage man must wonder what in the world is going on because I've had piles waiting for him on the curb! It stinks that you have to make a huge mess to move and organize but I want moving everything around to be as easy as possible. Watch out next week because this place is going to get even more crazy. But then, ahhhh! It's going to be awesome. I can't wait to see how all the rooms turn out and we've got some really fun things coming up this fall!  

Birthday Bowling

Birthdays when you have kids are totally different that before you're a parent. The girls get so excited when anyone has a birthday and they want to be included and have fun! Jared thought hard about what would be fun and decided on bowling for his birthday. We went after church on Sunday and some of our best friends joined in the fun.

The girls had 6lb balls and a ramp to roll the ball down. They were thrilled and never seem to notice ethat anyone else was doing anything different.

And any of you TX folks recognize that outfit on Halle? Sassy and Connie you sent it to Matney when she was 18 months old and she outgrew it pretty quick. It finally fits HK!

Matney wasn't smiling until she knew that her ball had knocked over some pins.

Bowling can seem like a very long game. The kids did great but after the first 5 rounds most of them had tossed their shoes and were ready for a snack.

Who thinks we should have lots more kids??? Ha! Just kidding. Can you imagine if all those were yours? I cannot!

Here are our friends, the Meyers. Look at HK...she loves Caleb but they act like siblings and drive each other crazy.

We finally bailed before the game was over. Going bowling was a lot of fun and we want to be allowed to come back. I think if we'd stayed longer they might have had our picture on a wall that said "do not allow inside". Once small kids are done they are DONE.

Here's Jared looking at his future. I can't wait to see our three holding hands!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Happy 31st Birthday Daddy Monster!

Jared's birthday was last weekend and we had a 3 day celebration. Last year we made Jared a cake that looked (or was supposed to look) like a pickup truck. This year he requested a monster cake and the girls were very excited. By Friday afternoon it was evident that the girls were fired up about Daddy's bday and they were not going to be able to wait for his actual birthday on Sunday for cake and presents. On his way home from work I let him know he'd be starting the party early!

I think Jared had been inside the house for 45 seconds at this point.

Right after dinner it was time for cake!

Presents are always fun!

The girls got Daddy the Tickle Monster book/kit. This is so very cute and would make a great gift.

These are the Tickle monster gloves!

Funny faces from three funny monsters.

Get her!!!!!!!!!!

The girls were not interested in cake once they could have a monster eyeball! We had such a fun birthday night!

If I turn my back...

While Jared and I were working on some building chores a few weekends ago my Dad was here playing with the girls. They had out these cornstarch noodle things that stick when they get wet. They are supposed to be used to build things...not at our house. There was way too much laughter going on in the kitchen so I came in to find this....

If three is good, 20 is better!

Ha! They thought they were sooooo funny!

Catch up!

First things first, we all know that I am a mama who loves smocked dresses and giant bows but Halle Kate, with her curls sticking out of this ball cap, in her jeans, tennis shoes and shark shirt is about the cutest thing I've ever seen! I've been going through all our old baby clothes and she can across an old, too small ball cap from when she was small. She begged her daddy for a new one but they couldn't find one when they went out last weekend. She and I were in the mall this week and she spied a hat store. She ran right in and picked up a blue hat with a "crocagator" and was all set! As a girl who cares nothing about sports I didn't think anything about the gator being for a team until I sent Jared a picture. Apparently the blue gator people beat Jared's TX people recently and he wasn't impressed with our selection. That's what happens when girls pick out clothes, even ball hats, we go for looks and this time the crocagator won!

Since we got the hat we have had to have more than one talk about where she can and cannot wear her hat because she wants it on all the time. Seriously, she is so cute and funny!

And here's Matney before school today. She's the opposite of her sister. She had a sparkle headband, sparkle (you can't tell in this picture) tutu dress and her new sparkle shoes on. Baseball hat? Not a chance on this girl. In the future, while Jared and HK are at the ball games, Matney and I will be getting our nails painted with glitter polish!

It has been a while since I've blogged...again. Jared promises me a new computer when the new Windows 8 ones come out soon, and I am waiting on some new photo software to be released...pretty soon I'm going to be rocking and rolling! I am so excited!

We're all doing well. Matney and Halle Kate are loving school. They both really like their classes and their teachers this year. On the days HK stays home with me she begs to be able go while we drive Matney to school...unless I let her stay in her "footie pajammies" while we drive. Kid sister LOVES her jammies and changes into them as soon as she gets home from anywhere. We've been trying to go to the park after school while the weather is nice and because I love wearing the girls out. Sleeping through the night and later than 6am in a fabulous thing! They have started really playing together. Today they played school together for several hours. I was in and out of the room and had to be the mystery reader and sell playdough cookies at the bake sale but they made up the stories and we had no fighting. It was a record and a miracle! Watching them grow up into their own little people is so VERY VERY FUN!

Brightest Bulbs in the Box

Y'all, these girls may make me want to pull my hair out sometimes but they sure keep me laughing! When Jared gets home at night the girls hear the garage door and go squealing in different directions. Most of the time one of them yells "HIDE!" and off they run. These pictures are a good representation of how they often end up. Ha! Yep, he'll never find you! 

 

They are so darn funny!

Water Babies

The girls and Daddy have had a great summer at the pool! The girls did great at swimming lessons at the beginning of the season and have loved wearing arm floaties and "swimming alone" in the neighborhood pool. Their favorite thing to do is jump to Daddy! As fast as Jared can catch one another is ready and waiting.