{Sunday Snapshot} She'll always be my little girl....

I'm linkin up with Stefanie...and her super fun...
Sunday Snapshot....
come join us...




So it happened.

I didn't want it to.

Her Dad fought it every. single. step. of the way.

but she went and did it anyway.

She went and became a teenager.

We had a little family party...

and she got lots of "teenager" gifts...

like money...

and gift cards...

so she can shop to her teenager hearts content.

These are the things I hope she remembers as she gets older...

The things that mean the most...

Things like...

cousins...

and little sisters...

Sisters who are so sure they picked the perfect present...

that they can't possibly wait to give it to you..

so they just HAVE to help you open it..

and realizing that 13 means

getting "big girl" presents...

presents that last a life time...

cause Pandora bracelets aren't for little kids you know...

and Daddy's holding birthday cakes...

like this one...

that has 14 candles on it...

one for good luck...

and Nana's...

always there...

so excited to see..

just what you got...

and then...

after the carrot cake...

because you don't like regular cake...

and after everyone warms up their cars on this wicked cold winter day...

and after they head home...

That's when the girlie's get here...

and that is when the REAL partying starts!

Until you open the present that was make up...

and then Daddy makes this face...

but that doesn't last long...

cause then you get some more cash-ola...

and you do the famous money dance...

and who can get enough of

"The BESTIE"

and...re-living some of your better Preschool moments..

Cause who can get enough of

"Fin"

"noggin"

"Duuuuude"

and after loads of pizza and caffeine...

and then we got down to the GOOD stuff...

FONDUE!!!

This teenager isn't big on cake...

but the alternatives are amazing!

The girls pigged out on Strawberries, pineapple, marshmallow's, bananas graham crackers, pretzels and gummy worms...

all. dipped. in. chocolate.

and being 13...

the next logical thing to do...

FACIALS!

It was a late night..and having to get up ridiculously early for cheering wasn't something any of these girls REALLY wanted to do...

but we managed to get them up...

and served up some delicious birthday breakfast...

Happy Birthday baby girl.

Always remember:

If you want good friends...be a good friend.

Broken hearts always mend

Your family will ALWAYS take care of you

Don't be afraid to be yourself.

Someday you really will look back on these years as the best years of your life.

When you have to make a decision...and you don't know what to do...ask yourself...what would my Mom want me to do...

We love you

you are beautiful...inside and out.

We are proud of you...

and always remember... we will always always see you like this...

Cause...

you'll always be our baby..

ALWAYS...











Send the bad blogger to the corner

I have been such a slacker lately.  I haven't really blogged at all.

Here's the thing...usually I don't blog because I don't have anything I feel is important to write about...

Or..

I do...

But can't manage to put what I do want to write about into words....

Lately though...I have had things I WANT to write about...

I just can't find the time to do it the way I want to...

Yeah I could just write about whatever it is that week I want to write about...

but I feel like I don't have the time to do it justice.

but....

I promise....

to be better....

starting this weekend.

There will be a blog before Monday...if I have to stay up all night doing it!

(Not that there is a whole lot of you out there reading it...or who really care all that much... still.)

Sunday Snapshot {Christmas 2010...FINALLY}

Every year on Christmas Eve, we head out to Aunt Cherie's house....but before we leave...Reagan throws out the reindeer food for Rudolph and all his friends...

 then...

we get to visit...

with little ones from far away...

and big cousins who are we like to

"act" shy around...but really LOVE all the attention from...

and babies we are meeting for the first time...

and Cousins...

who just happen to be...

best friends...

and our family...

 and our oldest girl...

who is days away being a teenager...

and is growing up...

way too fast...

right in front of our eyes...

 Of course...there is the yankee swap...

and everyone hoping for the coveted number 1...

and time spent with Grandpa talking PNSY business...

and secret presents from the bigger cooler cousins...

and there can never be too much opening presents...

ever.

or too much Auntie Shirley...



 These times...with these people...

it's a good thing...

 a time for Father's and Daughters...

and...the next morning...

...the real fun began...

Like always...

The girls waiting on the stairs for us...

and like always...

they couldn't wait...

and like always...

they were stoked to see all those presents...



We are still lucky enough around here...

to hang with these two...

and if you ask me...

That is reason enough to celebrate!

and hanging with this lady is pretty cool too!

;)

and these smiles...

on these girls...

are what make my morning....

and I am pretty sure they got just about everything they wanted...



Christmas around here...

it pretty much rocked..

<3

Aunt Olives Cookies...with my favorites...

So... I am totally cheating here... I posted this last week...but it has been super duper crazy around here...with all the kids activities and with Ryan being so far away...
and I loved this day...
so repeating it...
does my heart good!

Come on over to Sunday Snapshot with my friend Stefanie...
you won't be sorry!



Every year since I was a little girl Christmas has been my favorite time of year.  It's so true that when you have children you get to enjoy the Holiday in a whole new way...

and for me...The Christmas season wasn't the Christmas season with out Aunt Olive's Sugar Cookies.

These are the kind of cookies that take two day to make...

Mix and put in the fridge over-night..

and the next day...roll and cut...

and seriously...it doesn't get any better than making my favorite cookies...with one of my very favorite people...

This kid is one heck of a baker...

and this year is a little different than last year...

This year she pretty much did it all by herself...

She wanted very little help...

and she did an AMAZING job...

It was so much fun...with the tree all lit up...

and Christmas music playing in the background...

This little baker...

baked to her hearts content.

She didn't have to rush...we had no place special to be...

She didn't have to share...her teenage sister was at the mall...

She didn't have to be quiet...she could sing at the top of her lungs...

It was just her and I...

making the same cookies...

I made with my mom when I was her age...

and the same cookies I know she will make with her babies someday..

I would be willing to bet...

the waiting was the hardest part...

but the cookies turned out just right...

except for the one batch I seem to leave in the over too long.

every. single. year.

and then...

she waited just a little bit longer...

for her sister to come home...

from the mall...

(Really she is months away from being a teenager, where else would she be?)

So that they could decorate them together...

just like they do every year...

Yes, these are Patriotic Christmas cookies...

I LOVE that my kids LOVE America!

and this is the final product..

SUPER cute SUPER yummy Christmas cookies...

we always lay them out on the counter...

so that the frosting will harden a little bit...

After promising to pack one in Reagan's lunch box I ushered her off to bed.

and while I was tucking her in...

this guy...

the one with the frosting ALL OVER HIS FACE...

dug in..

to about 8 of our gorgeous cookies...

I distinctly remember this happening last year...

what a great Sunday

The only thing that could have made it better...

was Ryan home

laying on the couch watching football...

Merry Christmas all....