Taking it Easy!

 We enjoy simple evening at home with the girls!  They keep our household active most of the time.  They are growing so quickly....
Big news this week.....
Ella is 100% potty trained! Yeah....but sign she is growing up....now the Binky Fairy is next on the "Big Girl Check List"
Tessa has now decided to be a "Dentist" as she is in the chair at the dentist, he is checking her teeth...
"What are those things on the tray?"  "Well, those are my instruments to check your teeth", "Instruments like a guitar, or are they similar to that" "A bit different from a guitar." "My Dad plays guitar." Pause.... Tessa: "You know I am thinking about being a dentist too some day".....she is growing up! 

Ella Quote of the week:  first thing in the morning she is crying in bed, so I go check on her...."Momma, I need you to lay with me, I just poked my eyeball I wonder why I did that?.... Ah, the words they come up with!  

Parenting.....so much fun, so interesting, so humorous....SUCH A BLESSING! 

Shoot Two!

Daddy loves special moments with his girls! Tessa had a special date afternoon with Daddy!  They went to the Notre Dame Boys basketball game.  They had a great time! They joined Aunt Teri and Tony! Tessa commented on the highlights of her day.... "getting a big drink, the cheers, music, and most of all being with Daddy all by herself!" Both girls savor the times that they get one-on-one with daddy, or with Mommy.  We savor those moments as well.  It brings out a different side of their personalities...one of the endless joys of being parents.  From the sounds of it, I don't see Tessa getting into playing basketball, she said it was not a very exciting game to watch?? She enjoys tennis and says she wants to play golf.... only time will tell!

Plow Boy....plus 3

 We are all enjoying Kevin's new truck!  It seats all of us comfortably....so this passed Friday our family outing included plowing our drive and the lane to the barn, and then....on to the neighbors.  It was fun, simple family together time.  The girls look so tiny in the big truck, and they love their Daddy.  I was comfortable in the back seats, who knew heated seats could be so relaxing.... Fun times with our family of four!

We Like to Dance!

It is daily occurance at our house to have a "performance" sometimes it is one of the girls, but often it is both of them.  They tell us we are the audience, then they will occassionally invite us "would you like to get in the mix"! They take it so seriously, they practice, then we have to give them tickets to the show. There are often costumes involved and props as well. Tessa made a fan sign to support her sisters show! I can honestly say that there is never a dull moment at our house, and I would not want it any other way!  We love the dance moments with our girls!

Dinner and a game....

We enjoyed the evening out with our friends Ryan and Carla.  We celebrated Ryan's 40th birthday! We traveled to Fort Wayne for a fabulous dinner at Biaggi's Italian Restaurant. Then we enjoyed the fun of the hockey game at the Coliseum.  We laughed, smiled, and enjoyed the evening with good friends.

Laughs

Ella told us today that the binky fair did not need to come to our house. "I like my binkies, the binky fair went to heaven so she can't come to our house".  Tessa and I laughed so hard.  Ella said "It is no big deal, it is fine"....I think that this is a very good indication that she is ready to give up the binkies, considering the her details sentences....the time will be coming soon.....

Snow Days

Let it snow....let it snow.....Special gifts of days home with the girls!  Games, baking cookies, snuggling, reading books, drawing pictures, and putting all things aside for a day at home.  There is such peaceful feeling to seeing the fluffy white fall from the country sky.  I am so thankful for the weather induced... spontaneous days home with the girls!  

Dinner at our friends....

Saturday was a special day....our annual winter dinner at Lorene's House.  We always look forward to our time there and we are SO thankful for the unconditional love, care, and lessons that are recieved at Lorene's House!  She is a wonderful cook of healthy meals and we were so blessed to spend the evening with them and our friends!  Tessa and I had ventured out for a run/bike ride in the afternoon and we were hungry!  We had gone 3.75 miles, I was so proud of our little peanut! 
We got ready and headed over for the evening.  We enjoyed a fabulous meal, visiting time, laughs, joys, and blessings. We are thankful EVERYDAY for the blessing of their family in our lives! 

Hangin' with the Boys

Look at these fun loving kiddos!  We were so glad that Mimi brought the boys over for a playdate.  They enjoyed playing on their new technology, making sandart projects, and playing with the toys!  It is always enjoyable to see the four of them together.  Because our girls are just two months older than the boys, they have spent some fun times together.  They are such a blessing from above, and we cherish these special times that we share....they are growing up so quickly!

LET IT SNOW!

Keivn and I had date night. We went and had an enjoyable dinner with our dear friends, Fred & Cheri'! We came out to find our car covered with snow, it was beautiful!  So Kevin emerged into his winter role of "Plow Boy" and plowed the next morning! Then it was PLAYTIME as the girls called it! The flakes continued to fall and I was reminded once again that living here is worth enduring the cold winters.... snow play it well worth it!  We had a fun time in the white fluff, and wrapped it up with some warm hot chocolate.....Did I mention I LOVE CHRISTMAS BREAK!!!

Happy New Year!

It was a Giddy Up for 2012 get together! There were 8 adults and 8 kiddos, so we weren't out numbered!  However, it was 7 girls and 1 boy, poor Mason....so he was out numbered!  The kids played and did crafts, then we thought they would watch some movies, there just kept on playing!  We enjoyed games, football, and laughs! At one point Erin, Laurie, Chanel, and I were crying because we laughed so hard, good times!  It was a nice way to ring in the new year!  The kiddos and some of the adults looked good in their western attire!  We are thankful for the blessings of 2011 and hopefully for continued joys and blessings in 2012!