Finally FOUR!!

Yesterday was Charlize's fourth birthday. I thought it would never come! I say that because we've been celebrating all month long. We have a celebration with each sides of our family (Mine/Eric's). So that's two parties then this year Charly was able to celebrate with her preschool friends as well(her third party).
We had a small little celebration yesterday just as a family. One of the things that we do in our family celebration is we go back and look at videos/pictures of the birthday person(it's my favorite part). Mom tries to hold her composure as she sees the past and knows that her babies are growing up too fast.

The two following pictures were my favorite yesterday when I saw them. I can still remember the moment when Mackenna came up to to the hospital for the first time to meet her little sister. There was a very special bond between the two of them and there still is. They're great friends and I love that about their relationship.



This picture has always been one of my favorites of Charlize as a baby.





These are pictures from her third birthday party. Charly with her best friend Reagan. We're so glad that she was able to come.



They played toss the ring around the pumpkins.



You can't have a party without presents. Let me tell you that this little girl got hooked up on the gifts.



We played a fun Halloween Bingo game.



Of course you can't have a party without some trampoline time. This is some of the kids that were at the party. Call me crazy(I wasn't alone at the party I had some great help- THANKS!!) for having 15 three/four year old and three toddlers, but all in all it was a great party full of fun.



We absolutely love our Charlize. We have way more than four reasons that we love her, but since she's four that's what we'll list:
1) Silliness
2) Beautiful smile
3) Fun personality
4) Smart
We love you Charlize and hope this next year will be filled with fun adventures and new things.

Out Numbered!!

I'm definitely outnumbered during the day and I love it. This is my third week to be watching my nephew Parker and things are great. The boys for the most part play great together. The boys have those moments when they want what the other person has and they have fights, but nothing unusually. Parker has adapted really well to our home and schedule. I stay home in the mornings to let the boys have a good long nap. If I have any errands to run it's done in the afternoon(yes, I do run errands with two 18month boys and a 4yr old).


This picture was taken this morning in the moment of them spontaneously giving each other a hug.



When I finished wrapping the basket yesterday these two long rolls were laying around and the boys began to sword fight with them. This picture depicts well who is the aggressive one and who is the passive one. Don't let Parker fool ya though. He can hold his own against Pierce.



Fun play fighting.



The best part about this is that I get to dress them like twins. It doesn't happen all the time, but when I find a good deal on shirts for Pierce I buy two now so that I can have my little twins. For those that know me well know that I've always wanted twins. I've dressed and still dress girls alike sometimes now it's time for the boys.

Homemade Doughnuts Anyone!

Our neighbors across the street have a granddaughter that the girls play with all the time. Her mom, Hiedi, has been spoiling us with some homemade goodies and one of those things are doughnuts. My kids couldn't get enough. Don't they look good. I finally returned her pan(I try not to return a pan empty) yesterday full of halloween sugar cookies.

Mackenna's school is having a fall festival. Each class was asked to put together a themed basket to be auctioned off at the festival. We were given the theme "LEGOS" and paired up with two other kindergarten classes. Over the past several weeks we have been collecting toys/$$ for this. Yesterday I was finally able to package it up and get it out of my house. YIPEE!!
I think it turned out cute.

I have this art nook in my front entry way. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do until I found out that one of my most favorite girls loves to paint and is a great artist. I asked her to paint me something and this is what she came up with. Little did she know that sunflowers are one of my most favorite flowers. This is me and Paige with my new painting from her:



Here it is sitting in it's righful spot. I should explain that the flower beside the painting was the inspiration for this masterpiece.



Paige thank you for the beautiful painting. I do love it. You're a very talented young lady. I can't wait to see your work when you get older. I have loved seeing you grow and mature. I look forward to seeing the continous change in your life. Thanks for doing this for me. I love you!

Some fun events at the pumpkin patch that we went to in Frisco. Here is Pierce coming out of the maze made out of bale of hay.



All the kids loved the bounce house.



There were some fun games to play.



This is the girls friend Elle. She thought she was big enough to pick Pierce up and he didn't mind for that one time.



Pierce trying to pick up something too heavy for him- a pumpkin.



We went on a hayride.



We had to stop and pose infront of the bale of hay with pumpkins on it.



We can't forget about the fun washable hand tatoos. Pierce picked out one, but when it was time to put it on he didn't want anything to do with it.



The fun thing about the pumpkin patch is that you can watch them launch pumpkins in that big sling.


This is them sitting and watching them fling pumpkins across the field.

A hard day of work

Saturday we were so productive around the house. Eric was able to start two projects and finish one of them completely. We have this big awkard thing that goes on top of our car for trips and Eric has been wanting to hang it up in between the garage door and the ceiling in that wasted space. He was sucessful at doing so on Saturday and it looks great.



He couldn't have done it without his cute, little helper either.



Eric also made some cabinets in our master closet. When you walk into our closet we have this wasted space immediately to the right because of the door opening and closing. So he started making shelves there. Some parts still need to be painted and we're thinking about adding two more to the ground.



It was a fun day working in the house. We enjoyed the beautiful breeze by turning off our a/c and opening windows and doors. Don't worry that our day wasn't just filled with working. We were able to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather at a pumpkin patch. Pictures to come soon.

Addicted!

I went to visit one of my friends in Plano yesterday and our girls were able to play. While I was there we ate pita chips and hummas. I've had this before at her house and wasn't too fond of it, however yesterday was a different story. I left wanting more. The taste wouldn't leave my mouth so yes, I had to go and get some today. I might be addicted! I owe my addiction all to you Rebecca (this is not a bad thing). Thanks.

First School Picture!!

I can't believe that she has had her first school picture. She looks so grown up, and this is such a typical picture of Mackenna (with the head tilt-all she needs is the right hand fisted and held up to her chin/any Napolean Dynamite fans out there). Kindergarten is going great for her. She loves her teacher and she comes home way too often talking about one boy in her class. Isn't she too young to be talking about boys all the time.

My Nightmares!

I was on my way to mutual when my husband called to say that Pierce was bleeding and he couldn't get it to stop. Eric related this story to me: "He was standing in the bath playing with himself and the girls were laughing at him. Eric was telling Pierce to stop playing with his penis or it would fall off like the girls' did. He preceded to tell the girls that they didn't have a pee pee like Pierce(there's had fallen off because they played with it too much) and as he was talking to the girls Pierce lost his footing and fell. He said that at first it wasn't bleeding and then all of a sudden it was gushing and he couldn't get it to stop. I got home and took one look and knew that we would be going to the ER. Our neighbor from across the street came to stay with the girls while we took Pierce. We first tried this after hour pediatric place in Plano that he's been to before, but the cut was too big and in a hard place (his chin) that the doctor didn't want to do it. So we went to the new Children's Hospital in Plano. It was wonderful. We walked straight in without a wait and was attended to. The staff was nice and great with Pierce. He ended up having three stiches. He keeps them in for seven days and then we have to return to take them out. The worse part about this whole thing is that yesterday was our first day on our new insurance and we don't have insurance cards yet. Now we're going to have to file the claim and all that lovely stuff. I hate dealing with insurance companies. So really it was two nightmares in one for me. I have to deal with insurance and I had to see my baby pinned down by two strangers so that the third could poke him in the chin with needle and thread. I think I handled it well, however I don't want that to happen again. I hope that this is our only trip with him, but I doubt that because he is pure boy and into everything. He's a daredevil when it comes to things.