A super fantastic give away!!! 

 Check it out!!!! 

Tradition

Every year, on this very special day we have a tradition.  We celebrate our family day by recreating the moment we met!  

Payton's clothes

She LOVES putting them on!

Her special gift from China to celebrate her special day!

We had to modify our "pose" this year.  She is just getting so big!!!

Our first glimpse at one another. 

 True love from the beginning!  

Happy 7th Forever Family Day Payton!  We love you!!!

Gotcha x's 6

I can't believe it has been 6 years since Payton joined our family!  

I started this fun tradition of dressing in the same clothes that we wore when we finally got to see our beautiful baby girl!  It has been so much fun looking at the pictures over the years and seeing how much she has grown.  This year PK gave a cute little chuckle and said "Oh no...there is no way those clothes will still fit me!  I am sad to say that I think that this is the last year that she might be able to squeeze into them!  I will have to come up with a "new" tradition next year.

**still can't locate the picture from our first year home...(insert sad face here!)   

 She loved her gift.  A beautiful tea set that we purchased when we were in China.  We bought a bunch of gifts to give for her special day!

My baby is getting so big!

Happy 7th Birthday Payton

HaPpY BiRtHdAy Payton!  We love you!

My Nemesis

Yes, the AA Battery is my NEMESIS!!

I feel like my life has been reduced to finding/buying/replacing batteries.  Everything in our house is currently running on a battery.  The worst part is, the kids are now into "finding" their own batteries.  The other day I went to use the television remote...no batteries...they were used to "fix" the WII remote.  Then, my fabulous flame less candle...no batteries, they were used to make the Leapster work.  It is endless cycle.  I buy them, and they disappear.  I guess I should consider myself lucky, a AA battery as a nemesis isn't so bad!

Sunday Snapshot {Dear Gillette}

What does a $1.00 buy you?

A can of fun shaving cream!

As of late, my girls are really into their showers.  Payton still needs some help with the rinsing part, but Sydney relishes her shower.  She spends a tremendous amount of time showering.  Payton is the get in and get er' done kind of shower girl. 

 Tonight however, they asked to take a tub -TOGETHER (gasp)

 Just for kicks, I gave them a can of shaving cream and let them at it

 Well boy did they not disappoint

 They got the walls, the floor, the curtain and themselves!

 Head to toe!

So I would like to take this time to personally THANK Gillette  for giving me a break a fun filled night of foam!

For some more Sunday Snapshot fun~go to Steph's blog:

Sunday Snapshot {A crime scene}

 Let me set the scene for this crime.......

IVY

Payton's treasured American Girl Doll

Her best friend, sleeping buddy and all together Payton's favorite toy she EVER received!

(Picture provided by American Girl site)

 This was Christmas day 2007 and below is Ivy now....the victim of a horrible accident

 

Her right hand chewed off!  Leaving just the thumb, Payton was devastated

This is her now, after a cast and some major tears we think she is going to make it!

This was her "attacker" BeBe-she looks innocent enough but don't let her fool ya, she is in fact GUILTY of said crime! She thought she was going to get away with it, but we discovered the evidence cleverly hidden in some, ahem...poop!~ 

So Ivy will be taking a trip to the hospital where she will receive the best care possible for her injuries. 

For other fun Sunday Snapshots, head over to Steph's blog at

First Day of school

Today was the first day of school

And to say these girl were excited

would be a HUGE understatement!

They took their assigned spots on the fireplace

and put on their best smiles

The bus couldn't come soon enough

And the best part.....to be reunited with the world's greatest crossing guard!

Looking forward to an amazing year!

Black and White Wednesday {This is for you Sterling}

Check out other fabulous Black and White Wednesday fun at:

Sunday Snapshot {Happy Birthday}

The Boy

and his eel-ewwwwww

Happy Birthday to my favorite little man~!

He turned 7 today!

Happy Birthday James!

**Just to clarify, James is my nephew, not my son.  I love em' like he could be, but my sister Tara is his proud Mommy**

Sunday Snapshot {Best Friends}

 These girls are the very BEST of friends.....

 And cousins.....

 Which is kinda cool

 And sometimes very reminiscent of  my sister and I

 They are goofy

 And silly

Just like my sister and I

10 years ago, my twin sister and BEST friend Tara found out she was pregnant-her first.  Everyone was elated.  Thrilled.  All but me....sad but true.  I was happy for her of course, but sad for me because deep down inside I wanted it to be me!  We had been struggling with fertility issues for years with no success.  She was on her honeymoon and poof-pregnant.  Some divine intervention must have been in place, because 2 weeks to the day she sprung her news, something amazing happened....I too was pregnant!  We couldn't believe it.  My first reaction was fear.  Fear that I was going to somehow take away from this amazing time for her.  Instead-she and her husband embraced it, couldn't wait to share in this exciting journey-together!  Then we found out we were both having girls....GIRLS-together....oh the plans we started to make.  The same outfits they would wear, the bows in their hair, the gift of being able to conquer all the woes of parenting.   It was great...perfect.  Our only fear was....would they love the idea of it as much as we did?  The answer-YES YES YES.  They are the best of friends and the worse of enemies.  They are in fact-my sister and I. 

For more great SUNDAY SNAPSHOTS,

 head over to Steph's blog

Sunday Snapshot {My polar opposites}

My littles could not be anymore different!  Sydney is delicate.  Payton is all rough and tumble.  Sydney loves dresses, nail polish, dancing, singing and ANYTHING girlie.  Payton loves baseball caps, sports, fishing and everything boyish.  Sydney is the epitome of sweetness and grace.  Payton could use a good course in etiquette.  They are both distinctive personalities and we LOVE them for all of what makes them-well them.  Sydney is trying desperately to emulate her big sister Lacey that we have struggled to keep her little.  She admires Lacey so much that she sometimes forgets that she is only 9.  A daily reminder or two and she is back on track.  Payton also adores her big sister, but she is ALL kid.  She is a player to the core.   I have 3 girls, raised them basically the same way with little "tweaks" along the way, but they are who they are and it has nothing to do with us.  We can help shape and mold them.  Give them love and guidance, but at the end of the day, they are going to be who they are-polar opposites.

Wanna check out more fun Sunday Snapshots-check out Steph's blog at