Kyler, Jennifer, Olivia and Lucy

One very loved blanket

2012-02-09T23:26:00.001-06:00

I was thinking recently about how I have never blogged about Olivia's blankie. He is currently like a member of the family so I thought he should get a little attention on the blog too.

Olivia's blankie is a care bears blanket that my Mom made as part of her 1st birthday present. Ever since she received it she has loved that blanket. Olivia named it "Star Star Blanket" and that blanket must stay close to her at all times. It goes with her when she spends the night away from home, when we run errands, has traveled with us on every vacation and even attended every day of preschool with Olivia. Olivia would refuse to leave it behind in the mornings for school so "star star" would go with her and stay folded up in her backpack all day. She didn't take him out but she just needed to know he was close by. She sleeps with this blanket every night.

After nearly 4 years he is tattered and torn but she still thinks it is the most special item she owns. She tells me everyday how much she loves her blanket and that he is special because her DeDe made it for her.

The pictures below are of Lucy playing with Star Star. She knows that blanket is her sister's favorite so she gets so excited when she can get her hands on it.

A special message to Aunt Raegan and Darby from Olivia

2012-01-28T15:15:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday Aunt Raegan and Happy Birthday Darby!
I know we are a little early for Darby's Birthday but she insisted on including him .
We hope you have a great day. We love you both and miss you!

Just another day in paradise

2012-01-21T14:37:00.001-06:00

I just love those ordinary days when you find yourself in an amazing moment that brings a huge smile to your face.

Today while Kyler was getting ready for work Olivia decided to dress her and Lucy up as Princesses and play with their cars. So while Kyler was packing his lunch and we were sitting at the table talking before he left we got to watch our adorable little girls play happily. Our kitchen was filled with giggles and grins and it was just perfect.

Sid the Science Kid

2012-01-21T13:55:00.000-06:00

At the begining of the year we got a membership to the McWane Center since Olivia is finally at an age that she enjoys most of the exhibits. At our first visit We saw that Sid the Science Kid would be there on Jan 14th. Olivia immediately asked if we could come back to see him. Since we were having her birthday part on the 15th I thought it would be another great way to celebrate that weekend.

JC went went us. It was her first time to visit McWane. I know she enjoyed it but I could tell the girls definetely wore her out. We stayed a little over 3 hours and were going non-stop the entire time. The ended our day visiting Sid. Olivia screamed when it was her turn to see Sid but calmed back down quickly when she saw the goodie table with all the Sid the Science Kid swag they were giving out.
Both kids napped the entire ride home.

Sid The Science Kid

Lucy likes McWane Center too!
The little aquarium on the lower level is her favorite at the moment.

Olivia and JC in the wind machine. This is one of Olivia's favorite activities.
Poor JC's hair was a mess when she got out.

Olivia and JC in the tornado machine.

Olivia's 5th Birthday Party

2012-01-16T16:04:00.001-06:00

We celebrated Olivia's 5th Birthday yesterday on the 15th. Olivia's official birthday isn't until next week on the 22nd, but we celebrated early since DeDe has to work next week. We decided to do a small family party at our house like we had earlier this year for Lucy.

Olivia picked out the Menu, we had Spaghetti, Salad, Bread, Sponge bob Cake and Vanilla Ice cream.

Olivia enjoyed having lots of her family come over and celebrate the day with her: Mama B, Granddaddy Clark and MawMaw Dorothy, Gucci and JC, Granddaddy and DeDe, Uncle Eddie, Aunt Jenna and Will.

Olivia got lots of fun presents. I had suggested that we let the grandparents get her some stuff she needed instead of more toys (since she has so many from Christmas). She told me that was a good idea but I was a little worried. I was so proud of her at how happy she was with her new clothes and new sheets for her bed. She did get some new toys too. And her favorite, MONEY!

We had a great day celebrating with family. It means so much to me to have such a wonderful family and to have them there with us for these special moments. It's an amazing feeling to see how much they love the girls and what an important part they are playing in their lives. We are truly blessed.

It's been quite a year...

2011-12-31T14:00:00.001-06:00

2011 has been quite an interesting year, definitely one that I will never forget.

Here are some of our highlights:
We adjusted to life as a family of four.
Olivia grew up alot this year. She had a wonderful year. She went from toddler to child and we have enjoyed seeing her learn and grow.
Lucy had her first year and I cherished every moment with my sweet baby.
I stopped selling children's clothing over the summer. It was just too much for me to do and care for the girls.
I launched my Children's Clothing Sewing Patterns business and thankfully it has been a success.
Kyler's family business closed.
Kyler started his new career in the coal industry and he is loving it! We have all adjusted well to the change and are very happy.

We had some ups and downs throughout the year, but in the end everything turned out exactly like it was supposed to. We are looking forward to 2012 and all the new adventures that are in store for us.

Happy New Year Everyone!

Christmas with The Clarks

2011-12-30T21:50:00.000-06:00

We finished out our Christmas Celebrations by having the Clark Family over to our house for lunch. This worked out great. It was a cold rainy day so it was nice that the girls could stay in their PJ's and play with their toys.

Lunch was yummy. Kyler got a huge ham from work so he smoked that for us. Roger and Jana brought the chicken and dressing and mexican cornbread. We had a few side dishes and Christmas candy too.

The girls had fun opening their presents and playing with everyone. Lucy took a nap right before everyone got there so she was in a great mood and showed off for everyone the whole time.

Thank you Isabelle and Darby

2011-12-30T18:12:00.000-06:00

Thank you Uncle Caleb, Aunt Raegan, Isabelle and Darby for the Christmas presents. The girls loved them! Sorry Lucy wasn't in the pictures, she was too busy to sit still and open presents.

What was your favorite present you got for Christmas?

2011-12-29T22:34:00.001-06:00

Our favorite present was seeing these sweet girls enjoying Christmas. I don't think I could have loved any material present more than the joy I received in seeing their smiles on Christmas morning.

Christmas Morning

2011-12-29T22:13:00.001-06:00

We had a wonderful Christmas morning at our house this year. As always Lucy was the first one to wake up. I went and got her, changed her, gave her her morning cup of milk, and let her lay in bed with us so her big sister could sleep a little bit longer before we opened presents. Finally around 8:00 we woke Olivia up. For those of you who know Olivia well you know she isn't a morning person so the first 10 minutes were not pleasant, but once she got woke up she was excited about her presents.

Santa brought Olivia a Barbie Jeep and Lucy a toy box. After months of telling us that she wanted Santa to bring her a Barbie Jeep for Christmas she wasn't that excited to see it under the tree. She liked it but her reaction wasn't what I expected. Lucy, however, loved it! She declared it her own personal climbing toy and jumped right in.

Kyler and I got the girls a couple toys. They got a small chair, Cailou Toys, Sponge Bob Leapster Explorer Game, Caterpillar Leap Frog Toy, Princess Plushes, Books, and a movie. The favorites were their Princess plushes. They both loved them and have been sleeping with them at night ever since.

It was so much fun having both of them enjoying opening present this year and seeing their reactions. I loved seeing Olivia watch her sister open presents. She would get so excited for Lucy. It was such a great feeling to see her happy that her sister was getting a toy too.

We spent the rest of the morning letting the girls play and preparing to have the Clark Family over for lunch.

A look around my house this Christmas!

2011-12-26T16:26:00.001-06:00

I love decorating for Christmas and I wanted to give y'all a look around our house at Christmas. To me the house just feels so warm and cozy this time of year.

We have been slowly adding to our Christmas decorations every year. To me its more special to add a few things each year than to just go out and buy alot all at once. We also try and incorporate alot of items that our parents have given us.

Santa candy dish in our kitchen

Our mantle decorated with our stockings.

My personalized Christmas place mats that I made this year.

Our Kitchen Table

I try and add some new decorations each year. This year I focused on the kitchen table. I purchased the pretty tree and made the place mats.

Christmas wouldn't be the same without lots of sweets and fresh fruit.
My Christmas China.

Kyler's parents have been so sweet in purchasing our Christmas China for us. After we got married I casually mentioned that I would like a set so Jana told me to pick out a pattern. I picked out a pattern from Lenox that complimented my wedding china so I could use both sets if needed. Over the past 6 years they have slowly purchased me a full set and some serving pieces. I love using serving off of it. Hopefully both of my girls will share my love for pretty china.

Recently my Mom has been offering me some of her Christmas decorations. When she offered this wooden Santa I took her up on her offer. He is a perfect decoration for this stage in our life. I can sit him out low and I don't have to worry about the girls breaking him.
My mom also gifted the girls those beautiful personalized Christmas Frames this year. I have ordered some pictures of them from this Christmas to put in the frames.

Christmas decorations on top of the piano.
I love the Christmas Card Tree. I started doing that last year and it has become one of my favorite decorations.

Santa on a book shelf in our dinning room.

Decorations on the buffet table in our dinning room.

Our Christmas tree the night before Christmas. Lucy did so good with the tree this year. I have terrified that it would be a constant battle with her, but luckily she barely noticed it. She would occassionally take an ornament off the tree but we currently use only non breakable ornaments so that wasn't a big deal.

One of my favorite Christmas Candy dishes that I have. My cousin Brent bought this for me years ago and I love it. It is fun with it's bright colors, polka dots and stripes.

Christmas with The Mayfields

2011-12-25T18:50:00.001-06:00

We celebrated Christmas with my family on Christmas Eve. We had a party at my parents house on the night before Christmas Eve with my Dad's side of the family so Olivia just went ahead and spent the night. My nephew Will stayed as well and they had so much fun. I think my parents were a little worried about getting them both to sleep. I suggested that after they gave them a bath to lay them down, turn all the lights out and turn on a movie with the volume down low. Thankfully it worked great and they fell asleep all snuggled up together.

While Olivia was out of the house I unboxed all of her presents and wrapped them. I did all of my shopping online this year. I had just kept the boxes piled up in the garage since it is hard to sneak anything past Olivia these days. I had so much fun unboxing everything and wrapping it all up.

When they woke up the next morning Olivia and Will made a gingerbread house with Jenna, my brother's wife. She said they were both interested at first but quickly lost interest, Jenna finished it for them and I thought it turned out so pretty!

The kids all played so well. The house was filled with giggles the entire time.

We had steaks for lunch. It was a nice break from the traditional holiday meals.

After lunch we opened the presents and the kids were completely spoiled.

We did have one funny gift moment. My Parents had ordered my nephew a tricycle for Christmas. When the box came my Mom wanted to open it up and check it out but everyone kept assuring her it was fine so she just wrapped it up. Well when Will opened it up Jenna started laughing and said "ummmm maybe we should have opened it". I laughed and said "why is it pink"? Ironically my joke was right. Toys R Us accidentally sent him a Pink and Purple Tricycle complete with a special doll carrier. Olivia thought it was the best thing ever, Will is 2 and barely noticed, my mom almost cried and the rest of us got a good laugh.

Eternal Gifts

2011-12-21T22:34:00.001-06:00

I heard this song recently and it really touched me. The Christmas season can be so hectic its easy to forget the true reason for the season. Such a wonderful thought to know that Jesus knows exactly what I need for Christmas this year.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Etneral Gifts by Leigh Nash

Santa knows what I want for Christmas
but Jesus knows what I need
it can't be purchased wrapped up and placed
under an ephod tree

I need patience, kindness - virtues like these
to bend on my knee at the manger

Santa may bring these that last for a year
but eternal gifts come from the Savior

some days come where I'm playing selfish
I can't think of no one but me
then I think of all that I'm blessed with
and that's always best to give than to receive

I need faithfulness, love, generosity
to open my home to a stranger

Santa may bring things that last for a year
but eternal gifts come from the Savior

I need patience, kindness, generosity
to bend on my knee at the manger

Santa may bring things that last for a year
but eternal gifts come from the Savior

Santa knows what I want for Christmas
but Jesus knows what I need

Gingerbread Cookies

2011-12-15T14:04:00.000-06:00

Today Kyer, Olivia, Lucy and I decorated Gingerbread Cookies. We had so much fun. I'd love to say I went all out and made homemade cookies, but I can't. I took the easy route and bought a kit. It had everthing we needed and we had very little mess to clean up.

Celebrating 31 Years

2011-12-14T14:44:00.001-06:00

Yesterday my parents took me and the girls out for the day to celebrate my 31st birthday. We were celebrating a day early (my actual birthday is today) but I didn't mind at all. That just meant I got to celebrate two days in a row. They said we could go anywhere I wanted for lunch. Lucy is at an awful stage for eating out so I picked the food court at the mall and a trip to yogurt mountain. Now that she can walk she doesn't want to sit still and she's too young to understand why she is being forced to sit still for so long. I'd much rather have a stress free lunch somewhere casual than to fight with her.

After lunch the girls rode the train and we did some shopping.

We had to take turns shopping. One person could shop while the other two played with Olivia and chased after Lucy. Luckily Lucy loved the fountains so she just wanted to walk in circles around the fountains. Occasionally she'd get distracted by something and one of use would have to chase her down.

After the Mall we went to Barnes and Noble so Dad could shop for some new books. Mom and I let the girls play at the lego and train table. Lucy got to taste her first Icee. She loved it. We eventually had to distract her and get rid of it because she was drinking so much of it.

We ended our day at Yogurt Mountain.
The girls were exhausted and slept the whole way home.

Today Kyler took me and the girls to lunch to celebrate my birthday. We went to one of the local cafes in town. Lucy fell asleep on the way there. We put her in her stroller and pulled the hood down. She slept through the entire meal. We told Olivia that we used to do the same thing to her when she was a baby and we wanted to go out to sleep. She started giggling and said we were "sneaking". After our yummy lunch we stopped by "Lily Pigs" (this is what Olivia call's the Piggley Wiggley) and got a cheesecake sampler and some milk so we could have dessert before Kyler left for work. Now I am spending the rest of my birthday hanging out with my two favorite little girls watching cartoons.

Definitely not complaining about being in my thirties, these are some of the best years of my life. I feel very happy and blessed with my life right now.

Christmas Crafts

2011-12-14T14:20:00.000-06:00

Olivia and I have made a few little crafts this Christmas season. We made a cute little reindeer and a Christmas tree using construction paper and toilet paper rolls.

I traced out Olivia's hands and she colored her hands to use an antlers.

Since I have a big bag of buttons we used buttons for the eyes and nose. I hot glued these on, but if you have patience (and children that can wait to touch their reindeer) you could just glue them on with regular glue.

Here is the Christmas tree with made. Olivia decorated it. As you can tell she lost interest half way up the tree.

A Flower

2011-12-13T21:41:00.000-06:00

I love the age Olivia is right now. We get to have real conversations and I love it. Most of our conversations are about silly stuff but occasionally we'll have a serious talk.

One day this week we were driving to Fayette. We drove past a manger scene and started talking about how we celebrate Christmas to honor the birth of Jesus. Somehow during the conversation we got to talking about how Jesus is God's son. Olivia said "mommy what does God look like". I thought about it for a moment and then told her that I honestly wasn't sure exactly what God looks like but that when I think about God I imagine an older majestic man, like a king. We started listening to music and she was quiet for a long time. Suddenly Olivia says, "Mommy I imagine God looks like a Beautiful Flower in a Big Pretty Garden. Is that Okay?" I assured that was just fine. Then she said "Mommy God and Jesus make me happy". After that she got distracted by other Christmas lights along the way and started talking about those Christmas lights and singing jingle bells.

I was definitely one conversation that brought tears to my eyes and that I won't forget.

Breakfast with Santa

2011-12-10T11:42:00.001-06:00

Kyler, Jana and I took the girls to Pancakes with Santa this morning at church. For the most part it went great! The girls both ate breakfast, Olivia made a craft with JC, Lucy ran around, and they BOTH got their picture made with Santa and Mrs. Claus. They had their picture taken separately. We did attempt a family picture but by that point Lucy was sleepy and melting down. We took that as a sign that it was time to go home for nap time.

Kyler and Lucy eating pancakes.

Lucy and Olivia having breakfast

Olivia and JC

A rare picture of Me and Kyler.

Lucy was amazed with Mrs. Myra's reindeer shoes.

Sweet baby Lucy

Olivia making a craft.

Olivia and JC doing crafts

Olivia and Lucy hanging out on the stairs

Olivia and Kyler writing a letter to Santa

Santa and Mrs. Claus
They were great and so patient with my shy little girls. It made my day that they both saw Santa.

Today was a good day

2011-12-04T17:59:00.000-06:00

Today we went to Tuscaloosa for a day out. We didn't have any specific plans for the day. We just wanted to have a fun day out. We started out at Target so I could get some shirts for work. First time ever that I've actually just gotten the items I went in there to get.

We went to Barnes and Noble. The girls were excited to see they have added a Lego Table to the toy area.

Olivia was especially excited about the Lego Table.

They played for quite a while. I really didn't have anything I wanted to look at so I watched them play while Kyler browsed around.
We also got a chance to check out the new Nook Tablet. I was planning on keeping it a secret and surprise Kyler with one for Christmas, but I decided I probably should discuss it with Kyler before making a big purchase. We have a mutual rule not to buy each other presents for holidays or to make large purchases without discussing it with each other. We started this when we got married and so far it has worked great for us. We are able to make purchases throughout the year when we want things instead of having to wait for the holidays. The Tablet looks exactly like what we are looking for. B&N had a sales person available at the Nook stand and He went over all the features with us.
My laptop is dying. Kyler got a new laptop a few months ago so He is going to let me take over his laptop for my online business work and we'll get a Nook Tablet for his web use. Now I just have to be patient until after Christmas when we can afford it.

Olivia checking out books.

The girls and I went into Old Navy while Kyler got a haircut. Olivia is obsessed with the manikins. She would talk up to them and talk to them. I couldn't help but take her picture with the little girl.

We had lunch at Five Guys Burgers and Fries and ate outside. Lucy is at a hard age to eat out with so outdoor dinning worked well.

We ended our day at Yogurt Mountain. I can't believe we have waited all this time to try it out. It was great! Olivia loved that they had Christmas Toppings.

It was a much needed fun day out and we enjoyed it very much.

Monogram Swap

2011-12-02T14:06:00.000-06:00

Kelly over at www.kellyskornerblog.com is hosting a Monogram Swap today and letting people link up what they have available. I have been trying to get rid of some of Olivia and Lucy's Monogrammed clothing for a while but honestly didn't want to go to the trouble of posting it on eBay or some site like that so they have remained stored away in a container. They are all handmade so I really didn't want alot for them, but thought it would be great to get the cost of some of my materials back. It's also nice to see them go on to a good home. When I saw Kelly's idea I decided to give it a try. I created a separate blog, www.olivialucymonograms.blogspot.com. I'm excited, I have already sold a few items. I am hoping Kelly will do this occasionally so I can add items to the blog as we outgrow them.
Anyways, just thought I'd share in case anyone was interested in some O or L clothes or wanted to participate in the Monogram Swap too.

Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer

2011-11-29T20:44:00.000-06:00

Tonight my parents called to let us know that Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer was coming on. I told Olivia about it and she got so excited. So we hurried up and ate and the girls got their bath. We finished just in time for them to cuddle up and watch Rudolph together.

Aren't they adorable? Olivia requested a little bed on the floor for them to watch the movie on. I just love that they are starting to play together.

Christmas really is a magical time of year and I love getting to see it through their eyes.

Oh Christmas Tree

2011-11-29T20:26:00.002-06:00

We normally wait until after Thanksgiving to put up our Christmas Tree. This year I got in the mood early so I decided to put it up a few days before Thanksgiving (while I had the energy and desire to get it done).

The girls and I had so much fun putting it up. We turned on some Christmas music, made some hot chocolate and danced around making everything pretty.

Olivia calls our dinning room, The Tree Room. She will lay in there and just look at the tree. Makes me wonder what she is thinking about. Sometimes Lucy will join her but in toddler fashion she only sits still for a few seconds.

When Olivia was born I started collecting non-breakable ornaments. Last year I was visiting my Mom while she was decorating and I noticed she had a bunch of fabric ornaments that she wasn't hanging up. She said she didn't have room for them so I asked if I could have them. They were made by my Grandmother and my Mom. I love them. They are special to me because of the people who made them and the kids can play with them and I don't have to worry about anything getting broken.

I was so worried about how Lucy would handle the tree. So far, so good. She will occasionally take an ornament off the tree but that is it.

I will post pictures of the rest of the house soon. I'm still adding a few decorations. I miss Hobby Lobby so much this year. I usually add a few decorations each year and that is my favorite place to shop. I guess I'll have to make up for it next year when they are back open.

Girls afternoon out

2011-11-18T08:00:00.001-06:00

Yesterday the girls and I went to Tuscaloosa. My embroidery machine has been in the shop, I need to get the girls Christmas outfits made so we made a special trip to pick it up. The highlight of the trip was a stop at Chick-fil-a to play. We got a table right in front of the glass that overlooks the play area. We had something to eat and then Olivia headed into the play area. The plan was for Lucy and I to hang out at the table and watch.

Well Lucy wasn't about to have that... When she realized her sister was behind the glass wall she started screaming and climbing out of her highchair. So we changed the plan and she and I headed into the play area too. She showed off her walking skills and did really well. After we had been in there a while she discovered the slide and was determined to climb up it. That was quite the challenge to keep her off of it. I'd forgotten how tiring the toddler years are, I may need to invest in some new tennis shoes :)

Look at her go

2011-11-17T18:27:00.001-06:00

Lucy has been taking steps for a few weeks but wasn't really walking. In the past few days she has just taken off and is walking alot. It is just so amazing to me to look up and see her walking through the house. Isn't she cute walking with her big sister? Lucy is alot braver when Olivia is at her side.

A Big First for Olivia

2011-11-14T19:39:00.001-06:00

Olivia went on her first Vacation without Kyler and I.

She went to Gatlinburg, Tennessee for the weekend with Gucci and JC. They spent most of their time there at Dollywood and Olivia had a blast. When I picked her up she was so excited to tell me about her adventure. She said Mommy I missed you, but I have so much fun. She got to go to lots of Christmas shows, ride lots of rides, eat her favorite foods, watch a parade and play in a toy store. She even got to see Santa on her trip but she wasn't all that excited about him.

I asked Jana to text me occasionally throughout their trip so we wouldn't worry. She sent me lots of messages and even a few picture messages. It definitely made it easier for her to be away knowing she was having so much fun. Above she is playing with the Train Table in one of the Toy Stores at Dollywood.

The first night at Dollywood Olivia fell asleep during one of the shows so they didn't make it to the parade. Luckily she was able to stay away the 2nd night. She must have enjoyed it because she was told me about it a few times since she got home.

My little girl is growing up and I am so proud of her. Gucci and JC said she behaved wonderfully and was very good the entire time. I know she had alot of fun and I know her Grandparents had a good time as well. Some sweet memories were definitely made this weekend.

Thank You Hanson Family

2011-11-14T17:35:00.001-06:00

Today Lucy had a very special package arrive for her!

A package full of Birthday Presents from her cousins, Isabelle and Darby.
I snapped some pictures so The Hansons could see how much she liked them.

She was very excited to see that the box was filled with toys, especially toys that make noise.

Look at that sweet smile.

And I have to say the package had perfect timing. Kyler has been working non-stop for the past few weeks and I was feeling a little overwhelmed earlier today. The new toys have kept both kids happy all evening and given me the peaceful evening I prayed for this morning when I woke up in my not-so-great mood. It was a much needed answered prayer.

Thank you so much for thinking of Lucy on her birthday.We love and miss you!

Lucy's 1st Birthday Party

2011-11-06T22:25:00.000-06:00

Today we had a small party to celebrate Lucy's 1st Birthday!

We choose to have a small family meal with chocolate cake. It was a great day and the party was exactly what I wanted. We had a yummy lunch, enjoyed spending time together as family with lots of smiles and laughs and celebrated our sweet little Lucy. Today was a good day and I feel very blessed to have such a wonderful family.

Lucy enjoyed her cupcake but wasn't overly excited. This is probably because this definetely wasn't her first taste of chocolate. One of the many benefits of being the 2nd child is your parents aren't as uptight about little things like sweets the 2nd time around :)

DeDe, Lucy and JC

Gucci, Lucy and JC

I love these pictures of Lucy with Granddaddy Clark.

Lucy showing off how she can stand on her own.

Playing with her cousin Will. He turned 2 on November 4th. They are one year and one day apart.

Maw Maw Dorothy, Olivia and Granddaddy Clark.

Yes Olivia has on a Christmas Sweather. JC gave it to her when she got here and Olivia didn't take it off the entire time. She loves Christmas so she thought it was the best thing ever.

Lucy eating lunch.

Playing with her toys. Of course she liked the box just as much as she liked the toy inside it.

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!

Happy Birthday Lucy!

2011-11-03T22:52:00.000-05:00

Today our sweet Lucy turned One! I can't believe it has been a year since we were blessed with having her enter our lives. Lucy has been amazing since she arrived. She is such a content and happy baby and fits right into our family. She really does complete us.

We celebrated her birthday today with a nice lazy day at home. The girls and I spent the whole day in our PJ's watching movies and playing with Lucy's new toys. We even had a few treats :)

My next 30 years....

2011-10-29T23:16:00.001-05:00

Will be the best years of my life !!!!

I hope this is what Kyler was thinking on Thursday when he turned the big 3-0.

Kyler and I became a couple at the begining of our 20's. The last almost 10 years have been amazing and I know our next 30 years will be even better. I can't wait to see what adventures we have ahead of us.

Happy 30th Birthday Kyler!

The girls and I love you so much.

Ariel and Flounder

2011-10-25T00:16:00.000-05:00

Olivia and Lucy got to dress up for the frist time this year on Saturday when we attended the Church of Nazarine's Trunk or Treat. They were so cute!

For months Olivia had said she wanted to be Rapunzel and for Lucy to be Pascal. I was okay with Rapunzel but had never given my okay on dressing Lucy up as a lizzard. Anyways, when I went to order the Rapunzel costume, Olivia suddenly says she wants to be Ariel. I looked at the Disney costume for Ariel and it was sleeveless. I knew we needed sleeves so I started looking around online. I finally found one with long sleeves and she loved it. In my search I stumbled upon an adorable Flounder costume. I knew it would be adorable combination so that is what we decided to be for Halloween.

I figured I had better take advantage of coordinating their costumes while I can. I know as soon as Lucy can talk she'll be telling me what she wants to be too.

Pumpkins and Pretty Girls

2011-10-21T16:08:00.001-05:00

Our Trip to the Great Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-20T20:32:00.000-05:00

Sunday we went to the Great Pumpkin Patch. It was a beautiful day, the kids were in a good mood and overall it was a great day.

When we first got there Olivia immediately wanted to go to the bounce houses. They have 2-3 bounce houses and 2 big slides. Olivia had to try them all out. Poor thing caused a traffic jam trying to get up the slide. Then when she finally made it up she was too scared to go down alone. Luckily there was a sweet older girl there that helped her out.

Lucy had fun just riding around and checking out the sites.

When it was time to ride the train Olivia insisted that JC ride with her.

Here are Lucy and Gucci on the hayride to the pumpkin patch.

Lucy loves animals so I wasn't suprised that she enjoyed the petting zoo.

She was all smiles the entire time.

Checking out the chickens.

An attempt at a group picture with the grandparents. Always a challenge with two small kids.

Picking out the perfect pumpkin. We came home and carve him up and roasted the seeds.

Meal Planning- Trying Again

2011-10-07T15:55:00.003-05:00

A few months ago I gave meal planning a shot. It worked great. I cooked more, ate out less, saved money buying grocery and felt more organized in the kitchen. Unfortunately I got lazy with it and stopped doing it. I recently decided to give it a try again. When making my meal plan list I opened up my pantry and freezer and made a list of meals based on what I already had the ingredients for. Amazingly I had almost all the ingredients for over 15 meals. I made a very short (like 5 items) grocery list of the missing items. We have stuck to it pretty good so far. I like having a list of options so I don't have to search through the cabinets when it's time to cook lunch. Now let's just hope I can keep it up.

Update for those interested in what Meals I have on the meal plan:
(We have alot of Beef and veggies on the menu. Kyler's Grandfather gives us a cow every year. My parents grow a garden and can and freeze veggies for us. These gifts are a huge blessing to our grocery budget so we put that food to good use.)
Country Fried Steak with Rice and White Gravy
Steak Fajitas
Beef Stroganoff
Spaghetti
Chicken, Rice and Cheese Casserole
Hamburgers and Fries
Marinated Chicken with Veggie Sides
Chicken with Pasta and Cream Sauce
Roast with Veggie Sides
Chicken Pot Pie
Hamburger Steaks and Onions with Veggie Sides
Beef Stew
Steak Sandwiches and Fries
Veggie Soup
Steak Pizza
Potato Soup

FCHS Homecoming

2011-10-01T23:18:00.001-05:00

Thursday night the we met up with JC and went to Fayette's Homecoming Bonfire.The girls had a blast. Seeing all the kids brought back some memories from highschool. Too bad we didn't know just how good we had it back in those days.

Happy 60th Birthday Granddaddy

2011-10-01T21:52:00.001-05:00

My Dad turned 60 on August 31st. My Mom planned a surprise party for him and it was a great success. He was completely surprised! He wondered why there were so many cars at the church when he arrived for the "business meeting" but he never suspected it was because all of his friends, family and church members were waiting inside.

The party was lots of fun.

Dad got a little emotional opening his gift from us. I'm glad he liked it. Kyler was about to start his new job at the time of this party so Kyler and I did a DIY present and had a photo shoot with the girls. It took alot of singing and jumping around but we managed to get a good picture of the girls together. A framed picture of the kids always makes a good present.

He had a great time and got lots of fun presents.

When we arrived at the party, Olivia and my nephew Will were both asleep. Amazingly we were able to lay them down and they both slept for nearly an hour. They are such good sleepers. They were sound asleep with 50+ people walking around and talking.

Lucy wasn't sleepy at all. She was having too much fun being carried about by her Gucci.

Our K4 "homeschooling" adventure

2011-09-28T17:32:00.001-05:00

Like I posted about previously, Olivia did not return to preschool this year. With Kyler changing careers we felt it was the best decision for our family. We knew he would be working evening hours and weekends and we wanted to be sure we would still have plenty of family time. With her staying home we can arrange our schedule around his schedule. I am very grateful to have this option this year. It has made the transition really easy and everyone in our household is very happy.

We want her to be prepared for Kindergarten so we are doing Preschool here at home everyday. To help make it fun I have been purchasing learning aids alot recently. So far I have picked stuff up at the Discovery Learning store at the Shops of Grand River and at Wal-Mart. We are focusing on the basics; ABC's, 123's, Shapes, Colors, Basic Writing, and simple art and craft projects.

Olivia is doing great so far. She sits down a few times of day and works with in her workbooks.

Today we worked on tracing lines and shapes.

I am excited to see her so interested in learning. I know this is going to be a fun year with lots of special moments and adventures.

And so it begins.....

2011-09-28T17:04:00.001-05:00

Our sweet little Lucy has had her very first mischievous moment!

After her sister and her had taken a bath I got Lucy out first and got her dressed. I sat her down in her room and went to get her sister's PJ's. Within just a few short minutes she crawled her way back into the bathroom and unrolled all the toilet paper. She was quite excited with herself and was squealing with delight.

I casually asked Olivia why she didn't stop her. Her reply "But Mommy look how happy it's making her". I had to agree with Olivia so I went and got my camera so we could celebrate this moment with Lucy. It looks like the toddler years are just right around the corner!

No matter how old I get...

2011-09-24T22:35:00.002-05:00

So nice to know that no matter how old I get my parents still know exactly how to make my day better and that they are going to make sure I take care of myself (even when I am convinced I'll be okay).

Today I went to my parents to spend the afternoon with them and pick up Olivia (she had spent the night with them). Within a few minutes of being there my Mom and Dad both noticed I wasn't feeling good. I told them I had an ear ache, but I was alright. My Mom being the great nurse that she is started asking me questions and noticed my face was swollen. After about 30 minutes of them telling me I needed to go to the doctor I gave in, admitted they were right and started searching online for an urgent care place. Once I found one in Jasper, I got the girls settled and headed out.

Once I got there I discovered that my infection was much worse than I thought it was. The doctor said my ear looked awful and it was a good thing I came in before it got even worse. My ear canal was almost completely swollen closed. They put in an ear wick to open up my ear canal and allow medicine to get to my ear drum. I'll admit I was terrified of having this done. It hurt a little going in but the instant relief it gave once finally in place and the ear drops were properly applied was so worth it. They also gave me 2 shots, an antibiotic, and some pain medicine. I was shocked at how much I needed to get better.

I normally don't gush about doctors offices but the urgent care place I went to, Urgent Care Northwest in Jasper, was awesome. The staff was so nice, fast (less than 1 hour total), the place was very clean, the doctors took alot of time addressing my issue and prescribed exactly what I needed to get better and they had a pharmacy on site that filled my prescriptions in less than 5 minutes. And the best part, there was a flat screen TV in the my patient room so I could watch the Alabama Vs. Arkansas game throughout my appointment.

Anyways in conclusion turns out my parents were right. I did need to go to the doctor. Now thanks to them I am already 100% better. Nice to know they will always be looking out for me and I am getting better about listening to them as I get older.

Roll Tide

2011-09-16T22:08:00.000-05:00

Follow me on Pinterest

2011-09-16T06:00:00.001-05:00

Everyone seems to have fallen in love with Pinterest recently. I'll admit I like it too. I like seeing all the cute ideas and recipes. My favorite part about it is having a place to store all my internet finds. I am a list maker. I make a list for everything. Now with Pinterest I can make a list of everything I find when searching online. I think this will make christmas list even easier this year!

Here I am on Pinterest http://pinterest.com/livistitches

It's not goodbye, just I'll see you later....

2011-09-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

As some of you know Kyler's sister Raegan and her family moved back to Texas recently. When they told us they were moving we were not very surprised. When you are around people alot and know them well you can tell when they just aren't completely happy. We fully support their decision to return to Texas and know it was the best decision for their family. I want them to be happy.

However knowing what is best for someone doesn't make it easier to say goodbye. I knew it would be hard, but honestly I wasn't prepared for my tearful goodbye. When the tears showed up I pretty much lost my ability to talk. Thankfully I know Raegan and Caleb knew how I felt and no words were needed. Olivia or Isabelle really didn't realize what was happening so we didn't have to endure seeing them cry as well. I know that would have been too much for me to handle.

I am thankful for having them close by the past 2 years and the memories we shared as a family. It was a special time. Now I am looking forward to the future visits, vacations and memories that will come and will be even more special because everyone will be happy and at home.

Taking a break

2011-09-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

Another change we had recently was Olivia did not return to preschool this fall. This was a decision that was very tough to make but in the end I think we made the best choice for our family. With Kyler taking time off from work, all the changes we had taking place this summer and then the change in Kyler's work schedule it just made sense, financially and emotionally, for her to stay home. So far she seems very happy with our decision and hasn't complained a single time.
We are looking for activities to attend and other children to play with so if anyone is interested in play dates let us know. We are available and ready for a fun year!

Lucy is on the move

2011-09-13T13:47:00.000-05:00

Our little Baby Lucy is 10 months old now.
Lucy started crawling this summer. It seemed like it took her no time at all to figure it out. Within just a day she was roaming around the house. She is now cruising the furniture and standing on her own. Everything definetley feels like it is going faster this time (or maybe I'm just not in as big of rush for her meet new milestones).
Lucy is also saying a few words now. She can say Hi, Bye, MaMa and DaDa. MaMa was her 1st word, but she says DaDa ALOT more than she says MaMa. I just remind myself that it's easier to say and not to take it personally.

Lucy still sleeps great! Naps are beginning to be a little of a fight but usually if I watch for signs that she is tired and get her to bed before she is super sleepy bedtime goes pretty smoothly.
Lucy is a very social baby and prefers to have someone play with her. Luckily she has a big sister that loves giving Lucy all the attention she can handle.

Changes and Blessings

2011-09-13T13:28:00.001-05:00

I posted earlier about changes we had this summer. The Clark family had a very BIG change this summer. Kyler changed careers!

Mid summer Kyler's company stopped logging. It was a scary and exciting time for us. Scary leaving behind the familiar and all we have known as a couple together and exciting to start something new and begin a new chapter in our lives. Kyler decided he was interested in the coal industry and began pursuing a career in that field. We were so blessed that he received a job from Drummond Coal Company. He began work at the beginning of September and really enjoys it so far.

The girls and I are adjusting to the change quite well. We had him home with us for a few weeks this summer during the transition. It was fun to get to catch up on family time, but we were ready for our routines back by the time his first day came. He is currently working the evening shift so that is really different but every day it is becoming more and more routine.

The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Psalms 126:3

Special Bond

2011-09-08T09:53:00.000-05:00

Catching up

2011-09-08T09:39:00.000-05:00

I've been behind on blogging. It's been a crazy summer and we have been busy. I'm going to try and do a little catch up and then jump back in. Lots of changes and fun have been happening around here :)

It doesn't seem possible.....

2011-07-11T12:55:00.000-05:00

That this litte girl is already 8 months old!

Lucy is such a happy baby and is always smiling and laughing. She is also babbling alot. She rarely cries but that has alot to do with the fact that Olivia just isn't going to let that happen. She is usually at Lucy's side within seconds of that first little whimper.

Lucy is sitting up great now.

Lucy is rolling all over the place. This is one of her ways of being mobile.

Lucy is trying so hard to crawl. She is up on all fours and rocking. She can scoot forward and can crawl backwards so she is basically mobile she just hasn't figured out the easiest way to do it yet.

Lucy is still a great sleeper. She rarely ever wakes up in the middle of the night. I can literally count on one hand the number of times I have had to get up in the middle of the night with her since she turned a month old. She takes 2-3 naps during the day.

Lucy has two teeth. They are on the bottom directly in the middle. Teething has given her some trouble but she seems to be handling it like a champ.

Lucy loves to play. We have a blanket with a couple baskets of "Lucy safe toys" in them in our living room. She and Olivia spend alot of their day playing.

Lucy is eating great! She is an independent feeder and now that she can feed herself table foods she will eat everything. So far we haven't found a food that she doesn't like.

Lucy now insists on holding her own bottle.

Lucy is so much fun at this age and we are all enjoying her so much.

Arts and Crafts with Olivia

2011-06-07T22:51:00.001-05:00

Olivia and I did a little project today. She LOVES arts and crafts so I try and do a few different things with her each week. Today we made a little girl using fabric scraps.

There is a little tutorial on Livi Stitches Blog with step by step instructions on creating this little project. You can check it out here http://livistitches.blogspot.com/2011/06/fabric-scrap-doll-arts-and-crafts.html.

Schools out for summer

2011-06-05T17:35:00.000-05:00

On May 24th Olivia finished up K3 with her end of year program. Olivia was a teacup and did a great job. We are so proud of her and all that she has accomplished this year. She has learned so many things, made some friends and has really come out of her shell.

She was showing signs of being burnt out towards the end of the year so I decided for her to take the summer off. So far she is enjoying every minute of it. Summer is going exactly as it should: Sleeping late, cartoons, PJ days, Popcicles, water play and making a huge mess of her room. She is having a blast.

Half a year old

2011-05-23T10:00:00.001-05:00

Lucy sitting up at 6 months old

On May 3rd Lucy turned 6 months old. This past year has just flown by and our little baby is growning up.

Sleep- Lucy is still sleeping great at night. In the past month she has had one or two nights were she woke up. She is teething so usually after a little comforting she falls right back to sleep. She goes to bed around 9 at night and gets up around 7. She takes 3 naps during the day.

Activity- Activity has been the thing I have seen the most change in recently. Lucy is so active now. She can sit up and play now. She also enjoys playing on her belly and scooting around. It's amazing how she can roll and wiggle her way around. She still enjoys her exersaucer but her new love is jumping.

Eating- She still isn't a big fan of baby food but she is eating more and more each day. I really think she's going to be an independent feeder and will do better when she can feed herself.

Social Development- Lucy is so happy most of the time. She is usually smiling and giggling. She is still doing lots of baby talk. No words just yet, but Olivia seemed to be determined that her first word will be "DADA". I hear "Lucy say DaDa" all day. I think Kyler has made a secret deal with her that I don't know about.

Sibling Rivalry- We did have our 1st sibling disbute this month. As Lucy is getting older she is getting more gear and toys. 99% of these toys are Olivia's old toys that have been in storage in the storage room upstairs. When Lucy could start sitting up well I went up and got 2 toys that Lucy could sit at and play. It literally drove Olivia crazy. She couldn't stand it and spent all day taking them away from Lucy. Thankfully the new wore off quickly and she realized that her barbies were much better. Other than the toy issue they do love each other very much. Olivia is very motherly to Lucy and trys to meet her needs. Lucy barely gets a chance to cry before Olivia is right there at her side making her laugh. The past 6 months have been amazing. Lucy has brought so much happiness and joy into our home. I am loving seeing her little personality come out and seeing her and Olivia's relationship develop.

4 days the old way

2011-05-09T18:48:00.000-05:00

During one of the storms on Wednesday 27th we, like most everyone else in Alabama, lost power. After all the devestation and loss that our state experienced that day loosing power seemed like such a small thing.
We made the very best of it we could and refused to complain. We cooked breakfast on the grill. We did alot of sitting on the front porch. We visited with our parents (they had power). Olivia spent the night with each of her grandparents. We opened the windows and aired out the house. We took naps. And we talked. It wasn't that bad, it was actually kind of nice. It was a good break for us and time to reconnect as a family.

5:00 A.M. Phone Call

2011-05-06T23:03:00.001-05:00

We have one phone in our house and it is in our kitchen. I always put the phone back on the base at night but for some reason I accidently left the phone on my bedside table while folding clothes on tuesday. At 5:00 A.M. on Wednesday I was awoken to the phone ringing. At first I thought it was someone calling Kyler about work but then I noticed the caller ID. It was my Uncle David. When I answered it he didn't waste any time in telling me a tornado about to be very close to our home. I woke Kyler up. He stood there for just a moment listening. Then he told me to get Lucy while he got Olivia and to meet him in the hall bathroom. By the time we got in the bathroom you could hear the wind swirling around our house. It was so loud. As a parent it was such a scary feeling just sitting there holding our children and praying that it would pass over. Thankfully it did pass on over after just a few minutes. We got the girls back to sleep and then went to look outside. It was still dark but we could tell we had some trees down. After the sun came up we got a better look and we could see the full effect the storm had on our home. We live in a wooded area and We had alot of trees down around our house. I believe we had a tornado go over us in the sky that did not touch down. We could hear the swirling but did not have the damage a tornado on the ground would have done. I was so upset when I saw a large tree laying very close to our house. My first thought was fear that it had fell on top of our a/c units but it just barely missed them. If it had fallen just another 6 foot over it would have hit our house. God truly had his hands on us and directed that tree exactly where it needed to fall. Kyler's parents arrived at our house early that morning. Since we had someone to stay with the girls Kyler and I got out to check on our neighbors. While we were out we drove on into town. Seeing our little town that I have come to love so much over the past few years was devestating. The town had alot of damge and fallen trees but most of the damage can be repaired.

Unfortunately later that day a much more severe storm came through the Boley/Flatwoods Community just south of us. It was a major tornado. It destroyed everything in it's path and took the lives of 4 people. The storm then went on to Tuscaloosa causes major devestation and taking the lives of many people.

April 27th is definitely a day I will never forget and a day that has truly changed life. I am much more thankful for all the blessings I have in my life.

Easter Morning and Lucy's First Easter Basket

2011-04-25T10:22:00.000-05:00

Hunting Easter Eggs

2011-04-24T14:36:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday, our church hosted a community Egg Hunt. The kids all had so much fun. They decorated cupcakes, did arts and crafts, played games and finally hunted for easter eggs. They had an area for the smaller children so we let Olivia hunt for eggs on her own. She did so good and even found a prize egg.

Easter According to Olivia

2011-04-22T12:44:00.000-05:00

Our family received such a wonderful blessing this Easter. Olivia learned the story of Easter. We have told her the story at home, but it really seemed to sink in when she learned about it at school with her friends. On thursday she came home with a palm branch and a pictures she had made. I asked her about it and she begain to tell me the story. Hearing her sweet little voice tell the story moved me so much I began to cry. She definetley has made me one very proud Mommy.

I wanted to remember this moment so we made a video and I just had to share.

Happy Easter Everyone.

40 Days- Count your many blessings

2011-04-22T12:18:00.001-05:00

After a few weeks of focusing on Faith and Trust my thoughts turned to Blessings. I have so many blessings in my life.

Some blessings I see everyday and some I overlook. It's so easy to be thankful when things are going good but its also important to be thankful when things aren't going good.

It's the little things that I am so quick to overlook. Many times I have stood at my pantry looking at all the food and thought "I have nothing to eat" when the truth is I had nothing I wanted to eat. Many people in this world have nothing to eat, nothing to feed their children. They would give anything for that can of food. I am blessed with a pantry full of food. During the winter months when the kids colds seem to last for weeks I'll get tired and frustrated. However children get better from common colds. There are parents out there dealing with very sick children with serious diseases, months and months of treatments, and an outcome that they can't be sure of. When I think of it like that a low grade fever and a runny nose don't seem so bad.

Now one of my daily prayers is for God to open my eyes to all my blessings; little and big, good and bad. And to help me to see the beauty in everything. We should all strive to praise Him in the good and to praise Him in the bad.

Instead of a scripture I have added the lyrics from one of my favorite Hymns.

Count your Blessings
Words by Johnson Oatman jr, 1897

Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your blessings
See what God has done

Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your many blessings
See what God has done

When upon life's billows
You are tempest tossed
When you are discouraged
Thinking all is lost

Count your many blessings
Name them one by one
And it will surprise you
What the Lord has done

Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your blessings
See what God has done

Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your many blessings
See what God has done

Are you ever burdened
With a load of care
Does the cross seem heavy
You are called to bear

Count your many blessings
Every doubt will fly
And you will be singing
As the days go by

Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your blessings
See what God has done

Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your many blessings
See what God has done

When you look at others
With their lands and gold
Think that Christ has promised
You His wealth untold

Count your many blessings
Money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven
Nor your home on high

Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your blessings
See what God has done

Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your many blessings
See what God has done

So, amid the conflict
Whether great or small
Do not be discouraged
God is over all

Count your many blessings
Angels will attend
Help and comfort give you
To your journey's end

Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your blessings
See what God has done

Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your many blessings
See what God has done

5 Months

2011-04-19T08:38:00.000-05:00

Lucy turned 5 months old on April 3rd. She is growing up so fast and I am really trying to cherish every single moment of her first year. After seeing how quickly Olivia grew up I know not to wish away any stage of her life.

Sleep- Fingers crossed! Lucy is still a great sleeper. She goes to bed at around 8:00 or 9:00 and sleeps until around 7:00. She hasn't gotten up in the middle of the night since she was a month old. I can't even begin to say how thankful I am for a good sleeper. She is beginning to let me lay her down awake and all asleep on her own, but for this to work I have to put her down sleepy but not too sleepy. I am very excited that she is beginning to learn to self soothe and especially that she'll do it without any crying. She takes 3 naps during the day; morning, afternoon and late evening.

Size- Not sure the exact size but I think she is around 20lbs. She can wear anything from 3-6M to 12M clothing it just depends on how it is made. Luckily she has a HUGE wardrobe waiting on her so I am able to experiment with different sizes.

Eating- Lucy is finally eating baby food. She seems to like fruits better than veggies. She still isn't a huge fan but I can get her to eat about 1/2 jar.

Activity- Lucy is rolling all over the place now. Her favorite activity is her exersaucer. She is beginning to be able to sit up assisted in a boppy pillow. She loves doing that when Olivia is sitting there playing. I think it makes her feel like a big girl.

Milestones- Lucy's big milestones this past month were rolling over.

Tannehill and a day without pictures

2011-04-10T23:40:00.006-05:00

Picture borrowed from Tannehills Facebook page

Last night at around 9:00 p.m. I noticed Kyler was browsing locations in Alabama on his computer. I casually asked him about it and he said "I want to go somewhere tomorrow". I had planned our last day trip and had told him the next trip was up to him. At about 9:30 he told me he wanted to go to Tannehill Ironworks Historical State Park. I hate rushing around in the mornings so I quickly started getting stuff organized before bedtime so we could leave when we woke up.

This morning we got up and got ready, put everything in the car, packed a picnic lunch and headed to Tannehill. The weather was perfect and we had the best time. I hadn't been there since I was a little girl so it was really all new to me. We spent about 5 hours there and didn't get around to seeing everything. We walked some of the nature trails and checked out alot of the buildings and iron furance, toured the museum and we spent alot of time watching Olivia play in the creek. So fun to see her get so excited about something so simple. There was a creek that ran along side the playground but instead of playing on the playground the kids were all in the creek.

I have absolutely no pictures from our little adventure. When I got my camera out to make that first picture when we arrive I discovered the battery was dead and I didn't have my back up battery with me. At first I was really disappointed that I couldn't take any pictures, but then after a while I discovered how nice to was not be constantly snapping pictures, carring around my big DSLR camera and really enjoying my time with my family. Please don't get me wrong I don't think taking pictures is a bad thing, I love all the pictures I have of our family adventures. I love looking back and seeing how the kids have grown and all the fun we have had. I just think sometimes I get more caught up in capturing the moment than actually enjoying it.

Sloss Furnance

2011-04-01T17:43:00.002-05:00

The biggest stop on our day trip this past weekend was at Sloss Furnance. Sloss Furnance is an old iron factory that is now an area landmark. It's amazing to imagine the hot grueling work that once took place at this factory.Olivia had a blast running around outside and peaking in all the windows. She had on rainboots so her main goal was hunting puddles to jump in. It was a very fun stop and I am glad we checked it out.

Party Girl

2011-03-30T06:00:00.002-05:00

Vulcan Park

2011-03-29T08:00:00.002-05:00

Like I said earlier we went for a little day trip on Sunday. Vulcan Park was one of our stops. I hadn't been to see Vulcan since I was a little kid so it was really interesting to see the moderization they have done to the park. Olivia was really excited at seeing the big statue. She kept laughing saying that she could see his rear end, which of course would get Kyler and I to laughing as well. One nice addition is there is now a glass elevator that will take you to the top. That way even Lucy got to go up in her stroller. When we got to the top I did freak out a little. The platform that allows you to walk around Vucan is an iron grate so you can see through it. I literally froze in fear when I took that first step and realized I could see all the way down. Kyler started teasing me so I had to quickly get over it and move on around the platform. It was a cloudy day but the view was still beautiful. After we saw the statue we toured the new museum. It was nice but honestly I wasn't too impressed. They focussed alot on the cival rights movement instead of the iron industry. Overall it was a fun stop and I am glad we went to see it.

40 Days- Week 4 "Do not be afraid"

2011-03-28T15:02:00.002-05:00

Kind of sad to admit but once I get the kids settled I usually start my day by sitting down at my computer and checking Facebook and my blog. Being home with the children all day, while the most amazing experience ever, can also make you feel a bit disconnected from the world so I like starting my day off with seeing what everyone is up too. This morning the first post I noticed on Facebook was a post from our minister's wife. Her post said "Did you know that the Bible says "Do not be afraid" 365 times??!! So, ya got one for every day of the year! Trust God...He does truly care for you!". What an amazing thought to start my day off with. God has told us over and over again to not be afraid. What an great comfort we can take in knowing that we should be living our lives without fear knowing that we have an almighty God who is watching over us.

Isaiah 43:2
Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown.

Isaiah 41:10
Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

'Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'

Luke 12:22-29
And He said to His disciples, "For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, as to what you will eat; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing? Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds! And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life's span? If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith! And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying.

Fun in your own backyard..... well only an hour away

2011-03-28T06:00:00.097-05:00

Since we have had kids Kyler and I have found that traveling just isn't as easy as it once was. Most of the time there either isn't enough time or extra money or both for alot of vacations. However we often find oursevles in dire need of a little break from everyday life so Kyler and I have developed a love for day trips. They are often very inexpensive, require only a few hours of our time and we get to sleep in our own bed.

We have been a little stir crazy recently so We decided to plan a little day trip for Sunday. We checked out Sloss Furnance and Vulcan Park. It was a little chilly but luckily the wind wasn't blowing so it was pretty comfortable. We had a great day, spent very little money and made some amazing memories with our children.

So the next time your feeling a little stir crazy but can't fit in a vacation just look around and I'm sure you'll be able to find something fun right in your own backyard.

Here are some different places we have visited. Some we have visited as a couple and some places we have visted as a family. I would love to hear any suggestions anyone might have.

Shiloh National Military Park- http://www.nps.gov/shil/index.htm
Birmingham Zoo- http://www.birminghamzoo.com/
Sloss Furnance- http://www.mcwane.org/
Vulcan Park- http://www.visitvulcan.com/
McWayne Center- http://www.mcwane.org/
Huntsville Space and Rocket Center- http://www.ussrc.com/
Tuscaloosa Hands on Museum- www.chom.com/
Fayette Railroad Museum- http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/group.php?gid=350626493556
Birmingham Botanical Gardens- http://www.bbgardens.org/
Capitol Park in Tuscaloosa

A small victory

2011-03-27T17:52:00.004-05:00

For the past month I have been trying to get Lucy to eat solid foods. I 'm not too concerned about it because she is still under 6 months, but since she is a little large for her age it would really help her if she was eating some food verses all milk to reduce her calorie intake a little. I have tried rice ceral, oatmeal, homemade baby food, store bought baby food, veggies and fruits. I've tried feeding her when she is hungry and when she is full. So far nothing has sparked her interest. On satruday Kyler decided to try to feed her Applesauce. Before he started I told him not to expect much. Of course she had to prove me wrong and ate 1/2 a jar and smiled the entire time. I am keeping my fingers crossed that this will be a turn in the right direction and she'll start eating for me too. If not I'll guess Daddy will have to be in charge of dinner time everyday.

A Big First

2011-03-26T11:16:00.002-05:00

We had a big first last night. Olivia had her very first friend over to spend the night at our house. Of course it was her cousin/best friend Isabelle.

I have two cousins that are about the same age as me, Ashley and Stefi. I have many wonderful memories from my childhood of spending time with them and I couldn't image my life without them. On my wedding day my cousin Ashely gave me the most amazing letter. In that letter she said "you were my very first best friend and for that you will always be special to me". That statement has always stuck with me and I know I am the person I am today because of the friendships I had with my cousins at a very young age.

I can't even begin to say how happy I am that Olivia is getting to have that same experience. Isabelle really is her first best friend and I can't wait to see what the future has in store my these two little girls.

The girls spent the evening playing dress up, barbies, babies and cooking. There was also a very long bubble bath with lots of splashing and cookies and milk for bedtime snack. At around 8:30 I put them in bed and turned on Toy Story 2, we were hoping they were fall asleep watching the movie but that didn't happen. Once the movie went off we told them it was offically time for bed. They did hop in and out of bed a few times but after a very serious talk from Daddy/Uncle Kyler that ended with the words "I'm watching both of you" they stayed in bed and fell asleep by around 10:00. All the playing pretty much started all over when they woke up this morning. Of course there has been alot of tattle telling, not sharing toys and yelling too but overall they have had a blast. There little adventure continues this afternoon with JC taking them to a birthday party.

And we can't leave out this little cutie. Lucy has very much enjoyed the sleep over as well. Not only has she enjoyed having two little girls loving on her, she has enjoyed having her big sister occupied so she sleep in peace.

40 Days- Week 3

2011-03-22T17:02:00.001-05:00

This weeks scripture is longer than the past 2 weeks but the more I read the more I just loved these verses. We all go through different phases in life, some good and some bad, I love how this tells us that God is at work in our lives at all times and that no matter what we are going through He is Blessing our lives.
James 1: 2-27
Trials and Temptations

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
9 Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. 10 But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. 11 For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.
12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Listening and Doing
19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.
22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.
26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

4 Months

2011-03-21T21:53:00.005-05:00

Lucy turned 4 months old on March 4th. I had to rescedule her 4 month appointment because Olivia had a party at school that day so we didn't get around to her 4 month appointment until March 18th.

Sleep- Lucy is still an amazing sleeper. I may be jinxing myself but she hasn't woken up a single time in the middle of the night since she was 1 month old. I thank God daily for blessing me with a baby that sleeps. She is starting to develop a day time nap routine. 1 in the morning, 1 in the afternoon and a short nap in the evening. Her only sleep issue is during the day she is a very light sleeper so I have to be very careful about noise or moving her around while she is asleep.

Size- I wasn't too suprised to see that Lucy had grown quite a bit since her 2 month appointment . She weighted 19.4 lbs and was 26" long. She is still off the chart on weight and in the 90th percentile on height. She is definetely a "healthy" baby. Her chubby little legs are so cute I just about can't stand it. Since she is still in the early infant stage her pediatrican isn't too concerned about her being on the large side. Most babies will slim up alot as they become more active and less dependent on milk as their main source of nutrients. We discussed Lucy's current dislike for solids of all kinds, but She encouraged me to keep offering them and that hopefully she'll catch on to eating soon. Solids have less calories in them than milk so her starting to add solids and decrease milk would help in leveling off her weight growth.

Activity- Lucy is getting more and more active. She currently rotates between her bouncey seat, activity mat and exersaucer. I am hoping to introduce her jumper soon. She is finally starting to show an interest in rolling. She can make it to her side easily so I am sure rolling over all the way isn't too far off. Her favorite things to do are to kick and grab at her toys on her activity mat. She is beginning to like her exersaucer but only for very short periods of time.

Milestones- Lucy had a very big milestone this past month. She stayed away from home all night for the 1st time. On March 12th Kyler had something he needed to do in tuscaloosa and since I knew my parents were off work that day I made arrangements for the girls to stay with them so I could tag along. Even though I was a little nervous about being away from Lucy all day and all night We needed a break and some time to ourselves. We love our girls very much but we know that as a couple time alone is important too. We had the best time in Tuscaloosa that day and I only called to check on the girls twice. Mom and Dad said Lucy did great. She didn't want to nap for them all day but She made up for it that night. After mom gave her a bath at 6:00 she fell asleep for the night and slept until 8 the next morning. I was so proud that she did well. Now I know they won't mind keeping her again :)

Grocery shopping and Cooking- From good to bad

2011-03-21T07:00:00.002-05:00

I have to admit, grocery/household shopping is something I am not that great at. Kyler works alot so the responsibilty of buying the things we need falls completely on me. My shopping habits have changed dramaticlly over the past few years.

In the past I LOVED grocery shopping. Before children I would spend 1 lunch hour a week buying our groceries. I was always blessed to work at a place that had a refrigerator to store the cold items in. Shopping for 2 was so simple and my list was never long. After Olivia arrived my shopping changed up a bit. Once I became a stay at home mom going to grocery store was my favorite day of the week because I got to get dressed and get out of the house. Olivia was one of those babies that could be easily moved around while she was asleep and she would sleep for long periods of time. If I timed it right I could go to Tuscaloosa, have lunch with a friend and then leasurely walk around Target with my Starbucks and shopping list all while my sweet baby would sleep. YES I was once that Mom that I secretely dislike now when I go to the store. It was pure bliss. Olivia out grew that quality about the same time I started back to school so I switched my shopping to after my night classes when Olivia was happily playing at her grandparents house. I had to switch from Target to Walmart but it still wasn't too bad and it was nice to get to cruise the isles solo.

It was about the time that I got pregnant with Lucy that shopping became so hard. I was really sick throughout my entire pregnancy with Lucy and since I was no longer in school my shopping now involved taking Olivia with me. It was really strange but something about walmart seemed to always make me sick. I would get about half way through the store and have to stop and take a break because I would feel like I was going to pass out. After Olivia started preschool it got a little easier since I could go alone but shopping while pregnant just didn't work well for me. Now that Lucy is here it hasn't gotten much easier. Lucy doesn't sleep well when we are out and about, her patience wears thin very quickly and her car seat takes up the whole shopping cart. I think I can honestly say that I haven't made it home with everything on my list in at least a year.

And the worst part of all this is, it seems like I am constantly sitting around at around 4:oo thinking what do I have all the ingredients to cook. In the past I have just made a list of things I am out of with no real ryhm or reason for needing them. I'll come up with a great idea for a meal and am 1 ingredient short.

Recently in an attempt to make my grocery list a little shorter and to elmininate that missing ingredient problem I have given meal planning a try. I thought of 14 meals. I checked my pantry for the ingredients and added the missing items on to the list. We are really lucky that Kyler's grandfather gives us a good variety of beef each year since he has cattle. I wanted to try and save a little so I worked in alot of beef meals. I also tried to think of meals that would have leftovers for me and Olivia to have f0r lunch. After I got all the ingredients for my meals I added a few snacks food items. I was really amazed at how much shorter my list was. Shopping still wasn't easy but I was much more determined to get everything on the list since I knew what meal was going to be created with it. I also was pleasantly suprised to see a drop in my grocery bill. The best part has been that I haven't been wasting time wondering what to cook, I can just pick something off the list. I have actually cooked every night this week but one (we had cereal one night, Olivia's request). There has been very little temptation to eat out because cooking was a challenge.

I know that shopping/cooking will still probably give me trouble but I am going to try and keep it up.

I wanted to share my little experient with y'all. Maybe it will help someone else. Also any ideas or pointers for shopping/cooking/saving are very much appreciated. I would love to hear how you do it, or at least hear that I am not the only one who puts off that trip to the grocery store for 2 weeks or until all the milk is gone :)

Try, Try Again

2011-03-20T20:33:00.006-05:00

Ever since Lucy was born I have wanted a good picture of the girls together. I enjoy taking pictures but I had no idea taking a picture of a preschooler and an infant would be so hard. As hard as it is I really want the pictures so I keep on trying. I still don't have a picture with both girls smiling but I am hopeful for the future.

A Child of God

2011-03-16T16:19:00.008-05:00

Matthew 19:14 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these."

On February 27th we had Lucy's Christening Service at our church. How special that both of our daugthers have been christened at the church we are members of and by the same minister. It was a simple service and Lucy did amazing. She was fascinated by the stained glass window so she didn't make a single noise. One part that I love was after Brother Ron asked Kyler and I if we would raise Lucy in a Christian home that he directed his question to the congregation and asked them if they could commit to pray for Lucy and our family and be there for all of us through her life. What an amazing feeling to know we have some many people who will be there for us.

After church our family came back to our house for lunch. I thought I had done a great job in getting everything done the day before only when we went to set all the food out have my mother in law ask me where the cranberry sauce for the chicken and dressing was? Wouldn't you know the one thing I forgot was a must have item. Luckily JC had a can at her house and was able to rush over and pick it up.

The weather that day was absolutely georgous so we were able to take all the kids outside to play for the afternoon. They all had so much fun.

It was a perfect day that I will always remember and cherish. Kyler and I are so lucky to have such wonderful family.

Looking Back

2011-03-15T21:16:00.004-05:00

Olivia age 4 Months
Lucy Age 4 Months

After posting the picture of Lucy in the exersaucer I couldn't help but go back and look up a picture of Olivia in it. It feels like forever since she has been that little. It's so interesting to see them both at the same age. I still don't think they look alike. They are both beautiful little girls but very, very different.

Let's Play

2011-03-15T20:54:00.005-05:00

Lucy is growing up so fast and Olivia is loving her new found playmate. Even though Lucy can't run and play with her yet Olivia is content with just having Lucy's attention and occassional smile. I love seeing them together, especially since I know the fighting isn't too far away.

Lucy has recently started playing in her exersaucer. After seeing Lucy in the exersaucer We can definetely tell the height difference between Olivia and Lucy. When Olivia was 4 months old we had to put this huge 5"-6" thick book under her feet because her legs weren't long enough. It is the largest book we have in the house. When I first put Lucy in the exersaucer I instantly got the book down thinking she would need it too. It was too thick, she barely needs a book at all! I had to get a much smaller book out and I don't think it will be very much longer until she doesn't need it at all.

40 Days- Week 2

2011-03-15T20:05:00.005-05:00

We are in the 2nd week of Lent and I am very much enjoying our family bible study. We have decided to pick one scripture for the week and focus on it. By just picking one we are able to give it a good amount of attention and let it really sink it. Kyler choose this week's scripture. It is one I have never really focused on before so it was quite new to me. I love how this verse tells us that God is always going to provide for us, but we have to believe and have patience. I know patience is one area I can definetely use some work on.

Habakkuk 2: 1-3
I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts.
I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint.
Then the Lord replied,
"Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it
For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false.
Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay."

40 Days- Week 1

2011-03-10T07:42:00.008-06:00

It is the season of Lent. The purpose of Lent is preperation of the believer. Kyler and I discussed giving something up together but honestly everything we thought about didn't seem like it would make the impact we wanted. In the end we decided to do something good for our family instead. We decided to spend this time putting daily bible study back into our routine. We are each taking turns picking out a scripture reading and we are discussing that scripture as a family. We have selected the topic of Faith and Trust to focus on.

I will do my best to post some of the scriptures we are reading.

Week 1-
I Peter 5: 5-10
God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because He cares for you.
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in your faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is going through the same kind of sufferings.
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Valentine's Day 2011

2011-03-06T20:30:00.003-06:00

This was Olivia's first year to really celebrate Valentine's Day and she was so excited. We made treat bags for her party at school and she made Tinkerbell Valentine's for all her classmates. They had a party that day at school, exchanged Valentines and she also had a few special treats delivered to school.

Darby Turns 1

2011-03-01T08:02:00.005-06:00

My nephew Darby turned 1 on February 2nd. It is so hard to believe that the little guy is 1. This year has flown by. We celebrated his birthday by having a small dinner party at JC and Gucci's house. Raegan got him the cutest little Donald Duck cake and when it was time for him to eat it he didn't disappoint anyone. He made the mess we all expected. He was even kind enough to let his sister Isabelle and cousin Olivia in on the fun.

Closet Cleanout= Clothes for sale

2011-02-14T16:37:00.005-06:00

UPDATE: Our church will be hosting a consignment sale in May so I decided to use that venue verses a consignment store. For anyone interested the clothes will be available to go through at our home anytime before the sale.

Kyler recently cleaned out his side of the closet. He hadn't cleaned it out in a while so he had quite alot to go. He has grown and gotten taller in the past few years so there isn't any chance he'll be able to wear them again. His closet looks great, now if only I could get him to clean out my side.

Most of what he cleaned out is button up shirts, a few polo shirts and some fleeces. There are a few pairs of jeans and shorts sizes 38x40. The brands are Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Gap and Old Navy (mostly Ralph Lauren). Sizes XL and XXL and in basically brand new condition. Since they are really good clothes I am going to try and sell them. Everything is priced between $8-$3 an item. Definetely some good deals.

I am going to let friends and family look at everything first so if you have a husband, son, son in law, grandson, etc... that wears thoses sizes and could use some new clothes please contact me. I am ready to get them out of my laundry room and the more I sell the less I have to tote into the consignment store.

Friday Night Fun

2011-02-08T22:24:00.001-06:00

Last Friday night I was about to run to the grocery store so I asked Olivia what she would like for dinner, she replied Hot Dogs. At that time Kyler was building a fire and he got the idea that we could roast hot dogs in the fire place. When I was at the store I picked up the ingredients for Smores too. We had a grea time. Olivia especially enjoyed it.

3 Months Old

2011-02-08T21:49:00.001-06:00

On February 3rd Lucy turned 3 months old. She has grown so much and her development is really taking off.

Sleep: I am almost afraid to type this because I might jinx myself but Lucy is a great sleeper. She has been sleeping through the night since December and the amount of time just keeps getting longer. Currently she goes to bed around 9:30 p.m. and is waking up around 7:30 a.m. Her daytime sleep is still more a sleep on demand routine. She usually takes a good nap during the morning and afternoon and then a few cat naps throughout the day. I am hoping in the upcoming months as her activity increases we'll be able to get on a better daytime routine.

Size: I am not exactly sure how much Lucy weights but I don't think She has grown much since her 2 month appointment. She is quite a "healthy" baby and is all chubby and cute. She is wearing a size 6 month sleepers comfortably.

Eating: Lucy eats great. She takes about 32oz of milk a day. We haven't started solids yet, but may start introducing them in the upcoming month. So far she hasn't expressed any interest in food and seems content with just milk so I am not in any hurry.

Activity: Lucy is very active. She loves laying on her playmat and hitting and kicking all her toys. Her pincher grasp is starting to develop and she is grabbing things constantly. I am also starting to notice that once she gets something in her hands she instantly puts it in her mouth. She is beginning to roll from belly to back but hasn't attempted to roll from back to belly. She isn't a big fan of being on her belly at all so I don't see her having much desire to roll over on it.

She is still a very affectionate baby and loves to cuddle and be held. She is starting to coo, smile and giggle. She mostly smiles for Kyler. He seems to be able to make her smile more than anyone. So far she seems to have a very laid back personality.

Big Girl Haircut

2011-02-08T20:15:00.003-06:00

We have been wanting to get Olivia's hair cut for a while now but she had been resistant. This past week I mentioned it to her again and she said Yes! So I scheduled her an appoitnment. She was so excited today when I told her it was the day she was going to get her "style". She did so good and sat perfectly still while she was getting her haircut. I was so proud of her. I love the way it turned out. She looks so pretty and grown up.

Chuckie Cheese, Tangled and a Rapunzel Doll

2011-02-04T23:03:00.011-06:00

For Olivia's Birthday we had a special date with her on Sunday, January 23rd. We arranged for a babysitter for Lucy (for the very first time) and the three of us headed to Tuscaloosa.

We started out at Chuckie Cheese. I have only been to Chuckie Cheese on weekdays for lunch or on weekends. It is always really crowded and loud, I am always paranoid about all the germs and Olivia has to wait in line to use the few preschool age games. Well We discovered that Sunday mornings are a great time to go if you don't want a crowd. We arrived at 10:00 and appeared to be the 1st customers of the day and had the entire restaurant to ourselves. It was great all the machines had been freshly cleaned and Olivia didn't have to wait in line to play with anything. We had the best time. The pizza was "fabulous" as always (for those of you who have visited CC you understand my sarcasim). When first started playing we discovered that many of the games still had tickets hanging out of them from the night before. Kyler had no shame at all and went around and gathered them all up so when it was time for Olivia to select her prizes she had a few more options than she normally does. She still selected suckers she just got more of them.

After Chuckie Cheese we made a quick stop at Target and got Olivia a Rapunzel Doll and then headed over to the movies to see Tangled. Olivia of course took her doll in with her. It was so cute to see her holding it in her lap while she was watching she movie. Olivia sat perfectly still the entire movie and loved every bit of it. It is such a great movie, definetely one of our new favorites.

It was a great day and I know she enjoyed it as much as Kyler and I did.

Also I am glad we were able to spend the day with her alone. I love spending time with both of my daughters together but I am so glad I am learning that it is okay to have special time with each of them individually. Lucy and I get alone time while Olivia is at Preschool so I try really hard to have special time with Olivia every day. She and I will play special games when Lucy is sleeping and She runs errands with me when Kyler is available to watch Lucy but this was the first time since Lucy was born that we were able to spend the entire day with just Olivia. It was great to be able to just focus on her and really see how grown up she is.

Birthday Snack

2011-02-01T20:08:00.000-06:00

Kyler and I discussed our options for having a birthday party for Olivia quite a few times over the past few weeks. We knew our options were basically either to have something in Tuscaloosa or our house. Finally We sat down and asked Olivia what she wanted and she simply said "I want to eat with all my friends from school and Isabelle, go to Chuckie Cheese and I want a Unicorn Pillow Pet". (Not sure why we stressed out instead of just asking her first). We know that if most parents are like us they are so busy on the weekends that making it to a Birthday party isn't always easy so we decided to host snack time with her class the friday before her birthday. That way everyone she wanted would be there. And Kyler and I took her on a special date to Chuckie Cheese and to see Tangled on Sunday.
She seemed pretty happy with her Birthday Snack. We brought Minnie Mouse Cookies (from The Dessert Box), ice cream, chips and kool-aid. She was all smiles when her friends sang Happy Birthday to her. I think overall her favorite part was that her cousin (and Best Friend) Isabelle was able to get out of her K2 class and be there with her.

4 Years Old

2011-01-28T22:56:00.004-06:00

On January 22nd Olivia turned 4 years old.
I'm not sure why but her turning four was alot harder on me than her previous birthdays have been. Time seems to be flying by and those sweet little baby features and characteristics are slipping away.

Olivia is amazing at 4 and We are so proud of her. She is excelling in her K3 class at preschool and learning so much. She has really come out of her shell this year. She is constantly talking and making lots of new friends. I can't help but beam with pride when her teachers tell me how well behaved she is at school. She may not act perfect at home all the time but it is such a great feeling to know all our hard work on teaching her manners is sinking in. She is very much into pretend play right now. Barbies, baby dolls and dress up are her favorites. She also really loves art, especially painting.

Sisters

2011-01-28T06:00:00.000-06:00

Kyler and I are just loving having two girls and We adore seeing them together. The love they have for each other is already so strong. Olivia is so protective of Lucy. If she barely crys Olivia will run to her side and begin to assure her that everything is going to be okay. And Lucy looks at Olivia in a way she doesn't look at anyone else. And oh the smiles they give one another could just melt your heart. I know a day will come when they will fight but for now we are enjoying the sweetness of this beautiful relationship.

Helping out

2011-01-27T06:00:00.002-06:00

As you all know I have a small business creating children's clothing called Livi Stitches. I like for all my sample pictures to show an actual child wearing the clothing so poor Olivia has had to be my model for the past few years. She doesn't seem to mind but I can tell that occassionally she isn't too happy with her position. So I recently decided to give Olivia a break and let her sister in on the action. I must say Lucy was alot easier to get to sit still :)

More Snow Pictures

2011-01-26T11:00:00.001-06:00

We think we ended up getting about 3 inches of snow and ice. The first day it was fun to play in but the following two days were just messy. We enjoyed it while it was here but I think we are happy we live here in the south where we only have snow for a few days verses the entire winter. However it was nice to have a good excuse to stay bundled up in front of the fire with a warm cup of hot chocolate.

Sledding!

2011-01-26T08:00:00.000-06:00

Our house is up on a hill so our driveway is a great place for sledding. Since we got so much snow Kyler decided to give it a try. It must have been fun because he took a few trips down that hill. Finally after Kyler had gone down a few times Olivia worked up the courage to ride with Kyler. She kept her hands over the eyes the entire time but I could tell she has having fun because she was giggling uncontrolably the whole way down and when they were finished she jumped off and said "lets do it again".

This is Fun!!!!

2011-01-25T08:02:00.007-06:00

Sweet Baby

2011-01-15T22:08:00.002-06:00

When Kyler and I were waiting to get checked into our townhouse in Gatlinburg I took a few pictures of Lucy. This was my favorite. Love that little curl on the top of her head.

Gatlinburg Aquarium

2011-01-10T12:10:00.009-06:00

Gucci and JC toook us all to the Aquarium while we were in Gatlinburg. Olivia was so excited to see the pengiuns that we had to make her slow down and stop rushing through everything else before we got to them. Lucy was sleeping when we arrived so Kyler and I took turns wearing her in her BabyHawk. She was so content and peaceful.

New Years in Gatlinburg

2011-01-08T22:37:00.005-06:00

We celebrated New Years in Gatlinburg, Tennessee with Kyler's family. This trip was planned over the summer and I had looked forward to it for a long time. The first 4-5 months of my pregnancy with Lucy I threw up almost all day everday so I wasn't able really enjoy any trips we took in the spring. By the time the morning sickness had worn off I wasn't able to travel anymore so I was very much overdue for a road trip.

Gucci and JC went up a day early on Wednesday and took Olivia and Isabelle with them then spent Thursay at Dollywood while the rest of us were on our way. This was our first trip with Lucy so it was nice to be able to drive up just the three of us. We had everything packed up and ready to go so we were ready to go after Lucy's 4 a.m. feeding. She did so great traveling. We only had to stop one time between our house and Piegion Forge.

On our way there we were so excited to start seeing SNOW after we went through Chatanooga. We didn't get out and play in it but it was pretty to look at.

A Comparassion

2011-01-08T00:23:00.006-06:00

Lucy age 2 Monhs
Olivia age 3 months

We get asked alot if the girls look alike. In my opinion I don't think they do. They have a few simularities but overall I think they look really different.

Olivia has fair skin, blue/gray colored eyes, very straight light brown hair and an oval shaped face.

Lucy is darker skin, very dark blue eyes almost navy, dark brown hair with curls, her face is more rounded and she has dimples in her cheeks.

We have been told by alot of people that they think Olivia looks like me and Lucy looks like Kyler and have to agree. They do however have the same mouth which they take after Kyler.

Even though Olivia looks like me she shares so many of Kyler's personality traits and habits. She twirls her hair and puts her hands on her hips and I can't help but laugh when I point these things out to Kyler. We'll have to wait and see who Lucy acts like.

2 Months Old- January 3, 2010

2011-01-07T09:23:00.009-06:00

Lucy turned 2 months old on January 3rd. The past 8 weeks have been so great and completely unlike what I expected. I had expected lots of sleepless nights and exhausting days but we have been blessed with a happy baby.

I took her in for her 2 month check up on December 27th. I was shocked to see how much she had grown. She weighted 13 lbs and was 22 inches long. In height she was in the 75th percentile and on weight she was off the charts. Dr. B said she was higher than the 95th percentile and that was as high as her chart went. I asked her if this was something we should be concerned about and she assured me it was fine. She said Lucy would slow down on weight once she was more active and to continue feeding her as we had been. And it is fun to get to admire her cute little chubby cheeks and legs.

Lucy has been sleeping through the night since we moved her into her crib around Thanksgiving. It started out that she would make it from around 9 until 4:00 a.m when Kyler gets up for work. Now she is sleeping from around 8:00 p.m. until 6:30 a.m.

One fun thing right now is that she is becoming more alert and we are getting to see her little personality. She has been smiling and cooing. She has also started to enjoying playing a little. She LOVES her activity gym and will lay on it and play until she falls asleep.

Olivia is being the best big sister. I am so proud of her. She absolutley adores Lucy. When she refers to Lucy she always says "my baby". She is so funny how she will baby talk to her. Her current phrase is "whose my big girl". Also when Lucy is crying she'll run over to her and say "it's okay Lucy Olivia's here" and most of the time she'll stop crying. I can tell they are going to have a special bond. I told Kyler that Lucy is one lucky little girl to have someone that is going to be there for her and always watch out for her.

And Kyler and I are really enjoying being the parents of two girls. Going from one child to two has been great so far. We are so much more relaxed this time and better in tune with each others parenting styles. I have learned that everything doesn't have to be perfect and to not sweat the little stuff. We also have learned to divide the parenting responsibilities up up verses trying to do everyting together.

Christmas with The Mayfield's

2011-01-07T09:08:00.004-06:00

We went to my parents house Christmas night for dinner. I apologize that there aren't as many pictures. By this time of day I was getting pretty tired and forgot all about my camera. Then when we were opening presents Kyler was in charge of taking photographs so I only got 2 :)

Christmas with The Clarks

2011-01-06T06:03:00.008-06:00

We celebrated Christmas with Kyler's family at lunch on Christmas Day.

Christmas Morning

2011-01-03T21:32:00.009-06:00

This was a very exciting Christmas for us. It was Lucy's first Christmas and it was the 1st Christmas that Olivia really understood Christmas. She has been so excited all month. She knew that we celebrated Christmas in honor of the birth of baby Jesus and that was so special to Kyler and I. She also understood that Santa would come and bring her toys.

We almost had a Christmas Morning disaster. On Christmas Eve after she went to bed I stayed up and wrapped her presents from us. Kyler decided to go to bed and that he would get up early and bring in her dollhouse from the garage. Well at 3:45 A.M. I woke up to the sound of Olivia's voice at my bedside. Kyler and I both jumped up out of bed. Olivia had had a Potty accident. She hasn't had an accident at night in nearly a year but she had one that night and had come to let me know she needed help. Luckily she was distracted with the situation so while I was changing her clothes Kyler was bringing in her dollhouse. We decided that since we were already up to just go ahead and let her know that Santa had come.

She was so excited when she saw her presents under the tree. She started jumping up and down saying Santa came.

Olivia with her Dollhouse from Santa

Olivia received an American Girl catalog back in November. When she saw it she fell in love. She flipped through the catalog and stated that she wanted the doll with the kitchen. Well the actual American Girl doll that she wanted with the kitchen set would have been over $2oo and at her age that is way more than I feel comfortable spending on a doll. Luckily a few friends let me know that Target sold a doll simular to AG with a kitchen set. And the best part it was only $50 for the doll and the extra accessories. She loved it and spent all morning cooking up a storm.

Checking out her doll

Opening up the accessories for her doll

Opening her Pink and Purple Legos. Olivia loves to play with legos and build little cities. She has been complaining about the primary colors of the legos she has so we got her a box of girlie legos.

Opening one of her books

Scooby Doo book. One of her favorites!

Opening her Ken Doll. When Olivia asked Santa for her doll house she also asked for a "Daddy Barbie". I have to say he was quite difficult to find. Everywhere i looked only had Justin Bieber or Twilight Dolls and I just couldn't stand the idea of my almost 4 year old playing with one of those so I kept on searching. I finally found a boy barbie at Target. He is dressed for the beach but Olivia doesn't seem to mind.

Now Kyler has a doll to use when he plays Barbies

And of course we had to get another girl barbie.

Lucy woke up about the time we finished opening presents with Olivia. She insisted on eating first but after she was full she opened her presents. She got some books and little toys for her carseat from Santa. Kyler and I got her a Baby Hawk Baby Carrier. We let her have it early since it came in last month.

Olivia helped open all of Lucy's toys.

After we opened presents we had our traditional Christmas breakfast meal: Breakfast Cassarole, Cheese Grits Cassarole and Blue Berry Muffins. This was our 6th Christmas to have it and I am so happy that we have our own little tradition.

It was a great morning filled with lots of special memories.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T12:25:00.002-06:00

We would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.

We are so blessed to have such wonderful family and friends in our lives.

We love you all very much.

Love,

Kyler, Jennifer, Olivia and Lucy

The Reindeer Shirt

2010-12-24T23:54:00.003-06:00

I know I say it alot but I really do LOVE Olivia's preschool. They are constantly doing cute things with them and she loves every minute of it. This month they had tons of activities like making ornaments, gingerbread men, and this adorable reindeer tshirt. Olivia is so proud of her shirt. Every time she wears it she has to show off where her hands, feet and fingers were in creating it.

Christmas with The Burlesons

2010-12-21T08:45:00.007-06:00

Uncle Larry, Mama B, Aunt Bonita and my Mom
Opening Presents

Eating Dinner

Uncle David with his granddaughter Sarah Beth holding sweet Lucy.

Sarah Beth was so sweet and gentle with her. She actually got her to fall asleep for her nap.

All the pretty girls

Uncle Larry

Uncle David

Sarah Beth and Lucy

Kyler and I hosted a Christmas Party for my mom's side of the family Saturday Decemeber 18th. We had about 20 people here and we had a blast. The food was great, the kids played happily and the adults were able to catch up and have fun.

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas at The Clark House

2010-12-19T15:26:00.013-06:00

Kyler and I hosted a Christmas party this weekend. This was my very first Christmas Party to host and I really enjoyed it. My mothers side of the family came over and we had about 20 people. It was a great excuse to really decorate the house and make everything all pretty and cozy. I also got to use some of my china and serving pieces for the first time. I felt so grown up :o) I had such a good time setting all the tables. I have always loved dinnerware and I have been very fortunate to recieve alot of it. We were blessed with getting our Wedding china at our bridal tea and then my mother in law gave Kyler and I our Christmas China and our Arthur Court Dinnerware as Christmas presents the first few years after we got married.

Welcome to our Home!

This year I added a little tree to hang my Christmas Cards with Pictures on them. I love getting these cards and I wanted a cute way to display them. This works perfectly and it allows me to have an extra tree in the house without having to have alot of ornaments.
Love seeing these pretty smiling faces

Christmas towel my Mother in law let me borrow

My Frosty Cookie Jar

Dinning room table all set up with my christmas china

Kitchen Table set with my Arthur Court dinnerware

Kitchen Table

Table in the living room set with my wedding china

Living room table

Buffet table in dinning room

Dinning room and my Christmas Tree

Look at all those pretty presents

The kids had a blast tearing into them

Fireplace
The Toy Soldier and the duck on the mantel were made my Kyler's Grandfather Fred Webster. The duck stays up there year round and the toy soldier is considered our most important and cherished Christmas decoration.

Appetizer Table

I loved being able to use all my Christmas serving pieces.

Olivia's Table

These are Olivia's singing and dancing decorations. She LOVES them and plays them constantly.