Little Moments

Attending all of Kylie’s end-of-the-year programs reminds me of how fast my girls are growing up and that my time with little kids in the house is short; that second thought makes me want to do a happy dance and pull out the Kleenex, too! People who have kids who are grown are always telling me to enjoy every moment. But I think they’ve forgotten some of the moments that little ones bring: projectile vomiting without the ability to hit the trashcan, potty training refusals and accidents, public and private meltdowns, and whining, whining, whining. Okay, so I realize that all of those are not exclusively little kid issues, but just go with it. The truth is I don’t enjoy every moment. Some moments and days and phases are long and frustrating. But I do enjoy something about each day with my girls while they are little: the snuggles and hugs, the pretending, the happy cries of “Mommy!” when I pick them up, the singing, the reading, sometimes even the mess. And, of course, holding the little hands that will soon be big enough to not have to hold mine. And it’s those sweet moments that get me through the moments that are not-so-sweet. So with Kylie cuddled up with my arm as I type, let me share some of my favorite pictures from the last few months with you (remember that I'm six years behind on scrapbooking so I've got lots of pictures to work in here!).

This is a picture that Ben had on his phone that demonstrates Kelsey's marker destruction potential. This incident included marker on her hands, feet, face, clothes, and, yes, in her mouth!

Kylie and Santa- Kelsey was not interested in being anywhere close to Santa this year!

Ben and I leaving on our date night in Houston- The Nutcracker, dinner without kids, and a stay in a downtown hotel (all planned by him, I should add).

New ladybug rain boots

Yes, I climbed in here myself, and I'm thinking about eating this soap!

Kelsey's first haircut...and sucker!

Kylie drew this picture of herself at Bible study in February. It features our sweet dog Maggie in the bottom corner.

Chocolate chocolate chip muffins from Mrs. Sonya

Chair to bar stool to counter and I'm in!

What a sweet face!

Playing dress up all by herself

Another climbing conquest

A yogurt facial...and I think she actually ate some of it, too!

Friends and presents at Kylie's birthday party

A new bike for her birthday. And, of course, she is riding for the first time in a princess dress.

Waiting for shots at the doctor's office. She was having a great time until they poked her!

Building with groceries

One of Kylie's many self-portraits

 Well, I decided to save April and May for another day to try to avoid picture overload. I really do love looking through the pictures we have from each month and seeing how our girls have grown and changed. Hope you enjoyed the parade of pictures also!

Let me open my first post with a confession: I am six years behind on my scrapbooking. Yes, you read that right. SIX years. My sister is my scrapbooking hero. Not only is she usually up to date, but her scrapbooks are beautiful! My only good excuse is that her kids are old enough to not mess with her stuff when she leaves it out, and my kids see scrapbooking as an endless parade of papers that need to be colored, cut, and glued to their specifications (Okay, so in trying to minimize my lack of scrapbooking accomplishments, I'm not giving her nearly enough credit for her vision and organization!). So I've decided that instead of fighting this time in my life, I will embrace it. I have hope that I will one day rise to scrapbooking greatness, but for now this blog will give me the chance to keep our family and friends updated on our life without the need for glue or scissors. 

 I thought long and hard about what to call my blog. Something interesting, something unusual. As a former English teacher, I know the importance of a title! And then Kelsey provided the answer when she started trying to eat markers. I can assure you that it was worse in real life than what I captured in the pictures!

Kelsey is our resident messer/explorer with a great laugh and a precious desire to snuggle- when she's in the mood. Kylie is our princess who only likes dresses and skirts and who quotes lines from books and movies and adds a touch of drama to our lives. Ben and I are like most parents, trying to raise our kids to know how to behave and what's important in life as well as trying to stay connected as a couple, and trying to have some family fun along the way.  This blog is our story.  I hope you'll enjoy following the tales of our normal, messy, sweet life! With these crazy girls in the house, it's always guaranteed to be interesting!