Monday, January 21, 2013

Looking Ahead

I don't know if it was the gorgeous weather we had today combined with the three day weekend...but something has given me Spring Fever!  And that's funny considering we just took our Christmas tree down today!  Ha!

The weekend has thankfully crept by!  We have rested, played, enjoyed each others' company...and done almost everything except clean (which is what I really needed to do)!  Ha!  I did laundry...at least 1/3 of it.  I did the washing and the drying...but the folding/putting away has me stumped. :o)  Oh well...memories aren't generally made doing the laundry!

On Saturday, we relaxed at home.  It was blissful.  I played with Hallie and Harper, took the ornaments off the tree, and Jonathan took the lights down from outside (they've been off for a couple of weeks).  Yesterday, we went to church, had lunch, then browsed around at the bookstore and the mall.  Both days were enjoyable.  This morning, I loved waking up to baby sounds rather than a blaring alarm (er, 8 blaring alarms--lol).  Harper woke up around 7:00...she ate, we talked and played, then she was ready for a nap around 8:00.  Thankfully Hallie was still asleep, so I curled snuggled back into bed and went back to sleep until around 9:15!  Wonderful!!  We cleaned up (nothing spectacular, mind you), played, had a quick visit from some friends, and then headed to lunch and to the zoo.  My errands that needed to be done got pushed back...and I'm thankful to have a husband who'll go to the grocery store after the littles have been put to bed! :o)

Hallie and Harper had a blast at the zoo.  Harper napped for the first part of it, but was wide-eyed once she woke up and took in all her surroundings! :o)  It was a gorgeous day and we got there late enough that there weren't a ton of people out, but the animals were enjoying the cool weather.

With all that said, this weekend was a tease and definitely has me looking ahead to summer vacation!  I hate to wish the days away, but I love the time I get to spend with my sweet, little family. :o)

 We got to the zoo about an hour and a half before they closed...Hallie's favorite thing is to feed the fish.  Those poor fish were completely stuffed by the time Hallie got around to feeding them.  She threw in a handful of fish food and they just "sat there" underwater, not even attempting to swim to the top for food!  

Hallie made a "monkey noise"...and the orangutan turned toward her voice and walked up to her! :o)  Hallie was THRILLED!

Magestic!

Not so sure...

Hallie got a kick out of these birds just hanging out.

I think Harper enjoyed all the sights today!

I have always loved CPZ's aquarium, but I always wished they had something displayed by each tank to describe the fish.  Boy have they added the wow factor!  Each aquarium has a flat screen TV above it (here, the large aquarium's is beside it) that runs through a slideshow-type things to describe the fish in that tank!  Very cool!


I'm pretty sure Hallie could stay at this tree house all day!

Sweet sisters!

Mommy, what IS that?!

 Butterfly Hallie

All smiles...thanks to Hallie's silliness!

Harper was giggling and blowing bubbles, so Hallie had to join her! :o)

My little zoo girl!

Tea for Two

Hallie was very excited to be out of school today...I can honestly say I joined her in that excitement!  When she woke up, she instantly wanted Harper to get up and play. :o)  I put Harper on her playmat while I fixed some oatmeal for breakfast...I turned around and caught the sweetest sight...Hallie was having a tea party with Harper. Very sweet moment...I was able to grab my camera quickly and snap a few pictures to preserve the memory!  I look forward to many more sweet moments with these two!









Tuesday, January 15, 2013

The Stay at Home Gang

Hallie had a sickly weekend...had a spend the night "party" with Gramps and RahRah and had to be picked up early due to coughing, fever, and general puniness. So far, 2013 is not our year! Today Hallie lost her perfect attendance status. 83 days straight of kindergarten with perfect attendance and day 84 was her day to lose that status. Bless her bones. She was pretty upset by that. Nevertheless, she had had fever and needed to stay home. Jonathan decided to keep Harper home, too...just for kicks and giggles (literally). The trio had a day of cartoons, movies, naps and rest (more naps, rest and tummy time for Harper than cartoons).

Hallie had a doctor's appointment and found the culprit of her illness to be bronchitis. Or as she says, "bromytis". Haha. Some antibiotics should have that little girl better in no time!



Tuesday, January 8, 2013

This is how she rolls...

...by rolling when Mommy isn't watching! I just got a text from Harper's sitter saying she put Harper flat on her tummy and she tucked that arm and rolled on over!! Twice! I guess she just hates tummy time that much! Ha! We practiced a lot over Christmas break, but she wouldn't roll from a flat tummy position. She would roll if she was on her side--to her back and to her tummy. Amy said Harper got mad when she tried to video her. Go figure, the little stinker! I sure do hope she performs her new trick for us tonight!

Just yesterday we had a non-roller!

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Five X Seven

They say it's your birthday! Ha. Happy birthday to my partner on this crazy journey of life, my best friend, and the very best daddy in the world. I am so thankful for Jonathan and the balance he creates in our family. He makes sure there is plenty of silliness and laughter coming from both our girls' hearts!

Happy birthday, love! Many blessings to you!! xoxo

Saturday, January 5, 2013

iPhone Christmas Break


Top: Snowgirl Harper; Sickly Hallie
Middle: Our packed car ready for Alabama; Hallie; Whitney the Elf
Bottom: Harper taking a break; Hallie in Starbucks


Clockwise (Top L): Pumpkin Spice Latte; My girls; Harper in her Jenny Jumpup; Uncle Kelly & Harper; Steph and Kendra

Clockwise (Top L): Hallie in the snow flurries; Harper practicing sitting up; Moe got left at the movies and Mommy rescued him in the pouring rain; The girls with Nonna; Pop & Harper taking their daily walk around the house

Clockwise (Top L): Tummy Time; My sleeping angle; Uncle Kelly is so snuggly with Harper...she went right to sleep at dinner; New boots!

Clockwise (Top L): Breakfast with Aunt Steph @ Cracker Barrel; Harper's showing us her tongue...and feeling better after being a little sickly; Harper can drive, too; Bathtime at Nonna's; Hallie snuggled up, feeling better after a stomach bug

Clockwise (Top L): Harper traveled from Alabama to Texas on her 5 month birthday; Puzzle time with Hallie; Harper constantly chews on her fingers...is there a tooth trying to pop up?; Sweet baby; Big Sister reading to Little Sister...so precious!


Friday, January 4, 2013

Alabama Christmas

22 December 2012 -- 02 January 2013

Christmas Eve/Christmas Day at Nonna and Pop's

The Christmas Story

The stockings were hung...
Harper doesn't have a stocking yet, so we improvised. :o)

Santa came to see Hallie!

Santa came to visit Harper, too!

Nonna's gifts to the girls...she gave them karaoke machines.  Yet she failed to give the parents ear plugs.  Hmm...I think the "singing machines" [Hallie] should have stayed at Nonna and Pop's house!



Sleepy eyes on Christmas morning!


Hallie is precious...she didn't dig into all her gifts.  Rather, she opened them one by one and played with each of them separately for about 30 minutes or longer before moving on to the next gift.  I love that girl!

Santa brought Harper a Sophie Giraffe!

Harper loves the feel of her crinkle book!

Harper and Granny Dell (Harper's great-great aunt)

Uncle Kelly and Harper waiting to open presents.

Five minutes later...Harper thought she'd take a nap while waiting. :o)

 Pop helped Harper open her presents!

This year, I asked the girls to take turn opening presents rather than digging in and no one knowing what they got.  It took a little longer, but to me it was worth it!  Hope no one else minded...I liked getting to see the joy and excitement on their sweet faces.  Here, Hallie is *thrilled* to get a "wallet you can run over"!  Ha!

And Abby was *thrilled* to get a "reborn" doll...which this one was actually an Ashton Drake doll...or an Android Baby as Uncle Jay lovingly (ha) named him...the doll would squeeze your hand. 

The look on Harper's face says "I'd love to rip into that, but my hands won't quite do what I'm telling them to yet!"  Ha!

Sweet Hattie Grace helping Harper open presents.

Another excited face...her VERY OWN CLIPPERS!  Hahahahaha.  Oh my word, this girl makes me laugh. She *loves* to dig the dirt out from under her nails.  When she saw them, she immediately asked if it had a "digger".  Haha!

Precious!

Granny Dell and her daughter (Barbara) with Harper

Hallie loves her Baby Alive...I believe she and HG went through every diaper within 30 minutes.  There were 6 diapers!  Haha.  They just kept feeding that baby and letting her "poop". :o)  I'm not all that sad that Hallie chose to leave Baby Alive at Nonna's to play with "next time". 

Christmas Afternoon @ Aunt Becky's

Harper meeting Aunt Steph (my cousin) and Uncle Jeff (Harper's great uncle)

Cousins!

Harper with my cousin, Clay and his wife (Nikki) and daughter (Lexi)--doesn't he have a beautiful family?  He has a 2.5 year old, Ethan, who was napping...he's just as adorable as his sister!

Morris Cousins--such beautiful girls!
Hallie & Hattie Grace
Abby, Lexi, & Nora

Aunt Mel and Harper...I love this woman and her love of life!  The only thing I don't love is that she kept trying to get my baby to say "Roll Tide"!  HA!

Aunt Becky was snuggling Harper and she fell fast asleep. :o)  She must have been comfy in Aunt Becky's arms!


The Rest of Christmas Break

With Christmas being so early in the week, we had a chance to rest the remainder of the visit.  Lots of giggles, playing, shopping, and just visiting happened.  It was lovely.  And as always, I wish it could have been longer!  

My dad would come in each morning and get Harper to talk on a little walk around the house. Some mornings she was still sleeping, but this particular morning, he got her and I slept a few extra minutes.  When I went into their room, this is what I found:

Aunt Mandi & Harper

Some of my favorite girls!
Hallie, Harper, Mandi, & Cailin

One handsome guy, my godson, Noah...and his duck earbuds that he just HAD to have!  Ha!

Cute kids--Cailin, Hallie, & Mason

I love this little girl!!

Best friends!

Three Little Spies...they loved playing spies.  It was the cutest things...and funny!  Hallie got Walkie Talkies for Christmas from RahRah and Gramps, so they made perfect spy gear! :o)
  

Spy codes

Bathtime in the kitchen sink!

Sweet moments with Nonna.

Sweet moments with Pop.

Tummy Time!  Good thing Harper had Hallie to help her!




We stopped by school on our way back to Texas to give hugs to Nonna (who is doing a long-term sub job), Abby, and HG!

Whew!  We had a wonderful Christmas in Alabama.  If you're still with me, I appreciate it. :o)  Happy New Year!