Annagrace got a job

These tractors are currently parked in our yard! They are putting new water pipes in and they are cutting right through our yard to do so.

 The pipes! So the holes to put them in have to be HUGE!

the poses she wanted to do

9 Months!!

sweet sisters

party party

Today we had a birthday party. A birthday party for Cooper . . . the dog . . . the stuffed dog.

 tiaras were required

fancy dresses

and presents

Annagrace had to help with the unwrapping

and we made cinnamon rolls for the birthday dog.

Everyone enjoyed them, especially Emmalee

Monkey Joes

While the big girls were all playing on the big girl slides, Emmalee found her own friend. They would crawl around and around each other, smile, and giggle.

 I found out from his Mom that they are only 4 days apart.

 Emmalee is a crazy crawling champion now. She is super quick and gets into the tightest little spots! I think she is trying to keep up with her big sister.

new tea set

 We found a tea set on the clearance isle at Walmart so we purchased it as a reward. It sat on the top of the refrigerator as a reminder to listen and obey to earn her tea set. Well, today was the day to open it up!

 Emmalee is excited to try it out.

Annagrace insisted on keeping the box because she needed to look at the picture to make the place settings EXACTLY like the picture.

(I had planned on cropping this picture down more until I noticed the baby in the corner, stretching down as far as possible to get into the shot! Love it!)

Ice Day

 One night of freezing rain has shut down half of a state for 2 days.

But it sure is pretty!

Christmas Morning 2010

 Santa brought the girls a full furnished doll house. 

Annagrace got a set of Disney Princess Dolls, a family of Barbies, and a Buzz Lightyear

Emmalee got a ball popper toy.

Merry Christmas!

So happy to be celebrating Emmalee's first Christmas. She is such a blessing to our family. Such a sweet, happy, smiley baby.

We were busy having fun and didn't take many photos of the unwrapping craziness. We did video some of it but they aren't uploading right now, maybe later.

Christmas Eve 2010

THE SPREAD

THE COUSINS - LAUGHING, AS ALWAYS

DEEP IN SERIOUS APPLESAUCE CONVERSATION

RECREATING A PICTURE OF MY DAD WITH HIS MOM. I WILL POST THEM SIDE-BY-SIDE SOON.

 PRESENT TIME

In my family we always opened gifts on Christmas Eve and then had Santa presents on Christmas Day. Since marrying Tyler, I adopted the NO PRESENTS until Christmas morning tradition with the exception of  presents from my family. So, Annagrace got to open her presents from Grandmother and Granddaddy and one from us (pjs).

She got a Tag and 2 Tag books.

 Emmalee opened her first present - Christmas PJs

 and then immediately passed out.

So cute in their matching Christmas PJs.

Emmalee opened her eyes long enough for this picture. Both of them were so worn out from our fun day at Grandmother and Granddaddy's party. Annagrace fell asleep on the way home and missed putting out cookies and milk for Santa. 

Santa

 Patiently waiting to see Santa. 

When we got there he was "at lunch" but as soon as he got back the line went pretty quick.

 Annagrace didn't mind the wait, she made friends with the kids around us. If you would have seen her and that little girl in brown, you would have thought they had know each other forever. They kept hugging each other and were glued at the hip.

I honestly have never seen a BABY sit in Santa's lap and smile! I couldn't believe how good Emmalee did. And Annagrace smiled, as always, for her photographer Mama

 I think this Santa was getting worn out. He wasn't exactly excited or talkative with the kids. While he looked the part, he wasn't as friendly as the Santa at Stone Mtn.

 After seeing Santa we enjoyed a cookie and diet coke/juice in the food court and played on the rides.

Annagrace asked me if I had money for her to put in the rides. I told her no and she responded, "that's okay, someone else will." And she is right! Every time we go there is always some other Grandma or Grandpa or parent popping quarters into the rides for their own kids and Annagrace will hop on in with them. LOL! At least everything is a 2 seater! (That's my thrifty girl!)

Such a smiley baby.

After the mall we headed out to Grandmother's to get ready for the big Christmas Eve party.

Home School Pre-school

We are still going strong with Pre-school at home. Last week was "B" week for birth (of Christ), bee, bear, baker, butterfly . . . 

It's a lot of fun. My MIL gave me lots of tips and I found a fabulous website with lots of print outs and lesson plans. She especially loves the letter books - she colors the pictures and then matches up the words and glues the pictures on. She also really likes the "find-a-word." She is responding well. Some weeks we have more time to spend on the letter than others. And, some weeks she is more attentive than others. But, she seems to be picking it up. She runs up to me all of the time telling me what letter a certain word starts with. Like today: "Mom, did you know that tiara starts with the letter T?"