Livin' it Up

This is what we've been up to this summer. Feeding the ducks tons and tons of bread...

Lots and lots and lots of playing in water and going to the pool...

At one point we had ALL the girls in the pool at one time.

They were so proud of their hairdo's!

Reese takes her safety seriously.

And we have done a little bit of miniature golfing. Reese got a hole in one!

So far summer has been really fun, and this is part one of 3 installments of fun things that we have done.

Abbi's first and second softball games were this last week, and she is quite the athlete. Before her first game she kept telling me she was so nervous she was shivering, but after the first game she now wants to play everyday.

My little independent, sweet Brynn enjoying a snack while looking at the dirt mound next door. Being a kid is so exciting!

Last days of school

I love these girls and their big smiles! Abbi started softball and she was determined to wear her softball shirt the last day of first grade so she could show Mrs. Hall, her teacher.

Reese had a carnival for her last day of preschool, and that was a perfect end for her! She was so excited to come home and show everyone all of the things she got from her carnival.

Our Easter Weekend

Easter is a favorite for my girls. For Reese it is her all time favorite, Abbi it's in her top 3, and Brynn loves anything involving celebration.

The day before Easter every year the city does an Easter egg hunt for the kids. Reese calls this the "Easter field". The kids are broken up into age groups so the older kids don't mob all the candy before the little ones can get there. Everyone had a great time, and unlike last year it wasn't pouring rain...yeah!

These kiddos get pretty hooked up. They had there hunt on Saturday. The Easter bunny leaves them a basket full of candy in their room, and they get to hunt for eggs around the house when they wake up. THIS is why it is Reese's favorite holiday!! Smart girl!

This smile makes me laugh every time!

My girls are getting so big!

Molly

As you can see we bought a puppy. She's a Morkie, a Maltese/Yorkie mix. She probably weighs a pound, and she will stay really small...or she's supposed to anyway.

Molly has been a really good dog so far, which is good because we weren't planning on getting a dog for a few years, but we found her and thought she was too cute to pass up.

Trying to get a picture of all the girls smiling is impossible sometimes, but they LOVE their new puppy!

Don't we look so "piratey"?

I had no idea that Pirate Island has a karaoke night. I went to a girls night out a few weeks ago, and it was really fun and funny to watch people sing their hearts out on stage. The guys that got up and tried to be R&B artists were hilarious. I feel like karaoke is a fun silly thing, NOT a place to deput your incredible talent as an artist. Others...disagreed.

Much to my own surprise our group even went up and I went too. I'm certainly no singer, but yelling a lame song is a whole lot different than actually trying to sing it. (Way more fun for me!)

It was great being able to kick it with friends that I NEVER get to see!

The day has come

Reese was very happy that I was FINALLY able to put a ponytail in her hair. She has asked me to do a ponytail for that last 2 years, no joke, and the poor girl hasn't had enough hair to do one, in the back of her head, until now. Behold, the glorious ponytail! Oh coarse then Brynn wanted one too and I just love that chubby profile!

Daddy's Girls plus one

If you didn't know, we are expecting baby number 4. I'm 17 weeks along, and due September 3rd.

It's a good thing that daddy loves his little girls because we just found out baby number 4 is a girl also!! I was laughing when we found out because I knew that we would have another girl! I mini dreamed what it would be like to have a boy, but it will have to stay a mini dream because we are so excited for another girl!

P.S. Reese is going through this phase where she loves to pull a strand of hair right down into the middle of her face. She LOVES it that way, and not matter how I do her hair she tries to work that crazy piece of hair into her face.

Brynn turned 2

I'm playing catch up...again.

Brynn has a fun birthday. She was born on leap day, so we get to choose what day to celebrate her birthday when it's not leap year. We're going with March 1st. As you can tell, Brynn loves birthday cake! I'm loving her super cheesy smile in every picture, and that adorable double chin!

Brynny is independent, a momma's girl, loves carrying purses and wearing shoes, loves her baby dolls, loves her freedom to roam and have her space, and wants to do whatever her sisters are doing. She talks really well, and makes us laugh all the time!

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

Two and a half weeks ago I decided to attempt the impossible...take away Brynn's binky. I thought she's almost 2, she doesn't need it for nap time or bedtime anymore right, WRONG!!! It's been the same for my other girls so I thought it would be no big deal.

At 1 they are then only given the binky at naps and bedtime, great, same for Brynn. Then around 2 it goes in the garbage and we are all better for it.

Well, I got a reality check. The first few days without were as expected. She cried for a long time, then eventually gave up and took her nap. Then by day 3 less crying and more sleep, yeah me I'm thinking, I so know what I'm doing. Then, by day 7 it's not getting better, and during the second week of no binky she maybe slept once!

So... the binky's back!!! Judge me if you want, but I know when I've been defeated, and this time I LOSE!!! She was SO excited to go to the store and get a new binky, and the little stinker obediently laid down for her nap rolled over and knocked out. She doesn't even care if she has it at bed time, but now I have my wonderful, easy napper back! This time she was definitely a winner winner chicken dinner!!

Happy Birthday Abbi

Abbi turned 7 yesterday on January 15th. This cute girl has a heart of gold. She's stubborn, but really tries to choose the right, and does. Abbi loves to learn. She is an excellent reader, and is also great with math and science. Everything about school excites her right now. She loves dogs and horses, and wants both as pets! She has wanted to be a veterinarian for the last 3 years, and is still sticking to it. She wants to be a professional soccer player, a drummer, wants to learn to play the piano, the flute, and the guitar...whew. There is of course so much a mom could say about her little girl, but we love our Abba Zambizi. She is a dedicated friend, and great example and help as a sister, and we love and adore her!!!

Late Night Pajama Party

Abbi had a late night birthday party on Thursday, and she invited 14 cute little girls. We had a blast! The played a killer game of hide and seek, ghost in the graveyard, a new game we discovered called sleeping beauty, there was a pillow fight, we ate cake and ice cream and cookie sandwiches, opened presents, watched a movie, ate popcorn, and then played more games. It was a super fun time, and after everyone left and all the cleaning up was taken care of we all fell asleep in about 2 minutes, and got a great night sleep!!

Christmas 2009

We open a present on christmas eve. They of course get jammies. This was the best picture I could get sadly. Brynn didn't even need to open it, she just loved holding her present.
Wow! She even has straight hair...maybe next year I will remember NOT to put my kids in pigtails on Christmas eve! (I'm sure she will look back and laugh someday though.)
Down and straight. That's one in three.
Reese will be curly no matter what, so it's just extra crazy and fun.
Abbi and Reese bought this baby for Brynn because they knew she would love it. They were right, she adores All of her babies in her huge collection, and she was very excited to welcome a new friend.

Andy takes the girls on dates sometimes. This one was Abbi's idea. She received tickets to a flash game at school and asked her daddy if he wanted to go out with her. I think it's funny that mommy wasn't even considered... nope, just daddy dates.

I little nostril flare never hurt anyone.

Abbi went to a friend's party a while back, and they had some professionals come and do... well, this! I think it is so beautiful!