Happily Ever After...

We started Y2K in VA with 14 and 12 yr old sons, thinking the world's computer systems might crash, and  then were thankful when they didn't.  Yes, we were one of those people. HA! Since that New Years  Day 2000 to New Year's Eve 2010 we have: ~Sold our first townhome and bought our first single family home. ~Left a church we had been at for 16 years, and lost  almost all our friends. ~Moved to Georgia and started over. ~Took the boys to ski in Colorado. ~Braved the olympic training slopes and black diamond runs in Tahoe. ~Went on vacation to Florida, North Carolina, California, Washington State, Nevada, Colorado. ~Suffered broken fingers, a sawed off finger, broken ankles and shoulder tears- and that's just Greg and I!! ~Bought 9 cars in 10 years. I know, that sounds bad, but a few were for kids! ;) ~Faced being laid off two times. Once at Christmas time. ~ Learned a lot about FAITH and TRUST in God's provisions through those times. ~Had 2 ...

 Having adult children, school age kids and babies has it share of challenges. Trying to find things that we all can do as a family is the biggest problem we face. Anytime everyone can be at the same event and everyone is having a great time is a SCORE! Today, the big kids and their friends were getting together for some flag football. We decided to bundle up all the girls to watch for a while.  Fortunately, Daddy brought a few balls with us.  While the big kids were playing this....  ....the little girls were doing this. The babies?  They were watching, and eating and...  smiling a lot. Then Daddy got a great idea to get those babies out of the stroller to let them play too.  Sofia was ALL about stealing Gianna's purple ball.   "Hey! Where'd my ball go???"  Well, Miss Celia has a mean steal! She is one quick lil' kicker.  She LOVED being a part of the girls soccer team.  Aria has decided she wants to play soccer on a tea...

Hearts entwined Twenty fingers, twenty toes, two sweet babies with cheeks of rose. Born on the same day, two gifts from above, lives entwined, two babies to love. ~Author Unknown

Christmas Day was extra special this year, having ALL SIX of our children waking up to Daddy and Mommy singing, "We wish you a Merry Christmas" Believe me when I tell you the boys REALLY enjoyed that. (Or not.) We decided last year that to minimize the "It's all about MMMEEEEE!!!!" attitude that accompanies the massive amounts of presents and we would institute the following gift giving for the girls: Something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read.  The twins got to open their "something to wear" on Christmas Eve. Actually, all six of them got PJ's.  Four sweet little cherubs are ready for bed. Thank you Papa for our new bears to sleep with!  "Good Morning, sweet Celia. Merry First Christmas my little angel."  More often than not, I have ALL FOUR of my girls on me at the same time. I LOVE IT! And I feel smothered all at the same time. Keeping it real, folks... Keeping it real.  The twins are watch...

One of my favorite things about Christmas is making special memories with my kids. My sister is in China adopting her 12 year old daughter, and so we got the privilege of adding her two little ones to our cookie decorating party. Cousins+ Cookies=Christmas Chaos!  What a fun memory we had:):)  I took the divide and conquer approach. First the 3 big girls got to decorate. My sweet niece Aspen is very neat and methodical.  Aria tried to break as many pieces off, accidentally of course , so she could eat while she iced.  Gianna feels the "shake and dump method"has worked well for her in the past. It's not cookie decorating to Gianna unless you can no longer see the cookie underneath.  Next we did the little cousins. The twins and Avalon are just 4 months a part. I am looking forward to the special friendship they will all have.  Sofia was more interested in trying to lick the sprinkle container than actually decorate.  "Shall I eat the knife or spre...

Every year Daddy makes a special memory with his growing gaggle of girls. We went to our very favorite tea room and became the junior version of the  red hat ladies.  Gianna is READY for all those yummy tea goodies!  Daddy and Celia.  They both melt my heart.  Teaching Sofia the "proper" way to drink tea is to add a lil' milk.  Or it's Mommy's way.  I forget which :)  These two are adorable. She LOVES her Daddy. I'll settle for being chopped liver to see the looks of ADORATION she gives her Daddy.  Aria couldn't wait to eat her chocolate mouse!  Each year, Daddy buys the girls tea cups which we have boxed and dated. I include a picture for each memory so when they are grown they will have a teacup collection AND photos of each special Christmas date with Daddy.  The big girls helped Mommy pick tea cups for the twins. We decided on demitasse cups for our little twinnies.  Sofia was ready to GO, but she did really love he...