Guatemalan Girlfriends

Sandra, Michele, Tanya, Sessia and Abbie Grace

Abbie, Sessia, and Brie

The girls, bundled up on the swingset

Abbie, Sessia, Michele and Brie

My parents hosted some wonderful ladies from Guatemala this week. They have been here in AR teamed up with Fellowship Associates Residency Program. Tanya's husband is a pastor in Guatemala. It's so fun to meet all these missionaries and see how God connects all His people from all over the world. Abbie just fell in love with these two girls... Sessia and Michele. They both speak English beautifully and are so sweet to her. They are experiencing a new climate here with the changing season and the cold! This is all of us playing around in our backyard.

Breakfast with Santa

Abbie Grace

Abbie and Eric

They were giving out Fire hats...these guys are ready for an emergency!

This is what really happens when you take a picture with kids...one is struggling to get out of my arms and the other one is in a mid-tackle trying to take me down to the ground...

Tracie and Tracy with Brie Baby

The posed shot....

Eric, Abbie and Aubrie

Abbie after Santa moves away

Our encounter with the Claus Family

Last week we had Breakfast with Santa at McCain mall. We got up, got dressed, got excited, drove up to the mall, took out the super stroller, met up with Tracy and Eric and then experienced sheer terror at the presence of Mr. & Mrs. Claus. Yep, terror...especially from Aubrie. We didn't have to pay for the terror, thank goodness. We were going up there to take pictures but that dream quickly faded when we approached Santa and Aubrie attempted to climb over my shoulder. When her escape plan didn't pan out, she opted for hiding her face in my shoulder and shaking with fear. Abbie, my normally outgoing child, clung to my leg like it was a lifeline and wouldn't make eye contact with either Mr. or Mrs. Now, understand that these were some of the best and most pleasant Clauses that I have ever met. Not scary at all...so needless to say, we passed on having our picture officially taken with Santa. Maybe next year, maybe not...I'm just glad that my expectations have been set low, okay really low, for any and all Christmas encounters with Santa for 2008. Our holiday song will go something like this...

Fa-La-La-La-La-La-La-La stay away from Santa...

Homeschool at Mrs. Tammy's

Eric and Nate

The girls club!

My little artist at work

Kaden and Elaina creating their fall tree

Painting in process!!

Mommy and Brie

Abbie painting

Brie during story time

Our special guest, Elaina

Story Time

In the month of November, we did our homeschooling at Mrs. Tammy's house. It was so much fun. Tammy is awesome and the kids had a wonderful time learning all about fall. Abbie was calling the colorfull tree's "Changing Tree's" and after Mrs. Tammy explained a little about chlorophyll, Abbie now shouts CHLOROPHYLL!!! everytime we pass a tree that is changing colors. I love that she picked up on that! What can I say, my child is brilliant. The kids did a weaving project with foam leaves, Tammy read stories and they did some painting. We had a special guest on this day too...Elaina May! She was out of school and got to come with Beck and Kaden. Abbie was so glad to see her girlfriend!

Mornings at the Durham's

Abbie Grace, 4.75 years

Brie Baby, 16 months

Hanging Out watching Cartoons

So we don't always have lazy mornings at home but on my girls ideal morning, we are at home hanging out on the couch watching TV with their sippy cups full of chocolate milk. Both of the girls nursed...well forever. So when I weaned them, I did it the easiest way possible...from mom to Chocolate Milk. I mean really, if you have to be weaned why not move to the best kind of milk...chocolate. So both of them LOVE chocolate milk...chocolate was Aubrie's sixth word, I promise. In the morning, both the girls want to snuggle on the couch, sit in my lap or under the big white blanket and drink their hair of the dog...otherwise known here as chocolate milk. I love this tradition...when Abbie goes to Kindergarten next year, I am going to miss these mornings and I'll miss moments like these the most. Chocolate Milk, Cartoons, Coffee and my two little girls...it just doesn't get better than this for me.

A Night at Home with the Durham's

This is just a glimpse into life at our house. The girls are growing up so fast. We have been so blessed just to be their parents. We love taking video's of them doing momentus stuff but sometimes it's good to see the basic's too. Tonight after the girls had their bath, we all sat around in Aubrie's nursery and watched her walk around. I got out the camera to video her newest accomplishment but she didn't exactly cooperate. What you see is what happened for a couple of minutes at the house. How awesome is God that He lets us have these precious little gifts to remind us that there is glory even in the littlest things...little dances, little words, big sisters and little sisters. What a great God we serve!

Abbie's Barrel Cart Ride

Aubrie Faith's First Hair Cut

Aubrie's Hair Pre-Cut

Taking some snips off

Getting it even

The final product

Well, I finally did it. Tonight we cut Aubrie's baby hair. I struggled with this decison, just like I did with Abbie Grace but she was sort of sporting a baby mullet so it was time to get a little trim. We brought in the bumbo as our seat and started to cut. She did a great job staying still for me and I think it's reasonably straight. I only did the back because the front is still a little too thin to trim. I had a wonderful assistant helping me with the photo's that you see here. The first picture of the pre-cut hair was taken by Phillip but the rest are all taken by Miss Abbie Grace. I think she's showing some talent. Thanks Abbie for taking great pictures of Aubrie's first little hair cut. Aubrie, you look beautiful!