A Smile For Santa

I had a great day with the girls today. Be prepared this is one long post. Our hot water heater is not heating the water and cannot be repaired until Monday. We headed over to Mimi and Poppy's so we could all bathe and the best part for the girls besides seeing Mimi and Poppy is Hunter was going to be at Mimi's today. The girls were so excited to see Hunter. They thought since they had a bath at Mimi's that Hunter should have a bath, so we gave him a bath in the sink and he loved his bath and the girls loved watching him. It was such a beautiful day we played outside. The girls loved any chance to help with Hunter.
We left Mimis house around 2:30 and headed to Southlake to Sunshine Glaze to make an ornament and to see {drumroll please} SANTA, yes that is right Santa was at Sunshine Glaze today. The girls were a little hesitant at first. They wouldn't even go up to him unless I was there with them.(I love the picture of all of us) So we proceeded to paint our ornament and have a candy cane from Santa. Presley chose a Dog, Brooke chose a Santa Face and I chose a Christma Tree. It didn't take long for them to get bored and Brooke started painting her hand and Presley continued to eat the rest of her candy cane. I love the picture of the both of them painting and Santa in the background looking at the two of them. By the way dont you think he is a great Santa. We finished and the girls wanted to show Santa their great handy work and I was excited because I realized that they were warming up to Santa. And to my surprise, they sat on his lap together. I then said to them that they needed to sit on Santa's lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas. Brooke told Santa she would like a bounce house and Presley told Santa she wanted a kitty cat. I had to tell Presley that it might be hard for Santa to bring a cat in his sleigh. Brooke was all about Santa and Presley was still a little shy (as you can see by the picture with her fingers in her mouth) but she was still on his lap and that is all I cared about because I photographed this whole experience and I was tickled pink my little girls were being so good with Santa and with the whole day. I can't wait to see how their ornaments turn out.
The girls were not ready to go home so we decided to walk around Southlake Towne Square and we ended up over by the fountain so they could throw coins in the fountain. They took their shoes off and were having a blast. It was so sweet to watch them from a distance frolic in the water. They were so carefree and beautiful. I missed the photo opportunty but it is forever etched in my mind. The day was going absolutely wonderful and the girls were little angels so we decided to eat at Micocina. It was a pleasant fun filled day spent with my girls and I couldn't have asked for a better day. I love you both and thank you for such a wonderful day.

Cedar Hilll State Park

I was going through my posts and realized I never posted these pictures from the camping visit for Josh and Clay's Birthday. We didn't camp out but went to visit the campers I really wanted to camp but Gary didn't think the girls were ready. It is a good thing we didn't because it rained in the night and it was cold. It was a fun time, we road 4 wheelers,ate hamburgers and hot dogs,cupcakes, sang Happy Birthday, had a bonfire and the best of all roasted marshmallows for smores. The girls would just eat the chocolate out of the smores. They are definitely my children. Presley stood back and watched everyone while Brooke played and played with the boys. She had a blast. We are going to try Dinosaur Valley in the spring. I think they will be ready for a camping trip. It was so neat to see Brooke interact and play so hard with other kids. Presley was our little cuddle bug. She would sit in a lap as long as we would let her.

Those Girls

We went to the doctor to get our Flu Shot today and Brooke was in a mood.
She had to go potty so I escorted her to the restroom and we did our business and she began to wash her hands and reached for more soap and I let her know she had enough soap, well, that did not set well with Miss Brooke. She began to cry rather loud and I gave her a paper towel and escorted her out of the restroom. She was still unhappy and crying. As we walked to our seat, a young girl said, "Ma'am have you heard of Super Nanny." I laughed and said, "yes I think I might need her today."
Her mom was on the phone and she was mortified. The mom apologized several times. I laughed and informed her it was okay and that I thought it was rather funny. It really wasn't that bad just one of those days with one of those girls of mine

Presley was playing in her room and I called her name and she came running out with this Fireman's Jacket. I started laughing because this jacket goes to a stuffed dog, a webkins. I don't even know how she got it on because we had a little trouble getting it off.
Those little girls of mine crack me up on a regular basis. Good or bad days I'll take them all. They are the light of my life, even if someone thinks I need Super Nanny.

Playing My Guitar

I just had to get some pictures of the girls playing with their cute pink guitars. They didn't come with the straps so Rita's dad found some pink straps and attached them to the guitars, so sweet of him to think of the girls. Do you think we have some musicians in our future?
The girls have music at school everyday and Mrs. Angie told me they were trying to out do each other and see who could sing Jingle Bells the loudest. She was quite pleased because they are practicing for a school program.

Celebrating Birthdays

We met at the Scottish Right Park so we could exchange gifts with Clay and Josh. It was really a pretty day and the kids had a fun time. We have met at that park before but they were much younger. It brought back some sweet memories remembering how little the girls were and to see how much they have grown. Clay and Brooke seem to really love playing with each other while Presley and Josh just do their own thing. We played for a while and opened gifts and had cupcakes. The girls got pink guitars from the boys and they loved them. We talked about getting together next time and having band practice. We then went to eat after the park and really felt sorry for everyone around us in the resturaunt. The kids were good but a little wound up and loud it must have been the cupcakes before dinner. It is such a blessing to have such great friends so close in age that we can create such great memories.

A Happy Halloween

We went to Dallas for Halloween because Jim and Seth were in town from Chicago. The girls had a great time with Clay and Josh. They were Pirates and the girls were Supergirls but if you said Supergirls to them they both would say Superman. Brooke originally wanted to be Spiderman and Presley was going to be Dora but the costume showed her belly and I felt she was a little young to be showing her belly. She wore it to gymnastics and that is when I realized we needed to find another costume plus she wouldn't leave the wig on because it would get in her eyes. So she decided she wanted to be the same as Brooke and it was fine by me. Rita and Alan get so many trick or treaters that everyone sits outside to hand out candy. It is a sight to see. Presley was such a good helper giving out candy. She really enjoyed her little job. A job it is when you see the sidewalk full of people and not an end in sight. She was so cute. Brooke was having a ball playig with Clay and Josh. We will have to do Halloween in Dallas everytime it falls on the weekend because it truly was a great time. The girls were absolutely exhausted they slept until 8:45 the next morning. We got to sleep in for the first time in a long time. What a blessing!

Autumn at the Arboretum

We had a somewhat fun day at the Arboretum. I think I got the most pictures of the girls together than ever. Now, they all aren't great but I very rarely get them together so when I do I like it.
It was a great day weather wise for a trip to the Arboretum but the girls were not on their best behavior. Brooke just hasn't been listening lately. I have been taking a class on Love and Logic trying to help with the situation. It is helping some but when we are out it hasn't seemed to work. We tell her not to do something and it is the opposite of what we want or she just flat out ignores us and it is obvious she is ignoring us. We try to use some of the Love and Logic and she ignores that also. She is just hard headed. I am thinking it is harder now than when they just turned two. I think our terrible twos will be at the age of three. I feel so frustrated some times and I know she picks up on it but man she is a toot. Feel free to pray for me on this situation because I need all the help I can get.
Presley will listen better but she still throws fits when things don't go her way. They are not as bad as they use to be but they still happen. We were putting her in time out and that wasn't working so I learned from the class to put her in her room and tell her when she can be happy and act like everyone else she can come out. The other day I put her in her room and she didn't like to be where she couldn't see anyone so she calmed down much faster. Let's hope that continues to work. Man, this parenting thing has become much harder I will take the no sleep days over this anyime.
Now for some happier times, Presley is really starting to be so funny. We were writing on her magnadoodle tonight and I was showing her the first letter of all of our names and she said, "wait a minute mommy I need to put on my glasses so I can see." Not to mention they were sun glasses. Daddy has to put on his glasses when he trims their fingernails so I am sure that is where she got it from, it just made me laugh. I probably shouldn't tell this but I am. We are in the middle of potty training and I was in the bathroom with her and she started grunting and I said, Presley are you okay and she smiled her cute smile and said, "that is what daddy does." So needless to say, I informed Gary if he doesn't want anythig repeated he better be careful of what he says or does around our children.
Brooke loves to sing to our music in the car and she has quite a few favorites and will request certain songs often and has to hear them more than once sometimes. Presley on the other hand will chime in and say, "she doesn't want that song." If I leave it on she will throw one of her mini fits. This happens all the time. They are opposite on most things so we have to compromise a lot. Presley loves to sing as well. Today in the car she was singing and clapping and having a fun time and then stopped and said, "her tummy hurt because she was singing and clapping too much."
Brooke is still a mommy's girl and Presley is also but she goes back and forth. Presley is whom ever is home with her at the time. Brooke is still my good helper.
I heard her in the bathroom slamming drawers and asked her what she was doing and she responded with putting the toothpaste and toothbrushes away. They both are very good about picking up their toys. I tell them they have to pick up the toys they are finished with before they can drag anymore out and they are fine with that rule.

We also did the JDRF Walk(Juvenile Diabetes) on Saturday and they had a fun time walking with Clay and Josh. Presley and Brooke both love babies a lot. Presley kind of took over this lady's (Dabney was her name) stroller and was helping her push baby Jackson. I was surprised it wasn't Brooke. It was really cute and thank goodness that Dabney was fine with her helping. She was a NICU nurse at Cooks Childrens and was 9 weeks pregnant and Jackson wasn't hers, she was helping a friend out that was painting and she felt Jackson would have more fun on the walk. She was really a nice lady and I enjoyed talking with her.
This is a long post so I will close with a few more of my favorite pictures from the Arboretum.

Butterfly Flutterby

Gary was out of town so the girls and I decided to go the Butterfly Flutterby in Grapevine. There was a parade and we arrived just in time to see the end of the parade. Our main goal was to see the release of the butterflies. The girls loved watching the release of the Monarch Butterfly. The best part was seeing Mason and Maddox. April put butterflies all over a ball cap for Mason it was so cute. There were a ton o kids dressed up like butterflies. I hadsome small buttrfly wings for the girls but they didn't last long. Brooke took ers off pretty much immediately. I got one picture of her in the wings and that was it. Presley kept hers on for much longer. They all had a great time. They picked out their own pumpkin to decorate. We were going to have their faces painted and waited in line and decided the line was moving way too slow, so we took them to ride a pony. Brooke's pony was named Red and Presley's pony was named Comanche. We had a fun time. On our way home I saw a place that was selling painted pumpkins for kids with cancer and thought the girls would enjoy picking out a pumpkin. Presley picked out a Halloeen cat an Brooke picked out a Blues Clues dog. She has never watched Blues Clues but wanted it because it was a blue dog. I tried to get her to choose something with a Halloween theme but she wanted the dog. While we were in there Presley found a spot in the corner. Guess what she was doing? At one point I walked over to her and she told me to go away and I soon realized she was pooping. Thank God I put a Pull Up on the both of them because we were going to be out and not close to any restrooms. I thought oh Presley, why here. I went over o her several tims and she would say, "Mommy I am not finished yet, go away. Finally we paid for our pumpkins and we were off to the car to change her Pull Up. I wil be so glad when they are fully potty trained. I am tired of buying dang Pull Ups. I know they should be trained but part of it is my fault because we don't stay home long enough for them to be trained. I am such a bad mommy. I have to have them trained by their birhday for sure, I have a month to go.
Wish me luck!