Julia and Jocelyn

Christmas 2011

2012-01-09T13:46:00.001-06:00

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We had the most wonderful time spending Christmas with our family. The girls had a blast, even though there was NO SNOW! For more pictures click below:

Christmas_2011

Lights!

2012-01-01T21:07:00.000-06:00

We enjoyed a few Festival of Lights this year, but a definite highlight was seeing Santa. They actually talked to him and didn't cry! They even gave him a 'high five.' A few moments after we walked away Jocelyn said..."See Dad, I told you I was going to talk to Santa," It was a good day. ;)

Christmas card: Take 3

2012-01-01T20:58:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving

2012-01-01T20:52:00.000-06:00

We have so much to be thankful for: especially pregnant friends who will play 'dress up' with two little girls after Thanksgiving dinner. Marc and Laurie--you really are the best. :)

Aunt Tammy

2012-01-01T20:45:00.000-06:00

Aunt Tammy came for a visit and we had so much fun! She was able to go with the girls on their field trip to the Food Pantry and attending the Thanksgiving Feast. We had fun at the Nutcracker Market...who knew you could be that tired from shopping?! We also enjoyed Kemah and the beach. Thanks for visiting!

Happy Halloween

2012-01-01T20:37:00.000-06:00

The girls were super excited for Halloween this year and we celebrated nearly all month long. Julia was Belle and Jocelyn was Tinkerbell. The had fun trick or treating with their class at NASA. Their favorite part of trick or treating at home was handing out the treats. They would literally jump up and down after they gave away candy. :)

The Great Smoky Mountains

2011-11-01T21:12:00.000-05:00

Fun with Granny

2011-10-31T21:22:00.001-05:00

Grandma Diana came to Texas and we left for The Smoky Mountains! The girls had so much fun. They played at the park, watched hot air balloons, painted pumpkins, went to Fall Festivals...there was never a dull moment. Thank you Granny...we love you!

Yogi Bear

2011-10-15T21:40:00.000-05:00

We enjoyed the long weekend (and celebrating my birthday) at the Jellystone Yogi Bear campground. We had a great time! Waterslides, painting pumpkins, costume contest, trick or treating, feeding the animals, tye dying t-shirts, mini golf and finally meeting Yogi. It rained ALL DAY Sunday (it hasn't rained that much in a YEAR), so we were so thankkful we had a cabin. The girls loved the loft which was just their size. We will definitely be making this an annual trip!

Happy Birthday Melanie!

2011-10-10T07:52:00.000-05:00

Dewberry Farm

2011-09-24T21:21:00.000-05:00

Dewberry Farm=Pig races, tractor rides, feeding goats, slides, forts, duck races, barrel train rides, a pile of hay, tunnels, popcorn, singing roosters, slides, flowers+pumpkins. Awesome.

kisses & bracelets

2011-09-24T20:51:00.000-05:00

We're sitting on the couch, it's bedtime, and we're ready books. "That looks like Dyson." Julia says. "Oh, Dyson that's in your class?" Daddy replies. "I kissed Dyson today and he said ewww." Oh my goodness. "Jocelyn, is that true?" I ask. To which Jocelyn says "Yes. I kissed him too." I just aged three years in 30 seconds.
Then, later in the week they made friendship bracelets and chose who they would like to give them to. Yes, they brought two home from boys. Julia gave hers to Vincent. Jocelyn scored big points when she gave hers to Daddy. ;)

Julia: Star Student

2011-09-24T20:39:00.000-05:00

Julia was the Star Student at school the past few weeks. We are so proud of her! Part of being Star Student includes bringing Rodney the Raccoon home. Rodney was dressed in a pink dress and had a tiara on within minutes. He wore pajamas every night and slept in the doll cradle. We can't wait until it's Jocelyn's turn to take him home!

Happy Birthday Princess Caroline

2011-09-12T15:39:00.000-05:00

The girls were invited to their new friend Caroline's Princess Birthday party. First of all, there's NOTHING cuter than fancy girls who feel "pretty." Add some jewelry winning games, shoe decorating, and a doll cake and you have a fun party! Caroline is in the girls room at preschool and Julia & Jocelyn are two of her biggest fans.

tea party

2011-09-12T15:31:00.000-05:00

The girls had a formal invitation to a tea party next door. Goodies and dress up...yes please! They were in a 'mommy mood' so I got to go too! :) We're so blessed to have the best neighbors in the whole wide world.

poodle skirts

2011-08-20T15:43:00.001-05:00

The girls have started their new school and already attended a Sock Hop. Clearly, poodle skirts were necessary. ;)

Dad at work

2011-08-19T15:50:00.000-05:00

We decided to make our "first ever" visit to Dad's office after the Sock Hop. It turned into a field trip and was a bigger success than the Sock Hop. :) Tim felt compelled to explain to all his co-workers why they were wearing poodle skirts. Funny...I thought we should just let them think we're 'old fashioned.'

Moody Gardens

2011-08-12T22:16:00.000-05:00

A couple of monkeys...above and below. ;)

They renovated the Rain forest and we enjoyed the butterflies, fish, birds, and monkeys. However, I think we'll return on a cooler day for the humid environment.

I was surprised when both girls said they REALLY wanted to go to the Dora 4-D movie. The chairs move, there's bubbles and snow, and then water squirts you in the face. Julia was not a fan and buried her face in my neck for majority of the 12 minute movie. Jocelyn loved it! These two always keep me guessing...

Sioux Center

2011-08-07T21:16:00.000-05:00

We were able to spend a few days at my sister's house. We had a blast! We went to the awesome pool, Blue Bunny, parks, bike rides, fed the bunnies, played dress-up and had dance class...we enjoyed every minute of it. ;)

Kirsten and the boys...

2011-08-07T21:04:00.000-05:00

We met my lifelong friend Kirsten for some play time at the park. Her boys, Landon and Caleb, are wonderful. It is always great to see them!

Camping: Take two

2011-08-07T15:03:00.001-05:00

Our camping adventure was much calmer than two years ago and proved to be a great success. Tents, flashlights, fire, s'mores, wood forts, the beach, bikes, cream soda, sleeping bags...it's a little kids dream come true. However, Jocelyn proved once again to be a little city girl when she requested a pool over the beach because she didn't want to get her feet dirty. ;) I think we'll mark the calendar for some camping adventure again next summer.

Radigan Reunion

2011-08-07T14:55:00.000-05:00

We are family. The Radigan's gathered for a very overdue reunion. It's amazing to think at least half of the cousins weren't attending.

more MN...

2011-08-07T14:38:00.001-05:00

We were so happy to spend some time with the girls second cousins Ava and Owen. The girls were fascinated and eager to help 8 month old Owen. They held him, gave him a bottle and a pacifier, and even pushed his stroller. Perhaps the higlight of the entire trip!

reunion

2011-08-07T14:29:00.000-05:00

Tim was able to meet up with some classmates for a 15 year renunion.

The girls were obsessed with the Hokeness twins who just turned one. Julia didn't leave there side for 2 1/2 hours. We LOVE babies!

Tim and his siblings: Tom, Travis, Tammy and Troy. We missed you Tracy!

The girls had so much fun with Cousin Mary. She was very entertaining!

Adrian Celebration

2011-08-07T14:18:00.000-05:00

We enjoyed all of the Adrian Celebration festivities! There were activities in the park, bounce houses, a tractor pull and a parade. The girls had so much fun with their Minnesota cousins...even if it ended up with them getting very wet! ;)

cousins

2011-07-15T14:09:00.000-05:00

Three weeks and 336 pictures. How will I ever choose which ones to blog?!? We took a roadtrip to visit the family in SD and MN. We had an awesome time. The five girls thoroughly enjoyed playing with each other. I hope they share this love for their entire lifetime.

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-09T11:50:00.000-05:00

Cotton candy (which Tim waited 45 min for and Jocelyn didn't eat), music, and free food in the park...fantastic pool party with great friends...and our first fireworks. What a wonderful way to celebrate!

God Bless America

2011-07-03T13:52:00.000-05:00

The girls worked on a little holiday preparation. I'm not sure they understand the significance of 13 stripes and fifty stars, but we still had fun. ;)

Pinkalicious

2011-07-02T15:45:00.000-05:00

Pinkalicious has been a crowd favorite lately. We love pink, pink, pink. We made the homemade lemonade. We went to a lemonade stand. Finally, we made the pink cupcakes. Jocelyn tried to convince me to let her see how many she could eat before she turned pink like Pinkalicious. It didn't happen. ;)

we love babies

2011-07-01T19:26:00.000-05:00

Princess dress-up outfits + a matching outfit for our baby doll = HAPPINESS.

Hallelujah...it FINALLY rained!

2011-06-22T15:47:00.000-05:00

We haven't had more than a few sprinkles of rain since FEBRUARY. Record drought. Record high temps. I'm convinced the girls forgot what rain actually looks like. Not today. Grey clouds filled the sky and the pink rainboots appeared. The umbrellas went up and they went marching around the block in their pajamas. A few neighbors wished them luck and asked them to do a rain dance--which they did. And it worked.
FINALLY.

Happy Birthday Daddy

2011-06-14T21:53:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to the best Dad in the whole wide world. The girls wanted to buy him a baby doll, get a bounce house, and a Hello Kitty cake. Lucky for him, we talked them into HIS favorite cake and tools. They even insisted on buying him a doughnut on the way to work...another good day. ;)

jocelyn and the peach

2011-06-04T21:53:00.009-05:00

The video was taken the same day we went to the orchard. I caught Jocelyn eating her seventh peach and she was getting a little goofy. She knows the words to "Ba Ba Black Sheep" and she can count to 20. She's just a silly, silly girl. ;) We shared this with a few family members and it got rave reviews, so here it is...enjoy.

Fruits n Such

2011-05-28T22:18:00.000-05:00

We enjoyed the morning at the Fruits n Such orchard. We were able to pick blackberries as well as white and yellow peaches. Julia was quite the little helper picking...she would even tell me when the berries weren't dark enough. Jocelyn, well, she really liked to eat the peaches. The grand total was seven. Yes, seven. They just melt in your mouth! We also chased the guinea birds and watched the little chicks.
It was a very hot and very wonderful day. ;)

garden flags

2011-05-15T21:59:00.000-05:00

The girls had their artwork made into garden flags at school. Julia's is an elephant and Jocelyn's a giraffe which were made out of their hand prints. They're pretty proud...so am I.

okra

2011-05-15T21:49:00.000-05:00

We planted okra from seed this year and have enjoyed watching it grow. We decided to harvest some this morning.

Jello

2011-05-15T21:38:00.000-05:00

The girls have been obsessed with babies for a few years now. When asked what their babies name was they would always reply 'baby.' Well, baby finally has a name. It's Jello. Yup, today they had twins...sisters...both named Jello. Love them.

Happy Mother's Day to me

2011-05-10T21:47:00.000-05:00

We enjoyed the day at Discovery Green. Playground, water splashing, smoothies, watching sailboats, and running through the grass. It was a pretty great day.
I was awakened by two smiling girls with their breakfast in a bag, princess gift bags, musical cards and a new blender. Of course, Jocelyn immediately opened it and wanted to make smoothies. Tim said they were pretty enthusiastic. But, hearing my little ladies tell me "Happy Mother's Day" for the first time was the greatest gift of all. I am SO BLESSED. Being a mom is the best thing in the whole wide world.
I love my daughters SO MUCH.

Happy Easter

2011-04-25T21:24:00.000-05:00

The girls woke up to a house filled with Easter Eggs and they were super excited for the hunt. Of course, the fun came to a screeching halt when a little bunny tail was found in the front door. Easter bunny...NOOOO!!! Terror. Luckily, there was no bunny on the other side of the door and the fun resumed. Then we went to church (above pic).

We enjoyed the afternoon with our friends the Baggerman's and Maples'. There was a HUGE egg hunt in the back yard and the girls were excited to find treasures and watch the confetti bursting from other's eggs. A wonderful day with wonderful friends. The girls fell asleep within 30 seconds on the car ride home...that's when you know it was good. ;)

The bunny cake. Hilarious. Who knew every single "topping" provided would be used? Really, there's a face under there...

baskets, bunnies and eggs

2011-04-17T22:21:00.000-05:00

I LOVE my sister. I pray that my girls grow up to have a special relationship like ours.

This will likely be my favorite Easter picture this year. Julia started it...

Bunny cake...a tradition passed on from our childhood. Poor Julia fell asleep at 5pm and missed out. :) I think she was tired.

Sparkle eggs--beautiful.

three

2011-04-16T22:06:00.000-05:00

Aunt Dawn and Hannah came to Texas and we all had a great time together. Tea parties on the patio, hanging in the hammock, dress up, swimsuits, monkey time, candy in the tent...these girls know how to enjoy the day.

Happy Birthday Miss Kate

2011-04-02T21:37:00.002-05:00

Sweet little Kate turned two.

Swings. Kites. Cupcakes. Juice boxes. Hot dogs. Bubbles. Perfect.

This picture just makes me shake my head and laugh. The next three Julia just got goofier. Silly kids.

Froberg's Farm

2011-04-01T21:14:00.001-05:00

Yummy, yummy strawberries. Enough said.

art festival

2011-03-27T20:56:00.001-05:00

I convinced these three to join me at the Art Festival Sunday. I loved it...and I'm sure Tim did too. :)

The kid's crafts were amazing: decorating art cars, painting rocks, tissue flowers, beading necklaces and bracelets. Loved it. I REALLY wanted to do the wax hand mold, but I think the girls were convinced that it would take their hand off.

Fine, I'll admit it. Their actual favorite part was the shuttle bus. ;)

The day was complete with a stop at Wabash to see the bunnies, hens and roosters, and even a few puppies. I think I almost convinced Tim to buy a bunny...almost. Next time.

Happy 2nd Birthday Charlotte

2011-03-26T17:22:00.000-05:00

It was a "bee-utiful" party!

Great day in a great park.

bluebonnets & 3 yr stats

2011-03-25T17:09:00.001-05:00

The girls looked so cute we decided it would be a good day for our annual bluebonnet picture. We were not disappointed, especially since we brought along the baby dolls and took their pictures too. Unfortunately, the fun ended when Jocelyn stepped in some fire ants. Poor kid had at least a hundred on her foot and over 25 bites. Thankfully, they're making her a little less crazy today. I was relieved we had their three year check up an hour after the incident.

My sweet Julia weighed in at 36lbs 8oz which put her in the 89th percentile. She's 40in tall which places her in the 95th percentile. They were both very brave and cooperative for their exam.

Silly Jocelyn weighed in at 33lbs 2oz which put her in the 70th percentile. She's 39 1/4in which places her in the 89th percentile. When asked who wanted their shot first they both volunteered each other...quite adamantly. Sisterly love.

little helpers

2011-03-23T21:21:00.000-05:00

I know it's only March, but it's 80+ degrees outside!
It seemed like a good day to wash the pollen off the car and the girls were super EXCITED to get on their swimsuits. They ended up chasing each other around the yard with the water hose and actually enjoyed getting quite wet.

little laddies

2011-03-17T21:09:00.000-05:00

My pot of gold...I hit the jackpot.

bouncing & boots

2011-03-15T21:47:00.002-05:00

Julia's excited about her new helmet. She's also showing off her new squeaky monkey horn. She LOVES it. Jocelyn wouldn't touch a helmet...wouldn't try one on...wouldn't let me put one in the shopping cart. Although she probably won't admit it, she tried Julia's on last night and I think she kind of liked it. ;)

Scooters and hopper balls...two wonderful reasons for helmets.

Of course, the babies needed to hop too.
Notice the hair do's? That's how weekend mornings look with Dad.

Jocelyn likes my new boots...future fashionista in the making.

Giddy Up

2011-03-02T15:43:00.000-06:00

Sunny and 75 degrees.
The Rodeo was calling our name. Apparently, it was also calling 8,000 students to take a field trip as well.

Fried pickles. It was lunch time, so I figured pickles were better than Oreos or Twinkies. Honestly, the girls weren't crazy about them...needless to say my stomach still hurts. It sounded like such a good idea at the time.

Frozen lemonade to wash down the pickles. It ranked right up near the bunny rabbits and baby chicks.

The girls were quite the spectacle with their cowgirl outfits. They still get my vote as the cutest cowgirls in Texas.

mardi gras

2011-02-26T20:44:00.000-06:00

We enjoyed the Mardi Gras parade in Galveston today. We had the pleasure of catching beads with our friends the Baggerman's. This year the girls preferred to stand right up front and wave for the beads all by themselves. Great beads. Great bands. Great floats. Great friends. Great day.

Happy Birthday Grandpa Gregg

2011-02-21T16:01:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday Grandpa Gregg!
We were so lucky to be able to celebrate with you! Hope this is the best year yet...remember, the best is yet to come. :)

camping

2011-02-20T16:54:00.000-06:00

We did a little camping...in our backyard. I decided to set up our old tent and the girls thought it was the most fun. We stayed in it ALL DAY LONG.

We decided to go all out and grilled hot dogs and made s'mores. We even did sleeping bags, star gazing, and bedtime stories in the tent.

I believe life is what you make of it. Seize the day.

more party pictures...

2011-02-19T16:19:00.000-06:00

THE party

2011-02-19T15:11:00.000-06:00

Birthday party take two: SUCCESS.

The party was complete (and a guaranteed success) by one giant pink and purple bounce house. Honestly, I'm not sure who had more fun...the kids or the adults?

Best friends.

sandy toes

2011-02-16T21:56:00.001-06:00

A lovely afternoon at the beach.

We enjoyed a ferry ride and spotted many dolphins.

A heart made of rose petals on the beach=awesome photo prop. :)

February 15

2011-02-15T21:39:00.000-06:00

We celebrated the special day at the zoo. It was perfect.

Two little birthday monkeys.

The new Africa area was open and we really enjoyed the animals and habitat.

After the zoo, we fed the pigeons and ducks at the pond. Until this point the girls have been VERY skeptical about animals. Not today. They had so much fun feeding the birds and got really close to them with great enthusiasm.
Three years ago today we were blessed with two amazing girls. We count our blessings every day for our two miracles. It's been such an incredible journey.

oh happy day

2011-02-14T21:20:00.000-06:00

The girls enjoyed every minute with their Grandpa Gregg and Grandma Diana.

Uncle Bill and Aunt Jane came to visit from San Antonio. We were entertained with puppet shows and an oboe recital by Jane. They also brought the girls teddy bears which they adored.

The girls LOVE their new pajamas that match their babies. Adorable.

We enjoyed lunch outdoors in Kemah. We also took the girls on the carousel, train, and balloon ride. It was a wonderful day.

birthday minus the party

2011-02-13T21:30:00.000-06:00

Grandpa Gregg and Grandma Diana came to visit and celebrate the girls' 3rd Birthday. The plan was to celebrate today, however Tim, Julia and Melanie all got sick so the party got postponed until next weekend. Memorable, right?

Of course they felt well enough for cake. :)

"Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you..." They like to sing it to each other.

Blowing out the candles.
Yes, that's a big cake for no party...we contemplated just letting them dig in. :)

a walk on the beach

2011-01-31T16:57:00.000-06:00

Uncle Travis & Aunt Mandi

2011-01-31T16:55:00.000-06:00

Uncle Travis and Aunt Mandi came from MN to thaw out a little. We started the weekend in Kemah.

We took the girls bowling for the first time. They actually participated for about five frames.

Why not dress up like a cowgirl and take a walk with your Hello Kitty umbrella?!? I love these two...

MRI

2011-01-28T20:49:00.002-06:00

We've been noticing for several months that Jocelyn's eyes don't always "track" together while looking side to side. Well, after a visit to the Pediatric Opthamologist we learned she has an bilateral abduction deficit. We also had her "fatty tissue" looked at in her lower eyelid. The doctor had concerns because this was new. We needed an MRI at Texas Children's as soon as possible. She had her MRI on Thursday morning. She was sedated for an hour and had quite a long day. It was so humbling being surrounded by so many sick children--we are so blessed. After a long 24 hours we got a call from the doctor saying her MRI was normal other than some sinus disease. I can finally breathe again. The other good news is her "fatty tissue" doesn't seem to expand behind her eye which was also a concern.
As the day progressed on Thursday I kept trying to explain and prepare Jocelyn for the "next step." I was telling her about the hospital gown/pajamas she may have to wear. Thankfully, she got to keep her own clothes on for the procedure. I was carrying my limp and quite lethargic girl to the car when she started crying and crying. She wanted to wear her "gown." We, of course, stopped on the way home and bought them their first "pajama gown." They really love the way they twirl.
Julia also gets credit for being such a big girl at daycare all by herself. It was a big deal to be separated from sister.
We're so proud of them both.

love

2011-01-27T21:54:00.000-06:00

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

wonderwild

2011-01-24T16:15:00.000-06:00

It's a rainy, cold day. Our friend, Susan, called and we decided to seize the day at Wonderwild. Inflatable slide, 4 story high "playplace," jumping cloud, slides and a self propelled train. The mission was a success.

Jocelyn LOVED these trains. You moved them by pedalling with your hands.

Julia had SO MUCH FUN playing with our friend Anna. They jumped and jumped and jumped. Kate--how are you not in my picture?

3 1/2 hours of solid play time. I think that may be a record. :)

new year, new beds

2011-01-01T14:05:00.000-06:00

We made a rather impromptu decision yesterday to buy the girls some "big beds." They didn't fall out and slept in them all night. As a matter of fact, they even stayed in their beds until we came in their room at 9am. We still have some decorating and furniture arranging to figure out.
Yes, it's New Year's Eve and we have the window open. Life is nice in Texas.

I have no idea why they are wearing bibs. I think Julia is quite fashionable with her baby headband, don't you?

Jocelyn was SO EXCITED about her bed. They each slept with at least five baby dolls.
My, oh my, our little girls are growing up so fast.
Happy New Year. New beds, new memories, new adventures.

Our families

2010-12-30T16:15:00.000-06:00

We are so blessed.

snowmen

2010-12-29T16:10:00.000-06:00

The temperature finally broke 32 degrees, so it was time for some serious snowmen.
We had fun building Grandpa Gregg, Grandma Diana, and Otis the dog.

The traditional five "grand-girls" snowmen.

Yes, we played in snow in the dark. It was finally warm and we were dressed for a failed ice skating attempt. We had SO MUCH fun. The snow was perfect for igloos too...and snow ball fights. I am still the Master Elf.

We're the blockhead sisters. Life is so much more fun if you laugh a little.

Minnesota moments

2010-12-28T15:51:00.000-06:00

We love Grandma Carol and Grandpa Bill

Fun morning playing in the snow.

Double, double trouble.

The girls were pampered and got their nails done by cousin Brittany and Aunt Mandi.

Christmas Day in MN

2010-12-25T17:21:00.000-06:00

The Rupp siblings

The girls had so much fun with their cousins...especially when they had a dance party. ;)

Jocelyn and her aunties. For everyone who says Jocelyn looks "just like her mom"--this picture is for you.

Cousin Nick makes the best hot chocolate. Cheers!

Christmas Eve

2010-12-24T17:11:00.000-06:00

I'm pretty sure it was actually double digits. I, of course, took this from the back door because I'm now a wimpy Southern girl. :)

No hill + sled = happy girls

Celebrating will all the grandkids at Grandma and Grandpa Brunick's house.

Two of my favorite people. (notice the halos?)

Sledding: Part 1

2010-12-23T17:01:00.000-06:00

We bundled up and headed to the timber for some sledding. Julia & Jocelyn weren't too sure about it all, but we managed to have a good time. I think they were just trying to get used to all the snow clothes and Arctic temps.

The toboggan. My sister and I were pulled behind the truck on it when we were little and my mom behind horses.

So, let's face it...not the most flattering picture. But it makes me smile. A lot. To fully appreciate it you have to notice Dad in the background.

"Hold me. Hold me!" Grandma Diana did her thing and let me snap some pictures.
It was a memorable day.

South Dakota days

2010-12-23T16:53:00.000-06:00

So happy together....
I cannot explain to you how happy these five were to be reunited. Every picture was this smiley. It's moments like these that make the journey so worth it.

We roasted marshmallows in the fireplace.

The traditional "circle" picture...just not so much in the form of a circle this time. :)

"Rudolph the red nosed Julia..."--seriously, how can I not include this picture.

Christmas rehearsal

2010-12-19T16:03:00.000-06:00

We opened presents at our house Saturday morning. Julia asked what to do when given the first present...I'm glad we practiced so they can keep up with their cousins next weekend.

I'll give you three guesses to figure out what their favorite present was. :)
This was the doll they picked out for each other...I'm still so amused they picked the same one. Neither of them seemed surprised; I'm thinking they told each other some secrets.

The new "nursery." It's nice they each have a little room to play.

They also love their new laptops. After we figured out how to program their name into the software we knew we needed two. Tim drove all over Clear Lake and finally found the last one...I'm glad it was worth the effort.

choo choo

2010-12-17T14:07:00.003-06:00

We braved the nearly 60 degree weather last night and took a ride on the Christmas train. The girls were so exicted that Dad could "fit."

Jocelyn was SO HAPPY on the train.

The girls waved at Santa from a distance. Again, they had no interest in sitting on the red man's lap. They were excited at the thought of writing him a letter and putting it in his mailbox. Both lists were quite short: baby doll. The girls really loved looking at the village with trains, ski lifts, carousel, and even a hot air balloon.

the moments

2010-12-17T09:08:00.001-06:00

The presents are wrapped and under the tree (and in the suitcase). The plane tickets are purchased and the rental car is reserved. The peanut butter balls are made along with the Christmas wreaths, peppermint bark, and unlimited sugar cookies. Goodie plates are delivered to all the neighbors. We went through the Nativity, the Festival of Lights, and the Christmas train. The Christmas cards are in the mail. Time spent with friends. Laughed through our favorite Christmas movies. The gingerbread houses are decorated.
We do all these Christmas traditions. Why? To see the smiles, hear the glee, to watch two year olds learn how to appreciate and feel gratitude. To relive our favorite childhood memories. We take time to pause and appreciate all the blessings in our life.
It's also in these moments that I once again look at my daughters and believe in MIRACLES.

cookie monsters

2010-12-14T22:14:00.000-06:00

I mean really, can one really decorate too many cookies?

Who me? No Mom, I didn't eat the whole bowl of frosting...really. Just look at my clean face.

This was my favorite. We REALLY like pink at our house.
We had fun carrying on tradition and making plates of goodies for all the neighbor's. The girls wanted to go to every house and Julia would say "Happy Birthday" when they answered the door.

Funny of the week: We drove through a live nativity the other night and I was explaining how we would see Baby Jesus. Julia asked if Jesus was going to bite her.
Story of the week: We took the girls to Target last weekend so they could buy each other a Christmas present. Tim took Julia to the toys and she instantly knew the baby she wanted to buy her sister. She squealed with excitement and jumped around a little. They paid and hid it in the car. Jocelyn wanted Dad to take her too. So, they went to the toy department and looked around. She played with babies, pushed the grocery cart, then finally picked a baby...but, didn't quite want to part with it. The punchline--they picked the SAME BABY. Lesson learned, but I don't think it will be too painful to part with when they open presents.

Festival of Lights

2010-12-14T22:00:00.000-06:00

We went to the Festival of Lights tonight. The girls loved the tunnels...who am I kidding, I loved the tunnels. The coats are really just for "show"...it was at least 60 degrees. :) The insisted on wearing their boots and picked mine out as well.

'Tis the season...

2010-12-14T21:51:00.000-06:00

The girls got a letter from Santa! (this made me smile)

Impromptu Christmas dinner at Gringo's with wonderful friends. What can we say...it's the Texas way. :) Matt, Charlotte, Owen...where are you?

We went to the Holiday in the Park and played in the snow...I mean ice. Kids were lined up for a block to ride a saucer sled down a 6 ft platform/hill. We're excited to see real snow in SD/MN soon! In the picture above you can see Santa in the background...that's as close as we got. At least we didn't cry this time!

Cute Christmas project...who doesn't love a foam gingerbread house?!

pomegranates

2010-12-05T21:13:00.000-06:00

'Tis the season...for pomegranates that is.
Tim put the girls to work harvesting their first pomegranate tonight. I must say it was more fun than "gutting" a pumpkin. ;) The girls LOVED the seeds and couldn't eat them fast enough. Maybe next year we'll have more from the tree in our yard.

League City Christmas Parade

2010-12-05T21:09:00.000-06:00

We enjoyed the parade on Main Street last night. We had great company watching with our friends Marc and Laurie. The girls even waved at Santa and enjoyed the bands and dancers. The above pictures were actually taken on our way back to the car. The girls made one last attempt for candy and managed to fill their pockets thanks to the last float.
Tim was wearing shorts and flip-flops...ahh, Texas in December.

cookie extravaganza

2010-12-02T21:06:00.000-06:00

Whitney says, "The rules are: there are no rules." Wow, there was some major frosting consumption. Eventually the kids all figured out to skip the cookie and just eat the frosting right out of the tube or bowl. Good times. ;)

The Maples were gracious enough to have us and the Baggerman family over for cookie decorating and dinner. The guys enjoyed the day at the Texans game and then joined in the fun.

I smiled when I found a few sprinkles in Julia's bed the next morning. ;)

Love you Belle

2010-11-29T21:12:00.000-06:00

Rest in peace Belle. Thanks for being such a good dog. We'll miss you.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

2010-11-27T22:15:00.000-06:00

The girls had fun decorating the tree last night. They hung the ornaments and they are all, of course, on the bottom three feet of the tree. I smile every time I look at it...I think the ornaments will stay right where they are. (Ironic it's the exact opposite of last year when the bottom two feet was completely bare.)

Julia requested a picture with the penguins on the way to bed tonight. It's 40-some degrees...but you know I can never say no to a picture. No worries, they made sure to wear their slippers. ;)
They were great helpers with the outside lights...straightened out all the stings...did the drum roll upon lighting...oohed and ahhed...and even made sure Dad didn't fall off the roof.

first circus

2010-11-26T21:36:00.000-06:00

We spent a cold, rainy Friday at our first circus. The girls LOVED it. Jocelyn kept clapping for all the animals and performers and Julia literally squealed with delight (especially for the dogs). There were elephants, camels, horses, ponies, pigs, dogs, trapeze performers and even motorcycles.

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T21:25:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving!
We counted our blessings with the Baggerman family and had a wonderful evening. I guess I was too worried about the turkey to capture any decent pictures...so these little turkeys are as good as they get. We have SO MUCH to be thankful for.

school picture

2010-11-15T17:09:00.000-06:00

Isn't this the cutest school picture you've ever seen? What a difference a year makes.

Funny moment of the week: We've been reading books and talking about Santa this week. Julia keeps asking if Santa is going to bite her. I'm guessing they won't be sitting on Santa's lap again this year...

Happy Halloween y'all

2010-10-31T21:36:00.000-05:00

The girls had a good night. Perhaps a little timid, but certainly didn't want to go home. :) When we did go home we sat in the driveway with our bowl of candy and they eagerly anticipated trick or treaters. Julia would hold the bowl and put candy in every one's bucket. To cute.

Ballunar Festival

2010-10-31T10:45:00.000-05:00

We went to the night glow at the Ballunar Festival last night. Beautiful.

It was too windy last night for a launch, so we got up at dawn to catch a glimpse. The girls thought it was pretty fun to get thrown into the car from their bed. Pajamas, donut holes, Starbucks, and wondrous balloons. A great way to start the day. Jocelyn was sad when the balloons 'went away.'

Friendswood Halloween in the Park

2010-10-25T22:01:00.000-05:00

Is there such thing as too many cute cowgirl pictures? I think not...

The girls were somewhat overwhelmed by the scary masks and the dressed up chicken, but Jocelyn actually asked to have her picture taken here. Apparently it's true...everyone loves the cake lady.
The city of Friendswood puts this wonderful event on and it's my favorite Trick or treating event of the season.

The time has come--the girls are finally discovering candy. Do you think they like it? No worries, they got toothbrushes too. ;)

airshow and ear muffs

2010-10-25T21:54:00.000-05:00

We decided to watch some of the airshow at a nearby park this year. This is Jocelyn demonstrating the 'ear muffs' every time the planes flew over.

The planes were spectacular, despite the distance from the runway. Many planes flew right above the tree line at the park.

The girls decided the back seat of the truck with the window down was a much better view. They just took shelter whenever they felt necessary.

painting pumpkins

2010-10-25T21:00:00.004-05:00

Yes, painting OUTSIDE is the only option and so are the head to toe paint shirts. :) I expect the 'off the shoulder' painting smock to be the next big trend. They had a lot of fun and thanks to a little thoughtful preparation I could let them do whatever they wanted. I drew their names, stars, moon, etc for them to paint...not one line of marker was left when they were done. The pumpkin is pretty much purple with a swirl of pink--for two reasons: they love those girlie colors and that's what happens when you swirl all the colors together. I just love Fall activities.

zoo boo

2010-10-25T20:50:00.004-05:00

The cutest cowgirls in Texas. :) We had fun at Zoo Boo this weekend. The girls are still terrified of anything in full costume...like a friendly bird specifically there for little kids like them. I can't wait to tell them these stories someday.

Diane! Diane!!

2010-10-19T14:42:00.000-05:00

We LOVE Grandma Diana! Tim and I celebrated my birthday and our 10 year Anniversary with a trip to the eastern Caribbean. Grandma Diana was kind enough to fly in to Texas for the week and take care of Julia and Jocelyn. Judging by the pictures and the stories I think they had a great week! One of my favorite stories was the girls waking up calling for "Diane!" My mom counted fifty "Diane's" one morning. :) Thank you, thank you, thank you for a wonderful week had by all...love you!

Dewberry: Part two

2010-10-02T21:18:00.000-05:00

I took about 80 pictures today and I just couldn't narrow it down to four.
Julia looking for her pumpkin. We've been reading books about the pumpkin patch, so the girls were excited.

"I hold it!"
Julia was determined and Jocelyn just looked on like "Go sister."

Jocelyn contemplating if she picked the right pumpkin. To be honest she was quite ready to be done at this point. ;)
Then, when we got back from the field to pay they both picked smaller pumpkins they could carry. It was at that point Tim gave me "That would have been a lot easier and quicker" look as we approached hour five of our adventure.

I had to include this one. Julia is excited and determined to be a cowgirl for Halloween and so she felt like a real cowgirl on that horse. Too bad she thought it was going to jump and neigh like the one at Chuck E Cheese.

Dewberry Farm

2010-10-02T21:02:00.000-05:00

We ventured out to the country today to Dewberry Farm. We had a great time!
Julia is a little sweetie. The girls took turns and sat in all four animal chairs.

The roller slide was a hit...very bumpy.

The farm had so many things to do. Some of our favorites included: farm animals (Jocelyn loved the horse), corn maze, kids play ground "farm", a play fort, train, swings, hay stack with rope swings, tractor rides out to the pumpkin patch, kettle korn and snow cones, duck races, goats crossing bridges, and singing chickens.
My idea of a wonderful Fall day.

Whoo hoo...we made it out of the corn maze! We were getting pretty hot and tired at this point.

picture day

2010-10-01T14:16:00.000-05:00

The girls had 'picture day' at school yesterday. Last year the picture experience was awful and terrifying. The photographers couldn't even get a picture of Jocelyn and Julia's was teary eyed. The teacher report for this year was "adorable." I am amazed and pleased that they did well. Of course, I couldn't help but capture a few of my own when they got home.

It's a beautiful day

2010-09-29T14:56:00.001-05:00

What should we do on a beautiful morning? Wander around Kemah, of course. I love going there on a weekday...we saw like ten people. They also had the HUGE pumpkin out. The girls honestly weren't interested--they were busy paying attention to the boats, fish and ducks.

Cuties.

Is it October yet?!?

2010-09-27T14:36:00.000-05:00

beach babes

2010-09-25T15:18:00.000-05:00

Sun. Sandcastles. Sea shells. Splashing. Shovels. Smiles.
Simply Sensational.

over the rainbow

2010-09-24T16:02:00.000-05:00

The girls saw their first rainbow a few nights ago and they were in awe. We had to go outside and look for it at least three times. Since then they ask about it and look around everytime we go outside. I think they just might be my "pot of gold." :)