The Chicken Family

Wedding Bells

2008-11-11T16:52:00.005-05:00

The real reason for our trip North the end of October was for my dear friend Heath's wedding. Heath and I have been friends since almost the first day of high school at good ole Holy Cross in August 2003, and I had the honor of standing up in his wedding as a 'groomswoman'. ;-) He and Nicole are perfect for each other, and will no doubt make one another happy for the rest of their lives. I was so thrilled to be able to be a part of their special day, and really to just be there to celebrate with them.

The wedding took place in Sterling Heights, Michigan (just outside of Detroit). We decided to leave the girls with Mom and Dad as we passed through KY and hitched a ride with Amy and Tim (the BEST traveling companions!). It was a wonderful, kid-free weekend, with lots of friends, food, drinks, and an indoor water park! Ya can't beat that! It really was a beautiful weekend and we wouldn't have missed it. Thanks for letting us be part of it guys! Here are a few photos of the fun...

Where a Kid Can Be a Kid!

2008-11-11T16:01:00.007-05:00

I just wanted to share some more of the photos from the fun we had at Chuck E Cheese for Clara's birthday celebration in KY. As I was going back through the shots from that night, and looking at the ones on Debbie's facebook page (thanks for those!) I couldn't help but smile remembering what a great time it was for all of us. I'll let you decide who the biggest kids are!

Happy Halloween

2008-11-10T22:24:00.007-05:00

This was the first Halloween that the girls have really understood a little about the holiday. They were VERY excited about dressing up like mermaids (as you will recall), and had been practicing their 'Trick or Treats' for weeks. At the first mention of getting pumpkins, Lilly began BEGGING to paint hers. (Which amazed me that she remembered we had done this last year after pumpkin picking.) It was especially fun for the girls this year I think, because we were still in KY, so they got to go trick or treating with Carson (and Gabby since Tom, Joyce, and Emily stopped by with her!), and they enjoyed all the holiday festivities with Gamma and Papa. I think this meant as much to my mom and dad as it did to the girls. As you will see in the photos, Papa definitely gets into Halloween!

The girls were masters at trick or treating after the first house they went to, and when we got back to mom and dad's house they got a huge kick out of watching my Grandpa Clark give out treats to the neighborhood kids. Before giving up the treat, he would make them watch his trick of wiggling his teeth (his dentures to be more exact!). It really was a riot to watch the reaction of the kids as he did this and by the end of the night, Lilly was trying to do the same thing with her teeth...very funny! Grandma and Grandpa Clark came out to spend some time with us and to enjoy the kiddos on this fun holiday. They actually stayed over and we were all able to go out to breakfast the next morning before heading back to Georgia on Saturday. Enjoy these photos of our Halloween festivities. I absolutely loved this Halloween and reliving all the fun and excitement through the girls. It was amazing to experience something as little as putting your hand in a pumpkin for the first time and dressing up as a favorite imaginary character with the two of them. They are special treats themselves!

Lilly and Clara painting pumpkins that Gamma and Papa picked out for them.

The girls helping Papa decide what kind of face 'George' (our pumpkin man) would have this year. Lilly decided it should be a fun and silly face. ;-)

Lilly putting her hand in a pumpkin for the first (and only!) time. She decided it was 'yucky' and that she'd leave that to Papa.

Clara giving 'George' a kiss before Papa put him on his scarecrow body.

The girls hanging out with Carson before we went trick or treating.

Papa wearing the Cowboy costume that Lilly picked out for him. He was a good sport, though I'm not sure he was crazy about what she picked! Maybe next year we'll let Carson decide what he should be. ;-)

Our gang starting on our trick or treating adventure!

The girls going up to get 'More Candy!' as Lilly would say. After each house she would announce, 'Let's go to another house...and get MORE CANDY!' Clara was Papa's buddy that night. She would not hold hands with anyone else...she was his girl.

On the Move!

2008-11-10T21:52:00.005-05:00

Most of you probably read my entry from a month or so ago about my Granny Randol and our plans to walk in the Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk in Atlanta. We did do the walk as a family on Clara's 2nd birthday, and had a really nice morning. Also, with the help of many of our closest friends and family, we were able to raise close to $1000 for this wonderful cause. I wanted to share some photos with you from that morning, While we were traveling through KY a couple weeks ago, we were able to visit with Granny for dinner one night and took a few photos as well. Thank you so much to those of you who supported us not only with your donations, but with your thoughts and prayers for my Granny, and all those other individuals out there who are struggling with this terrible disease.

Happy, Happy Birthday, Clara!

2008-11-10T16:38:00.013-05:00

So now that you all know how Clara made her grand entrance, we spent the last two weeks of October celebrating her second birthday. Well, at least it felt like we celebrated that long!

We had our first party on the day before her birthday...Friday, the 17th. We already had plans on the 18th to participate in the Alzheimer Association's Memory Walk in Atlanta, so on Friday night we had a mini-party at our house to let her open the gifts from us, as well as the ones from family and friends who had shipped things her way. We had a couple friends over for pizza and wings, and I made (yes...you read that right...I actually baked) her a chocolate fudge cake. It was a great evening...very laid back and fun.

On Saturday morning we got up bright and early to make the drive to Atlanta for the Memory Walk in honor of Granny Randol. It was a little chilly at first, but ended up being a beautiful day, and it was a very special way to spend Clara's birthday. We attached a birthday balloon to the stroller and took her birthday princess crown with us (though she wasn't really too interested in wearing it that morning). It was a great day.

The final celebration took place while we were visiting our family in KY. Since we were coming through town anyway, they held onto their gifts there and we went out to Chuck E Cheese one night and had a little party for Clara then. It really was a lot of fun. Sometimes Clara gets a little overwhelmed in new situations and will become quite clingy, but not that night! She was trying out all the little rides and slides. She really was having a fantastic time. Lilly and Carson enjoyed the trip too. They all especially loved the 'dance cam' where they could see themselves on the televisions as they danced. This was the first time that we have taken the girls someplace like that...I'm certain we'll be doing it more often now though!

I think Clara definitely appreciated how special she felt throughout her birthday celebrations. She is certainly enjoying her new arsenal of toys (as is Lilly) and clothes! We only had a couple of minor meltdowns with Lilly being slightly jealous...she was a very gracious big sister for the most part though. She has already told us what she wants for HER birthday and can describe to anyone when it is going to take place (First we have Thanksgiving, THEN Lilly's birthday). She was very sweet with Clara though...she was the best 'Happy Birthday' singer, and provided an assist with blowing out the candles. And considering she is only two herself, she has done a really great job of respecting that the new things in the house are Clara's new toys, and in turn Clara has been great at sharing her goods. We are so blessed by both of them!

So Happy, Happy Birthday, Clara! You were a beautiful surprise from God, and our lives are enriched each and everyday with your sweet smile and gentle heart. We love you very much!

Look out World...Here I Come

2008-11-08T20:53:00.008-05:00

We recently got to celebrate Clara's second birthday. Before I do a post about all the partying we did with her, I wanted to share about her exciting entrance into our lives. Clara was due the weekend after Thanksgiving...but she had another idea in mind!

It was a Wednesday morning (October 18th), and I was up early with Lilly as usual. (Remember that she was only ten months and ten days old at the time!) We had plans to go into Louisville that afternoon to meet my sister in law and nephew for a photo session of the kids in their Halloween costumes. Through Lilly's breakfast and playtime that morning, I was feeling a little under the weather, and while she was taking her morning nap I decided to take a bath and get ready for our trip. I began having some mild aching in my back, and at the risk of being gross on here, lets just say I thought I had to use the bathroom...and just couldn't. When Lilly woke up, instead of having lunch and playtime at home, I went ahead and began the drive to the city. My doctors were there anyway, and I thought that if I didn't feel any better by the time I reached my parents house, I'd give them a call and see what they suggested. About ten minutes into my drive on I-65, I realized that there was more going on than I'd originally thought. The cramping got worse, and closer together...and even though I wouldn't admit yet that I was in labor...on some level, I knew it. So here I was...in labor, driving in the car with my ten month old, and nothing else but her diaper bag, and a chicken costume.

Upon arriving at my parents house, I put Lilly down for a nap and called my doctor. He suggested I come on in to see how things were. I still fully expected he would tell me it was nothing and he'd see me at my next appointment in a week, and I'd be done just in time for our photo session. I called my dad, who came home to sit with Lilly while I ran to the office and ended up filling my mom in...she met me at the doc's office. Boy am I glad she did. Steve was on his way home from work, and I'd told him not to worry about it. I was sure it was nothing, and he should go home and let the dog out. Luckily he decided against that and ended up meeting me at the hospital. It turns out that I didn't have any water left, and Clara was coming early...Mom and I made our way to Labor and Delivery.

Now, here I am in pre-term labor (I probably have been at some level for at least eight or nine hours) and I'm waiting for a C-Section. There are a million things I could be worried about surrounding Clara's delivery and the fact that she is early. But that is not what is on my mind. I am concerned because she is going to be born before Halloween, and she won't have a costume. Stupid, right?! I know. I think on some level this was my minds way of preventing me from focusing on all the things that could be wrong with her, and concentrating on something really trivial. So while we waited for surgery, we decided that since Lilly was a chicken for the holiday, Clara would be an egg. It was very cute...and now you know the answer to the old adage of what came first, the chicken or the egg. It was the chicken, by ten months and ten days. ;-)

Clara was born around 8:30 that evening, and was beautiful. They did watch her breathing closely for the first 24 hours, and we had to work with her eating. She was also a bit jaundiced...but she was perfect. She came home with me on Saturday to meet her big sister. And that was the very fist time that Lilly pulled up...to meet her baby sister, and welcome her home. It was a beautiful moment that I will always treasure.

Clara is still full of surprises, and I'm pretty sure it will stay that way for quite some time. I've yet to decide if that is a good or bad thing, but it adds to our adventure nonetheless, and I wouldn't have her any other way.

Is Anybody Out There?

2008-11-08T20:38:00.003-05:00

Howdy all! I know, I know...I never update this thing anymore. What can I say...life happens, and blogging gets placed lower and lower on the 'things to do' list. I'd like to say that will change, but it probably won't. I can only promise to do my best. ;-)

What I can tell you now, is that I am going to do several posts over the next couple days to catch you up on what we've been doing...so stay tuned!

We're on the MOVE!

2008-10-09T22:30:00.010-04:00

Okay...so I know it has been awhile. What can I say? Life has been HECTIC, and I guess it is probably going to stay that way right through the new year. More about that later...what I really want to focus on now is my Granny...Mary Randol.

My Granny is an amazing woman. She has taught me about faith, hope, and compassion. She has taught me empathy, sacrifice, and service. Granny has taught me about living life to the absolute fullest and taking care of those I cross paths with along the way. She has taught me that it is the little things that make the biggest difference in the lives of others, and that prayer and trust in God can take you a long way. She has taught me about love...the unconditional kind....the kind that accepts everyone for who they are at their innermost core. The amazing part is, that to teach me these most important life lessons, she never spoke to me about any of them. She simply lived her life the best way she knew how. In doing that, she spoke volumes, without saying a word. My Granny is an amazing woman.

My Granny is suffering from Alzheimer's Disease. This is a terrible disease with tremendous symptoms which effect not only the patient, but the entire family. The cause to create awareness, conduct research, and to find a cure for this disease is one that has become very close to my heart for obvious reasons. Granny has been a beautiful blessing in my life. I will never forget the lessons she has taught me. She may not always recognize my face, or remember my name, but I know that deep inside she still holds all of us close to her heart and she will never forget the love that she has for any of those precious to her.

On October 18th Steve and I (with the girls in tow!) will be participating in The Alzheimer's Association Memory Walk here in Atlanta in honor of Granny. (This also happens to be Clara's second birthday, and I can think of no better way to spend it!) Today, I am asking for your support to help raise funds and awareness for this wonderful cause. If you are able to make a donation, simply go to the link below, and click on 'Find a Walker'. Do a search for my name and follow the steps...it is very easy. If you are unable to make a monetary donation, I simply ask for your prayers for Granny, and all those who are suffering with this disease, as well as those who are caring for them.

Thank you so much in advance for your help, prayers, and support for this wonderful cause! Enjoy these photos of us with Granny from the last couple of years!

My Memory Walk website is:
http://atlantachastainmemorywalk.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=262078&lis=0&kntae262078=FBD8EBBB1332437F927457EF3E6DDCAD

Us visiting with Granny in July 2007, just before our move to Georgia.

(I love the photo above of Granny with the girls!)

I'm never be too big to sit on Granny's lap! (Though I do have to be careful not to break her!)

Our visit with Granny in May, when we were home for my cousin's wedding.

Granny and I in May...I know it is a dark photo...but I am fond of it anyway.

Dancing Queens

2008-09-11T17:08:00.003-04:00

It is no secret that the girls have had a love for reading, music and dancing since they were born. Really. They both love to look at books (and for being so little they are really attentive to them), they sing and talk to themselves all the time (especially Lilly), and they are constantly (and I mean constantly) moving. Some of their favorite shows to watch in prime time this past spring were American Idol and Dancing with the Stars...they also liked So You Think You Can Dance once it started. A few months ago Lilly began to tell us that she wanted to take a dance class. I think she saw a segment on Sesame Street one day (thank you PBS) that took place in a dance class, and so the obsession began. Steve and I talked about it and decided if we could find someplace that had a class for her age we'd let her give it a shot. Most places required that she be three before the classes began in September, but one studio wrote me back and said that they have had some success in the past with 'almost threes' and they'd be willing to let her try it out with not obligation if she wasn't ready. Lilly was so excited...I can't stress how excited she was. It was really all she could talk about from the time we went to size her for her first pair of ballet shoes. I finally had to show her on a calendar how many more days we had before her first class so she would stop obsessing and asking me about it fifteen times a day.

Monday was her first official Pre-Ballet Class. Lilly couldn't wait to get dressed in her new leotard and tights. We got a matching set for Clara (along with her very own 'ballet shoes') so she wouldn't feel left out. They are quite adorable, I must say. Lilly even sat still for about thirty minutes while I tried ten different ways to get her hair to stay in a bun (lots of clips and hairspray people!). We had a long talk about how she needed to listen to the dance teacher and watch the dance teacher. 'We are not supposed to look at ourselves in the mirror, Lilly. You have to watch the teacher so you can learn the dance moves.' Okay, Mommy! This was my biggest fear along the lines of her not being ready for a formal class. She is quite obsessed with watching herself in mirrors, and with being in a room surrounded by them I figured it was sure to be an issue. The sermon was over, the hair was perfect, and we were off. There was a two-way mirror at the studio so we could see in from the waiting room, but the kids couldn't see us. Watching 12 three year olds attempts plies and the different positions was quite hilarious. (I'm sure just as funny was the 12 mothers crowed around a two foot by one foot window peering in.) I think Lilly's favorite part was the 'ballet run' and apparently there was something along the lines of 'bunny hops' as well. I think she did pretty good for the most part from the few minutes I watched. She was watching herself in the mirrors quite a bit (although she did try really hard to do it out of the corner of her eye) and walked away from the group a handful of times (guess she wanted to do a solo!). But I didn't honestly didn't see her doing anything that others in the class weren't doing too. After we had dinner that evening I asked her if she would show my camera some of the things she learned at class that day. She was pretty eager (as was Clara) to show me her stuff. Enjoy!

Under the Sea

2008-09-11T14:56:00.006-04:00

We recently began talking to the girls about Halloween and discussed how they get to dress up in costumes for the occasion. Then we asked Lilly what she might like to be and began to run through the gambit of possibilities...butterflies (no)...ladybugs (no)...puppy dogs (no)...how about favorite characters...Sesame Street muppets...maybe Elmo or Zoe...or Abby Cadaby (no)...princesses--Cinderella or Snow White (no). Then Steve said 'How about Nemo?' With this I know my face was quite shocked...why would you suggest this?? Where would we find a Nemo costume that didn't cost a fortune?? Are YOU going to make one?? These are just a few of the questions that ran through my head in about three seconds. But then I thought...she turned everything else down...no worries! With that Lilly yells, 'YEAH! I be like Nemo for Halloween!' This is just great! How in the world am I going to pull this one off?! Over the next days we tried to convince Lilly that she could be lots of other things for Halloween, to which her answer continued to be, 'Nope...I be like Nemo.'

It was time for a little coercion and manipulation...every mother uses these tactics from time to time, right? So I began talking to the girls about all the things that live under the sea...fishes, dolphins, Nemos!...Lilly would add, mermaids ...I would say (and the manipulation begins..he he he). Mermaids! Lilly and Clara would yell in unison. I began talking about mermaids a lot, and we played with Ariel toys and read mermaid books. Then we went to the bookstore one morning for story time, and I saw my opportunity. On a clearance rack was a set of mermaid stickers, complete with two sticker boards (perfect!)

Me: Hey Girls...look at this. Mermaid stickers.

Lilly and Clara: Ooooooohhhhh....Mermaid stickers!

Lilly: I want those, Mommy.

Me: Okay...Hey Lilly, what if you were a mermaid for Halloween?!

Lilly: YEAH!!! I DO be a mermaid for Halloween! Great idea, Mommy!

Score! I sold it! I will admit that I made an attempt a week ago to change her mind one last time to be Tinker Bell (her newest Disney fascination is Peter Pan). We decided that when we pass through KY for my friend's wedding in October we are going to extend our trip through Halloween and I thought it would be adorable for her to be Tink, Clara to be Wendy, and my nephew Carson to be Peter Pan (or Captain Hook if his daddy wouldn't let him wear tights!). But she has become quite obsessed and insistent that she is going to be a mermaid. Through all of this, Clara professed that she is Ariel. No surprise there since she is in love with Prince Eric. This I can do...mermaids shouldn't be too hard, right?!

Well...they are really easy for me, since my wonderful mother-in-law found the cutest ones ever on Amazon, bought them, shipped them, and they are already here. The girls were in love from the moment we opened the box, and they have been wearing the costumes almost every day for at least a few minutes since. They even wore them the other night to visit with Papa on the web cam to sing him 'Happy Birthday' mermaid style. Check them out below...there is a video of them opening the box when it came, as well as one of them trying the costumes on for the first time...adorable! Both of the outfits are a little big (Clara's needs to be taken up quite a bit in the length), but they look great and will be the best dressed mermaids on the block this Halloween. No doubt about that! So thanks Gamma JA...we love you!

New Elephant Friends

2008-09-09T22:49:00.003-04:00

My mom has gotten a big kick out of sharing the story of Lilly's friend Homer with the family and her friends. We haven't heard much about Homer lately...just a handful of times. Lilly does still maintain her love of elephants though (as well as princess, babies, and dancing!). After seeing the video on here, a friend and coworker of mom's, who we fondly refer to as 'Aunt' Karen, decided to send the girls a package. If you saw us together it would be pretty obvious that Aunt Karen is of no blood relation to us, though she gets a HUGE kick out of seeing the reaction from folks when she tells them she's our aunt! She shares Lilly's love of elephants and wanted to send a couple of special ones to the girls. It was very sweet of her and greatly appreciated. Our new elephant friends have a new home here on top of out toy box and have received much love since their arrival. This particular video ends a little strangely because the memory on the camera was full. We still wanted to share it though, and send our thanks to our favorite non-aunt, aunt! Love ya!

Clara's Love

2008-09-09T21:57:00.004-04:00

We have been meaning to get a video of Clara wearing this nightgown for awhile now, and finally did so a few weeks ago before Steve left for Kuwait. It has just taken me a little while to get it posted here. This particular gown was passed down to us from cousin Abby (we love that!) and it has been Clara's favorite ever since. Clara is a huge fan of the little mermaid (more on that to come in a later post), but it wasn't her fascination with Ariel that sparked her interest with this nightgown...it was Prince Eric. The first time we put the gown on Clara, her face lit up and she pointed to the photo of Eric on the shirt and chanted 'Eric...Eric...Eric!' Now it wasn't necessarily what she said, but how she said it, and the fact that for the rest of the night she kept pointing him out to us. We asked her if Eric was handsome and she responded with a resounding, 'YEAH!' Is he your prince, Clara? 'YEAH!' If she had her choice, I'm certain that she would wear this nightgown to bed every night. The video really doesn't do her initial excitement justice, but it is cute nonetheless.

Hokies Hokies Hokies

2008-08-31T17:59:00.003-04:00

I guess if you've read my previous post, you know that we are Cardinal fans...but we are also college football fans in general. We love this time of year and watching any of the games that are on throughout the week. Steve, being from Virginia, has some ties there with schools and teams that we follow as well, and the biggest one would be Virginia Tech. His Aunt Carol went there, and is as crazy about them as my family is about UofL (maybe even more so, if that is possible). Well they kicked off their season yesterday and the girls and I were watching and cheering them on. At the opening kickoff, VT had a great run down field and Lilly began cheering "Go Go Hokies! Go Carol!" I think she misunderstood when I told her that Carol was at the game, and she thought Carol was actually playing. Either way we were cheering them on! They had a rough start to their season yesterday as well. There is still a TON of football to be played this year though!

GO CARDS!!! GO HOKIES!!!

A Cheer and a Confession

2008-08-31T17:23:00.003-04:00

We are a Cardinal family...no doubt that we bleed RED in this house! We'll see how that fares for us throughout football season this year. I'm afraid I'm not expecting much out of my beloved UofL team (especially since as I write they are losing to our biggest rival by 10...we haven't put a single point on the board in 2 1/2 quarters...woe is me). We will always support our team though. I had the girls practicing their CARDS cheer the other day in preparation for the big kickoff weekend. They are adorable...if I could only keep Clara in the frame of the camera instead of standing behind me trying to watch on the digital screen. Enjoy their little cheer...now its time for my confession...

Last week when we went to pick Lilly up at preschool one day, a gentleman walked by. He was there to pick up his grandson, as he had each day so far, and he was wearing a UK hat. I teased him a bit about it...that he surely wasn't a WILDCAT fan and shared with him that I was from Louisville. We chatted a bit, and went on our way. It was then that I decided I needed to make a phone call home. I talked to mom and asked her to pick up some new UofL tee-shirts for the girls and to try and get them to me before kick-off weekend. When we got up Thursday morning, I dressed the girls in their new shirts, jean skirts, and ponytails. Lots of folks complimented the girls on their Cardware, and told us how cute they were. "Getting ready for football weekend?" they'd ask. What they didn't know was my real motivation for dressing them in their cardinal red on this particular day. I couldn't wait to pick Lilly up at school and tease UK grandpa just a little. With our big rival game this weekend and all, it was just too tempting. Much to my surprise, UK grandpa didn't come to pick up Lilly's classmate that day. I guess it serves me right! With the way things are looking right now, maybe I should be glad that he wasn't there.

Don't sit on Homer!

2008-08-21T21:58:00.005-04:00

Get ready for a good laugh here ladies and gents! We went to breakfast at McDonald's this morning before taking Lilly to school. Steve had the morning off and was able to go with us. I took a potty break for myself, and when I returned, the conversation went something like this:

Steve: Be careful, Mommy...don't sit on Homer! (As he looked at Lilly.)

Me: What? Who's Homer? Lilly, who is Homer?

Lilly: Homer the elephant, Mommy. He my friend.

Me: Oh...your friend Homer the elephant. Can you see him?

Lilly: Yeah. He's right there. (As she points to the seat next to her.)

We proceeded to find out a little more about Lilly's new friend, Homer, as the day went on. This evening after dinner I asked her if she would tell my camera about him and she was excited to share so I'll let you enjoy the rest of the scoop via the video. In case you're wondering about the paper towel roll she's playing with...they learned about their mouths at school today and used the rolls as megaphones (like we need THAT in this family!). She and Clara had great fun with them this evening. Sorry if my 'interview' with her is a little redundant, too...in the midst of it I couldn't remember what I'd asked her and I think I ended up double tapping a couple of questions. Wanted to be sure you got all the details though!

On another note...Steve left this evening for Kuwait for a training exercise for a month. This is the first time in about a year that he has had to go anywhere, which was a big change from the last two units we've been in when he was gone quite often. We've gotten spoiled by having him home so much! It was definitely hard for him to leave this afternoon...Lilly was a little sad. I think she does understand on some level that he'll be gone for awhile. Clara kept asking for him at dinner. The month will go by fast for us, but probably slower for Steve. I am just extremely thankful that it is only a month and that its only Kuwait. Nonetheless, please pray for safe travels for Steve, and patience for me. Days with only toddlers can be long and tedious, but I thankfully have some great friends here who will help to give me some much needed adult interaction and/or Mommy time when I need it.

Hope you get as much enjoyment out of Lilly's video as we have today!

Picture Perfect

2008-08-19T15:42:00.005-04:00

So a few weeks ago I took the girls to have new portraits made since Lilly's birthday was our last photo session. It is amazing how much they change at this age in such a short time. The photo session was a blast. We went to a local Portrait Innovations and they were amazing. I have heard wonderful things about them from several family members and friends who live in different states and a new studio was just opened here. I really think these are the best shots we've had so far. They worked fantastically with the girls, and were very patient with Clara, who was not the easiest customer. You could never tell it from the photos, but about 75% of the time she was crying or at a minimum fussing. Lilly thought she was a supermodel...no joke. She was throwing her pigtails around and striking poses...too funny. I had 90+ shots to chose from, lots of help from the professional deciding, and the cost of it all was very reasonable. They've got me as a customer for a long time and I would highly recommend them to anyone. Since I got word that all the Grandmas have received their photos now, I can post them here for everyone to see without any repercussions. ;-) They all turned out great, but my absolute favorite is the one of the girls on the beach scene with Lilly playing the bongo drums and Clara dancing to the beat...that one totally fits their personalities! Hope you like them as much as we did!

Pea-School Days!

2008-08-12T18:45:00.005-04:00

Howdy ya'll...so today was Lilly's first day of 'pea-school' and she couldn't have been more excited. She has been asking to go for weeks, and couldn't wait after we went to the orientation last night to see her classroom and meet her teacher. She woke up this morning ready to go...with her new bag (given to all the kids last night) and her new 'pea-school shoes.' Of course my camera is still not working (GGGRRRRR), but I do have the handy little video cam that Gamma JA gave to us last fall, so I took some video at the house and in the car this morning. The first one is in our driveway on the way to the car, and the second is in the car while killing time since we were a little early. You can hear Lilly at one point saying she wants to go inside...enthusiastic is an understatement!

Things went pretty much as I predicted...Lilly waltzed right in the classroom and sat at the table to play with play dough, as if she'd been there a million times. Clara on the other hand began to cry. I believe she thought I was leaving her there, too. Once I finally got her to realize that she was coming with me, she was better. As we walked to the car, though, she kept saying 'Lilly....Lilly....Lilly' like she thought I didn't realize we'd left her there. Off and on all morning Clara asked for her big sister. When I told her it was time to get our shoes on and go get Lilly I've never seen her move to the front door so fast. It was really very sweet.

When we picked her up, she was all smiles, and her teacher said that she'd had a great first day. After we got to the car, I took her daily report out of her folder and it said that Lilly's mood today was 'happy and chatty'...why am I not surprised! It also said that she had a good day and played nice with her new friends. We got home, ate lunch, and Lilly asked to go back to school...I'd say it was a success!

Three Up...Three Down!

2008-08-07T14:14:00.003-04:00

For those of you who don't know us personally...I have a big family...huge...and I love it. My mom has 3 brothers and sisters, for a total of 10 nieces and nephews, and now that we are all getting married and having babies the numbers are growing everyday (5 great grand babies and one on the way for my grandparents). My dad is the third child in a total of 10...I don't really want to take the time to sit and count all of my cousins, and their kids right now...but you get the picture. We are all spread all over the country now. I have family members as far west as Oregon and as far east as New Hampshire. Just a little tidbit of info about us! ;-)

Now for the real reason for this blog...one of my cousins on my mom's side of the family, Andy, is a fantastic baseball player. He always has been since he was a young boy. Several of my cousins are exceptionally athletic...I was not blessed with the speedy gene. I always had great rhythm and stamina for dance, and loved it, so that's where I stayed. (Couldn't even do that now if I tried, but that's another blog for another day!) Anyhow...Andy has always had a dream of playing professional baseball in the Major leagues, and he has taken one more step in that direction recently.

He graduated in May from Franklin University in Indiana where he played baseball for four years, and now he has been signed by an independent professional baseball team in Florence, KY...the Florence Freedoms. He is on their pitching rotation and starts about every fifth game as I understand it. Luckily he is close enough to Louisville (where most of our family is) that folks can make the trip to see him when he pitches at home. We obviously can't be there for it...but when we're really lucky, he starts on a weekend. Those games are aired on the local Fox network in Florence, and we can watch them online. Can I tell you how cool it is to sit on my computer here in GA and watch my cousin play professional baseball in KY? Awesome! We got to watch him play on Saturday and the girls got a big kick out of it. We were eating dinner when it started, so you can see in the attached video that we were watching from the dinner table. For days after that, Lilly would ask to watch the baseball game at dinner every night. The video is a little dark because of the lighting in the room, but I wanted to share anyway... In one of the first few innings, Andy got the first 3 batters out and we began chanting, 'Three up, three down." The girls thought this was funny, which is why I grabbed the camera. Of course they weren't nearly as enthusiastic about it when I started filming, but what can I say...at least we have it on tape! To translate a little 'Lilly talk' before you watch...in the beginning when I ask her who we are watching play baseball, she said 'Mommy's friend, Andy.' We tried to explain to her that he is my friend, but that he is my family too...my cousin...like her cousin Carson or Matt. I think we just confused her more though... Nonetheless...enjoy! And if this video attaches easily, I'll try to make a habit of filming more to post on here at times...we shall see...

To Andy...we are so proud of you and pray that all your dreams come true!

Sending a Little Love

2008-08-05T23:54:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago my dear friend, Amy, sent us a care package. It is always fun to get mail from family and friends...the girls are especially excited these days if we get something out of the mailbox and give it to them (they appreciate the junk mail and credit card offers...at least it can make their day!). After opening it, I left the box in the living room and went to make dinner. When I returned, this photo is what I found. We asked Clara what she was doing and she just looked at us and grinned (that dimply, I know you think I'm cute grin). I asked her if she was sending herself to someone. "Yeah" was her reply. Who are you going to see, Clara? "Papa." Do you even have to ask if they have him wrapped around their little fingers? Silly question...of course they do. So here is Clara...sending her love to you Papa...and all of our other family and friends that we wish we got to see way more often than we do.

Monet at work...

2008-08-05T23:12:00.005-04:00

I will openly admit that I am not the best about doing arts and crafty type things with the girls. It is because I'm lazy. And I don't look forward to the prep work, or the clean-up, that inevitably comes along with the project only for them to participate for three minutes and then declare that they're 'all done' and want to watch Sesame Street. It's just not my idea of a good time most days. Don't get me wrong...we color, and play with play dough, and occasionally get out the crayola toddler paints (more like funny shaped markers) that we have. One recent day though, I got a wild hair up my bottom, and let them finger paint. I'll admit that it wasn't so bad and I actually enjoyed it. What amuses me the most about this, thought, is how differently the girls approached the activity. Both were very excited, but the similarity stopped there...

Notice Lilly...paint on her face, and all over her fingers and hands...she dove right in, mixed all the colors together and continued to paint in the same spot on a piece of copy paper (a side note...not the best for finger painting, but all I had handy). She declared that she was painting a picture of the cow jumping over the moon. This is the only thing that she ever colors or paints...thank you Elmo's World. Months (and I mean months) ago, on Elmo's World, a little boy showed Dorthy how he drew a picture of the cow jumping over the moon. Now, anytime we are doing anything artsy and you ask Lilly what she is making, this is what she says. Every now and then I can really encourage her and get her to declare that she has made something else...but those instances are few and far between. What can I say, except she sadly may have inherited my lack of artistic ability and creativity...

Now...let's take a look at my dear Clara-belle. Focused...engaged...tidy. Her colors are still perfectly in neat puddles on her plate, and she slowly places one finger at a time in each color before gently touching them to her paper. Very dainty.... Clara is still not talking a ton, so sometimes there is no telling what is going on in that little mind of hers. Maybe she is our creative genius. Or if she is lucky she got her daddy's artistic abilities instead of mine. Only time will tell! How differently she attacked the task of painting than her sister...at least she painted all over the paper, instead of in the same spot the whole time. Clara seemed to be the more contemplative one in the project, taking her time before delving into things. Lilly, on the other hand, jumped right in with both hands. It kind of makes me wonder if this is a sign of how they will approach other things in the future...

Giddy-up!

2008-08-04T17:29:00.003-04:00

I don't think you need much of an explanation to go with this photo. Lilly climbed on Steve's back and he started to give her a ride around. It only took about 30 seconds for Clara to start yelling "Please, Please!" Being the great daddy that he is...he let them both climb aboard and gave them rides while they waited for me to finish cooking dinner. Good times...

Reading time with Lilly

2008-08-04T15:55:00.008-04:00

Well, since I took such a long break from blogging, I do have some stories and photos that I can share from the last month. Just because I stopped writing about things, doesn't mean it is any less interesting around this house! So over the next couple days, I'm going to try and take some time to share the goods on the last few weeks of activities from our little piece of the world. Here goes...

A big new library recently opened up about 5 minutes from our house...and it is wonderful! I can't wait for their story hours and toddler programs to begin in the fall because I think we are going to be there a lot and the girls are going to love it. In the meantime, we have been going there every week or two to get some new books for the girls. They love going into the kids section and sitting there reading before we decide which ones to check out and take with us. As much as they have enjoyed books before, they are loving them even more now. About a month ago we went on one of our visits and met my friend Mary there with her infant, Benjamin. (I think he was only 2 or 3 weeks old at the time.) Anyway...Lilly decided that she was going to read him a story. It was so cute, and I actually had my camera in my purse, so I was able to capture the moment. I am amazed at how much she already knows how to 'read'. She has been able to recite the alphabet for awhile now, but she can also identify all of the upper case letters and some of their sounds. I'm sure she isn't much different than other 2 1/2 year olds now, but I'm pretty certain I wasn't doing that at two! She can hear me read a story one time, and retell it using the pictures with almost perfect accuracy. Can I just say she is really cool?! I love how much she enjoys reading too, and I hope it stays that way!

July 4th Fun!

2008-08-04T13:33:00.006-04:00

I know its more than a month coming, but I said I'd show off some photos from the fun we had in North Carolina over the holiday weekend...so here goes! The kids all loved playing together, and I think that dressing up was their favorite pass time. The girls especially enjoyed Abby's vanity and all of the cool princess dresses she has.

We did have some traditional July 4th fun too...we went to the neighborhood pool one morning (VERY nice) and cooked out for dinner one evening (thank you Hal!). And July 4th wouldn't have been complete without watermelon and Apple Pie! Wendy made a beautiful (and extremely yummy) pie with the help of all the toddlers.

The subdivision that Wendy and Hal live in had a parade the morning of the 4th. All the neighborhood kids decorated their bikes, scooters, wagons, etc. and paraded around the central square in the subdivision. It was very cute and fun (but HOT!). Lilly and Clara got a kick out of using their best 'princess waves' to the folks who gathered in their front yards to watch. I believe they thought they were real celebrities! We did try to see fireworks that night, but got rained on...BIG TIME. Luckily we hadn't gotten out of the car yet when the storm started so we were able to just hop back on the interstate and head back home.

We certainly didn't forget the real reason for the holiday, and the sacrifices that have been made so that we can enjoy the freedom that we have (and that we so often take for granted). We did have a fantastic time and can't wait until we can spend some quality time playing with them again!

Howdy from HOTlanta

2008-08-03T21:50:00.003-04:00

What can I say?? I was pretty honest from the beginning of this adventure in blogging, that I may not be the most consistent with it. But I am back. Hopefully on a more regular basis...but as always...no promises!

We have been really busy this summer with all of our travels, some of which I did take time to blog about. We did take one other trip over July 4th weekend to see Steve's twin sister and her family in Raleigh, NC. We had a really great time visiting with them and giving the girls a chance to hang out with their cousins. I'm not on my desktop now so I can't attach any photos, but I will do that in the near future for you to see. Now we are just hanging around home and enjoying what is left of the summer...and trying not to melt in the heat and humidity that has become the norm here.

In other news...the girls continue to amaze us every day. Clara is not only walking now...she is running...everywhere. Her little (sometimes very BIG) personality is showing itself to us more and more everyday. She has officially learned that her job as the little sister is to do anything she can to get a rise out of her older sibling. She does it beautifully...and Lilly reacts every time. Lucky me...I get to be the referee 95% of the time. I've got a feeling that's not gonna change anytime soon though so I guess I'll just have to get used to it! She has also developed an opinion...about everything. We don't always know what she is saying to us...but she is definitely giving us her thoughts on what she wants. She is still very sweet and gentle, though...and adorable...and she knows it!

Lilly is thrilled...and I mean really thrilled that she is going to start preschool in a couple of weeks. She kept telling me that she wants to go to school and play with other kids. We had been debating the idea of school for her. There really wasn't an apparent reason for us to send her since she can stay home with me, but many of our friends and family had opted to send their kids. We were still talking about it when she really began to express an interest. We'll see how it goes! I honestly think she is going to love it and that she will do great. Now every night before she goes to bed, she tells me "Mommy...tomorrow I get up, have breakfast, get dressed, go to school!" Then she gets a big cheesy grin on her face. We keep trying to explain to her than she still has 2 weeks to go, but she doesn't quite understand that. I don't think we are going to have to worry about separation anxiety with her on the first day! Maybe on my part though...and Clara's! She's not going to know what to do without her big sister for a few hours on those days!

I guess that's it for now from me. I will try to do better about posting on here...and I will get some new photos very soon. We are finally starting to fall into a normal rhythm again since public schools start around here this week. Isn't it funny how even though we don't have school-aged kids, life still seems to revolve around that schedule?!

Until next time...

Can You Dig it??

2008-06-30T20:18:00.005-04:00

Of course one of the other highlights from our Beachy vacation was playing in the sand. This time last year the kiddos really didn't care for the stuff. Lilly would tolerate it, but didn't want to walk in it or sit in it unless she had to and Clara was barely sitting up yet...I guess she didn't really mind it one way or another. This year was different though...they all loved digging and digging and digging. Their favorite thing was to fill our small wagon with water and play in it while they dug. They also really enjoyed when Steve would dig a trench near the water and it would fill up. Then they would sit in it all laid back...very cute. As for building anything...they weren't really into that yet. But they did enjoy knocking down and stepping on anything that Steve tried to build. Maybe next year!

Roller Coaster Baby

2008-06-30T12:09:00.005-04:00

As we were driving to dinner one of the evenings that we went out (most nights we cooked and ate in), my mom noticed a Fun Park with go-carts, bumper cars, bungee jumping, and other things of that sort. They also had an arcade though, and a small area of 'kiddie rides' and she really wanted to take the kids and let them ride one or two. Steve and I felt like Lilly would probably enjoy this, but it would be a long shot to get Carson on much and the only thing I felt Clara was big enough for was the carousel (she would have never stayed sitting in the other rides without one of us next to her, and we weren't allowed on them.). We all decided we'd go and try it nonetheless. Mom and Dad bought enough tickets for each of the kids to ride two things, so we tried the train first. We pretty much hit the nail on the head with our predictions. For a moment, we thought Carson might ride the train, but he was still a little intimidated by it. Lilly really made out with this deal though. Since Carson and Clara only rode the carousel, Lilly got to use all the other tickets and got on the train, carousel, swings and small ferris wheel. She LOVED it! We really thought she might lose her dinner on the swings going round and round, but luckily she didn't. Steve was especially excited that she enjoyed them all so much with his love for amusement parks. He is having visions of taking trips back to his old stomping ground at Kings Dominion to share it with her I'm sure. Though we were hesitant at first to go, I'm so glad we did and that she had such a great time!

Locked in!

2008-06-30T11:56:00.002-04:00

So this wasn't funny in the moment, but after the fact it was hilarious. I realized pretty quickly that the double doors to our bedroom at the condo locked very easily if they were played with, so I made a habit of NOT latching the left door. Then if the kids were playing with them and the right door locked, they wouldn't get locked in our room because we could simply be push the doors open. The problem with this was that Lilly and Carson found great humor in pushing the doors open every time I was in there changing clothes. One morning I got fed up with that game and did latch the door, but I forgot to unlatch it when I was finished. A bit later we were gathering everyone together and getting shoes on the kids so we could head to the pool, and we couldn't find Carson. Yep...he had locked himself in our room. The only one really panicking about this was Gamma. Amanda and Carson both were actually very calm, but my mom went running to the master bathroom (where my dad was taking care of business) and yelled for Papa to 'Hurry, hurry...we needed his help!' It didn't take long for us to figure out all we had to do was slip something between the large gap between the doors and unlatch the left door. Then we were able to push the doors open and both girls ran in to hug their 'lost' cousin. Carson grinned from ear to ear at all of us standing there to greet him. Then Papa showed up to see what in the world was going on! Fun times!!

Water Bugs

2008-06-29T16:49:00.005-04:00

I had no idea when we left for our trip how much our girls would love the water. And I mean LOVE the water. I had expected that Lilly would like the pool, and warm up to the ocean eventually, and thought that Clara would be scared of both but maybe by the end of the week tolerate it. Boy was I wrong! From the very beginning both of them wanted to be in the ocean and the pool almost constantly. I have to say that they were really good and didn't argue too much when we told them that for whatever reason we were taking a break from one or the other, but man did they love swimming.

They got a huge kick out of us taking them into the surf and letting the waves splash over us...they even didn't mind the saltwater in their faces...they actually wanted to splash in it. They also enjoyed just sitting in the sand and letting the water wash up to them at the edge of the ocean. Steve dug them some ditches a couple of times and they got a kick out of it filling up with water as the surf came in.

The pool at the condo was really nice, too and they couldn't get enough of it. The first day I held Lilly in the pool and Steve held Clara as we played and splashed around. The next time we went, I'd gotten Lilly some 'water wings' (at least that's what we called them) and once she realized she could kick her feet and swim on her own, she was all for it. If you tried to help her, she'd say 'No Mommy...I swim myself!' Alrighty then...don't let me interfere too much with your independence, darling! We did get Clara some water wings as well, and though she didn't take to them as much, she liked wearing them (to be like her sister) and she really enjoyed sitting on the steps and playing with her toys in the water. Really, Clara's favorite game involved jumping off the wall to Steve in the pool. (Thanks for teaching that one to us, Carson!) There is a little rhyme that we would sing and at the end of it the kiddos would 'jump' off the wall to us in the water. They really weren't jumping...more stepping, or leaning in...but it was fun nonetheless.

Carson had some water wings, too but he wasn't feeling them very much...he didn't want them at all! Papa tried to convince him that it was 'cool' to wear water wings by putting them on himself (very funny...see photo below), but Carson was not convinced. The next day, when given the choice of wearing the water wings, or staying in the condo while the girls swam, he reluctantly opted for the wings. Good choice, Buddy! After a bit I think he forgot he even had them on he was having such a good time playing with his boats and balls in the water.

We're Marching...

2008-06-29T16:35:00.004-04:00

...to the BEACH! It was so adorable each time we left the condo to go anywhere. The kids were thrilled by each and every thing and when we left the condo, they knew that another adventure was about to begin. By the end of the week they had the routine down and when we said it was time to go, they'd line up at the door and start chanting 'MARCH, MARCH, MARCH.' We would eventually open the door, and they would begin the march to the destination we were off to next as they sung 'We're marching...to the beach!' or the pool or the car or whatever location we told them we headed for. Since Clara was such a new walker, it was especially exciting for her to get in on the action. She loved being one of the 'big kids' and marching with her sister and cousin. Lilly and Clara still enjoy marching around and around when we head out someplace. Sometimes that is how I've gotten them out the door as we're leaving here...it is somehow more fun than simply walking out the door. :-)

We Sell Seashells!

2008-06-29T16:05:00.005-04:00

If you ask the girls what their favorite part of our vacation was, the most common answer is 'collecting seashells on the beach.' This was not the answer I expected to get from them, and it surprised me that this small adventure (which mainly only happened one day...maybe two) was so exciting for them. Clara was the first one to take to it, really. Steve picked up a shell and handed it to her. She treated it like a rare treasure that she was so proud of. She carried it around and showed it to all of us, and grasped onto it, so careful not to drop it in the sand. It was very precious. Shortly after that, Lilly and Carson got in on the fun, too and before you knew it we had a small collection of shells in one of our buckets. Steve really enjoyed finding them for the kids, but Amanda was the best collector I must say. She found some that were a really nice size and different colors. A couple were almost big enough to make a seashell bra out of. ;-) Maybe she'll make one and wear it on our next vacation! We did bring home a small collection of shells that we found on the beach. The intention has been to do something crafty with them. We'll see how long they sit on my kitchen counter before that happens! Hopefully they will be made in to something memorable and worthy of the memory sooner than later.

Vacation Marathon!

2008-06-29T15:05:00.007-04:00

So it has taken me longer than I meant to get our photos/stories from vacation posted here...but the month isn't over (yet!) so I think it's okay. ;-) The next several posts will be little snippets of our trip...but here are some of my favorite photos that don't really fit into any of those categories. After enjoying them, read on for more of our adventures from that week.

This is the girls and me on our first afternoon there. We were all really excited to get out on the sand and look at the ocean so we took a short stroll on the beach before calling out for dinner that night.

Carson and Lilly on the elevator at the condo...they were so cute holding hands whenever we went someplace. They liked to make a game of guessing which of the four elevators in the lobby would open first too. Its the little things that make them excited!

Okay....so the girls look a little awkward in this photo, but isn't it the perfect backdrop for a great family picture!? Maybe next time!

I can't get over this photo of Lilly and Clara...I mean...when did they get so BIG??

This did end up being our best family photo from the trip....not too bad, and it totally captured the essence of the week...laid back, fun on the beach and in the ocean.

I think this is a great photo of Amanda and Carson from the week.

This photo really might be my favorite from the whole vacation. I love the girls sitting with their Daddy watching the waves crash at their feet and just enjoying the moment. It is priceless.

Lilly and Clara enjoying some downtime while we waited for a table at Cracker Barrel on our way back home. They were very excited to be in the 'big' chairs.

Calling All Super Heroes!

2008-06-17T15:15:00.002-04:00

I don't know how many of you reading this have small children, or are familiar with any of the programing on PBS, but it is pretty much our lives these days. While we do try not to let them watch too much TV...there are certain shows that I allow, and in many ways I think are good for them in moderation. The girls have always been #1 fans of 'Sesame Street' and have taken to 'Between the Lions' (a fantastic reading based program!) and 'A Big Big World' as well. In the last months though, a new favorite has become 'Super Why'. In this program a group of children turn in to super heroes with different reading 'powers' (spelling, decoding, alphabet sounds, etc.) and come together to read a story and solve a problem. Well...meet Super Lilly and Super Clara! Not much more of a story here than that, but when Lilly announced the other day at the dinner table that she was 'Super Lilly...here with the Power to Help!' we cracked up. She had been trying to get one of my blankets around her as a cape, but it was quite big as you can imagine. So both the girls were thrilled when I pulled out a couple of the baby blankets and they could dawn their 'Super-Reading' apparel. I LOVE the fact that the girls enjoy books and letters and reading so much, and I will do anything I can to continue to foster that passion for them...even if it means putting on my own cape and flying around the living room with them!

Princess of the Potty

2008-06-17T14:09:00.002-04:00

A month or so ago, I would have never thought Lilly would be potty trained by now. She was more than resistant and defiant at even the mention of being a big girl and sitting on the potty. If I said to her, "Lilly...you can be a big girl and use the potty instead of wearing diapers" her reply would sound something like this, "No Mommy! I NOT use the potty!" as she stomped away. After talking to lots of other moms and the pediatrician, and observing Lilly more closely (she was waking up with a bone-dry diaper everyday, told me when she had a dirty diaper, and even used the toilet at the church nursery), I decided it was time to toss out the diapers for her, and potty training boot camp began! It was not fun. There were lots of tears the first few days...both hers and mine. And I'll admit that there was some yelling on both our ends, as well bribery involved (M&Ms as rewards and the threat of turning off Sesame Street when she yelled at me). But, on about day three, she got it...WHEW! What a relief that the hardest part of that was over! She still has a few accidents and I put a pull-up on her when we're out of the house (mostly for my convenience). But for the most part, she is potty trained. She does great here at the house and when we're out (though I did have to purchase a portable, collapsible potty seat with Sesame Street characters on it to get her to use the bathroom in public...a small price to pay!). The only place she usually has accidents now is in the car...I can deal with that. When we were visiting Louisville a few weeks ago we were at my parents house and the girls were playing dress-up when Lilly announced that she had to go potty. We rushed to the bathroom and as she succeeded she broke out in this big grin. So me, being the great mom I am, thought 'This would be a fantastic photo for a senior slide show when she graduates from high school someday!' And I grabbed the nearest camera. Aren't the girls lucky to have me as their mom! ;-)

Attack of the Pudding Monster!

2008-06-17T13:47:00.004-04:00

Lookout folks...the Pudding Monster has struck in GA! She is a sneaky sucker and attacks when you least expect it. She may get you at the table...in your sleep...or even in the car. She disguises herself as vanilla, butterscotch, and sometimes chocolate. And if your not on the lookout...she just might get your daughter, too!

This happened so fast...it was hilarious. We had finished dinner one night and Steve offered the girls pudding cups. They NEVER turn down sweets...got that trait passed down from their Great Granny Randol! I had cleaned Lilly up and gone to the office area to check on something and Steve had turned around for literally half a minute to get a washcloth to clean the table. When he turned back, this is what he saw, and he lost it. We all cracked up! As we can best put the pieces together, Clara must have put the pudding cup to her face to lick it. And maybe use it as a telescope??? She likes to peek through things that are transparent on one end, so maybe she noticed this about the plastic cup and decided to try it...who knows. It was a good laugh though and might make for a nice blackmail photo in the future.

We're baaaack...

2008-06-16T16:31:00.010-04:00

Now for the grand return! We got home from our beachy vacation on Saturday night and I have unpacked pretty much everything. The house still needs to be cleaned, but I decided it can wait while I begin to catch up on here. Get ready for the Chicken Family Blogger Marathon! Rather than post all our recent adventures in one really long blog, I've decided to break it up into lots of smaller ones...although those who know me, know that I am rarely a woman of few words, so we'll see how 'small' they really are! I'm gonna start with our trip to Louisville for Memorial Day weekend to celebrate my cousin's wedding....here goes!

We started on our seven hour trip when Steve got off work on the Friday before the long weekend...unfortunately, the seven hour trip turned into ten when we hit Atlanta right in the middle of rush hour AND a downpour. Can I just say that the folks around here don't know how to drive in precipitation at all??!! We did make it safe and sound...although the girls didn't sleep in the car much at all, which could have made things really interesting...they were great though.

Saturday we got to visit with my longest and dearest friend, Amy and her beautiful little girl (sorry we didn't get to see you, Tim!) and that evening we went to Nick and Lindsey's wedding...the real reason for the trip. It was a beautiful evening and a lot of fun. They really are made for each other and make a gorgeous couple...the kind of pair that you see and know that they will have a beautiful life together forever...no doubts at all about that.

On Sunday, we were able to get together with most of my mom's family for dinner at Mike Lining's...if you are from around Louisville and have never been there, you are totally missing out. It is the BEST place to go in spring/summer/fall for great food and a really relaxed atmosphere. Most of the seating is outdoors at picnic tables and there are several swing sets/playgrounds for the kids. You can walk just over the flood wall and see the Ohio River. I have very fond memories of going there as a child with family friends and loved taking the girls there. It was really fantastic to get to visit with everyone and to have all the little kids together finally! And we actually got a good photo of my grandparents with all the great-grand kids--a minor miracle!

Before heading out of town on Monday, we stopped by to see my Granny for a bit. It is always a treat to see her and to share the girls with her. We also had lots of time to hang out with my parents and my brother and his family throughout the weekend...it is always a blast to have the kiddos together...it is all about them now isn't it!? Enjoy these photos from the weekend!

Grandma and Grandpa Clark with the Great Grand kids...we got them to sit there and look at us by tossing them cookies...whatever works!

Some of the family getting ready for dinner at Mike Linings.

Grandpa Clark playing with Lilly and Carson on the slides.

Grandpa and Lilly at the slides.

Clara on the 'big girl' swings!

Sweet summer kisses...Lilly and Gabby.

Playing Tee Ball with Papa in the backyard.

Mom, me and the girls visiting with Granny Randol.

It's dark...but I like this photos of us.

Lilly and Clara hanging out with Joleigh...three little princesses!

So sorry...

2008-06-05T20:30:00.003-04:00

Howdy....if anyone out there is still checking in anyway! Sorry it has been a couple of weeks since I've posted anything. Things have been pretty hectic around here since we were out of town last week, and this week we're volunteering at Vacation Bible School, and next week were going to the beach....whew! I promise that we have lots of pictures and stories though, and when we return after Father's day weekend I will share all of our latest adventures...from potty training to our new walker, from super heroes to pudding invasions, and all of our travels. Ciao for now!

From the Mouths of Babes...

2008-05-19T10:03:00.002-04:00

Yesterday we were all ready for church...it was unusual only in that we were actually ready on time rather than rushing around the house like we have the last several Sundays, barley making it in before the priest. I looked at the girls and Steve in the living room and the conversation proceeded something like this:

Me: Man you guys are a good looking bunch!
Steve: Lilly, isn't Mommy pretty?
Lilly: Nope.
Steve: Lilly! Is Lilly pretty?
Lilly: (As she begins to dance around the room) I AM pretty! (Notice the emphasis on AM!)

I won't take this personally since when I take her shopping with me she always makes me feel 'pretty' . When I'm trying clothes on, it doesn't matter what the item is, how it fits, or what it really looks like, she always says something like 'Oh Mommy...your a princess!' or 'That beautiful, Mommy!' At least she's not lacking the in the self-confidence department...maybe we'll work on humility next week! ;)

Kisses from Angels

2008-05-16T13:13:00.005-04:00

So last night after the girls had their baths and were all ready

for bed I went in the bathroom to pick things up and take care of some of my own business, if ya know what I mean. Lilly followed me in there, of course. (There is no privacy in motherhood!) I took the opportunity to tell her for the millionth time about how big girls use the potty instead of wearing diapers and she can be a big girl now, too. This pretty much fell on deaf ears (there will be more on that to come in the future I'm sure). She did, however, notice a freckle on my leg. The conversation then went something like this:

Lilly: What that, Mommy?

Me: Its a freckle.

Lilly: Ohhhhh....a freckle. I have freckle too, Mommy. (As she pointed to a freckle on her knee.)

Me: You sure do. Our freckles are where the angels kissed us when we we little babies.

Lilly: They are?

Me: Yep

With that she bent over and kissed the freckle on my leg. Can life get any sweeter than this?!

These Boots are Made for Walkin'...

2008-05-14T23:46:00.003-04:00

Here's a little background on my dear Clara... She decided to enter the world about five weeks early, and though she was considered premature, she was over 6 lbs, alert, and had no serious issues (a little jaundice, but nothing huge). She came home from the hospital the same day I did. The one thing that she has struggled with since birth has been anything involving gross motor skills (that's the big stuff like rolling over, holding her head up, and crawling). She will be 19 months old the end of the week and until early last week she had never taken any real independent steps...but there's nothing stopping her now! No more crawling for her! And very little 'cruising'! She's got a one track mind today and that is, "Where am I walking to next!" I seriously almost cried the first time I really saw her walk about 7 steps across the room...and she was soooo proud of herself...beamed from ear to ear. The last couple of weeks she has been especially frustrated that she couldn't walk...especially when at the playground, or when trying to keep up with Lilly. So to see her finally do it, just filled me up inside. This photo cracks me up...while she obviously isn't walking in THESE shoes, after seeing her big sister in Daddy's boots, she just had to try them on too! If I'm really good tomorrow I'll try to shoot a little video of her walking to post on here...no promises though. I'm soooo proud of you my Clara-belle!

What's in a name?

2008-05-13T10:52:00.011-04:00

Alrighty...after much thought and some discussion with my hubby, I've decided to continue the blog using only our first names. Most of the folks on the site are family and friends anyway, and you know who we are and where we live. Others who happen across the site would have to do some investigating to find us...and lets face it...we're not that interesting! The other reason for the decision to use them is because I couldn't come up with any good nicknames for us. I tried to do something in line with the name of our site (those who know us should know where that came from) but the thought of calling myself a hen and my hubby a rooster just didn't jive. Then to try and find variations of 'chick' for the girls...chicklette? chickadee? chicka? I have a hard enough time some days calling them their given names without mixing them up (I know...there's only two of them...but they are a lot a like in many ways!). And how do you give a dog a chicken name??? So in case you don't know us personally...meet 'The Chicken Family'.

This is me (Christie) and my wonderful husband, Steve. Photo was taken by a friend at the Spring Formal that Steve's unit had this past weekend. We don't have many shots of us together...most photos are of the girls these days and that's fine with me! Usually I'm the one behind the camera. When we were getting ready to leave on Saturday I walked out of the bedroom and our oldest said "Mommy...you ready for the ball? You wear a beautiful dress!" Minutes later Steve appeared and she said, "Daddy...You look like a Princess!" We straightened that out pretty quickly and explained to her that Daddy is a Prince...like Prince Charming. Both of the girls are VERY into all things princess right now and most days Cinderella is their favorite.

This is our oldest chick, Lillian....age 29 months. She is recently very interested in dress ups, dancing, play jewelry and wearing my shoes...and it this photo, brushing her hair! Man are we gonna be in trouble for those teenage years! Lilly is definitely the older sister, and the mother hen. She loves to help take care of others around her...and boss them around (we're working on NOT doing that anymore!) Really she is a very loving child and is concerned about everyone she comes in contact with. This photo cracks me up because she was so excited to be doing her own hair that afternoon.

Here is the youngest chicklet...Clara...age 18 1/2 months. Clara is our little comedian...she loves to do things to make people around her crack up. At this point it usually involves wearing something unusual as a hat, or initiating a peek-a-boo game from under a blanket or behind a piece of furniture. Anything she can do to make her sister laugh is especially thrilling to her! She is also a very sweet child...will go out of her way to give you hugs and kisses. She is coming out of her shell now too...until recently she was suffering big time from separation anxiety if I left, or if anyone she wasn't used to on a daily basis came to the house. She is doing TONS better now though and that has made it easier and more fun on outings and to have folks over to visit. This shot was taken the day of our KY Derby party...all the little girls here made Derby hats to take home that day. I love Clara's dimply grin and how her big, blue eyes are shining.

And this is, Dunkel...our hairy kid! We got him while stationed in Germany in 2003. Its hard to believe that he'll be 5 in June. While he takes a backseat to the girls these days, he is as much a part of the family as any human is. He is BIG (110 lbs) and HAIRY (though we've taken to giving him a buzz cut in the summer months and to help with the shedding in the house), but he is the most loving, sweetest dog you'll ever meet. He has been fantastic with the girls and they just love him!

I guess that's it for now...time to clean the kitchen and get the girls down for a nap.

In the beginning...

2008-05-12T11:36:00.008-04:00

Greetings visitors! I'm not really sure where I should begin with my initial attempt at blogging. A very good friend of mine suggested I start a blog after reading a long e-mail Family Update that I sent out with some photos. I was hesitant at first because I didn't want to feel obligated to write something everyday, and I didn't know how I felt about adding another thing to my 'things to do' list. The more I thought about it, I decided it will be fun to have another way to document the life that I love with my hubby and toddler girls and to capture the ins and outs of a sometimes (okay....usually) crazy life. We have been talking for awhile about starting a journal for each of our girls with all the funny things they do and say...now I can do it here and share it with the world. (Don't know how they'll feel about that when they're teenagers!)

One of the first things you'll notice about me is that I'm rarely a woman of few words. My family used to give me a hard time growing up about how I could never tell a 'short' story. I think that might serve me well here. I'll do my best on this first blog to give you a 'quick' background on me, and hopefully from there I'll build based on what is going on in our little piece of the world!

I was born and raised a Kentucky girl in Louisville...a fantastic place to live I must say. I have been blessed with a wonderful, loving family; the best parents, an awesome brother (and now sister-in-law and nephew) and a huge extended family, as well as amazing friends. I attended college at Bellarmine University...also in Louisville (though I did win the battle to live in the dorms rather than at home...which was only 20 minutes away). I was on track to graduate with a degree in Elementary and Special Education the summer after my junior year when I met my husband-to-be.

This KY chick had never left the state except for the occasional family vacation, and I had never been out of the country (does Canada count?)...okay out of the continent. Little did I know that this Military man would sweep me off my feet and life would never be the same again! We met the end of July, got engaged in April (April Fools weekend to be exact), graduated in May, moved to Oklahoma in July, and married the following April 13th. Since our wedding six years ago, I have acquired and amazing family in my in-laws, and through our life in the military I have another family that I never expected...Our Army Family. And when I say family I meant just that...they are not acquaintances that we have met along the way and forget about with the next assignment. They are part of our family and we will always be connected because of the special bond we have as Army Wives, Army Brats, and Soldiers/Officers. FT Sill, Oklahoma was the first stop on my new adventure as an Army Wife and since then we have lived in Bamberg, Germany; FT Knox, KY; and now we are stationed outside of Atlanta, GA at FT McPherson. As the saying goes...Home is where the Army sends us!

The next adventure I embarked on was motherhood...and what a ride it is! We have two beautiful girls...ages 28 months and 18 months. Yes, you read that right...they are ten months and ten days apart. Our second little chick was quite a surprise to us since her big sister was only four months old when I realized I was pregnant. She then decided to come into the world five weeks early, which is why they are even closer in age than they would have been. We wouldn't have it any other way though. I have loved having them so close together and though it has been rough at times, it wasn't nearly as hard as I had imagined. Talk about unconditional love...they have taught me the true meaning of that...what a blessing they are.

Okay...so that's a little about me. The other thing you should know is that I'm not very technologically savvy...you'll have to bear with me as I figure out the ins and outs of 'blog world'. I'm trying to determine the pros/cons of using our real names on the site or using nick-names. I've looked at lots of blogs over the weekend and have seen a little of both...I guess I need to decide how paranoid I need to be about someone stealing our identity or thinking we seem like fun and coming to see us. Any advice on that from professional bloggers out there?

I have some fun photos/stories from the weekend that I may try to post over the next couple of days to get a jump start on my new found means of communication, and then I hope to leave a message at least a couple of times a week. We'll see how it goes from there! Finally, if you happen across my little blog and have one of your own, I'd love to check it out. Leave the link here in the comments, or e-mail it to me!

Until next time...Ciao!