Precious

I love these two more then anything in the world!

80s night

I had the great fun of going down to Wilmington with three of my awesome girlfriends a couple weeks ago for Melting Pot's 80's night. We received free drinks (tea) and free chocolate! There is a pic of all 4 of us floating around....I'll have to get it from my friend :) This was my first Melting Pot experience and I thought it was a blast- especially with a group! My favorite? The spinach artichoke fondue.

No, I'm not pregnant...

My friend forwarded this to me...... thought it was hilarious. I am like the most un-crafty person ever, but I did create (along with Blair and God...) two precious girls :).

It starts so young.....

Taylor and Bailey playing "footsies" Look at Taylor's big grin :)

Bailey getting her phone out of her baby's diaper bag

Hello? Jace- I miss you! (She is either always talking to Jace or Grandma/Papa)

Taylor- here...yout talk to Grandma!

I'm gonna get you.....

Both the girls know how to use their play phones. Bailey can carry on a full play conversation. What is our cell phone bill going to be in a few years ?!?!?!

Bowling Fun

Bailey was invited to a Birthday bowling party last weekend. We all had a blast (thanks Gracie for letting us come!). Bailey liked bowling for a short while and then went to sit with the food.....must not take after her Mommy on this one :) (PS- bowled in league throughout elementary school).

Here is Bailey and Daddy giving it a whirl

Spunky Monkey

Sweetie Pie

Happy Easter......a week late :)

Taylor and I were sick all last weekend with 4 day's worth of fevers. While Bailey and Blair went to church on Easter, the rest of the family could not. I dressed up the girls today and we finally took a couple of pics.

Daddy and his sweet babies My and my precious littles

Sweet sister kisses

Bailey in her second Easter dress..see the bunny's on the bottom :)

Little Mermaid

Jace,

THANK YOU so much for my Little Mermaid movie. I ask my Mommy to watch it all day long. I carry along the case and open/shut it several times a day. I LOVE Little Mermaid. Thank you for the perfect gift.

Love, Bailey

CVS

I have been able to go to CVS and Rite Aid the last couple weeks. I have gotten a lot of good diaper deals. Thank you Mom and Mom-in-law for the coupons. I use them several times a week! This was last weeks loot. Total cost $0. :)

double trouble

This past week, Taylor seemed to get even more curious.



And my beautiful big girl looking a little disheveled. I was just happy she finally looked at the camera :)

Sisters

My prayer is that they will always be there for each other. That they will be best of friends. That they enjoy growing up with a sister so close in age. I know I have loved every minute of having two girls so far :)

Taylor 11 months

Taylor, you are now 11 months old! Hard to believe that my little baby is verging on toddlerhood....I can't believe you are already almost 1. You have become a very busy bee and love to play with your sister (and subsequently challenge her "me" world):).

You are:
-wearing 12 month clothes, you finally outgrew your 9 month ones :)
-eating only your prescription formula 4x/day along with TABLE food. NO more baby food for you!
-are VERY allergic to milk- We confirmed this a week ago with a couple bites of swiss cheese. Within minutes you were covered in a rash with swollen eyes and eczema flare-up. Benadryl helped calm you down. We will wait to try any eggs/ peanuts with you. You are handling wheat ok and love roasted potatoes, bananas, animal crackers and any bread product :). You had your first oreo yesterday and loved it as well.
-sleep from 7:30-6:30am without waking up at all most nights! Nap from 10-11 and then 2-3 most days. You love your shushing teddy bear to help you go to sleep still and have taken to your lovey your Pappaw gave you.
-Use crawling as your main mode of transportation, but have started pulling to a standing position and creeping some as well.
-love to "sing" with Bailey
-are very curious and love to take things in/out of holders.

Taylor, your Mommy, Daddy and sister are so in love with you! You are a sweet, kind spirit with an explorer mind. We are so blessed to have you! You go to the doctor next month and we are excited to see how much you have grown!


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2010 Goals Check-Up

I am doing a quarterly evaluation of my goals....updates in blue.

1. Wake up at 6 am everyday and have Quiet Time with my Lord first thing- I normally wake up at 6:30, and it is hard to wake up at 6am after being up with Taylor several times a night, but I have realized the need to get up before them now that there is 2! I have been having my QT during nap time, but need to start freeing up that time for chores.
Blair and I have been waking up at 5:45am every weekday. I unload the dishwasher and make both of our coffees/breakfasts. We then sit down and eat/ have our quiet times together. It has been AMAZING! I sit until the girls wake-up (most days at 6:30am).

2. Support my Husband- Be diligent in all I do. Have the home be a haven for him to rest and come home to. Live my life in such a way that he knows he is number 1 on my priority list (besides God). Make his lunches the night before. Get up with him and make his breakfast to take with him. Ask his opinion on meals, girls activities, my activities. Serve as a FRA with his unit. Thank him daily for all his hardwork and provision. Encourage him to go after his goals.
Date nights 2x/month until he deploys (make daycare reservations/ brainstorm ideas to do).
Blair and I have been going on dates regularly using the daycare on base. Recently, I have tried to cut back on my "activities" to be available for him and not over-burden him with watching the girls b/c I will be gone/busy.

3. Eat healthier- I have lost all the baby weight due to nursing, and have cut dramatically down the "processed food and sugar substitutes", but have gotten in a habit of using more sugar. I am trying to cut the sugar out of my coffee and tea. I also need to decrease running through the drive thru to once a week (even for a diet coke). Continue with my meal planning (best help ever).
We have cut out most HFCS and all MSG. I am still hooked on diet vanilla cokes. It is my one indulgence during the day! We have gone to organic milk/yogurt and am trying to become more educated in eating a whole foods diet. I recently watched Food Inc. and that was great! We still have fast food 1-2x/week. Probably need to cut down on that....

4. Exercise 4x/week- Currently I walk 45min-1 hour with some friends (with kiddos) 3x/week. I need to continue that and then add a day or two of more intense activity. Going to the gym is now feasible with Taylor being 8 months old. I will start running once it warms up a bit. If nothing else, I need to do a Shred/ Tae Bo video at home when the girls are occupied. Baby weight is gone, but sure needs some toning!
I started going to the gym on base (They have a playroom I can put the girls in for a total of $4 each visit) recently and feel the results already. With two kids, it is almost impossible for me to workout at home. We leave the house and get there around 7:45am so that I can work out and get it out of the way early. I am going to try and shower at the gym as well so we can be fully ready for the day by 9:15am! They both have been doing well in the playroom (a HUGE blessing -I think the time of the day is good. They've had breakfast, but not ready for a nap yet). Next step: personal trainer (free for 8 visits).

5. Keep up with the Blog at least 3x/week- I have a new camera and love taking pictures with it! I want to be more diligent about documenting my girl's lives. This blog is our family scrapbook and I need to do a better job at updating it. I also plan to include more of my personal ideas/ goals/ struggles and triumphs in the worlds of parenting, military life and homemaking.
I guess I am doing ok in this. Need to do more personal posts and creative pictures stuff.

6. Be a better homemaker- I am painfully aware of my shortcomings in the areas of cooking, cleaning and creativity. I am going to implement a cleaning plan (looking at the motivatedmomsplanner), continue to practice my cooking (which has improved a lot in 2 years, especially with all our dietary restrictions), and plan a monthly project (sewing, crafting, etc). I know with most of these things practice makes perfect, and I need a LOT of practice!
I bought the MotivatedMomsPlanner about a month ago and it has changed my life! Blair said the other day that the house has been looking really good:). I love that I have a preset checklist that changes every day. I give myself an big fat F in my monthly projects. I would rather watch paint dry then sew/craft. How bad is that? Menu planning is ok. I've been doing a new crockpot soup/ breadmachine bread every Sunday so that by the time we are home from church we have hot bread and fresh soup ready! This has been GREAT as the hour after church is always so hairy getting the girls fed, undressed and ready for a nap.

7. Be a better Mom- I need improvement in doing crafty things with Bailey. Once a week, I want to find simple craft ideas to help her have fun and learn about whatever she is passionate about. I want to start reading to Taylor at night before she goes to bed.
I need to improve in this area still. I have tried to be more deliberate in doing little things with Bailey. She helps me make almost every meal. We recently bought a "preschool" book and have been doing those pages together. I read with Taylor and Bailey before we go to bed (although Taylor would still rather eat the book :)).

So, some things are going really well......some things miserable failures. I still have 9 months to go praise the Lord! MOST importantly is that I am seeking God's will and way for my life :)

Big Girl and Baby

Who is the big girl and who is the baby in these pics? I am beginning to wonder! Taylor has been pulling up to a standing position for a couple days now and is starting to take a step or two while holding on.....

Faces

my sweet Taylor is one of many, many sweet faces....

One of those days...

What a wonderful weekend!

The weather has been perfect this weekend. With Pete and Blair gone camping (for fun), it was just me and the girls. We had fun outside, ate lots of pizza and watched Lion King 1 1/2. We spent Saturday morning at Target shopping for new summer shoes for Bailey. I just love having fun with my girls!

Taylor-LOVING the swing :)
So pretty....
I'm gonna get you!
Big sissy is such a good helper.
Cheese face :)
Yea! Looking at the camera. Such a sweet girl.
Can you find Snick?
Bales and Tales, trying unsuccessfully at getting a group shot.

What are you looking at?

All about a pink bow.

The Bales and Tales love their daddy.....Know of anything sweeter then a US Marine with a pink hairbow? ;)

Mr. Froggy got in on the action as well.