1st Round of Christmas Pictures

Grace's picture last year was sooo cute! Not that this picture isn't cute cause it is. It took about 30 pictures to get this one. She would not sit still and she kept giving that cheesey "CHEESE" smile (if you know what I mean).
Sadie to the rescue!
Grace started crying right before I tried to get the two of them together. So Sadie just threw her arms around Grace and started smiling and so Grace did too. But you can tell in the pictures of the two of them that Grace was smiling through tears.

And this was the 3rd picture I took of Sadie. I didn't even bother seeing if I could get a better one. Why put her through more than was necessary. After her refusal to smile last year and even still in recent pictures I was so happy to have this picture. So beautiful.

The past 2 weeks (pictures are out of order)

All 8 girls at the end of trick-or-treating.

5 of the 8 girls getting ready to head out trick-or-treating.

Grace was so fascinated by the fire. And Sadie is finally getting up the nerve to "trick-or-treat".

Batgirl!

Barbie Thumbelina. Talk about a grumpy little girl. She did NOT want me to take a picture at that moment.

They loved all the pumpkins. Grace especially liked seeing how big of a pumpkin she could pick up.

The pumpkin patch.

There are times I don't give Sadie enough credit. I thought for sure she would chicken out when it came time to get on the horse. She was super excited before it was her turn and when the guy came to get her, she willingly went along. She didn't even look back to make sure I was coming too. She sat on that white horse like she'd done it a thousand times before. I was/am so proud of her.
I never worry about Grace being too shy or too scared to do anything. She's always willing to try and do new things. I honestly don't know where she gets her outgoing personality. Must be Dave (even though I think he's a shy guy) cause she sure as heck doesn't get it from me.

On the carousel

This is totally random but I took the girls to Red Robin by myself for the first time and I'm not looking forward to doing it again. They were good but I'm having a hard time lately getting the girls to do what I ask when I ask without any threats. Dave only has to ask once and they listen. Totally not fair.

What we've been up to...

Took the girls to see Toy Story in 3D.
Peter Piper Pizza
Peter Piper Pizza
Ran to the store last night about 8pm to grab a couple things and Grace was nodding of the entire time. It was sooo funny! She even thought it was funny when she would start to fall to the side and catch herself.

Dave won some hill-billy teeth in a claw machine at Red Robin that we found to be quite entertaining.

A couple months ago but this was their 3 year check up.
I think we may have a future architect.

Love this picture that Jesse took at my parents house while Dave and I were at Comic Con.

Bev and I took the girls to Tempe Marketplace one day for lunch.
Discovered that Sadie is a mosquito delicacy.

Halloween Oreos are the best!

How Grace eats an oreo....

First, she licks the cream. Second, she puts the cookies in her milk. Third, once the cookies have become soggy she get a spoon and mixes it up in the milk. Last, she drinks the milk!

BATGIRL!

So I think we've settled on Halloween costumes. Grace is going to be Batgirl and as much as I wanted Sadie to be Supergirl, she decided she is going to be Thumbelina. Didn't get a picture of her in her costume because she had just smashed her finger and she was in a mood. She didn't keep her costume on long enough.

But anyway.... Grace was just so darn cute in her costume I had to share.

More swimming pictures!

Grace Dave Sadie
Sadie

Grace & Dave

Grace

Sadie

Grace

Double ouch!

Grace LOVES to watch people cook. She pulls a chair up to the counter and watches and learns. For example, I was making cole slaw yesterday and she's seen it made so many times that she knows we use our hands to mix and squeeze it up. Anyway... Ron also decided to make homemade soft pretzels later on so of course Grace pulls up a chair. While trying to get down she must have slipped and hit her chin on the counter and now has two holes in her tounge. She would NOT let me look at her mouth when it first happened. It took a good 20 minutes or so before she would open her mouth just enough to let me see. She just kept crying and saying, "it will be fine momma!" She's so brave. Either that or she's so chicken when she's really hurt that she pretends nothing is wrong.

She wanted nothing to do with anything that would even make it feel better. No ice, no popsicle, no medicine (and I never have an issue with medicine), no kisses, no nothing. It was so sad. She eventually cried herself to sleep and woke up every once in a while crying probably because her mouth got dry and it hurt her tounge.
Every time I tell her to show me she smiles and says that it's getting better!

More Lego Land Pics

Sadie Gets Her Ears Pierced!

Sadie did MUCH better than anticipated.

There was a split second where I actually thought there was no way we would leave with Sadie's ears pierced. But she sat in the chair without fear and unaware of what Grace went through. (MeeMa took her for a little walk while Grace went first. I knew Grace would get over the pain relatively quick and be happy enough to show Sadie her ears). As soon as the nice lady got close to her she got a little shy and as soon as the piercing was over the screaming began. She took a little longer to calm down but nothing new chapstick wouldn't cure. As soon as we found some that wasn't priced way incredibly high she forgot all about her ears.

Thanks MeeMa!

Grace Gets Her Ears Pierced!

Grace was one tough cookie.

It's tough to watch how excited your child is over something they have no clue how much it's going to hurt. It wasn't that long ago I had a second hole put in my ears so I remember how much it actually hurts.

She LOVES her new earrings and is proud to show them off!

Thanks MeeMa!

Day 4: Airplane Ride Home

While this is technically their 2nd time on an airplane, the 1st time they were barely 6 weeks old. So this is their 1st time understanding what they are doing. And they had a great time!