Arianna's big day

On December 10th at 1:01 am my baby girl was born.... a year ago!  I can't believe she is already one!  This little girl has changed so much over the last year.  From being the quiet little thing that would just sit on your lap for hours. Too, a crawling, walking and almost running non stop noise making one year old.  She loves to smile, cuddle, chase after her brothers, smack her brothers, take baths, go swimming, climb stairs, slide down stairs, brush her teeth, eat the tooth brush and much much more. 


She definitely has her own personality.  She is strong willed at a ripe old age of 1.  If she doesn't get her way she will try and bite you, smack you or start hitting herself in the head.  If she wants to drink she will click her tongue to let ya know... um, I'm thirsty here!!!  She LOVES attention!  She will stop crawling or walking, turn around to make sure someone is watching her. 

For her big day we had a party with our family.  Her brothers were more than willing to assist with the unwrapping of presents.  She did enjoy her new toys but so did Elliot and Levi.  She actually had to fight to use her new doll stroller. 

She liked her cake even though it didn't turn out as nice as I had hoped for.  For a first birthday it was really nice!

Elliot's Christmas Concert

I'm not sure what it is about watching your kid up front on stage that makes you proud, but it does.  I was so happy that we were able to go and watch Elliots Christmas Concert at preschool.  Luckaly for us we had lots of family join in the fun as well.  Elliot and all his little friends came in ringing bells and singing Jingle Bells.  They proceded to sing We Wish you a Merry Christmas, with LOTS of hand motions.  They did a few other songs and it was over. 

Elliot is not shy at all.  Infact he is front and center YELLING the song.  We thought we had recorded the event but it turns out there was user error with the video camera.  (SAD DAY!!!) 

When he was coming into the cantuary (where the concert was being held) Elliot finally saw us and screamed... "BROTHER, DADDY, MOMMY!!!"  Made my heart melt.  Even during the event he would look over and say hi. 

I wish I could have gotten it on video but I'm still glad I was able to see it in person.

Christmas in Spokane

For the first time in 5 years I was home for CHRISTMAS!!!  Just being around family makes such a difference during the holiday season.  We scored big on our after Thanksgiving shopping and were excited for Christmas to come.  This year we seemed to not stick to a budget.  (Thanks Casey!) Some how that just didn't seem as fun as buy what we wanted for the kids and and other people. 

We started the season with Elf on the shelf.  We named our elf Hurbby and he turned out to be alot of fun.  We started out strong finding fun things for Hurbby to do but ened up forgetting to move him a few times later on in the process.  The kids liked talking to Hurbby and telling him what they wanted for Christmas. 

We took the kids on a Christmas cruise to see Santa.  I really do remember the trip to be much longer but the kids enjoyed hearing their names be read by Santa knowing they were on the "good list".  The best part of the cruise was watching Santa try and read all the kids names that were on the ship and laughing because he couldn't pronounce them.  I'm so glad it wasn't me trying to read all those names.

Grandma and Grandpa Doggett took us all on a drive to see Christmas lights.  We listened to Christmas music and LOVED seeing all the pretty lights.  Its wasn't quite as intertaning as the Bluefield light show with Christmas aliens and lockness monsters but it was a close second.

Finally it was Christmas Eve!!!  We spent the morning with the Doggett family and did a gift exchange.  Or it may have been more of a nurf gun collection.  Either way it was a great time.  Then we were able to play outside and then go to a candle light serves with my family.  Unfurtunatly Elliot and Arianna weren't able to make it to the service as they needed to nap (badly!)  Once we finished we came home, picked up the kids and headed out to Grandma Kathy's and Grandpa Randy's house!  There we had a wonderful Christmas dinner followed by PRESENT OPENING!!!  After the festivites we made our way back home for some good sleep before Santa came by.

Christmas morning we were up and at it at 5:48 am!  Santa had come!!!!!  The kids were actually really good about finding their stockings, opening them and then waiting for uncle Ben to get up.  While they waited they had their chocolate and vinella milk while watching a Christmas move.  At about 7 am we opening the pressents.  The kids scored big!  They are SOOOOO loved!  I on the other hand I didn't just have a good christmas I had a FANTASTIC CHRISTMAS!  Yes, the gifts I recieved will not be out mached but the fact that I was able to spend Christmas with my family was even more of a blessing.  But just to refresh my memory i lwas lucky enough to recieve one or Rex's (my father in-law) Canondale bikes.  This bike is a thing of beauty!  I also go the top of the line Kitchen Aid from Cheryl and Randy (Casey's mom and step dad).  I have wanted one of these since I can remember.  Then Casey went above and beyond the budget for 12 Christmas's and got me snow boots and snow pants (rex and marcy helped), cycling clothing (so i can try and look as good as my new ride) a gift card to go get some much needed clothing and home decorations.  I am one lucky girl!

Casey didn't do too bad himself.  I was able to score a great deal on a hicking back bake and got alot of the gear to go with it. 

I love my large extended family!  I couldn't ask for a better support system and to be a part of my life.  I thank God for giving me crazy people in my life that I call my husband and kids. 

Thankful for Arianna

Even though I'm late on this, I'm still going to write how thankful I am for Arianna. 

Arianna is such a silly little one year old.  I love her big smile and how she knows that she is cute.  I love it when she pats your arm while you hold her.  I love her range of emotions.  She will go from the happiest little girl you have ever seen to throwing her head back despair.  I love how she tries so hard to get involved with her brothers even though they push her down. (we are working on this)  I love how she lights up when she sees anyone she knows. 

She is growing and changing so much and so fast.  I can't believe she is a one year old!  I'm so blessed to have three wonderful children!

Thankful for Levi

With just two days until Thanksgiving I am truly trying to be grateful for the blessings that I have.  One of those blessings is Levi.  Levi can be the happiest little boy you have ever seen.  His smile can light up a dark room and bring joy to any ones heart.  He can also be the whinniest little boy you have ever seen as well.  But I'm going to focus on the good stuff. lol  I love his little face and his beautiful blue eyes.  I love how he can walk out of his room in the morning and say "good mornin' mommy".  I love how he came up with the "daddy, that's a funny word".  I love that every time I give him fluoride drop he gets so excited and says "that's yucky".

I love how active he is.  Watching Levi trying to keep up with his big brother is so cute.  The fact that he can peddle a trike one year earlier than his brother is very impressive.  He is just so determined to keep up with his big brother in everything. 

I love that he came up with Arianna's nick name, Nana. Even though it wasn't on purpose just sheer lack of pronunciation I still love it. I think it so funny that he still calls her baby instead of Nana most of the time. 

Levi has no fear what so ever!!  Just this morning Levi and Elliot were jumping off the couch into blankets saying "I'm going to kill myself".  NOT because they actually want to kill themselves. Just because anytime they do something crazy I tell them they are going to kill themselves by doing that act.  I do wish he would have some fear instead of telling me "mom, this isn't a good idea".  Quickly followed by him doing whatever might hurt him. 

I love that he can be kind.  He LOVES to cuddle.  Before I had Arianna, I would hold Levi every morning while watching cartoons.  Now I take my cuddle time when I can.  He love to give hugs and kisses.  I love that he helps Arianna up when she falls down. I love it when he shears with Elliot. 

I also enjoy watching him grow up.  I already miss his mispronunciations of words.  Such as yogurt, he used to call it O-gurt.  I would actually have him say yo then gurt and when we would try to put them together it still came out O-gurt. 

I am so grateful for this crazy cute, whining, funny, smiley, lovable little by named Levi.  Mommy loves you Levi!

Thankful for Elliot

Since this is the week of Thanksgiving I have decided that I should write what I'm thankful for.  I figured I could start my list with my kids from oldest to youngest. 

I am so thankful that I have a wonderful, funny, silly, outgoing, energetic, curious, fun loving boy named Elliot.  Elliot has the most wonderful heart and I love him so much.  I love how caring he can be.  Elliot will help Arianna play with toys, help Levi learn new things..."Levi say the days of the week.. Monday, Tuesday...."  I love that he is so curious but wish it wasn't always snakes.  He can sit for a 1/2 hour to and hour watching snake videos with Casey and just be mesmerized! Then following the videos get asked 20 question about the snakes like...Do anacondas bite you or just squeeze you? If a black mamba and a cobra fought who would win? Why do snakes have fangs? All very valid questions..

I also love how silly he can be, his laugh is infections. He and Levi like to make up fake words and call them funny words.  I also love how he jokes with all of his family by calling his uncles girl names.  Such as calling uncle Tim-Timberlina and Casey-Cassie. 

I love how when he gets done from preschool he runs to me calling me mommy and gives me a big hug.  Even though he doesn't want me to help out in Pre-school because pre-school is for kids and not for Mommy.  I love how he comes out in the morning and says how he got good sleep.  I also find humor in all of his "don't never' comments.  Such as "you don't never put Arianna in the over" "you don't never put Arianna in a snakes mouth" 

I am grateful for this boy I named Elliot and how wonderful of a little man he has become.  Even more than that, I'm grateful God allowed me to be his mommy. 

Naps, they aren't just for kids

Nap time is one of those glorious things that happen each day that you look forward too right when you wake up.  Thats if the nap time goes according to plan....  In my imagination my children would play wonderfully all day long.  Get along great, learn lots, say funny things and when it was time for nap and bed time they would be like... ok mommy we will go to sleep, love you.  That would be the end of it.  No running out of their rooms. No "I have to go potty" for the um-teenth time.  No, I'm afraid of Goliath or any other thing.  Just go to bed, and sleep...

I wish there was a manual that came with each child that instructed you to do ABC if XYZ happens.  Bed time used to be the only time I had to actually fight with my kids to go down.  Now I'm the lucky one where I get to fight two times a day.  But its a battle worth fighting! 

Nap time for a stay at home mom is like your own little me time. It gives you a little time with out the kids while being able to get a few things down that would take 3xs as long if the kids were up.  Or catch up on anything at all you want to do.  Read a book, write a letter, watch a show, do a craft, do some deep cleaning or my favorite sometimes...sleep!  Its my one time in my day where I feel like I can take a break and relax. 

I'm not saying I don't love my kids, I do more than life itself.  I just wish they would understand how important nap time is for the both of us.  One day, I'll inform them of how hard they made nap and bed time.  But for now, I'll concentrate on how much I love their little smiling faces and the funny reasons why they can't go to sleep.