So Thankful

Here are a few things I am so

very thankful for this year:

my husband

my three girls

a healthy Taylie Mae

no more colic/acid reflux

the opportunity to be a stay at home mom

Jason's job

the small town of Colon

our cozy home

good friends & family

coffee

pumpkin pie creamer

our computer

hip2save.com

online shopping

my minivan

heated seats

Amish stores

my camera

slippers

Since Jason had a basketball scrimmage at 6pm, the night before Thanksgiving, we decided to come into Holland in the morning. This year we decided on a bit more relaxed atomosphere with heavy duty paper plates and cups done buffet style. I think the guys were happy to be able to eat in front of the tv and it make a lot less work for us girls to clean up and more time to sit and chat :)

We decided to put up our Christmas tree on Saturday afternoon. The girls could hardly wait this year.

Even Taylie got in on the action.

Posing so nice with their new ornaments from Grammy.

As soon as we got the tree up, Kelsey ran to the window and said, "I don't see the snow. Why isn't it snowing?" She thought that since the tree was up, it was Christmas, and there's suppose to be snow for Christmas. Looks like she will have to wait a bit for the snow.

I am excited to bring out the Christmas music finally! From now until Christmas we will be listening to it while we eating breakfast together every morning. Somehow that became tradition last year and they've been asking for it since summer.

Here's an idea for you! I made these shirts for the girls the other night. I cut the girls' initials/name from some material that I had in the house and just used fabric glue to glue it on some of their old shirts that are normally worn as under shirts for layers. Now they can be worn alone as well! I might start thinking of more things to glue material to to make it unique and more fun.

4 Months

Taylie turned FOUR months today.

She has learned to blow raspberries.

Once she gets going, there's no stopping her.

Mace is thrilled she is able to carry her

sister around now! (while mom is watching!)

Thanks to Grammy for making some fancy bibs for our big drooler!

She almost always has a sister by her side.

She loves our reaction when she squeals REALLY loud.

Just recently, she's getting more aware of

what faces she recognizes and which ones she doesn't.

She is stubborn with the bottle. Will take it from mom, but not dad.

She loves to look for daddy when she hears his voice

in the room and then will "talk" to get his attention.

She likes to eat a lot during the night again...went

from sleeping 7-8 hour stretches for awhile back

to 3-4 hour stretches. I think she's growing :)

Starting to not like it when we walk away from her and are out of sight.

Horrible, just horrible napper. We're talking 15 minute naps at times.

Close to rolling over, but not quite yet. She grunts

as she gets on her side but can't quite get over.

Still working on finding her thumb consistently.

Just some updating

sorry the formating is all messed up, I can't seem to fix it.

What we've been up to:

A trip to Chuck E Cheese as a family.

Movie theater to see Ramona (free movie of the day!)

Still eating lots of Halloween candy.

Buying diapers at the Amish store for $3.99 a pack.

Eating frozen meals from a frozen meal party.

Girls are still passing around a nagging cold.

Kels is recovering from her impetigo,

ear infection, urinary tract infection, and strep.

Mace can't get enough of school.

Taylie has been drenching at least 3 outfits a day in drool or poop.

PICTURES OF MACE:

Wearing her lovely mask she made at school.

I can hear her laughing in this picture :)

Our family portrait.

PICTURES BY KELSEY:

Kelsey the photographer. I need to get a picture of

her taking pictures, she now gets down on one knee because

that's what photographers do.

You never know when she'll have the camera.

And no that's not Taylie in my arms.

I love her pictures because they really capture our life how it is right now.

TAYLIE MAE:

Taylie has been so much fun lately and has some

serious chub going on in her cheekers!

Her new favorite activity.

Trick or Treat

Friday morning the girls got to dress up for the Halloween Storytime at the library. They listened to pumpkin stories, worked on a puzzle, made a ghost, had snack, and got a fun purse full of goodies. We came home packed up our suitcases and took off up north. Stopped in Dorr for just a bit and saw the costume parade at sister in law Lisa's school, then went to Laurie's (Erin's mom) house to get Macey's costume. Since last Halloween Macey has been wanting to be Dorothy so Laurie was kind enough to make her a costume...it turned out great! Then to Brenda's we went to show family the girls' costumes. We enjoyed pizza, salad, and other goodies. It was a full house and the girls had a lot of fun receiving lots of goodies. Thanks everyone :)

We slept at Brenda's that night and enjoyed a breakfast at McDonalds before heading back to Dorr to celebrate Halloween. I am sad I didn't even take pictures of the girls with Merek who was Bam Bam :( The girls went with Grammy to church for trunk or treat and to play a few games before we rushed home to trick or treat in Colon, which started at 4pm. We made it just in time and the girls made out quite well with candy. I'm always surprised at how busy it is in our neighborhood with trick or treaters.

Up until Friday, Kelsey kept saying she wanted to be Sleeping Beauty and we have the dress so I was planning on that. Friday morning came and she changed her mind three times before heading to story time. She ended up wearing a different dress up dress we have...possibly Thumbelina? Then for trunk or treat she wanted to be a tap dancer in a sparkly silver leotard and tap shoes, then when we got home she quick switched to another princess dress with sunglasses :) The girl likes change I guess. (glad I didn't buy her a costume)

Taylie was a pea in a pod. (a costume Brenda bought YEARS ago on clearance from Meijer...remember Bren?) Notice her pink headband so no one would call her a boy.....last year Kelsey was called a boy TOO many times in her pumpkin costume.

Hope everyone else had a fun Halloween!

We're ALL enjoying the candy over here :)