Trimming the Tree!

This is obviously a few weeks behind, but we got out the tree and had a family decorating day. Reese wanted her own tree in her room. It was only about a foot tall.

We borrowed a little tree from Jeremy's sister and put it up on the table so it would be more out of reach from Rylee.


This is Reese with her ornament.

Earlier that day we went to Bicentennial park (by Lee's) The santa there is the best! I had a feeling Rylee would react this way, she doesn't really like going to strangers lately, let alone one that looks like Santa.
Reese went straight in and snuggled down, it was so cute, Santa loved it. He said Reese was the sweetest and he felt like taking a nap.


This is Rylee helping me put up the tree.


Just trying to get into the holiday spirit. It worked, then we watched Muppet Christmas Carol, (my fav) Which we watched about 5 times this season. Hope you all had a good season as well.

One small step for baby, one giant leap for mommykind.

I know you want your babies to stay small. But inevitably they don't. And since Rylee is getting so big, I find myself wanting her to be able to do more things, that older kids can. #1 - Feed herself. Now I know it's a little early but I started her on milk in a cup, and took her off bottles.

It's been the best, right there you save about 20 min, each feeding, which means I can clean up the dishes, (or actually eat myself, I know, novel idea.) Anyways she's getting better and better at feeding herself and I love it, for me it's a big milestone we've reached.

The rest of these are random pictures, Rylee on Reese's rocking horse that she's obsessed with.
I never have them in matching clothes because Rylee has so many hand me downs and they're never the same as what Reese has. But I had to get a pic of them in their matching jammies, even though it's not halloween.

Car accident!

A couple of weeks ago, the girls and I set out for the craft fair. We were going to stop at my neighbor's house (about two blocks away) and go with her. Well we didn't make it. Luckily it was in no way my fault, and even more luckily we were perfectly fine. I can't say the same for my Acura.

This doesn't show how bad it really looks. We got hit on the side, (right where Rylee sits basically.) They had to completely replace both doors, the running board, and paint the fender. The bummer is we have to get new car seats, and that is turning out to be a pain. Also we're lucky she had insurance, and we've been able to have a rental car for about a month now. I'll be excited when we get our Acura back hopefully good as new.

Cabin fever.

I know that winter is just started, but it's ben so cold that we haven't been going outside at all. I am aware that there is still months of cold left to go. We are missing the park, and I feel like we were getting on each others nerves a little bit, so last week I was trying to think of something fun and different to do.

So we stripped the girls down and did some pudding painting. I think it worked, it gave us something to do, and definitely entertained them. I had one of those plastic table cloths that cost about $1, and put out bowls of different colored puddings and jams, and some paper.
Reese obviously was more interested in painting herself, (which I had thought would be coming). And Rylee was more interested in eating it.
Afterward I just scooped up the whole tablecloth and chucked it, so cleanup wasn't bad at all. I was lucky my husband didn't see it though, I think he would have been less optimistic about the mess.
Of course after covering your body in pudding, it's time for a bath.

If anyone has any more ideas let me know........ there's a lot of winter left!

Happy Thanksgiving

This thanksgiving was great, Jeremy took off a few days, and we got to spend lots of time hanging out.

Jeremy's sister (and fam.) came into town. The kids all had a lot of fun playing. All the adults went and saw HP7 and then on friday we took the whole Deamer clan to see Tangled (Which was soooo good by the way.)


You knew it was coming I can't let a perfectly good cake making opportunity pass me by. Yes this is all fondant. I had some pre-made red fondant from Wilton, now I see why people think fondant is gross, I actually didn't taste it but it even smelled gross. The rest was my regular marshmallow fondant, which is definitely better.
I found out you can make chocolate fondant, so I tried it out, it worked really good.
I'd like to take a quick second to say what I'm thankful for. I'm so thankful for my family, I'm so lucky to have them all so close, Except for Leah who is on the other side of the world :( I'm so thankful for my girls, they are so awesome. I couldn't have picked out two better kids if I had tried. I love that my husband is such a good dad to them, and such a good best friend to me. He always makes me laugh. I'm so thankful for where we live, and the neighbors and friends that we have made. Hope your thanksgiving was as fun as ours.

Nap Time?

I love nap time, I think people who don't have their kids take naps are crazy. (That's when I get my house clean, or my projects done.) But I do know Reese is getting older, and lately Reese hasn't been sleeping. I keep making her take a nap, but she just plays, or gets out of bed. I keep thinking ok, maybe it's time to stop making her take a nap.

But last week this happened 3 or 4 times. I tell her to go back to bed, and finally when I check on her she's on the floor asleep, or a chair with the lights on. So obviously she needs a nap right? (Do you love that she's on top of a huge pile of toys, nice and comfy :) So what do you guys think, let her stop? But I don't want to.

Last week Heather called me at about 12:30 to tell me it was Cheryl's b-day (Jeremy's aunt who lives next door). I knew I only had a few hours to make a cake which is not enough, but I did it any way. I hurried and threw a cake in the oven right when I got off the phone. (Yes, I realize that was I a good person and remembered birthdays, I could have been prepared, but no I'm not.) Cheryl has taught school for about 30 years or so, so I made a schoolhouse cake. A bit ambitious for my skill level, and way ambitious for my time frame.

I think she liked it anyway, I don't think she's ever had a cake like this. I didn't have time to really cool the cake, or let the fondant rest, I tried to put it in the freezer for a while, which helped, but if you notice it's a little soft looking, it is.

I made little books and apples, to try and add a few little touches. After this I see why you don't try and do a cake from beginning to end in just 3 or four hours. Maybe the next one will look a little better.

Before and After

Ok I promise this is the last time I post about my weight. Hopefully everyone is not completely annoyed with me. After I posted last about how I kept cheating, it did the trick and I got back to work again. I have officially met my goal, and passed it by three pounds so far. I was too chicken to take a real before and after. But here's a few shots of me looking kind of heavy.

And here I am about a month ago, so still about 10 lbs. more than I am now.
So far I have lost 49 lbs. It's been a long time coming, but it was definitely worth it, because now I'm much healthier. In fact this makes me laugh, but I'm only two lbs. away from not lying on my drivers license. (I was really lying there for awhile :). Anyway good luck to all of you who are doing the same thing. Happy exercising!