18 month check up

Today Maggie had her 18 month check up.  Dr. N was very pleased with how well she was doing and meeting each milestone for this age.  He was extremely impressed with her vocabulary.  (Thanks Caroline)  Thankfully we didn't have to wait too long and she did a great job of keeping herself entertained.  She decided to sit on the stool to read her book.  When she did, she said "it cold!" :0)

• Height- 33 1/2 inches tall=90th percentile
• Weight-29 lbs, 2 oz=90th percentile

Dr. N said you are gonna have some tall girls!!  Yep, I think so! 

Gingerbread House #2

Pop and Peep gave Caroline a Gingerbread kit during Christmas Break.  We have had it sitting on the table to complete but wanted to do it while Maggie was asleep.  Sadly there aren't many times when Caroline is around while Maggie is sleeping.  So we decided that we would work on it Sunday.  We attempted one during Christmas break and let me just say they are harder than they look.  We learned a few tricks the first go round and had LOTS of fun working on this one.  Caroline was SO excited to show off her master piece that she didn't give it time to dry/set.  The roof was the first to start sliding and then all the other pieces began to slide.  She looked at me and said "This is the poor house...it's broke and we don't have money to fix it...guess we better eat it."  And secretly I think she was thankful it fell apart...she and Maggie enjoyed eating the house while it was still yummy!

Silly Girl

Maggie is at such a fun age!  Her little personality is developing and showing more and more everyday.  

This morning she went around the house with this container on her head.  She was laughing and saying "I hat."

 Earlier this week, she walked up to me in the kitchen and said "peeze holp."  (aka please help)  Somehow she managed to get her arm out one side of her pj's..God bless her!

It Snowed...ok maybe it was just a dusting...

Caroline was SO excited that we were gonna get snow today.  She pulled out all of her snow gear last night and couldn't wait for this morning!  When I woke up this morning, her blinds were open!  When I asked her about it, she said "I don't want to miss the snow."  Needless to say, in the eyes of a 7 year old, there was enough snow to enjoy!  Maggie was even excited, pointing outside saying "NO NO NO!"  aka Snow

 No snow experience would be complete without sliding down the slide to take off the snow.

 Maggie joined in on the fun!

 So very proud of her snowball!

To us, it was no big deal...there wasn't enough snow to worry about...to this sweet girl, we got snow!  She was thrilled!  If only there was some way to keep the excitement of a child throughout life...

Sisters

These two crack me up!  This picture was taken the other day but it's their new favorite thing...Maggie rides in the very tiny plastic bucket while Caroline pulls her around by the leash attached to the bucket.

Today, C took it up a notch.  If I honestly thought my camera would have captured it, I would have grabbed it.  Today C made wheels and a steering wheel for M's bucket.  Instead of pulling her with the leash, she attached the leash to the "school bus" and pulled her around the house.  Only M weighed too much for her to pull...so she would jerk the leash as she rode the bus.  It was hilarious!!!!!  They came into the den at one point with the diaper bag and they were holding hands.  C looks at M and says "We lost our car...where did we park the car when we went into WalMart?"  They turned around, went back into the store and came back with their car.  So much fun!!!

Beautiful Sunrise!

Wednesday's are my days for carpool.  As life would have it I was running behind AND Maggie decided to have a blow out right before we walked out the door.  I quickly got her changed and frantically tried to get everyone out the door as quickly as possible.  As I walked outside, I was greeted with this AMAZING sunrise!!!!  Caroline noticed it too...we both paused for a minute in awe of the beautiful creation the Lord had given us.  I realized right then and there had we not been running late, I would not have been able to capture this beauty!  Thank you Lord for these amazing gifts!!!!

Prayers for my nephew Wilson

Yesterday was an extremely scary day for our family!  My nephew Wilson had an "episode" with his heart.  His blood pressure dropped, he broke out in cold sweats and was very limp.  He left school in an ambulance.  After a few hours at the local hospital they were able to figure out a little of what was going on.  However, his cardiologist at MUSC wanted to get him there.

Originally they were planning to send the helicopter to transport them.  However, right before they flew out, a greater emergency came up so they decided to send the meducare ambulance instead.  Claire said it was the Cadillac of ambulances complete with a fridge and a tv.  Once at MUSC he continued to have some irregular heart episodes but they are settled in there.

Pray that today they would find answers.  That they can figure out what caused the episode yesterday and make adjustments to his medication.  Wilson is one of the sweetest 9 year olds you will ever meet.  He has a heart of GOLD and loves so well.  Please pray from him as well as my brother Daniel and his wife Claire.  So thankful we serve a God who loves us more than we can fathom...a God who loves our precious children MORE than we do...

Happy Birthday Nori

Today we got to celebrate this sweet girls 4th birthday!!!!  Shesh I was seriously just visiting her in the hospital!  Thankful for this sweet girl that Maggie calls Nor Nor! :-)

Taking care of business

So I am washing dishes and I noticed it got quiet.  For those with small children, quiet isn't always a good thing.  So I went on a hunt to find the girls.  When I walked in Maggie's room, this is what I found.  I guess Maggie needed a diaper change and Caroline felt the need to take care of it without bothering me. :0)  I was very thankful to see that Caroline had moved the items onto the floor vs. trying to change her on the changing table! :0)

Fun with Jude

Caroline had an early dismissal day today which meant she got out at 12:10.  When we were are dinner with the Emert's on Saturday, Courtney and I decided today would be a perfect day for the two of them to get together one last time.  So I picked up Jude and we headed to car line to surprise Caroline.  He was so cute.  He moved to different places in the van to "surprise" her.  Finally he decided he wanted to be in the seat by the door so that she would see him when the door opened.  It was precious!!!!!  As the door opened and she got closer, the smile on her face grew.  The two hugged each other as soon as she got in the car.  My heart could burst I was so excited for them.  No matter how long between visits-10 months or 10 days, these two pick right back up where they left off.  They play extremely well together and Jude pretty much let's Caroline have her way.  So all is well. :0)

They played outside for literally 4 hours!  I was so thankful for a gorgeous day!!

I picked up snowman cookies at a local bakery and they were thrilled with their treat

This picture really doesn't do their dirty feet justice!  They were literally black from playing outside.

Dinner at their own table

One last picture! 

Judey boy, as Caroline calls him, we love you buddy!  Thankful for your friendship!  You are a fine young man and we are thankful for the opportunity to hang out with you.  Until the next Christmas...

Sweet C

The other night, Maggie wasn't feeling well so we brought her in our room.  We were trying to let her sleep propped up to help with her congestion.  Caroline was having a hard time going to sleep that night and had already been up out of bed a few times.  So it wasn't long after we brought Maggie into our room that C came in crying..."I don't understand why Maggie gets to sleep in your room and I can't."  There were more tears and sad stories and I almost laughed because she was so tired and the story was just so pitiful.  So I explained that we didn't have room in the bed but she was welcome to sleep beside us on the floor.  She was thrilled.  Within minutes of settling into her spot, she was out.  I LOVE that sweet little LuLu was right there beside her. :0)

First Little Ponytail

Caroline was hanging out with Maggie in her room.  They came out and Caroline was SO excited that Maggie had enough hair for a ponytail.  I was impressed she let Caroline put the rubber band in!

Sunday Fun Day

These two are in a super sweet stage right now.  They are getting along so well and enjoying each others company.  

Maggie got a new kitchen for Christmas.  Earlier they were playing and I overhead the following conversation.

• C: Maggie this is your kitchen.  We are gonna make some cookies.  But you see when you use this pretend kitchen, you have to use your imagination.  We are gonna use these gold fish as our ingredients.  Mix them up, put them on the pan and bake them.  Now that they are ready, you can eat them.  YUMMY aren't these cookies good.  (the whole time Maggie just watched and listened to every word she said.)

Caroline was washing the dishes.  I turn around to find Maggie in the chair with her! :0)

A little later I was working on dinner.  I look beside me and there is Maggie sitting on top of the table.

Dinner with Friends

Tonight we were incredibly blessed to hang out with these folks!  We are so thankful to do life with boh of these couples.  Our time with the Emert's is never enough but we are so thankful we get this one on one time with them.  We enjoyed dinner at one of our favorite restaurants and then headed downtown for dessert.  It's fun to hear their heart whether about ministry life or just life in general.  Thankful for both of these friendships that last no matter how great the distance between!

52 dates in 52 weeks!

So Andy and I have decided our goal for this year is to date each other...52 dates in 52 weeks.  Dating is something that has taken a back seat the last 4-5 years.  We can see the damage that has done and want to work together to enjoy each other...to be just us Rita and Andy, not Mommy and Daddy for an hour or two each week.  So some weeks will be nice like today when we went to a Carolina basketball game where other nights might be simply sitting on our front porch watching the stars.  Regardless of what we do, our goal is to spend at least 1 hour per week, just the two of us.  Stay tuned!

New Years Writing

SO very proud of my sweet girls writing!!  Click on the picture to read her work.  I know beyond a shadow of a doubt this girl will make the world a better place!  She has a big heart and LOVES so well!!!  I can take lessons from her and learn a thing or two myself.

Last day of vacation...

We were so very thankful that our school district took an extra day for Christmas Vacation.  The girls and I were sad to send Andy to work but thankful to have an extra day at home to get things ready before entering the real world again.  Caroline was a HUGE helper.  She helped entertain Maggie and also helped me with household chores.  What a wonderful break it has been for all of us!  Maggie and I were so thankful to have Daddy and Sissy hang out with us!!

Cleaning the art table

Helping shred the chicken for dinner

Maggie entertaining herself with a little coffee table reading. :-)

Breakfast at Dino's

One of our favorite New Years traditions is to eat at Dino's on our way out of town.  Andy, the girls and I go every year.  Sometimes it's just our family and other times it's several.  The funny thing is that the last two years we have had an adult table and a kids table.  The kids are always so PROUD to be able to sit by themselves. :-)

Girls lunch

The last few year while on our beach trip, we have started taking girl days and guy days.  We all enjoy the morning at home.  Once we get lunch prepared and the kids settled down eating, whoevers day it is, heads out for some fun.  This year the girls found a yummy place by the water.  It was gorgeous outside.  It was so nice to sit down for a meal, talk without any interruptions or having to fix any one's food.    After lunch we headed to local ice cream shop and sat and talked for over an hour.  Such a gift thanks to our awesome hubby's!!

Maggie is 18 months old!

This little monkey is 18 months old...that means that tomorrow she will be closer to 2 years old that 1 year old.  :-(  We love the little personality that she is developing.  She keeps us laughing a lot.  One of my favorite things that she says is Luv Loo.  She calls her lovey her Luv Loo.  She also will say luv loo to us when we tell her we love her.  PRECIOUS!!!!

She is definitely strong willed and knows what she wants.  I am SO thankful that she is a good communicator because it has really helped us avoid a few melt downs.  She is starting to put 3 or 4 words together.

• I read book.
• I want fish please.
• I want wadew (water)
• I go atside (outside) 
• Sissy sleeping, nite nite

Continues to enjoy coloring

Loves to sit and read.  She loves to be read to or loves to read by herself.  I LOVE to hear her "read."

This girl LOVES a buckle!

She is allowing Sissy to play with her and she actually does what Sissy tells her.  Caroline is IN LOVE!

We never know what we will find these two up to,  In this picture, Caroline is taking Maggie to school in her 'wagon.'  One of her other favorite things to do with sissy is sing.  Sissy knows several of the songs Maggie is singing at school so they sing together.

Annual Friends New Years Trip

We just returned home from our fabulous 8th annual New Years Trip.  The first year we went there were 3 couples and 2 children.  (It was the year before Caroline was born)  This year we had 6 couples and 16 children!!!!  Some might say we were crazy to attempt it but we had a wonderful time!  The kids were fantastic!!  Everybody had a buddy about their age except Maggie.  Thankfully all the kids thought she was pretty cute and gave her lots of attention.  We had bipolar weather...the first two days it was in the eighty's...the last two days I don't think it made it out of the fifty's.  Our house was ocean front which meant we were able to make lots of trips to the beach.  In the past trying to get everyone "ready" for the walk was a pretty tough ordeal.  This year the big kids could go ahead with one adult while other adults got the little ones bundled.  It is always such a treat to spend 3 days together...we are blessed to be able to do life with these folks!!!

The first trip to the beach.  Mr. Wes and Mr. Jeremy were very specific about not getting clothes wet...

As you might imagine, every kid had to take a shower when they came back in soaking wet clothing!! :-)

The little's enjoyed having Mr. Jeremy read to them.

The older girls had their own space.  Every single one of these girls has an American Girl doll or bitty baby.  They spent a ton of time changing clothes, fixing hair, etc.  They loved being able to use each other's stuff.  They were so sweet to let Maggie hang out with them. :0)

Nothing better than watching the sun rise over the ocean!!

Early morning pre breakfast walk on the beach in our PJ's

Our sweet blessings eating breakfast

They loved the hot tub...this momma was a little grossed out by that one...needless to say C came in and headed straight to the shower!

December 30 in bathing suits in the ocean!!!

These guys were OH SO THANKFUL to play in the ocean...it's been a few years!

hanging out watching cartoons

they didn't get to watch tv too often so when it was on, they were glued!

movie time while the little's took a nap

Our sweet 16 in order, the oldest being 10, the youngest being 18 months

Happy birthday Jude!

The kids practiced and performed a Christmas play!  It was precious!!!!

What an awesome 3 days with sweet friends.  What started as friendships in town has spread out all over the world...the Lord has taken us all to different places but so thankful for this time every year when we get to regroup and refresh!