Treasures

Maggie has entered a new stage where she wants to take a toy with her to bed every night.  I went to check on her last night and found both of her "treasures" tightly secure in her little hands...sweet!!!

Help...

Can I just take a moment and say how sad I am that Maggie doesn't want to be pushed in the stroller...she wants to do whatever her sister is doing...I'm pretty sure I was able to take afternoon walks with Caroline in the stroller until she was at least 4!  Not Mags, she wants to be little Miss Independent.  She has had her eye on Caroline's tricycle for a while.  So yesterday we pulled it out.  Her legs are still just a little bit too short.  SO we didn't make it to the end of the block before she wanted to turn around and go home.  Caroline took her bike home and came back...

Caroline said "Do you want Sissy to help you?"  Mags jumped back on and off they went.  I pray that they always recognize when the other sister needs a little encouraging.  As much as I think it would be cool to have a boy and a girl, I absolutely LOVE watching the bond of sisters...so so sweet!!  I thank God for "making them sisters!"

Sisters Forever

My friend Jill gave Maggie the sweetest book for her 1st birthday, "Sisters Forever!"  It is by far one of Maggie's favorite books.  She can pretty much recite the entire book.  It's especially sweet when Caroline reads it to Maggie.

While we were sitting at the drs office, about to get a flu shot, the girls were a little bit nervous...ok Caroline was truly freaking out...I was really surprised.  However, they were able to take their mind off of things playing and joking around.  I thought about one of the lines from the book...

"We are sisters forever!  We are friends through and through.  We are happy together whatever we do!"

Maggie's first Basketball game

Tonight we took Maggie to her first basketball game.  I wasn't really sure how it was going to go since the game began at 6:30 and Maggie is typically in bed by 7:15.  However, she loved it!  She constantly wanted to know where "Cocky is?"  When the crowd cheered, she cheered!  Such a fun night with for our family!!

Potty Training

Well folks it appears that we have a newly potty trained little girl in our house.  We have attempted this twice before-once before school started and over Christmas break.  She was doing well in August only if I reminded her.  Over Christmas break we neither one really "tried."  I decided that since this past weekend was a long, three day weekend, it was worth giving it another try.  We decided we would spend 3 days at home, not going anywhere.

Saturday morning, we picked out panties and pulled out her potty chair.  Within 10 minutes of having her panties on, she had an accident.  I thought...this shall be interesting...about an hour later she told me she needed to go potty.  I took her, we sat for a little while and nothing happened.  She looked up at me, smiling and as serious as could be and said "I need a diaper...I like to poop in my diaper...I don't like to poop in my potty." I thought to myself, this kid is READY!

Since Saturday she has done really well and hasn't had any accidents.  I'm SO PROUD of her!  I'm thankful because this wasn't something I was looking forward to.  She is doing it all on her own...she reminds tells me when she needs to go!

So here's to a new season in our lives...

Bacon in the oven

I have heard several folks talk about cooking bacon in the oven but I have never tried it.  Yesterday morning I decided to give it a try.  Y'all it is SO easy in so many ways!  Cooks while I work on something else, minimal clean up and cooks evenly, no flipping!  PLUS my house doesn't smell all greasy and such...you can thank me later! ☺

Preheat oven to 400
Line baking sheet with parchment paper
Place bacon on pan...close together and the entire pack will fit perfectly
Cook 10-15 minutes depending on your oven
Remove from oven and drain on paper towel
Enjoy!

Maggisms...

This past weekend, Caroline pulled down the blog book from the year she was just about Maggie's age...of course she is two months behind but it's so fun to compare what Caroline was doing at Maggie's exact age right now.  I LOVE watching Caroline read about her past and watch her laugh at things she use to do.  It also showed me that I was WAY more detailed about what Caroline liked, what she was doing, things she would say, etc.  These days I feel like it's all that I can do to document the big things, let along the little things.  SO  starting today, I am going to try to record a little more about Maggie specifically throughout this year.  We shall see how it goes...

Funny things she says:

• Caroline walked into the den right after she woke up.  Maggie looked at her and said "Well hello there!  It's our princess!"
• We woke up to fog...she said "Sissy it looks froggy outside."
• Andy was aggravating/playing with Maggie the other day.  She finally looked at him and said "I'm not going to tell you one more time!"
• One of her favorite books right now is "Pigeon wants a Puppy." Her favorite line is "RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW!"  She will say "I want ______ RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW!" all while smiling!!
• The other day she was crying in the car because I couldn't get something she had dropped.  I told her I would get it as soon as I could but she had to stop crying or I would not get it.  About a minute later, she stopped crying.  She said "Mommy I stopped crying...give me a high five...you proud of me?"
• We were looking at old pictures on my phone.  As serious as she could, she looked at Caroline and said "Sissy you is SO little on mommy's phone."
• I made her a sandwich for lunch.  Her response "Thank you mommy for my sandwich.  You are a good frand." (the southern accent gets me!)
• She's really into playing silly monsters.  She says things like "I'm the tickle monster!" or "I'm the silly monster, I make you laugh"

Things she loves:

• Anything Caroline has or does
• dancing
• singing
• playing with Lala (her baby)
• playing outside
• reading books (us reading to her, her 'reading' to us)
• playing in her kitchen
• playing house
• Bike/wagon/scooter rides
• Building forts with Caroline
• Playing dress up

Favorite TV shows:

• Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood
• Curious George
• Sophia the First
• Little Einsteins

Sunday afternoon nap

Maggie woke up coughing from her nap.  She had only slept about an hour so I knew she really needed to sleep a little bit longer.  So we cuddled up on the couch.  Then Charlie Brown decided to join us.  Well Caroline didn't want to be left out...by this point, Mags is the ONLY one sleeping!  Caroline wanted to "pretend" to sleep since I was taking a picture.  Who knew my arms could hold so much love????

Beach Ball

Maggie got this ginormous beach ball for her birthday.  We have kept it outside and had SO much fun with it.  During the hurricane we watched it get tossed to and fro in our backyard.  Yesterday we were playing volleyball with it.  Caroline went to serve it to me and it popped.  She was SO sad.  However, the girls still found a use for it.  They put their bottom half inside the bag and slid down the slide.  It made them faster and kept the leaves out of their hair.  Today while we were in the backyard, I told her I felt like we needed to throw it away.  She said "I don't want to throw it away...I have an idea."  So she went inside to get scissors and tape.  I had no clue what she was going to do but thought I would see how it turned out.  I was reading a book while she worked.  Y'all she worked for almost an hour filling the ball with leaves and taping the huge hole while she worked.  She was SO proud of herself!!  It worked!  Way to think outside the box baby girl!!

HIS Creations

One thing that I love about this time of year is the sunrise on our way to school.  We are facing the sun as we head to Caroline's school.  We talk about HIS creations and why it was created...for us to enjoy. When I see something as magnificent as a sunrise, I KNOW how powerful my God is.  I KNOW that I can trust Him to handle ANYTHING that comes my way.  Like today when it's only Wednesday but it's already feels like Friday because of the cra cra of the week...

The girls and I talked about the sunrise like we normally do.  Caroline said she wished she could have waited a little longer in the car to see it a little better.  We dropped her off and then headed in the opposite direction for our school.  As I completed my turn, I looked twice as I thought I saw a rainbow in the sky...sure enough there it was!  I pulled into a random parking lot and captured both...as if I needed more reassuring that God can handle anything that comes my way...

Someone jokingly said "you should capture the moon and the sunset this afternoon...then you would have everything covered."  SO of course I took the challenge and did just that...the sunset did NOT disappoint!!

Sadly this was the best picture I could get of the moon...much harder to capture it's beauty!  It's full right now and absolutely GORGEOUS!!!!!

Remembering this season with Mags

SO yesterday at church the 2k teachers gave us Maggie's pine cone ornament...these sweet ladies have been making these ornaments for 15 plus years...maybe even 20!!  The ladies gave the ornament to me and I busted out laughing.  They said I promise you this is the best one we got.  I told them not to worry...this would serve as a great reminder of where we are this year!!

And after last weeks post, I must BRAG on my sweet girl!  She was SO proud of her certificate today!!  We are proud of her!!  Now tomorrow, might be a different story, but for today, we will celebrate!!!  Way to go Maggie!

Healthy girl

One of my goals this year is to eat more fresh fruits and veggies.  I'm especially trying to eat a salad for at least one of my meals each day.  So today as I began to make my salad, Caroline asked if she could help me.  She made us each a super yummy salad!  And like so many other things, it's always better when somebody else makes it!!

First Flurries of the Year

About a week ago, the 10 day forecast began to show a chance of snow for us today.  Of course we began checking the weather everyday and as it got closer to today, we began checking at least 2 or 3 times a day.  Sometimes it said there was a chance for snow, other times it said no snow...last night it was showing snow between 10 and 12 this morning.  The girls and I got their snow clothes today...we were ready!  Around 9 this morning we began to see snowflakes.  For about 30 minutes the flurries would come and go...then it stopped.  Around 10 it started back and would continue to start and stop over the next 3 hours.  The girls had been waiting for enough snow to accumulate to go outside and play in it...however that never happened.  Around noon, the snow flakes started falling pretty big and pretty fast.  We got everyone dressed up and headed out only for the flurries to stop.  Oh well, they enjoyed catching them on their tongue and splashing in the water puddles.  They enjoyed coming inside, taking off all their wet gear and warming up with hot chocolate.  Oh well, maybe we will get another chance before the winter is over.  ☺

 Sweet Mags is dressed in most of Caroline's former snow gear...the jacket, the ski bibs, the scarf and the hat!  Love seeing Mags wear something that I remember her sissy wearing...Thankful for our neighbor Avin who allowed us to borrow her rain boots! 

A sweet, sweet Sunrise

This was our first sunrise of the trip.  It was gorgeous.  There's a shrimp boat to the left just below the sun...nothing stirs my soul like a sunrise!  I think about the new beginnings that each day brings.  Something about the mystery of the sea...the colors in the sky...the calmness of the waves, the beauty of the Lord's creation!!  EVERY SINGLE TIME I get the opportunity to see the ocean, sit on the beach or smell the sea, I feel rejuvenated.  It is definitely my happy place!!   

I told Andy and Charissa if there is ever a point in my life that Drs. determine the end is very near, bring me to the beach.  Let me live my last days, surrounded by my family and friends, on the beach, enjoying the closest thing to Heaven on Earth. 😊

Hurricane Maggie

While we were at the beach, we saw this sign...I thought, this fits our girl!  She came into our lives just like a hurricane, fast, furious and with very little warning.  She is teaching me something everyday about both of us.  I see my sinful side like I haven't seen in a few years...I'm not as loving and patient as I thought I was...I think Caroline just got older and wiser!!  With Maggie, what works one day, doesn't work the next.  She is totally opposite of Caroline at this age.  As a mommy and an educator, it's tough feeling like I have NO clue what I am doing.  Maggie lives life to the fullest, has the funniest personality and has never met a stranger.  Within a minute, she can be strong willed, determined and down right stubborn!  Her smile, her laugh and her silly expressions bring us great joy!  Yet when she acts out or continues to disobey, I find myself clueless...doubting my parenting...am I doing something wrong...could I be doing something better?

She is struggling at school.  She chooses not to listen...the stubbornness kicks in...it's embarrassing to the be the director of a preschool where YOUR kid is the one who causes the most trouble...today was a hard day.  She got in trouble for disobeying.  We left school and had to stop by the grocery store.  I was dreading the stop but knew I had to go.  As usual, there were some good moments and hard moments.  She went through the store singing the "Wheels on the Bus" and everyone we passed smiled.  She brought great joy to those folks.  Moments later, while picking up apples, she lost her mind!!  I was thankful apples were the last thing on our list and I was ready to check out and get home!!

I was flustered as we headed to the checkout.  Maggie struck up a sweet conversation with the cashier who then said "My goodness!  Your daughter looks just like you."  For a moment it took my breath away...then it melted my heart and reminded me that God knew...His plan all along was for me to be her momma!  While I have NO clue what I am doing and I am a hot parenting mess,  God has got this!!!  He has equipped me for this!  When I feel like I am failing, I have to trust Him, trust His plan!  I MUST rely on HIM for this journey because it is one that I can not do on my own.  I have to humble myself and let go of my pride...there is so much more to focus on than raising a perfect child...

Look at her smile, the cuteness overload...all of it...we give thanks for all of it...we love you Maggie Lois!!  I am thankful to be your momma!!!  We are going to get through this together!  

Gingerbread House Fun

Peep surprised Caroline with this gingerbread house.  We first attempted to make the house one day with Maggie.  We quickly decided that we needed to wait until nap time.  Somehow time got away from us and we never got it together.  So yesterday, while Maggie was napping, Caroline worked on it.  She did a fabulous job!!

Breakfast at Dino's

Breakfast at Dino's has been a tradition from the beginning.  We happened upon this place the first year Andy and I were heading home.  Since then, we have always gone to Dino's on the way out of town.  They make the BEST omelet and somehow manage to always fit this large group in.  It's a bittersweet breakfast because it's always the place of our final goodbye's.  Especially for our friends Mr. Jeremy, Mrs. Courtney, Olivia, Jude and Lincoln.  😟

Happy Dew Year 2017!!!

We were so blessed to spend time after Christmas with some of our closest and dearest friends.  This was our 9th annual trip.  Sadly we were missing a few friends but that seems to be the way its been the last few years.  When you have 6 couples and 16 kids somebody is likely to be out one year. The weather was great!  Our house was ocean front so the kids once again got a LOT of playtime on the beach.We laughed at how times have changed...in the beginning, when the kids were super small, everybody took a nap.  The moms got to chat at least 2 hours without any interruptions.  Now, sweet Maggie was the only one who took a nap.  Also, in the beginning, our kids were all in bed by 7:30 so the adults had adult meals and lots of time to play games and catch up.  We were blessed to spend a day out with each other...the boys took Thursday afternoon and the girls took Friday afternoon.  Fun to hang out and not have the responsibility of our children.  However, thankfully our kids are at a point that although they aren't asleep, they can pretty much take care of themselves.  Maggie managed to talk the youngest two girls into being her 'babies' and she loved being in charge!

Our first meal together...notice Mags didn't stop eating to look at the camera...more important things to do!

The house had a fabulous sun room on the back.  The girls immediately made it their "doll" room.

The dunes were pretty steep due to beach erosion.  So the first trip down to the beach, the dads took the sidewalk to the public access.  When I saw them marching off, it made me think of the song "Five little ducks went out one day, over the hill and far away..."  Although the kids weren't getting in the water, they all wore their bathing suits 'just in case they got wet.'  They came home SOAKED but it was because the dads said it started raining on the beach  It was a quick rain though because it had already stopped by the time they got back... 😉

The girls created this winter scene with their dolls, so cute!!!

All the girls, except Maggie, with french braided hair.  Mrs. Courtney was a busy lady!!  They loved it!  Especially my girl because this momma does not know how to do it.

Heading back to the beach...

Our last sunset before heading home...just as gorgeous as the sunrise...

Lap full of love!!

The second annual kids production!  Griffin brings the script, assign the parts and the kids perform!  So much fun!!

After the play, we enjoyed a yummy low country boil dinner prepared by Chris and Charissa.  It was delicious!  Charissa's parents came over and stayed with the kids so that the adults could go out for dessert together.  We were so excited that Wes and Sage were able to meet us there.

Packed up and heading home...this year we actually checked out on New Years Eve.  We were sad to go but so thankful for the time together.  I thought about posting yesterday but every single blog book I have starts with this post..can't break tradition!! 

Love these sweet babies!!