Flashback Friday...Living the Suite Life!

This flashback isn't very old, but I realized I had never blogged about this day! As many of you know...I began my college career at OU and absolutely loved my experience there!! I was a SOONER FAN through and through...until I fell in love with my Jerid! It took him a while to convince me to convert and it helped that I had transferred to OSU my junior year of college. Anyway...I now sport my black and orange every Fall saturday and love my COWBOYS!!! We were able to take the girls to this game and spend it in one of the suites (A big thanks to Jerid's dad)!! The sweets are really beautiful and the food up there is ....Awesome!!! We had a great time and are so thankful for this opportunity!

As those of you with small kids know...it's never easy to get a family pic, but we tried!

Layne really enjoyed the food...

Lyla prefered to be fed by Dar...they have a special bond, so it sure made the day easy for me!

She was so into what was going on down on the field...she could see the dancers really well,but kept saying she couldn't see the cheerleaders!!

Sharing some yummy icecream...I couldn't believe all the food choices up there!

The band comes around and plays to each suite for a bit...I think Layne thought they came to play just for her...so sweet!!

She borrowed these from a kid in the suite...he was so nice to let her borrow them. Everyone was so kind to us and we had an amazing time...GO POKES!!!!!!!

We had so much fun...I just love watching the girls experience new things...judging by this picture I took as we were leaving town...I think they had a pretty good time!

Wordless Wednesday!

Flashback Friday...Tiny Dancer...and Tiniest Dancer!

Layne's dance studio put on a Christmas show about a month ago. This is Layne's first year to take dance and she is in a ballet/tap combo class. She does really well, but she always tells me that it's so much work and she gets tired! I try to explain to her that most things worth learning takes hard work to achieve. I was never a dancer (those of you that cheered with me know this)...I just had to be good enough to fake it or hide behind someone else! Annie, I apoligize for all those times that I tested your patience when you were teaching me a new dance!! Anyway, I was proud of how well Layne did. They start at age 3, so she is very young. Many of the girls this age stood like a deer in headlights or ran off crying into the arms of their mom! So, I was just so excited that she did this well!!! The tiniest dancer next to Layne is Anabella...she really has her shuffle down! Just thought I would share this video...so proud of my tiny dancer!!

The Rest of Christmas...

So, I promised you the rest of our Christmas and here it is...

After opening our gifts Christmas morning,we drove to Woodward to celebrate with my family. It was nice because both sets of Grandparents were able to drop by and visit. We just don't get to see them enough! Once again my parents out did themselves. We had so much yummy food and the kids were overwhelmed with gifts!

Lyla opened her first gift, a puzzle from grandma and grandpa...she carried it into the kitchen and I didn't get much help from her after that!
Layne digging in to her gifts...I love how happy she is in this picture!

Lyla decided to rejoin me for this present from Reece...she finally figured it out..sort of!

Layne got a Fisher Price ixl from Jerid and I, but I was soon wishing I would've got Lyla one too...she loves playing with it.

On Sunday, we celebrated with Jerid's family. We spent lunchtime at Jerid's grandpa's house. It was so nice to see everyone...Dar got to help Lyla open all of her gifts!

After lunch, we headed to Jerid's parent's house to spend the rest of the day.

Layne got lots of arts and crafts sets which she LOVES! Oh, and she got this little ballerina dress which she couldn't wait to wear to dance!!

Here's Lyla checking out her new doll from her Papa and Nana story...it's so cute...just wish it had a volume button!

Diane always makes gingerbread cookies for the kids to decorate. They have such a blast doing this...of course, Autumn and Layne feel that "more is more" instead of "less is more" ! Lyla even participated this year!

I think she got more on her face than her gingerbread man!!

We had such a wonderful Christmas with our friends and family!!!! Now on to 2011....

Christmastime Part ONE

This whole stay-at-home thing doesn't leave me much time to blog! I couldn't wait for Lyla to take a nap, so that I could wash my hair today!! Not that I am complaining...I LOVE being at home with my girls and Bella. It's just a lot of work...ALL THE TIME!!! Anyway, here's some pictures from the first part of Christmas. After reading Mandy's Christmas blogs, I realized how much we have in common...I too feel it's very important that the girls wake up at there house Christmas morning. Yes, this might seem selfish because I woke up at my house as a kid and want my kids to have that same experience. Plus, it's our time as a family to make memories and someday it will be their time with their families. I am AMAZED at how many parents and in-laws are just baffled by this concept and really kind of mean about it. Many of my friends with young families have had a difficult time getting the grandparents to accept this...thank goodness Jerid and my parents are very good about it! Layne was really starting to figure things out this year, so it was a lot of fun!!


Layne putting the star on the tree...with some help from Daddy!
We got our very own Elf on a Shelf this year and Layne loved finding him each morning! When we were trying to decide on his name, Lyla kept doing the OSU gun sign and saying GO POKES...so we decided to name him POKEY!!

Pokey came with a book explaining his job and how everything worked...

We went to the Christmas Eve service on the 23rd this year. Lance was flying in on the 24th and I knew things would be crazy, so the 23rd was better for us! Like Mandy, this is my very favorite part of Christmas. The service was beautiful and the message was perfect. This is the moment I feel closest to God and I tear up during Silent Night every year...something about God, family, and Christmas that just makes for a perfect moment!

Me and my sweet girls!

Layne in her Christmas dress...she kept telling everyone it was Waterfall Blue!!

Lyla in her Christmas dress...she was so happy and proud of her outfit!

Christmas morning...I like that Layne wasted NO time getting in to her Hershey Bar! The baby beside her was from Santa...she named her Dellie (she must have been really hungry or something).

Yes, she did get tape in her stocking...I can't stand it that she's always stealing mine.

We had to wake Lyla up...can you tell?

Lyla got this chair from Santa and she's modeling her new winter hat!

We had an amazing Christmas and I will try not to wait too long to post the rest of our holiday...I just wouldn't hold your breath!!!

Summer Vacation

This summer, Jerid and I took Layne to Angel Fire, NM for a little vacation. She was so excited to be going to the mountains! We didn't take Lyla because we knew she couldn't do much and thought it would be fun to give Layne our undivided attention for a few days! Kandace and Stoney kept Lyla...between Pei Wei and Pink Swirl...I don't think she missed us much! Of course, Layne missed Lyla terribly and we all felt like someone was missing the whole time, so we cut our trip short and went home a day early!

This is the condo we stayed in...

Layne and I spent a lot of time on our balcony rocking baby and taking in that fresh mountain air!

This is Layne riding her first ski lift...she LOVED it!!

She sat like this for a long time...she said the water was just too cold. Of course, she had no problem getting in the hot tub a bit later!

Layne and Jerid feeding the prairie dogs and chipmunks...I love this picture!

Layne attempted the bungie bounce, but she chickened out after a few jumps. Jerid was mad, but I thought it was brave of her to atleast try! The moon bounce was much more her style!

My little Layne at the top of the ski lift...she dressed herself everyday we were there and I just love her choice this day!

She was so cranky once we started walking around on the mountain and a storm was coming in, so we headed back down the mountain and my sweet bug fell asleep.

We had a lot of fun and can't wait until we can go back, but next time Lyla will be with us!

TRICK-OR-TREAT...and the Pumpkin Patch!

family pic at the Pumpkin Patch...

I am so behind on posting that I couldn't even figure out where to begin! So, I decided to go ahead and post some recent stuff and go back to what we did all summer in a Flashback...I figure I should just be proud of the fact that I am posting and not focus on how far behind I am!!

This first picture is of the girls in there "Halloween" jammies. I know that they aren't halloweenie at all, but I just didn't find any that I was in love with this year, so I bought these adorable dog pjs instead...they were a hit!

This is my sweet Layne at the patch. It was extremely windy and she was too busy for pictures, but I managed to get this one while she set on some pumpkins plotting her search for the perfect one!!

It didn't take Lyla long to find her perfect pumpkin...that girl knows how to make a decision!

Layne trick-or-treating...she was Alice. Lyla was a black kitty, but she opted to be pushed in the stroller by Dad instead of going door-to-door...can't say I blame her!!!

The night was complete with 2 Alices, a Best Friend, A punk girl, a skeleton monster of some sort, a black kitty, and whatever Reece was! Thanks Mandy and Ryan for hosting the Halloween gathering this year...we all had a blast!