2008 Revisited...

2008 went by in a blur.

• We said a sad goodbye to our sweetest old friend Toby.
• Ryann started Jr. High.
• Bayli grew & grew & grew - started standing, walking, talking and changed from a tiny newborn into a busy, busy toddler.
• Mike raced motorcycles.
• I blogged.
• Ryann swam for the Rocky Mountain Rapids.
• Skye & Madi moved to a new elementary school.
• Ryann danced and danced and danced - and joined the Jr. Ensemble.
• Madi discovered the joy of reading.
• Mike built things - a new shed, a scrapbook room and lots of shelves.
• Madi became a member of the Pre-Jr. Ensemble.
• Skye got brave at school.
• Madi (finally) got her own room.
• We got lucky and Grandma & Grandpa moved back to Colorado.
• We got the most delicious Thai restaurant at our end of town (that delivers!).
• My Squeester & I played lots of board games.
• We had two fun visits from Eric, Erika & Alex.
• We got a brand new baby niece.
• I had another year's proof of just how lucky I am. I am blessed with this life, this family, this journey.

I am so looking forward to 2009 - time with my sweet family, watching my girls learning, growing, meeting new challenges and discovering new talents,

and having their Grandparents here for it all.

Happy New Year Everyone!!

Christmas Decorations

I really, really love my Christmasy house.

I love the glow of the lights, my Willow Tree nativity, the fun festive decorations and my Christmas card wall.

I can't help but feel sad when I know it all has to come down.

Sigh.

But I tell my girls that it wouldn't be special if we did it all year long.

So,

only 358 more days to go...

Scrappin' Space!

Giving Madi her own room required not only some shed-building, but also some creative rearranging. My sweet hubby figured it all out to give me my very own scrapbooking room in the basement. We emptied out the storage room, painted, got new carpet installed and Mike built a work table and custom shelves.

I think it's beautiful & perfect.

I love to scrapbook with the tv on, so he gave me a flat-screen tv/dvd for Christmas. Now I'm totally set.

I am the luckiest girl!

Now I just need to find the time to use it...

Early Christmas Morning

I love, love these pictures -

taken early Christmas morning...

as beautiful and peaceful as our quiet family Christmas.

Madi's Christmas

1st one up @ 7:30 am

so excited!

Taylor Swift cd

Old Navy gift card

yummy turkey dinner

so happy

Bayli's 2nd Christmas

sleepy head

so not into present-opening

happy, happy, happy

dancing to Away in a Manger that plays on her nativity set

loves homemade cranberry sauce

Skye's Christmas

still doesn't like the egg nog

new, chubby baby doll

sweetest Santa card for Bayli

my pumpkin pie lover

more cranberries than turkey

"crowd surfing" during Ryann's Guitar Hero-playing

(where does she learn these things?)

"I wish Christmas was every Friday."

Ryann's Christmas

especially-hoped-for lime green ipod nano

sweet with her sisters

Aerosmith Guitar Hero

finally fitting into Aero clothes (xs)

Merry Christmas Baby!

'Twas the Night Before Christmas...

Bayli fell asleep on the way home from Grandma's

and missed the rest of the Christmas Eve festivities...

Christmas Eve gifts
matching Christmas pjs

cookies (and baklava) for Santa

carrots for reindeer


Daddy read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas

with great anticipation and visions of sugarplums, off to bed...

Lebanese Christmas Eve

Our traditional Lebanese Christmas Eve at Grandma Bess'...

really great food, family, presents, fun

A Sweet Christmas Tradition

Every Christmas, we love to give a little gift to our wonderful teachers, dance teachers, family, friends & neighbors.

So early in the month, I start on the first of what feels like 100 batches of carmel corn.

It's super easy and yummy!

Here's the recipe if you're looking for something fun for Christmas:

Christmas Carmel Corn

4 qts. popped corn (air-popped is best)

1 c. butter

2 c. packed brown sugar

1/2 c. white corn syrup

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 c. pecans

Melt butter on stovetop. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup & salt. Bring to boil and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally, do not overcook (it will taste burnt). Remove from heat and stir in baking soda.

Pour syrup over popcorn & nuts and toss gently to mix well. Bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and pour on large sheet of aluminum foil to cool. When cool, it should separate easily and not be at all sticky. If it is still sticky, put it back in the oven for a few minutes.

Store in plastic bag or airtight container.

Happy Crunching!

December 22nd?

I can't believe it's the 22nd already!

Can we just freeze time and stay here for a couple of weeks??

Now that I am finally able to relax and enjoy the season...

Wishing you all fluffy snowflakes, sleepy mornings, hot cocoa, heartwarming carols, cozy houses aglow with Christmas lights and the peace that only Christmastime brings.

4 Dancing Girls

This week is Parents' Week at our Studio.

It's usually all-business, and we parents have to be content to peek through a tiny crack in the curtains.

But this week, we get to come in and watch, or in Bayli's case, join in... (more on that later - suffice it to say that she is not to be contained)

Madi's ballet group had an amazing little performance, complete with costumes. The other classes just let us see what they're working on, but it is always fun to watch my girls dance.

Bayli couldn't stand not being out there too. This was a rare moment of her not on the floor, and not screaming to get on the floor...

Here's a couple videos -

please excuse the intrusive Head in Madi's solo, the baby screeching to be let go and the jiggly camera from trying to contain said screechy baby...

Madi's Ballet Solo

Ryann's Jr. Ensemble Tap

(Ryann's the tiny one on the far left wearing all black)

Skye's class is today - I can't wait!

Christmas at Grandma's!

It's so much fun having my Mom & Dad in town! I can't even tell you.

I totally love saying "I'm just running over to my Mom's for a minute...". I'm so lucky!

Since they are spending Christmas with my brother's family (& new baby!!), my Mom had us all over for a Christmas brunch so we could celebrate before they left.

The food was awesome, the presents were fun, but I loved the company best!!

You can't even tell that Bayli has an ear infection that's about to send us to the After Hours Clinic...

Discovering Baby

Bayli discovered baby dolls this week.

She likes to carry it around on her shoulder or pat it gently on the back.

It's the sweetest thing ever.

Her newest word: baby

Peek A Boo

My silly, silly girl had so much fun playing Peek-A-Boo...

Where's Bayli?...

Peek A Boo!

The Day Skye Floated in Mid-Air (aka Mike's Work Christmas Party)

Yesterday was Mike's work Christmas party.

It was a lot of fun, even before Skye floated in mid-air.

Ryann was at Alex's Bat Mitzvah and I really missed her. The other girls all looked so beautiful. The food was delicious. Bayli fell in love with an adorable 18-month-old boy and they started holding hands right away. She followed him everywhere. Madi played with her friend Jordan. Then the Magic Show started.

The magician was hilarious and had everyone laughing. Then he picked my girl out of the audience to star in his finale. He actually had her floating in the air. It was so crazy!

My camera wasn't happy, so I didn't get the greatest pictures. I'm hoping someone will e-mail me some better ones. Here she is floating after the board and one chair were taken away - the 2nd chair at the very top of her head stayed there...

It was so much fun!!

Here's a few more pictures of our fun day...

Dressed Up

Ryann was invited to a friend's Bat Mitzvah and got a new dress & heels (really, heels?...) for the special occasion.

And I thought Bayli was growing up too fast...

Medieval Day

Yesterday was Medieval Day for the 4th grade.

Everyone did such a great job transforming the classrooms into a Castle, a Monastery, Medieval Marketplace and Sherwood Forest. The became ladies & knights, took a vow of silence, bartered for goods, played medieval games and had a feast. Madi was so lucky to have both her grandparents brave the snowstorm to come help out. They ran the knight helmet station at the Marketplace, served the Feast and helped turn Sherwood Forest back into Madi's classroom afterwards. We are so lucky to have such awesome grandparents!!

Bayli & I were there too, of course - I baked a double batch of medieval Bannocks for the feast and then showed up and tried my hardest to keep Bayli from wreaking too much havoc, medieval style. Believe me, it was a full time job. So I was extra grateful to have my Mom & Dad there! :) Thank you - we love you guys!!

Madi looked so beautiful in her Medieval Day costume and had a great day - Medieval Times but with electricity & running water.

Bayli loved playing with this ball.

They were the same size. :)

Winter Wonderland

Bayli & I are always the first ones up.

So not a morning person - yet I've learned to really enjoy the quiet peacefulness of our mostly-sleeping, normally chaotic house.

Today we woke up to a

winter wonderland.

I love, love, love the snow.

Bayli stood at the window (which her little head barely clears) by the Christmas tree and we watched the snow fall.

Christmas decorations, a quiet, quiet morning & snow falling.

For me, that's as good as it gets.

Daddy was the next one up.

Bayli & I both enjoyed having him all to ourselves, while the big girls enjoyed some serious sleeping in...

So sad to send them back to school tomorrow.

We're crossing our fingers for a Snow Day!

Trim the Tree

It's officially Christmastime - our Christmas tree went up today!

The girls had fun doing the ornaments, but I think the most fun that everyone had tonight was watching Bayli. :)

She was one day old the last time we put the tree up.

We don't think she noticed.

She definitely noticed today. :)

She was so darn cute.

She was fascinated by the whole thing.

She even picked up an ornament and set it in the branches.

Here she is saying "ball" and dancing to the Christmas carols...

Thanksgiving

The best day!
Thanksgiving at my Mom's house, without a full-day's drive!
The food was so yummy, the company even better.
Thanks Momma & Dad for a truly wonderful Thanksgiving!

We're all so thankful that you're here!

I just wish we didn't finish off all the leftovers already!

It was the perfect day

and now it's officially Christmastime!!

Thankful

So thankful

for 4 beautiful, healthy daughters that warm my heart, make me laugh everyday and make my life complete

for having sleepovers with my best friend every night

for Thanksgiving dinner at my Mom's house today

a job that provides so wonderfully for our family

laughter

a week off school & dance

my really awesome sisters-in-law

the holiday season

a sweet, healthy one-week-old niece - Sarah Anne

pumpkin pie

good friends

Happy Thanksgiving!

12 Month Check-Up

Bayli had her 12-month check-up on Monday:

21 lbs. 1 oz. (50th %)

29 inches (50th %)

18 1/4" head circumference (90th %)

4 immunizations :(

She spent the entire time running around the room opening & attempting to empty all the unlocked cabinets (haven't they had crazy one-year-olds in there before, or is mine the only one to do this??).

Ooh - paper gowns!

Things I want to remember about Bayli at one...

• She holds the phone (or anything that resembles a phone to her) to her ear and walks around the house saying "hi!"
• She points to where she wants you to take her.
• She loves doggies, animals, books & balls.
• The way she squats down on the floor.
• She will not sleep under the covers.
• She laughs when we laugh.
• She still wears size 12-18 months (same as when she was 4 months old and 17 lbs.)
• She is busy, busy, busy, super curious & loves to explore.
• When you ask her "Where's your ___?", she gets a puzzled expression, turns both her hands palms up, and starts looking around.
• She says mama, dada, doggie, ball, hi, bye, book, night-night, and maybe no (this one's new, but I'm thinking we'll soon be hearing it quite a bit...)
• She loves drinking water from her sippy cup.
• She brings me her book, says "baba?" and sits in my lap
• She really loves her Uncle Jeff
• She's happy, happy, happy.

I love you so much Sweet Girl.

Thanks for making me smile every day and for sharing this amazing, joyful year with me.

Cookies with Grandma

When Grandma used to live far away and would come visit during the holidays, she always made time to make sugar cookies with the girls. My girls always looked forward to it. So as funny as it sounds, when they heard that Grandma & Grandpa were moving here, their first thought was the endless cookie-making possibilities... I had to remind them that Grandma would want to get unpacked and settled in her new house and may not be available for immediate cookie-making...

Since her kitchen isn't quite ready and my girls are out of school this week, my sweet Momma came over to our house Monday and made cookies with the girls. She is so patient and lets them do everything themselves and taste as much as they want.

So not like Mom - no wonder they have so much fun!

She spent the whole day with us and watched Kung Fu Panda.

We all loved it.

It was so fun - I was sad to see her go until I realized that she lives here now! I can see her again tomorrow. :)

We're all so lucky.

Thanks for moving here Grandma!!

Twilight!

Corey, Ryann, Bayli & I finally saw Twilight!

My Squeester called to wish me Happy Twilight Day.

We were excited.

We went at 11:00 am, so that Bayli would nap and I could actually see the movie.

It started out pretty bad - I thought the pivotal scene where Bella sits next to Edward during biology was awful. I mean, he's covering his nose? Come on! I was pretty disappointed with the whole thing. Then came the baseball scene, which totally rocked!!

I think it got a lot better towards the second half.

At least, that's what they tell me.

I was in the lobby looking at movie posters of doggies.

Bayli hanging with Aunt Corey before the movie started

Ryann & Bayli at Red Robin afterwards

My busy, busy, busy one-year-old loved her balloon!

Festival of Trees

As if Bayli's 1st Birthday wasn't enough excitement for one day, Ryann & Madi had a performance at the Festival of Trees.

Grandma & Grandpa came with us. Skye played in the artificial snowstorm, got her face painted and took a picture with Santa. Bayli loved exploring and looking at all of the trees.

Madi & Ryann looked beautiful. They danced wonderfully. They were awesome.

I'm a proud Momma.

(Not that I got to see all of their dancing, since I was ridiculously busy chasing after their brand-new one-year-old sister, who did not take a break from her wandering explorations just because her sisters were onstage... She truly cannot be contained - any attempts to do so will result in loud shrieking sounds...)

But she had a lot of fun,

and it was her birthday after all...