A Delightful December

Basketball

We signed both littles up for basketball. They are both looking forward to it. Jenni's concerned that people will laugh at her when she's playing but I reassured her that everyone will be learning together. :) Joshua is looking forward to getting to play and asks me every day if we have missed his game. I have to remind him that we will most certainly not miss his basketball game. :) I am looking forward to the adorableness of little kids trying their hardest to dribble and shoot.

Girl Scouts

 J's first meeting!

 The boys and I played at the playground during Jenni's meeting

 I have so been looking forward to J getting to be a Daisy (a kindergarten and first grade level of Girl Scouts). Jenni has been on the waiting list for months at the school she would be going to if she were not homeschooled. Thankfully a nearby school invited her to join their troop so she wouldn't have to keep waiting at the original school. All that to say, baby girl is loving being a Daisy. She enjoys the meetings because they are only for girls. :) When we come to pick her up she tells us that she missed us a little but had a great time! :) We are both loving what Girl Scouts has to offer and are staying busy with all of the fun activities, outings and earning patches. So fun!

Six Flags Over Texas: Holiday in the Park

 Jenni excited for Jackson's first trip!

 Joshua catching up on his sleep so he would have energy to walk through the park :)

 We love pictures with our little

  We took our first winter trip to Six Flags as a family of five! Last winter we were dreaming of our new babe and now he gets to come along for the fun! Jackson enjoyed his first trip to the park and the littles had lots of fun, too.

The Nutcracker

 

 Jenni and I continued our Nutcracker tradition and went to the ballet, this time with her Daisy troop.

Girl Scouts Awards Assembly

 I love the height difference between kinders and first graders.

 Joshua was thrilled for J and clapped for her when she was on stage. Then he put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a chocolate. I asked where he got it and he replied, "Back home." Love.

Even though J has only been a Daisy for one month she got to participate in the awards assembly! And it was as precious as you could imagine.

Christmas

 We enjoyed celebrating Christmas with E's family, our "big family" and our family of five!

 John & Jen's Visit

 Baby friends!

 Our great friends came to visit and we met their sweet baby girl, Molly for the first time. We had a wonderful evening together and all the littles enjoyed Miss Molly!

New Year's Eve & My Birthday

Birthdays are so much fun they should be celebrated over several days! So that's what we did! :)

Sweet Snapshots

 Our Santa baby

 Sweet baby smiles

 Joshua working on some Christmas shopping :)

Sweet baby J

 Jackson's first Super Baby experience!

He loved it. :)

 Joshie's dino pjs. He RARS! even more when he wears them. It is delightful.

 And dino feet!

 The littles playing together

 Joshua brought his dinosaur to dinner :)

Jackson loves the lights!

 Joshie using Jackson's tummy as a drum. Brothers!

 Sweet Jenni J

 Joshua enjoys being a cowboy

 Jenni's drawing of her Girl Scout friends :)

Overheard

Jenni was taking a picture of me and Jackson...

Jenni: "You two make a good smiling team." :)

Joshua: "Jackson my best brother!"

Talking about Jackson...

Jenni: "I wouldn't know what to do without him!"

In the car...

Joshua: "Mommy! Look my hands! I rowing a boat!"

It was beyond hilarious to look back and see Joshua pretending to row a boat. Completely random.

She has told me and Eric this several times this month...

Jenni: "There's no one on earth as special as you." :)
Melt my heart.

Sweet girl has also told us this several times this month...

Jenni: "Next Christmas I don't want presents. I just want to be with my family."

After Jenni's first Girl Scout's meeting...

Me: "How was it?!"

Jenni: "Best time in my whole life!"

Me: "Did you have a hard time introducing yourself? Were you shy?"

Jenni: "Not a single bit!" :)

I "lost" my phone one morning before going to the gym...

Me: "Do you know where my phone is?"

Jenni: "No. Do you remember where you put it last?"

Me: "On the counter...but it's not there anymore."

Me: "Joshua, did you hide my phone?"

Joshua: "No."

Me: "Are you sure?"

Joshua: "Yes."

Several hours later...

Joshua: "Mommy! Come here!"

I see Joshua under the train table...

Joshua: "I find your phone! It hiding under the train table!"

:)

Joshua: "You a nice baby, Jackson!"

Jackson started getting a little upset on our drive home...

Joshua: "Almost home, Jackson! Almost home!"

It was a little chilly outside so Jackson had a baby hat on his sweet little head and he kept it on once we were home...

Joshua (frantically running to me): "Mommy! Jackson one eye missing!"

We went to find Jackson (in another room) and found his hat was covering one of his eyes. I fixed his hat and showed Joshua that Jackson's eye was not missing, it was only covered. Joshua was relieved. :)

At dinner one evening...

Eric: "How's school going, Joshua?"

Joshua: "I kicked out."

Eric: "You got kicked out of school?"

Joshua: "Yes. I kicked out."

Eric: "Why were you kicked out of school?"

Joshua: "Cause I a huge dino! Rar!

Love my sweet boy's imagination. :)

Any time I serve Joshua food...

Joshua: "Hot or warm?" :)

Joshua: "You make nice food, Mommy! This delicious!"

On a very windy day...
Jenni: "It'd be a catastrophe if I blew away!"

Whenever Eric is traveling...
Joshua: "I miss daddy."
When he really misses him...
Joshua: "I miss miss daddy."
When he misses him terribly...
Joshua: "I miss miss missssss daddy!" :)

Jenni: "Hurry! Jackson's giving smiles out for free!"

Driving home...
Jenni: "How long is it going to take to get home?"
Joshua: "Too many minutes."

An Update on Jenni

Jenni is growing up into a beautiful little lady. Eric and I think she has grown up overnight. Jenni was thrilled to begin Girl Scouts this month and is having such a great time being involved in the organization. She loves her girl time and really enjoys her leader. She is the best big sister and is always looking out for Joshua's best interest and is always trying to get Jackson to smile. She enjoys helping anyone she can and loves being a little hostess to neighbors. Her most favorite subject in school is currently math. She loves addition and subtraction and mental math. Jenni is a sweetheart.

An Update on Joshua

My sweet little man turns three next month. Oh, how I love him. He has a charming personality yet can be a very cute and grumpy little boy. He does what he wants and literally marches to his own drum. He loves his daddy and tells me countless times during the day that he misses him while he's at work (usually by 10 AM Joshua is asking when E will get home). He loves to play rough with Eric but is sweet and gentle to Jackson. He asks me every day if today is the day for his basketball game. Every time I brush Joshua's teeth he looks at me extremely saddened and tells me "I can't spit, Mommy." And then he tries really really hard to spit the toothpaste into the sink. I love when I compliment Joshua on being a big boy (sleeping in his bed, going potty, helping out, etc.) he responds, "I'm big. My legs little." This month Joshua's has labeled whatever he is doing, watching, holding, seeing, etc. as his favorite thing. He also reminds everyone in our family that we are his best friend. Oh I could eat him up.

An Update on Jackson

My smiley baby is adorably precious and so snuggly in his little sleepers. He loves all the attention he gets from his siblings. He loves Jenni's sweet voice and gentle touches and he gets so excited when Joshua comes to sit by him or hold him. Jenni is extremely good with Jackson and is so thankful for him. Joshua so enjoys his baby brother and loves holding him and laying next to him on the floor.