The Collins Crew

First day of 4 year old Preschool

2009-09-08T12:42:00.000-07:00

Today was Madison and Ashley's first day of 4 year old preschool. They were so excited they could hardly sleep last night. This morning they woke up...picked out their favorite dress with new shoes. The little girl who sits beside Madison threw up...and it got on her shoes!!! Other than that they had a great day!!

First day of 4th Grade

2009-09-01T13:54:00.000-07:00

Here are pictures of Taylor's first day of 4th grade. Where does the time go????

End of Summer

2009-09-01T13:45:00.000-07:00

Again I have been a terrible blogger...The Summer is over and I promise to try and do better!! Here are some pictures...Enjoy

Summer Review!

2009-08-04T16:54:00.001-07:00

Okay...so like I said before we have had a busy Summer. I have been trying my best to take as many pictures as I can...so that "one day" when I had time to sit down and blog I would be able to show some of the things we have been doing! Here goes....

We have been trying to go to Carowinds at least every other week. The girls love riding the rides and then when we get hot, we head over to the water park. Lots of fun!

Earlier in the Summer the girls had a Lemonade stand. Good ole' fashion fun! The girls made a couple of dollars and had so much fun doing it!

There is an ice cream shop right down the road from our house that has Friday night Karaoke. The girls have really enjoyed this. They get to go have some yummy ice cream then sing some of their favorite songs.**(I actually have video of them singing but I can't get it to upload, if I figure it out I will post it later)** Until then you will just have to enjoy the pictures!

Finally, this past weekend we made a trip down to Charleston. Taylor went with My Mom to visit Aunt Sissy and her Cousin Hunter. The girls and I went and stayed with Zak and Alison. We all met up for some fun on the beach! The kids LOVED feeding all the birds. It was a great weekend getaway!

I am Back!!!

2009-07-21T10:23:00.000-07:00

I am sorry I have been a terrible blogger this Summer. We have just stayed so busy. Our weeks are full of pool days, carowinds, movies...etc. This Summer has been a challenge trying to keep everyone entertained. The girls are at the age they wake up with an agenda. Where are we going today? Who can we play with? I am bored! This is what I hear all day long. But I love it and we are having FUN!!

This past week were at the beach! We went to Hilton Head Island with my family and had a great time. I was amazed at how much the girls LOVED the beach. They wanted to spend as much time as possible making sand castles and playing in the ocean. Thank goodness for Grandparents and Zak and Alison. Jon and I are terrified of the Ocean, so that was the only way they got to go "out in the deep part." Taylor learned to ride waves on the boggie board! She loved that. We all had a great, relaxing time...now back to reality!

Summer Countdown begins

2009-06-07T09:03:00.000-07:00

The Summer countdown has started for Taylor.....3 MORE DAYS OF SCHOOL....I think she can make it!!!

Pool Days!

2009-05-31T19:43:00.000-07:00

This is how we spent our weekend!!!!!!!!!

Congrats to Taylor!!!!

2009-05-28T18:31:00.000-07:00

I am so proud of Taylor, I can barely put it into words!! Today her teacher called and said she would be receiving an award tonight at the Academic Excellence Award ceremony. Jon and I were thrilled. Taylor never ceases to amaze us. We get there and she wins TWO awards. The first one was "THE PRESIDENT'S EDUCATION AWARD" (signed by Obama) and the second award she got was the A/B honor roll award. (she made A's and B's all year long) I know there were a lot of proud parents in the room but I can't imagine anyone being more proud than Jon and I. We have raised such a unique daughter. She has a heart of gold that shines through to everyone she meets. Tonight was just a reminder as to how lucky WE ARE to have a daughter like Taylor!

Healthy 4 year olds!

2009-05-26T16:26:00.000-07:00

Today Madison and Ashley went for their four year check up!!! Taylor had prepared them that SHE got shots when she was four...so they were scared to death before we even got there. However, times have changed and they do not get shots til five years old!!! The doctor said they are in the 75% of heighth and 40% in weight for their age group...so he thinks if they keep on this track they will be "tall and slender" (just like thier Mom) haha.

Family picnic

2009-05-20T12:39:00.000-07:00

Today the girls had a family picnic day at school. The weather was perfect and we all had a great time. Tomorrow is their last day in the 3 year old class. They have a small performance they will be singing in (of course I will take and post pictures)
After our picnic we came home and then went to the park. Our neighborhood has just built a big sand volleyball court....my kids think it is a huge sandbox!! Oh well now we are off to take our nap...ZZZZZZZZZZZ

End of the season

2009-05-18T04:52:00.000-07:00

This weekend was Taylor's last softball game of the season. (except for the tournament) She had a good season 6-6, which I think is impressive considering this was a new team and all the girls were getting use to their new position. Here are some pictures from her team party where she got received a "Medal"!!!! Congrats Taylor!

10 Happy Years

2009-05-12T15:27:00.000-07:00

On May 1st Jon and I celebrated our 10th year anniversary!!!!! Wow, I still can't believe it has been 10 years. I love him more and more everyday! To celebrate we went out to California. We started in L.A and drove the coast all the way down to San Diego. Stopping and enjoying the different beaches as we passed through. We also made a stop in Hollywood. I have always wanted to go there...and walk down Rodeo drive. We had some friends fly out Friday night and join us. That was a lot of fun to have people to go and hang out with at night. I think my favorite beach was Laguna. Jon really liked Huntington beach. Overall we had a great trip and a wonderful anniversary.

Very Special~

2009-05-11T11:53:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's day to my Wonderful Mother and Mother-in-law!!!

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-07T19:06:00.001-07:00

Let me start by saying I am so far behind in blogging....I have had a lot of fun and exciting things going on that I have just not had time to write about yet. Jon and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary last week by going to California. Since we got back I have been having computer issues so I have not had a chance to sort through all the pictures. That is my project for this weekend, so hopefully I will post all about that soon.

Meanwhile, today I had wonderful day with my girls celebrating Mother's day. Taylor's school had "Muffins with Mom" where all us Moms got to go and eat breakfast with our kids. Taylor had made me a beautiful silhouette of herself. I had a lot of fun and really enjoyed spending one on one time with Taylor.

After I left there I went to Madison and Ashley's preschool where their class had a brunch for all the Mom's. I was a little late getting there because the time frames were only 30 minutes apart. Madison quickly let me know that being late caused her to be at the back of the line...and that was not fair. Gotta love her honesty. The girls had me a very sweet card along with a photo album with some really cute pictures they have been collecting all year in school.

Princess Party

2009-04-22T17:43:00.000-07:00

Saturday the girls had their "Princess party" They invited some neighborhood friends and some kids from their class. The weather was perfect for an outdoor party. We made princess crowns, painted fingernails and put on lip gloss. Very "girly" activities for two very "girly" girls.

Also... I wanted to post this video...I found it on another blogger friends page and I LOVED IT. Jon had just told me last week to listen to this song. (which is funny because he does not typically like country music) When Jon is traveling he said he has to turn the station when this song comes on. We get caught up in the day to day activities and sometimes forget to stop and cherish the moments.....They grow up so fast!

Happy Birthday

2009-04-14T06:52:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th Birthday Madison and Ashley
We love you!!!

***UPDATE***

The girls had a fun filled birthday. We stayed busy and on the go all day long. First we went to Chuck E Cheese...Madison and Ashley loved playing the games but even 4 year olds are still scared of Chuck E. Looking back at the pictures he is kind of scary looking. Especially Ashley she would not even look at him unless Madison went too.

We went to the traditional East Blvd. Bar and Grill for dinner. Yes, I know it is sad when four year olds choice of dinner is at a BAR!! In their defense, it has been a favorite of mine as far back as I can remember. This place has the best "circle fries" I have ever had. Also, they give us the whole upstairs by ourselves...since we are regulars. A wonderful end to a wonderful day!

Happy Easter

2009-04-13T21:14:00.000-07:00

On Sunday we got together with family to celebrate Easter and 5 birthdays! We had a wonderful lunch and then birthday cake. The birthday celebration was for: Granny, Zak, Lynn, Ashley and Madison! We decided we would all be together on Easter so we would just have one big party. Here are some pictures. I hope you enjoy!

No family function of ours would be complete without the debate of which team is better....DUKE vs. CAROLINA

Happy 3rd Birthay Peyton!!

2009-04-11T17:02:00.000-07:00

Today we went to celebrate Peyton's 3rd birthday. We had a wonderful time and the weather was great for an outdoor party.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY PEYTON!!!

Let the birthday parties begin!!!

2009-04-09T16:46:00.000-07:00

April is here! This is the busiest month for us because of all the April birthdays in our family. We have a total of 8 close friends and family with a birthday in the next 2 weeks!!! This weekend I am sure it will seem like all I am blogging about is birthday parties. But they are all so special and so I want to acknowledge all of them and take lots of pictures.

Today I took cupcakes to the girls school to celebrate their birthday. They are out of school all next week (which is their actual birthday) for Spring Break! They chose Little Mermaid cupcakes to take. Believe it or not they both agreed on that without fighting. The class sang "Happy Birthday" as they all enjoyed the yummy cupcakes.

Oh yeah...and Happy Birthday Nana!!! Today is her actual birthday but we will be celebrating it on Sunday!

Busy Spring Weekend!

2009-04-05T09:13:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a busy day for us. We had a neighborhood Easter egg hunt in the morning and Taylor had her first softball game of the season in the afternoon. The girls had fun finding Easter eggs...they are starting to get good at this with all the practice. Taylor brought her friend Gabby and they also had a "grown kids" egg hunt. The Easter Bunny was there, so Madison and Ashley got to sit on his lap. **You can notice in the pictures, I have been working with Ashley's hair and this is the best I can do...I spent hours finding the best "fix" for this haircut she now has. This is with several bobby pins holding down the top and LOTS of hair spray. I decided against cutting Madison's hair to match....It would be a good punishment but I don't want to have to put this much time into fixing both of their hair in the mornings. However, she is rubbing in Ashley's face that her hair "does not look good."**

(If you click on the picture, you can see a closer view)

Taylor had a great game. She looked like an excellent ball player out there Saturday afternoon. I think I mentioned before this is a older league. Now the girls pitch to each other. This makes it a lot harder to hit the ball. But Taylor did good! She had her own cheering squad full of Grandparents. Go Hornets!!! (That is her team name)

Happy Easter/ haircuts

2009-04-02T19:03:00.000-07:00

WOW! What an eventful day. I planned on writing this blog about how we had such a great day. The girls had their school Easter party and we had so much fun! However, tonight was a different story as Madison decided to cut Ashley's hair!!!!!

Let me start with the party.............The party began with an indoor Easter egg hunt. It was suppose to be outside but due to the weather they moved it into the Church basement. The class went crazy as we unleashed them at finding eggs. It was fun watching them run around and collect as many as possible. After that they had lunch and then performed an "Easter Hop" for us parents. They put on Easter bunny faces and hopped around to "Here comes Peter Cotton Tail...."

Ok so on to the haircut. This afternoon we ran some errands and Ashley ended up getting gum in the back of her hair at a store.(still not quite sure how that happened either) I think there was gum in the buggy and she managed to get her hair in it. It was not really a big deal...just a little gum on the end. So on our way home I said.. "don't worry about it I will just cut it out with scissors when we get home!" BIG mistake on my part!! Before I got a chance to get to it...Madison decided to take care of it herself and CUT ASHLEY'S HAIR!!!! She left the gum in the back but cut the front part!!! Afterward, they hid the hair and scissors in their room. Taylor and I happen to walk by and notice that Ashley's hair looked funny! Finally, they told us the story and handed over the evidence!! I tell myself it is just hair and it will grow back....but until then.....

Chicky, Chicky

2009-04-01T15:22:00.000-07:00

Today at school the girls made "chicky" masks. I think they are precious! Madison and Ashley had fun running around the backyard playing "chicky"

Then Taylor wanted to join in the game.....

AND Finally....Roxie was included in the "chicky" game

**check back tomorrow...They are having their Easter party at school and I promise to get lots of pictures!

Feelin' good

2009-03-30T14:51:00.001-07:00

After a week of being confined to our house...Everyone seems to be doing great! We got outside today and enjoyed this beautiful weather. First we had a photo shoot and then the girls played in the sandbox. Taylor had her third art club meeting today. She is really having fun with that. I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Twin sicknesses

2009-03-25T17:55:00.000-07:00

Everything in our house happens in doubles...even sicknesses...Now Ashley is sick with the stomach bug. Let's just hope Taylor isn't next!

Bugs...has a stomach bug!

2009-03-23T17:37:00.000-07:00

Madison...aka "bugs" has been sick for the past two days! She has a stomach virus that she just can't get rid of. Sunday she had to watch from the window as Ashley got to play outside with her friends. That broke my heart! Little miss "boss" told Ashley that from now on she has to stay inside and wait for her to feel better. Oh well let's hope she gets better soon!!!

Grandparents and Glasses

2009-03-18T16:46:00.000-07:00

I guess we can all see where Taylor got her "eyes" from!

Rain, Rain...Go Away

2009-03-16T19:38:00.000-07:00

2009-03-15T19:50:00.000-07:00

No, you are not seeing things....my husband is growing a beard! I have to laugh as I see the pictures of a few weekends back when his brother was in town. Zak surprised us all with a beard...and it looks like Jon is following his footsteps! The only difference you might ask.... would be their shirts/or choice of College Basketball teams!

Zak

Brownies for Daddy

2009-03-13T13:44:00.000-07:00

Jon has been traveling A LOT!! So much so, he was out of town on his birthday! In the past three weeks he has only been home on the weekends. Which makes me...Stressed Out! The girls wanted to surprise Jon and bake him birthday brownies when he came home. They made a huge mess but had lots of fun! Jon loved it and the brownies were delicious~

Photo Shoot

2009-03-11T13:11:00.000-07:00

Ashley..................Madison

Many of you already know...but I finally got my new camera...the one I have been wanting since before Christmas. I am so excited, I can't stop taking pictures. My family is getting a little sick of it. Taylor has had enough and has started hiding whenever I come around. Madison and Ashley are still allowing me to take pictures. So here is our photo shoot from today. ENJOY!

Madison

Ashley

Madison

Ashley

And last but not least...my favorite!

Happy Birthday!

2009-03-10T04:51:00.001-07:00

Happy Birthday Jon!

** I will post pictures after we celebrate this weekend!!**

Spring is here!

2009-03-09T19:16:00.000-07:00

We have enjoyed these past few days of gorgeous weather. Spring is my favorite time of the year. However, it is always busy!! Softball started up this past weekend. This is Taylor's first year in the older league. She is now in the 10 and under league. I am anxious to see how she does. Taylor loves playing softball this is just a big adjustment. I think it is a lot more competitive than we have been use to.

Also, Taylor got her glasses this past weekend. She has trouble seeing far away. When she put her glasses on for the first time she was amazed at all the thing she could see. I don't think she realized how bad her eyes were until she could see. I think they look cute on her!

Finally, today we enjoyed this beautiful 80 degree day by having a picnic in the park. Taylor had the day out of school (teacher workday) so after the girls got out of preschool...we got lunch and went to the park. I think lots of other parents had the same idea because it was crowded! We had a wonderful time and that made for a great afternoon nap!

Dr. Seuss...Pajama Party

2009-03-05T19:13:00.000-08:00

This week at school the girls were celebrating Dr. Seuss week. They have read stories and made some really cute crafts (hats) representing Dr. Seuss. Madison and Ashley have really enjoyed that. Today they had a pajama party and got to watch Horton Hears a who!!...and eat popcorn!

Snowman in a box

2009-03-02T19:57:00.000-08:00

Earlier in the season I really wanted snow...now I am ready for Spring! However today we had yet ANOTHER snow day! This is the first snow day Jon has had off. So I let him experience getting everyone dressed for the snow...all the layers...getting all the fingers in the gloves (yes it is harder than you think).. remembering the hats...getting ALL this done (x 3 kids) just to hear they need to go to the bathroom before you even get outside. Finally, they got outside and worked on making a snowman. I found a picture of Taylor's first snowman from 2004....

Funny I know...At that time we were searching all over the house to find the eyes, buttons, nose, wig..(Jon's idea)
But now things are easier. They actually make snowman kits! Thanks to the snowman in a box...

Here is the New and improved Collins 2009 Snowman!!!

Art Club

2009-02-26T11:42:00.000-08:00

I think I may have an artist on my hands! Taylor has enjoyed art for years. Now she has the opportunity to really get involved in it. Her School has just started an art club. The art teacher requested that any interested student submit two drawings. Then she would select kids to be in the club with art potential. You guessed it!! Taylor got accepted and has her first meeting Monday after school.

**Above are the two drawings she submitted**

Fun at the Beach

2009-02-24T20:44:00.000-08:00

I am running behind...I had hoped to get this blog done earlier in the week but it has been "one of those weeks".
Last weekend we went to Myrtle Beach and had a great time. We had a lot to celebrate! It was Valentines weekend and his Dad's 25th Wedding anniversary! Saturday all the guys got up and went fishing. They didn't catch any fish....but they did catch Sharks...four to be exact. The girls enjoyed hanging out on the pier watching them.

After that we just went and did some Outlet shopping...which of course was Jon's favorite. haha...Then for dinner we decided to take the girls to Nakotos. They had never been to a Japanese Steak house and we knew they would love the experience. Which they really did! It is now Taylor's "new favorite"

Finally on Sunday we went to the beach for a few hours. It was so cold and windy, I am expecting someone in my house to be sick this week!

All in a Day's Work

2009-02-09T18:28:00.000-08:00

After painting 60 finger and toenails....I am tired!!! Hope everyone has a great week!!!

Green is Good!

2009-02-05T20:28:00.000-08:00

**UPDATE**
Just wanted to do a quick update...since my last blog about Madison's behavior, she has brought home nothing but GREEN!!! Way to go Madison!!! Keep up the good work!

Surprise!!!! Another Snow Day!

2009-02-04T11:30:00.000-08:00

We went to bed last night expecting to wake up to a normal Wednesday...Instead we woke up to 3 inches of SNOW!!! The girls and I were pleasantly surprised! We already knew the best places to go sledding in the neighborhood. We were ready and had lots of fun! But just like most snow falls here in Charlotte.....by 3:00pm it had all melted and was a thing of the past!

The Greatest Show on Earth!

2009-02-02T16:47:00.000-08:00

This past Friday the girls and I went to the Circus! We went with Christy and Zachary and had a blast! We decided to ride the light rail train since it would drop us off right outside the arena. The girls had never been on a train, so that was a fun new experience for them. At the Circus we were overwhelmed with all the souvenirs. Madison and Ashley decided on a light up princess crown. (who would have guessed princess crowns would be for sale at the circus) Once the Circus started the girls and Zachary watched with amazement. We saw lots of animals; Elephants, tigers, horses and to our surprise a porcupine!! The clowns put on a good show as well! We had a great time!

Maddie had a bad day ~

2009-01-22T12:26:00.000-08:00

I think we are going to have trouble!!! In Madison's class they have a color coded behavior system. Green is good...yellow is 1 timeout....Red is multiple timeouts. Madison has managed to get on red twice in the past two weeks. Not good!! Her timeouts are for taking toys and last week she was hitting!! Hopefully she out grows this soon. If not we have a LONG road ahead of us!

Snow Day!!!

2009-01-20T14:16:00.000-08:00

yahhhh...we got snow!! We got about 3-4 inches. Just enough for school to close. The kids spent the day outside throwing snowballs and sledding!

Let it snow..Let it snow...Let it snow

2009-01-19T16:45:00.000-08:00

Keep your fingers crossed....I am wanting to get lots of snow!!!

Extreme Makeover!

2009-01-19T10:42:00.000-08:00

Let me start by saying overall I keep my house really clean...well maybe not "clean" but it is always straight. I don't like clutter and I need organization. With that being said there are two rooms I NEVER tackle. The first is Taylor's room. She is responsible for cleaning it. I feel like she is 9 years old and mature enough to keep it clean. However, Taylor did not get the same "clean gene" I have. She can go weeks without cleaning her room/closet. To the point we can't walk in her room without fear of tripping on something. This week she told Jon and I she wants to "redo" her room. New furniture, new paint, new bedspread. She wants it more "grown up". Jon told her he would consider it, but she needed to clean her room and prove to us that she would keep it clean and appreciate the new stuff. This weekend Taylor and I cleaned her room!!! We cleaned out her closet, her drawers and even under the bed! My daughter is the BIGGEST pack rat ever! But we finished, and much to our surprise her room actually looks decent when it is clean. Of course now the question is if she can keep it that way and prove to us she deserves new furniture... etc???

Next we moved to the playroom...that was an even bigger mess. I am embarrassed to post "before" pictures...but I will only because I am proud of my hard work! Our playroom is one of those rooms...we all just throw stuff in and shut the door. I am guilty myself...I see a toy in my living room...I just throw it in the playroom to get it out of sight. Now, after Christmas it is officially out of control!!! It took us hours....and about 10 bags to Goodwill...but we are done. The girls promised me they will keep it clean now that they can actually sit in there and play.

BEFORE

AFTER

MLK

2009-01-15T17:42:00.001-08:00

Below is a school program Taylor was in to honor Martin Luthur King. Sorry it is a little shaky...Talyor is on the second row from the bottom on the right. ***Don't forget to pause the music at the bottom**

MLK

2009-01-15T17:41:00.001-08:00

Happy 2009!!!

2009-01-07T19:14:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!! We brought in the New Year with some friends, at their house. We had such a good time. They have five kids...yes you read that right...FIVE!! We had our three and all the kids got along so good. Craig built a bonfire and we roasted marshmellows and made s'mores! Yummy! We are looking forward to a great year!

Merry "late" Christmas

2009-01-07T17:17:00.000-08:00

I have been told that I seriously need to start updating my blog... That should be my New Years resolution to post more often..In my defense, my computer has been messed up and Jon was in the process of fixing it while he was on vacation.

We had a wonderful Christmas here at the Collins house! Very hectic, but a great 24 hours of spending quality time with friends and family. Just to give you an example of our busy day...We start Christmas Eve with Jon's Dad and his(extended)family coming over. We all eat a yummy dinner and exchange gifts. This starts around 6:00pm and lasts until around 11:00pm. This year Taylor had a hard time going to sleep..she tossed and turned until 3:30am!! It may have been all the sweets she ate prior to going to bed OR the fact she was soooo excited about the Nintendo Wii she was asking for. Whatever the case it made for a LONG night!

Christmas Morning we WAKE the kids up around 7:00am (usually Zak and Alison spend the night with us...this year Alison had to work so sadly we were on our own) We celebrate here with our Santa gifts and Jon and I give the kids our gifts to them. My parents come over around 9:00am to see what the kids got. They play with the kids while Jon and I get a quick shower. Then out the door...we are at Jon's moms house by 10:30am for breakfast and more gifts!!! We pack up there and are at his grandmother's house by 1:30pm for a delicious lunch..and you guessed it...more presents! At this point we must come home and unload the car,let the dogs out and if we are lucky the kids get a hour nap in the car.
Finally, we get to my parents house around 4:00pm. Eat again!! Relax!! Open more presents...and this year Jon got the Guitar hero, so we spent the evening playing the guitar. We make it home around 10:00pm. So tired, we unload the car and head straight for bed. Again, it is one hectic day but we have no complaints and would not do it any other way. We are blessed to have such great families to spend our holidays with./>

Goodbye Elf on the Shelf

2008-12-24T05:45:00.000-08:00

Since Thanksgiving we have had a visitor at our house. The Elf on the Shelf! He is a tradition we started a few years back for Taylor. He comes out at Thanksgiving and leaves on Christmas Eve. His purpose is to sit around our house and each night he reports to Santa what he has observed.(Good or bad) Each morning he is in a different spot and the kids have to find him. They are not allowed to touch him or he loses his magic. Anyways, Taylor was older when we first got him but the twins are a perfect age for this...It is amazing how well he has helped me out this month...He moves to the playroom when it needs cleaning..to watch and see that everyone does their share. He is just great! I just want to keep him out year round. Of course Maddie had a bad day and told me she "was done with him" he needed to leave! So I guess tonight his job will be done and he will report to Santa for the last time. See ya next year Elf~ Merry Christmas~

***Thanks Christy I borrowed your picture**

Christmas Party!

2008-12-18T18:44:00.000-08:00

Today the girls had their Christmas party at school. They had been sick yesterday...but I didn't want them to miss out. They made crafts and got lots of goodies. Here are a few pictures...enjoy!

My Angels~

2008-12-12T05:27:00.000-08:00

The girls preschool had a Christmas program the other night. They were so cute singing their songs. Madison and Ashley were angels...at the last minute they ran short of donkeys for the play. They asked the girls to switch and be donkeys...Ashley and Maddie quickly told them no!!! They were going to be princesses (i don't know where princesses fit in with the Christmas program) but they thought that because she wore a crown/halo.

SANTA

2008-12-04T18:28:00.000-08:00

Tonight we took the girls to see Santa. It is amazing the difference a year makes. Last year Peyton(my brother's daughter) cried and was frightened of Santa. Madison was on the verge of tears and would not talk to him. Now this year... Peyton went running up to him, as all three girls jumped on his lap. Santa then asked the girls what they wanted for Christmas....Ashley would not hush...she went on and on listing every toy in the toy store. Peyton and Madison hardly had a chance to respond. Needless to say everyone in line was ready for us to go.

Christmas lights....Colored or Clear?

2008-12-03T19:18:00.000-08:00

The past few days we have been working hard to get all of our Christmas decorations out. Christmas is my favorite holiday and I love decorating. My favorite is my Christmas tree! Every year since we got married Jon and I argue as to what lights we should use on the tree! I like the multi colored and he likes nothing but clear! So we have just rotated each year...one year it is clear the next multi colored...until last year!!! I found the best tree ever. Our tree now has both. It came with a remote control so you can either have all white or all multi colored. Yes I know...very cool! The kids do nothing but play with the remote(so it really looks like we have a blinking tree)...but when I am here I have it set on colored and when Jon gets home he turns them to clear! I took some pictures...but my camera did not do the tree justice (I have a new camera on my Christmas list) Anyways~ Jon and I are both happy...Tis the season!

My sweet girls!

2008-11-26T18:33:00.000-08:00

Fall Feast!

2008-11-19T19:13:00.001-08:00

Yesterday the girls had a Fall Feast at their preschool. All the kids dressed as Pilgrims and Indians for the occasion. The children sang songs about thanksgiving and being thankful for their families. Ashley and Madison looked so cute in the Pilgrim hats!!!

The countdown to 30!

2008-11-10T14:04:00.000-08:00

I always blog about my kids and the fun things they have going on....but now it is my turn....I turn 30 on Friday. A birthday I have been dreading for quite sometime. For some reason 30 is going to be a hard one for me. I have just had so many good things happen to me in my twenty's... I don't want to leave. Now it is bittersweet because Jon (with the help of Alison) planned a cruise for my birthday. The cruise leaves from Port Canaveral then heads to the Bahamas and a private island Coco Cay! We are going with Zak and Ali (Jon's brother and wife) and Rob and Dana (neighbors). We leave Thursday so I will officially be "cruising" on my birthday! With the help of grandparents we have NO kids! I guess you could say I am now counting down the days! I will update with some pictures when we return.....Bon Voyage!

CHAMPIONS!!!

2008-11-08T10:55:00.000-08:00

*** Update***
Taylor's team WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP! It was a great game and wonderful ending to the season. The girls played with all their heart and won by a score of 11-10. This was Taylor's last game in this league. Next season she has to move up to the 10 and under league! WAY TO GO WILDCATS!

Keep your fingers crossed~

2008-11-05T12:56:00.000-08:00

Taylor's softball team is officially in the championship tournament. They played last night and won 4-1. This secured them a spot in the final two! The BIG game is Friday night.....Keep your fingers crossed!!

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-01T10:14:00.000-07:00

The girls had a wonderful time last night "trick-or-treating"! Ashly dressed up as princess Belle...Madison was Ariel and Taylor was Gabriella.(from the High school musical) Madison started off the night running to each house keeping up with Taylor and her friends....but after seeing a few "monsters" she slowed down and stayed right with us. Ashley...(little miss Pris pot) was too busy making friends along the way to stop at every house. She had to compliment every little girl dressed up. Taylor was all about getting as much candy as possible...and trust me we got plenty!

This is Jon and our neighbor..haha...I couldn't help but post this picture....too funny!

Happy Birthday Taylor!

2008-10-31T05:18:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Taylor turned nine! Wow, where does the time go? It seems like just yesterday she was born. She is such a special girl and Jon and I are so blessed to have her. We often wonder how we lucked up with such a sweet child. She has a heart of gold which shines through every day of her life! Happy Birthday Taylor we love you!

Have a great week!

2008-10-20T12:05:00.000-07:00

Game Ball

2008-10-17T05:01:00.000-07:00

Talyor had an awesome softball game last night! One that kept us on the edge of our seats! First of all she was playing her best friend's team. Given Taylor's personality, you know that is difficult! This is what it came down to....Taylor's team down by one...last inning...two strikes...a runner on 1st and a runner on 2nd.....Taylor up to bat....she hits it brings both girls home and wins the game by one run!!!! yayyyyyy...She got game ball (a ball awarded to the girl with the best game) but most importantly walked off the field with a HUGE smile on her face!

Making Up For Lost Time!

2008-10-16T12:49:00.000-07:00

I admit, I have been really slack at blogging. We have been so busy I have not even taken the time to sit down and blog. I promise I will get better! Needless to say the girls have had a lot of fun things going on that I would like to talk about.

First, I must start out by bragging on Taylor. This past week she got her first report card this year as a third grader. Much to our surprise she brought home straight A's. (Well I guess we weren't too surprised...she takes after her mother.. haha)This is the first year they really get letter grades and follow a traditional grading scale. We are so very proud of her!

The girls also had the opportunity of going to Disney on ice this past weekend. They had a blast! That is all they have talked about this week. Nana and Papa got them tickets and took them. Madison and Ashley enjoyed dressing up in their favorite princess dress. Taylor went to a birthday party at Libby Lou earlier that day. There she got her hair fixed and LOTS of makeup! So all three were dressed up and ready to go! I forgot it was on ice....and didn't pack coats...so I think they froze for most of the show. Brrrr~ Anyways, they had a great time!

Surprise Pappy!!!

2008-09-27T19:31:00.000-07:00

Tonight we had a party to celebrate Pappy (Jon's dad's) birthday. It was a surprise, which the kids really enjoyed. We all screamed HAPPY BIRTHDAY as he walked in the door. After that we ate two delicious cakes. Oh yeah...and we all wore our favorite sports attire. We had a great time. Happy Birthday Pappy!!

Take Me Out To The Ball Game~

2008-09-15T18:48:00.000-07:00

Softball has officially started back! Tonight was the first game of the season. Taylor is playing for the Wildcats! This will be her 4th season playing, and 2nd season at first base. This will keep us busy EVERY weekend for the next two months. However, we all really enjoy it. Tonight Taylor was up to bat three times and scored on all three! Too bad the team couldn't pull off a win. They had fun and I guess that's what counts.(to the kids at least)~ We will try again on Saturday!

TGIF!!! (pause the music at the bottom) too funny!

2008-09-12T06:23:00.001-07:00

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Happy 21st Birthday Aunt Lindsey

2008-09-10T15:47:00.000-07:00

Saturday night we celebrated Lindsey's birthday. She turned the BIG 21! We celebrated by having her favorites Macaroni & Cheese, chicken and hot dogs. Oh yeah...and a yummy ice cream Oreo cake! We had a great time. Happy Birthday Lindsey!

First Week of Preschool~

2008-09-04T13:21:00.000-07:00

This was the first week of school for Madison & Ashley. They are going to Pleasant Plains Preschool on Tuesdays and Thursdays. So far the week has been GREAT! They love their teacher's Mrs. Jennifer and Mrs. Mary. I love peeking in on them and just watching them play. Ashley seems to be more social, meeting lots of new friends. Madison does her own thing and just yells at Ashley for ignoring her! This morning she made Ashley "promise to play with her." It is so fun to watch their different personalities as they grow into sweet little girls. I am looking forward to a wonderful year ahead!

Bling Bling....Ashley and Maddie have earrings!

2008-09-02T19:08:00.000-07:00

Monday was a exciting day for Madison and Ashley. We went shopping and thanks to aunt Ali she talked me into getting the girls ears pierced! I explained to them that it would hurt ~ but by that point Madison already had her mind made she was "getting those purple earrings." I have to say the girls did GREAT! Not even a single tear! Ashley got pink earrings and Madison got purple. This will help everyone tell them apart....at least for the next 6 weeks!

Madison-L Ashley-R

Ashley

Madison

Labor Day Weekend!!

2008-09-02T16:59:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we decided to go to Charleston to visit Zak and Alison. We stayed busy the entire weekend. When we got there Friday night, Zak and Ali had already been to the store to pick up the girls some "entertainment goodies". They had markers, crayons, coloring books and a new movie! It was like Christmas in August! Saturday we all wanted to go to the beach. The girls have not been all Summer. We left early and got a great spot on Folly beach. The girls LOVED the ocean. Lucky for them, so did Zak and Ali. (Jon and I aren't too big at getting in the ocean) They played for hours. Well at least until Zak got stung by a jellyfish. After that we decided to just go back and hang out by the pool.

Sunday we thought we would just do it all over again. We got up, went to the beach but it was soooo windy we left after an hour. Once again we decided on the pool. Sunday night we went and played a competitive game of putt putt. (Zak was the big winner)

Monday was our last day. Jon, Taylor and Zak got up at 6:30 to go fishing. They caught some BIG fish. Meanwhile, Alison and I took the girls shopping. Ashley and Madison had an exciting experience. (It is "so" exciting I am going to post it in a following blog). We finally left late Monday~ very exhausted. We had a great time!

Where does the time go?

2008-08-27T05:51:00.000-07:00

Okay so I am having a moment...I just woke up and realized my baby girl is growing up so fast!

Pre-K

K

1st Grade

2nd Grade

3rd Grade

Back To School!!!

2008-08-25T18:47:00.001-07:00

Today was Taylor's first day of third grade!

She started at the new Sun Valley Elementary School. New school, new friends what BIG changes for a young girl! Another change is that Sun Valley Elementary follows the traditional school schedule, so no more year round. Personally, I am going to miss the 3 week breaks every third month! However, this school does have its perks. They start an hour later than last year and everyone knows how much Taylor and I REALLY like that! She came home smiling this afternoon saying that she likes her teacher, but.... she doesn't like having homework ALREADY!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!

2008-08-19T15:09:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately this is Taylor's last week before she has to go back to school. As a result of this she is trying to pack in as much fun as possible! It all began on Sunday... We decided to go to Carowinds. What a great day it was, the weather was perfect, it wasn't too HOT. Ashley and Madison's favorite ride was the swings (which is always their favorite). Taylor was able to make a deal with Jon. If he would ride the Frenzoid (the big boat that hangs upside down), she would ride Top Gun! I think Jon lost in this deal. Last night, Taylor wanted to have her friend Gabby sleep over. They had so much fun! They stayed up late making brownies, watching movies and playing dress up. After sleeping in from a late night, they got up and got ready to go to the pool! When we got home from the pool they were tired and all out of things to do but then... Pappy (Jon's dad) saves the day and brings the NEW Camp Rock and Hannah Montanna movie! Thanks Pappy!

The "Herbie" Game

2008-08-08T10:52:00.002-07:00

The girls and I have started a new game while riding in the car. The name of the game is "Herbie." The object is to be the first to yell "Herbie," when you see a VW Beetle Bug. The winner then gets 5 pts. We got the name "Herbie" from the movie Herbie Fully Loaded. The girls love that movie! This past weekend we drove down to Charleston for my cousin's baby shower. The Herbie game kept everyone occupied during the whole ride. We let my mom join in on the fun but, all she did was cheat and donated her "Herbie's" to the kids. The first person to reach 100 points gets a surprise (I'm not quite sure what that will be yet). Taylor is the scorekeeper and current leader, but it is surprising how good Madison and Ashley are getting. I will have an update when we have an official winner!

Finding Nemo....

2008-07-23T17:10:00.000-07:00

Tonight we all went fishing in the hopes of finding "Nemo". Since we were just at our neighborhood pond, that wasn't likely. However, both Ashley and Madison caught a catfish. Taylor and Jon weren't quite as lucky ( I was just the photographer). The girls got VERY excited when they were reeling in the fish but.... when they saw it flopping around and bleeding they quickly lost interest and wanted NOTHING to do with it. I could hardly get them to stand near it for a picture! Their faces are priceless in the pictures.

I scream, You scream.... We all scream for ICE CREAM!!

2008-07-22T13:17:00.001-07:00

Last night Jon and I decided to take Ashley and Madison out for ice cream. Taylor has been so busy this Summer with her friends we have hardly seen her.(For the past three nights she has either hosted a sleepover or attended one)..So we thought it was a great night to do something special with the twins! We went to Dairy Queen, they ordered their regular...vanilla with sprinkles! Jon and I got the new "girl scout" thin mint blizzard. FYI...It was GREAT!! Ashley and Madison ate their whole cup and then finished ours! ~Yummmmmy~

Happy Birthday Tater!!

2008-07-16T11:52:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me, knows how special Tater is to me! That is why I couldn't resist posting a blog to let everyone know it is her BIRTHDAY!! Tater is nine years old today....still as grumpy as the day we got her. The kids and I are celebrating tonight with cupcakes! Yes, I know a little weird for a dog but in our house she is more than a pet..she is a member of our family!

Jon's New Ride

2008-07-11T16:59:00.000-07:00

This past week Jon's car started falling apart! His air broke, the check engine light came on, it had a fuel leak and on top of all that it had 170k miles. It was definitely time for him to get a new car. Jon, the "creature of habit" that he is, picked THE SAME EXACT CAR!! Yes, that's right another Nissan Altima... same color and everything just a newer version! He said it worked good for him before so why try something different. Taylor cried as we left the dealership saying, "the old car is lonely and sad". Jon on the other hand was just thankful for the air conditioning!!!

Happy 4th of July!

2008-07-05T10:41:00.000-07:00

We had a very busy 4th of July! Our day began by going to the Indian Trail Parade and festivities! We got there around 9:45 am, two hours before it began..(everyone knows that was on accident I am NEVER on time for anything). It turned out to be a good thing. We met Christy, Jeremy and Zachary up there. We had great seats to see the parade. Jon got to enter a watermelon eating contest...Okay so it wasn't a real competition (Christy, Jeremy and I were the judges) but we definitely think he won!! After the parade, we came home and went straight to the pool. Taylor entered a limbo swimming contest and was a finalist..but lost. We finished our day by going to Kristin and Nick's house (Jon's sister and brother-in-law) for a cookout. We were within walking distance to where the Waxhaw fireworks were displayed. The girls enjoyed the fireworks and screaming out the different colors that they saw. Overall, we had a wonderful 4th of July with our family and friends.

Happy Birthday Nandad!!

2008-07-03T07:56:00.001-07:00

The other night we had a cookout at my parents house to celebrate "Nandad's" birthday. We had a great time. We had hamburgers, hotdogs and the girls new favorite...homemade ice cream. The girls enjoyed singing happy birthday and blowing his candles out for him.

Disney 2008

2008-06-30T13:06:00.001-07:00

Disney Trip 2008!

2008-06-28T12:56:00.001-07:00

A couple of weeks ago we took a family trip to Disney World. This was the first time for all the girls so our entire family (mine & Jon's) came with us. Seeing Ashley and Madison's faces when they saw the REAL princesses was priceless. They really enjoyed eating breakfast with Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. Visiting Cinderella's castle was truly magical for the girls! Something that they will remember forever. The High School Musical Parade was just one of Taylor's favorite experiences at Disney. She also enjoyed the more "grown up" attractions like: rock 'n' roller coaster, tea cups and splash mountain. Wednesday of that week Taylor got to spend the day with just Daddy, Uncle Zak and Aunt Ali at Epcot. They toured each of the countries and watched fireworks after a great dinner in Mexico. The next day some of us visited Disney's Animal Kingdom. The girls really enjoyed the Safari ride and seeing all the animals up close and personal. One disappointment for the girls was seeing Minnie Mouse in camouflage (not girly enough). Overall Disney is a chapter in our lives that we all will remember for the rest of our lives. We look forward to going back soon!

And the story begins......

2008-06-28T09:23:00.000-07:00

In an attempt to keep everyone up to date with "the girls" and our family, we have put together this blog. This will hopefully be a way to share with those of you who we aren't able to see or talk to on a regular basis, the life of our precious girls as they grow!