YES more PICTURES!

I needed some new good pics of all of the girls together. I kept putting it off because it is a job to try and get all 4 of them together. It was still a job and I ended up getting lots more of them individually. I know Lizzie always gets the blame but the way she acts when I am trying to do a group shot is so her-she does fine as long as she can do her own thing but why would we ask her to do something she does not want to do! I mean she is a princess! We always seem to create a scene! Anyway, here they are. I finally got through editing the ones I liked. Once I get started on them I can't stop and I stay up way too late! There aren't many of Millie because she was being held by her daddy and she just had a photo shoot of her own. I told them when we finished that I was not attempting to get them all together for at least 10 years. Elleigh and Aaron asked could they get that in writing! They will appreciate me and my camera one day! Enjoy!

This is amazing!

For several months now I have been following the story of Todd and Angie Smith and the trials they were facing with the upcoming birth and then the loss of their 4th daughter Audrey. The story has become very popular. Todd is a member of Selah so their story has been told a lot and has reached so many people. Angie's blog is incredible. I have wept so many tears because of the pain she has written about and at the same time she gives an amazing testimony of what real faith is all about. They recently did an interview with Cross Point and the link is below. It is a little over 20 minutes long but well worth watching. Their perspective on Plan B as they refer to it is incredible. I just can't say enough about how touching it is so check it out when you get a chance. It is very sad but well just check it out and you will know what I mean.

Video link http://withoutwax.tv/ Scroll down to Smith Family story
Blog link http://www.audreycaroline.blogspot.com/

Majesty

Elleigh is in the chime choir at church and they performed Majesty on Sunday morning. It was beautiful. The entire children's choir sang several other songs as well. We always enjoy watching them. Our children's choir leaders put a lot of hard work into choir and the kids really enjoy it and learn a lot. Elleigh had just broken her arm at the beginning of this semester and she was kinda down and out because she was first in sign choir and that was difficult with a broken arm and then she moved to chime choir and she was a little upset because she had her heart set on sign choir and we encouraged her just to keep going and do the best she could and she is glad she did! Enjoy the video!

NICE!

Numerous times a day I say "that's not nice" or "be nice". A couple of days ago I said "Lizzie, that's not nice" and she says back to me "not nice". So, we asked her was she nice and her reply, "not nice." Today I said "Lizzie be nice" and she looked at me and said "not nice!" She may be NOT NICE but at least she's honest! Lizzie, Lizzie, Lizzie!

From Yuck to Yum!

Sometimes things don't go quite as planned, well a lot of times at our house. I had so much planned to get done on Saturday. However, I spent my day taking care of sick babies. That's ok, just part of it. I think I am out of practice though. I used to feel like I was a full time nurse but lately the girls have been well for the most part so it actually seemed a little more overwhelming. Millie and Lizzie both had really bad colds since about the middle of last week. On Thursday Millie started running a fever and just did not feel well. She is also cutting her top two teeth so the combination was really not good for her. She wasn't sleeping well at night, etc. I always try to watch them for several days before taking them to the doctor it seems that most of the time it is something that just needs to run its course. On Saturday morning her temp was still around 102 so after going back and forth on whether to take her or wait we decided to take her in to make sure it wasn't her ears. Dr said it was just a bad cold that needed to run its course. I always get aggrevated with myself when I take them in when it is nothing that can be treated. I guess I did get a peace of mind about her ears. That was her first sick appt and she is nearly 9 months old! Praise the Lord for a healthy baby! Nearly 9 months and no antibiotics-that makes me very happy! Well you know they can't be sick one at a time so Sallie had a stomach bug on Saturday as well. Bless her heart, she threw up like crazy. It was a lovely Saturday! Sallie is much better today though and Millie is maybe a little better this afternoon. Her temp is low grade today, but she is still very fussy.

Tired Daddy and baby girl

Poor Sallie :(

So today I was home with the girls while A and Ell went to church. Sunday is just not the same without being in church. I did cook a delicious pie this afternoon. I thought we deserved it! A had planned to spend Saturday in the library doing research for a paper but with the girls sick he never made it which will mean we won't see him this week! Part of my plans on Saturday was to cook him whatever he wanted for dinner and to cook this pie for dessert because after spending a Saturday in the library I thought he would surely deserve it. However, as I said things didn't go as planned and I would not cook it Sat nt because Sallie was sick and I just couldn't do that to her. She loves anything sweet! I cooked it this afternoon and I had to share pics and the recipe. It was so easy and so good. I have made chocolate chip cookie pies before but this recipe was slightly different and I am on a kick of trying lots of new recipes (when you cook as much as I do you have to get creative) so I ran across this while looking at other recipes and decided to try it.

Delicious!

Even better with ice cream and chocolate syrup! It did not rise quite as much as I think it should have. I think Sallie and I made it fall checking on it. She could hardly wait until it was done.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell*

2 large eggs

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate morsels

1 cup chopped pecans (I did not use because A will not eat)

Serve with ice cream (optional)

Preheat oven 325 degrees F. Beat eggs in large mixer bowl on high until foamy.
Beat in flour, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Beat in butter. Stir in morsels and nuts and spoon into pie shell. Bake for 55-60 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Serve warm.

* If using frozen pie shell, use deep dish style and thaw completely. Bake on baking sheet and increase baking time slightly.

True Vanity!

We took this picture a while back and today when I was looking through pictures I was reminded of this. I intended to put this on the last post and forgot but it really is worthy of its own post.
Yes, she is sleeping with a picture of HERSELF! One night I found it in the bed with her and I just thought it was accidental. Well, the next night she had it again and we soon discovered that she was getting it off her dresser and sleeping with it. VAIN!!! This particular night she also has a figurine in the bed with her, one that Nonnie and Aunt Rhonda gave to Sallie on one of her first surgeries. Guess she thought it didn't need to spend the night on the dresser either!

Things that make me smile (just a few of the many)

This face really makes me smile, especially when he comes home from work! HA! He makes me smile for more reasons than that but the selfish side of me does love to see him coming home! Relief!!! Every afternoon the girls have a meltdown sometime between 3 and 5 and when daddy comes home everything is all better (for a little while anyway). When he doesn't come home at 5, well I am usually not smiling! This is a sight that really makes me smile. Elleigh is not too happy when the little girls try to invade her room but there are times by special invitation only that they go into her room to play. The little girls think there is nothing like it! This was taken a month or so ago when Ell was feeling generous! Sweet, innocent face. I love a baby in the bath tub and this was one of her last times in the baby tub because she started trying to climb out so now she just sits in the tub (which doesn't make me smile-growing up too fast!)
This shows the enthusiasm Millie has for GOING! She was not happy having to watch her big sisters have all the fun and her not be able to move so now she is so happy to be able to be right in there with them and she is! She is EVERYWHERE! She mops my floors with her body and vacuums up everything that is dropped with her mouth!

Sallie sitting in a box watching TV! Who knows???
Sallie loves pigtails and since her hair is cut so short now, well the picture says it all! She loves it. No, I would not let her go out of the house like this! You can tell too that she chose her clothes-layered as usual and the top shirt is on backwards. Before this she also had on a cardigan and skirt-none of which matched!
Elleigh keeps a ponytail holder on her wrist most of the time just in case she might want to pull her hair back. So, Lizzie has started putting them on her wrist as well. She idolizes her big sisters.
The infamous Easter pictures with Lizzie crying. The thing about this that makes me smile though is Elleigh-such a diva! The child has loved the camera from the day she was born! It is funny to me that with everything going on she is still striking a pose! That's Elleigh. I won't tell you what she is saying under her breath about the way Lizzie is acting! Just let me say that I hear quite often about how they embarass her. That makes me smile too! Another Elleigh story that really makes me smile and I will probably be in trouble for telling this but oh well. A couple of weeks ago Elleigh and I were discussing how early the girls get up and I said well at least Lizzie had started coming to lay with me for a few minutes before we get up and she said really, well I don't get to lay with you and I said no because we all get up before you. Next morning, I heard her alarm at 6 o'clock and I just smiled. I knew exactly what she was doing. She had set her alarm so she could lay with me before we got up! Now that makes me smile!!!

Thank you Ms. Abbey!

The girls got a package today from Ms. Abbey. Ms. Abbey is a very special friend of Nanna and Grandy's and their love for the girls has rubbed off on her slightly! She is also one of our biggest blog fans so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to say thank you and show you some pics of them with their prizes. The girls love to get packages in the mail! It is like Christmas to them! Not to mention that Ms. Abbey sent tons of great girly stuff. Thursday is my long day as I call it-A has class and does not get home until later so it could not have come on a better day because the girls played enjoyed their goodies all afternoon! THANK YOU and WE LOVE YOU Ms. Abbey!

Elleigh and Sallie opening the package. Millie and Lizzie were napping and they were not about to wait on them to get up! Oh, and the way Sallie is dressed-just let me say I let her dress herself when we are at home and not going anywhere and well what she has on speaks for itself. Lizzie says, "Look at my new jewels!"Millie showing off her new duckie (and about to eat it!)

Mini-DADDY!

Aaron and... little Aaron (aka Millie!) These 2 show off both of their BIG SMILES!

Real Trouble!

I am in real trouble now! Millie has been attempting to crawl now for several weeks and she would crawl just a little and stop but now she is everywhere! Although Millie is so excited to be mobile like her big sisters it creates a few problems like now she is getting into everything and also her sisters aren't exactly crazy about her being in "their stuff." She is also pulling up onto everything so she may be walking before long. Dear God, help me!

Here is a video of her in action. It is dark but you get the idea.

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

This is another video I got while I was trying to get Millie crawling and Lizzie intervened. Notice me trying not to laugh as I tell her to stop!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com