1-30-13

These pictures look strangely similar to the pictures from yesterday.  That is because they are still reading and I am still driving. There is one difference from yesterday. This is on the way to school instead of on the way home. I hope they finish the series soon, so I can get caught up on the lastest middle school gossip. 

 

 

What is the best way to end a night at the church cleaning?  With Dairy Queen, of course.

1-29-13

Some of my favorite times during the day are taking the girls to school and picking them up from various activities.  That is usually when we get caught up and they excitedly tell me about their day.  I love this uninterrupted time that is normally free from distraction.  Well, they are both deeply engrossed in the Maximum Ride series.  So this is what our car rides have looked like the past couple of days.  Thankfully, Payton has a friend that has all of the books in the series and doesn't mind loaning them out.

 

My attempt to have dinner at the table as a family every night has been pretty successful.  Bryan is expressing his opinion about a new recipe.  It is just a pretty basic chicken pot pie recipe with biscuits on top instead of pie crust.  It was a huge hit. Everyone at it until it was gone.  I love it when that happens.

1-28-13

 

Guess what today is!  The 100th day of school.  So we celebrated by counting out 100 M&Ms.  Hayden wanted to make sure that everyone knew that it was actually the 98th day for Taylor and Payton so they should not get 100 M&Ms. 

1-27-13

This batch of cookies may not seem like that big of a deal to the average person.  But for me, it was a huge chocolate chip cookie break through.  Over the last several months, I have attempted to make chocolate chip cookies multiple times and they have been a disaster every time.  I tried different recipes.  Butter vs. Crisco.  Bought new baking powder.  Added extra flour.  Lowered the cooking temperature and increased cook time.  Nothing helped.  I figured that since I had started working I had lost my ability to make a good cookie.  So, I jokingly told Bryan today that if my cookies didn't turn out, I was going to have to quit working.  Well...good news!  I don't have to quit my job.  The cookies turned out and all is once again right in the world!

 

 

We have enjoyed Sunday dinner with Mimi and Opa the last several weeks.  I hope this becomes a long standing tradition.  We love hanging out with them.  Especially when Mimi has surprises like King Cake. 

1-26-13

We love lazy Saturdays.  No plans.  No where to go.  Just hanging out together.  Today that included a little time spent with family.  The girls love their cousins.  They were excited to have Emmy come over and play.  We missed having Julia come over because she was taking a nap.  So when we dropped Emmy off, Payton and Julia spent a few minutes snuggling each other.  So sweet!

1-25-13

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

 

Its finally here!  Mardi Gras!  Friday night and great weather means that we head downtown for the parade.  The Conde Caveliers did not disappoint.  We caught plenty of beads and moonpies to last us...until the next parade. 

 

1-24-13

Many of our evenings are filled with homework.  Tonight was no exception.  Taylor tries very hard to keep her grades up.  Math was a struggle last quarter.  Her B in math kept her off of the A-Honor Roll.  So her goal is to get an A in math this quarter. She has a Geometry test tomorrow so she and I spent a couple of hours at the dinner table studying, working practice problems, reviewing formulas, reteaching me some geometry, talking to a fellow classmates mom to compare anwers, and going back through old homework to review.  I think she is well prepared.  Hopefully she will do well and the missed sleep will be worth it.  



1-23-13

I love that Taylor and Payton are finally in Young Women's together.  Tonight was New Beginnings/YWIE.  All of the girls set up a display about one of their value projects they had worked on over the past year.  Taylor's display was about her Individual Worth project.  She has used her time in Mobile's Singing Children to complete that project.  Since Payton has just started in YW, she didn't have a project to display.  So she set up a display about herself.  These girls are turning into such beautiful young ladies.



 

Hayden just couldn't resist and had to jump in the picture.

 

The real reason we came to the activity was to see one of our favorite babies.  She wasn't feeling good so she was extra snuggly. 

1-22-13

Today was the much anticipated first trip to the orthodontist for Hayden and Payton.  Of course, they are both in need of braces.  Hayden has a more immediate need than Payton. After seeing the orthontist and discussing the courses of treatment, the financial coordinator office manager person came to break the news to us......Braces Aren't Free!  They aren't even cheap.  So Bryan and I spent the evening looking over the treatment plans and figuring out what our options are.    

 

 

 

We did make time tonight for a very intense game of Disney Headbands (thanks Benhams for the awesome gift). 

 

Payton was mad that after three rounds she still couldn't figure out who was on her head.

 

 

 

 

1-21-13

Hayden insisted that she had to borrow my phone tonight.  I didn't pay much attention to why she needed it until I came across this picture.  She just wanted to take some pictures of her beloved dinosaurs.  She got several for Christmas presents to add to her collection.  After Christmas, I cleared the books and DVDs off of this shelf so it could be completely dedicated to dinosaurs.  She has spent more time playing with them and arranging them now that she has enough space.