1983- you do the math.

I don't want to sound ridiculous, like I am complaining about being old- I am aware that I am not old... but I just don't want to be called "Mam"!

I was at Target with the girls the other day, (I know it's not Hollister or something, but who am I kidding...I only go in there when I am at the mall with my little brother and even then I feel older than I really am...it's just so loud!) and the girl at the check-out said, "Your total is $12.62, MAM." ?What? I still feel embarrassed/annoyed/bad for her that I looked up at her like she was crazy. Then I felt crazy for getting so bothered by it. Then I got even more irritated that I I had a thought process happen to me like this because it never would have occurred to me that I'd feel this way...way back when I was 19!!

Anyway, I had a really fun birthday...Brady would say it started the week after Christmas when I started buying things and saying that he could wrap them up for me and give them to me on my birthday...but we'll go with dinner with my family at Cheesecake Factory for my mom's, my sister's, and my birthday last week. No pictures of that though because Emma and Regan's theme for that night was, "it's my mom's party and we'll cry if we want to"!! But, thanks for a fun night fam!

Friday night we ate at YC's and then went ice-skating with friends. If you want to do something to remind you how old you are, go to Polar Ice on Friday night with all the teenagers and YSA's in Gilbert! Luckily, we blended right in!! (Or we tried to anyway.)

Today we slept late and Brady made us breakfast. Then I got ready while Brady took the girls to "pick up something so good, I'll freak out"(Emma's words) that turned out to be a birthday cake from BR- my favorite! Then we spent the rest of day enjoying the 'spring-in-January' weather at the zoo.

So, I still feel 19. Where does the time go?

My mom's friend said, "days are long, years are short" and that feels so true today!

Safe to Say...

I was just getting Emma ready for bed and she said, "Mom, I don't want you to have lots more babies...like, please don't have a hundred babies...it's just too much." (Yeah, she was being serious)

I responded, "Ok Emma, I promise I won't have a hundred more babies."

She was happy to hear my answer.

(I was happy to give it!)

Use Your Words!!

I am constantly trying to help E & R be good communicators and teach them that "using their words" is the best way to get what they need. They know what I mean when I say "just try to use your words"and it usually works, but sometimes their "words" just make me laugh, sometimes cry, and even stare at them in awe of the way their little brains are growing! Here are some of my favorites from the past few days...

*We were in the car together tonight and Emma spilled something and said, "That's no bueno."

*Regan was trying to get Emma to family prayer and said (in her most stern voice & with her finger pointed) "COME MON, NOW!"

*Emma was talking about not getting to go to her Primary class and said, "I'm just devastated about this, Mom."

*Regan learned that I had to got to the bank before we met Grandma Arlene and Josh at the mall and said, "We just can't do it Mom...the mall is waiting for me!" (this one made me smile- spoken like her mother's daughter)

Just the Beginning...

Congrats to Mallory & Justin!

Brady and I had a great time taking the day off and celebrating Mallory and Justin's big day.

The wedding was beautiful! Mallory was around 14 when we got married and we are both really proud of her and so glad she found someone who adores her...they are a super-cute couple!!

****

*side-note*I didn't think it was possible, but Emma is filled with even more "fairy-tale" ideas than before. It was SO cute to see her so happy and excited for her aunt and "new fun uncle"! When my fam arrived at the reception she came to my mom and said, "Grandma, you have GOT to see Mallory...she is SO beautiful!"

I am in trouble and I have no idea where she gets all these ideas. Who am I kidding? It's like an watching myself grow up!! I wonder...were my parents as scared as Brady and I are??

Chick-fil-A on a Sunny Day

Mom and Patrick came over yesterday with a picnic. The girls were so excited that the kid's meals came with paper butterflies so they got out their nets and went on a butterfly hunt! My mom is always coming up with new things that spark their imaginations. I'll just say Patrick is "Super Uncle" and that covers it!!

Prince Daddy

Emma got "Sleeping Beauty" for Christmas and has watched it just about everyday! Her daydreams now consist of princes and fairies...so, naturally she needed a prince! While Brady was getting ready for church on Sunday Emma came in our room and quietly said, "Daddy, will you dance with me and be my prince when we are all dressed up?" with a little smile on her face!

Needless to say, she beamed! Regan was giggling and loving when it was her turn too. SO CUTE!

Unprovoked

Regan got bit by a dog. Luckily, it wasn't bad enough to bleed, but she still has a couple of bruises. This doesn't help her hesitation with all dogs. She was minding her own business, just riding her bike out front and a little punk dog came up and just jumped all over her! She was shaking and it took a long time for her to calm down. Her cry/scream for help was the saddest sound I have ever heard.

It was awful.

Happy New Year! (or whatever)

It is not at all that I don't like this holiday, but for some reason it makes me tired. I am a total night person and ask Brady, I am up past midnight most nights watching tv, reading, even cleaning when I feel it's needed...but for some reason I want to go to bed early on New Year's Eve. I think I actually saw the ball drop this year, but I'm don't really remember. I usually end up thinking that I could have tivo-ed it and watched it later and it would have had the same affect!
I am just fine with going to bed knowing that when I wake up feeling refreshed from a full night of sleep it'll be a new year and a new start. That's the part I like... feeling inspired to be better and have a better year than the one before.
Anyway, kind of lame right? 25 year-old who can't make it...whatever...I've made my peace with it!

New Traditions... a few weeks late!!

Along with all the fun things we did this year for Christmas we started a couple of new traditions since the girls are old enough to understand a bit better.
First- Emma and Regan made cookies for Santa. I told them they could put whatever they want in them and gave them silly ideas like yogurt or beans...but that sort of annoyed Emma and she wanted to do it "the way REAL cookies are made". ( I would have LOVED to see Santa's reaction to cookies with corn or green beans in them!) So I told them what went into "real cookies" and they chose how much they wanted to put in. I tested them and they were a little dry, but not too bad!
Second- Letters to Santa. Click on the pictures to enlarge them and see what they wrote, but they had so much fun talking back and forth about what they wanted. When they were done they folded them up and put them in their stockings and put them on the couch for Santa to find...

Much to their delight MAGIC happened and Santa brought just what they wanted. There were lots of fun presents given and recieved and the day was great!

When it was done, we crashed!!! Thus the long break between my posts...I'm just getting all the toys put away our house back to normal!