100!

YIKES! We can hardly believe that our Madison celebrated her 100th day of school last week! She came home with some groovy 100 glasses and 100 treats. What a day.

We also had a super time with our Sechler cousins last weekend. We did some sledding, swimming at the Reef, cousins read together, decorated Valentine cookies, played school, barbies and Wii (below Daniel, Madi & Bre all jump in celebration while they play M&M Beach Party on the Wii) and we got to take the cousins to church with us too.

And the highlight of Madi's day at school on Friday was that cousin Rebekah came to eat lunch with her!

Watching Madsion, Breanne & Rebekah interact was priceless! So many mental pictures in my head. My favorites? The three of them talking in the van on the way to dinner about camping together this past summer. When we got to the restaurant, Breanne says, "Guys, we can finish talking about this later." My other favorite "picture" was watching them walk all three hand-in-hand to the bathroom together at the restaurant. We referred to them as the 3 peas in a pod.

It was sweet to spend time with all five cousins. Abigail is quite the sweet little girl and she got along with Aliya very well. The only minor mischief was the markers they found and used to decorate the basement...oops!

I also enjoyed sledding with the three boys and playing Cadoo with Micah and Daniel.

Today, we are recovering from acute depression due to the Saints victory last night....There's always next year...

"When is it ever gong to snow again?"

On nice days, when time allows, I like to walk to school, picking up Madison and then we walk home. Madison especially has enjoyed this the last two weeks and has been trying as best she can to walk on the snow, jump in the mud puddles, trudge through the slush...you name it! As the temperatures continued to be warm and the snow began to disappear, she asked, "When is it ever going to snow again?" Yesterday, the snow storm began and left her a little ill-prepared for school. By the time I picked her up from school, it had snowed 3-4". She didn't have her hat, lost a mitten (I think we might buy stock in the mitten industry) and didn't bring her snow pants. As we walked through the snow to the truck, I said, "Who ordered this snow?" Madison answered, "I don't know." Apparently, she forgot her wish only a couple days prior. I suppose God didn't. It's pretty to see the snow everywhere piled up everywhere and it should afford us some terrific sledding weather when the Sechler cousins visit next weekend.

Isn't this cute? Rub-a-dub-dub. Three girls in the tub!

Fun in the snow

We have had quite a bit of snow this winter. In the past week, most of it has melted. But we have been out to use the sled, build snowmen and snow angels. Aliya is surprisingly very fond of the snow. She loves to be pulled in the sled and tries to walk in the snow.
Our first week back to school this year, we had quite a dumping of snow. It left me a little frazzled. First, we got stuck backing out of our driveway. Thankfully, my neighbor's suburban gave me a tug to get me out of the drift. Then, dropping kids off at school is a disaster when the district doesn't do any snow removal around the school. Apparently, by the time I got Breanne to preschool, I must have been a mess. At circle that day, Breanne shared, "This morning was a disaster!" Next time, Daddy's gonna leave us the 4-wheel drive!

Santa made it!

It's about time I get on with the blog! Christmas was nearly 2 weeks ago and I'm finally posting pictures. What in the world will I use as my excuse when the girls are all grown? Well, I suppose then there might not be much to talk about. I digress...

Santa made it Billings this year and we had 2 very excited little girls in our home. "Mom, when I woke up Christmas morning, I thought Santa was sitting in our chair reading a book, then I looked again, and it was just grandma," Madison explained to me.

We started our Christmas with Derrick's family coming in to stay with us. We attended our Christmas Eve service at Harvest and then took some warm drinks to go look at a few different Christmas light displays in town. We got home to have cinnamon rolls and even stuck a candle in one and sang "Happy Birthday Jesus!" Our girls got to open their presents from Derrick & I early on Christmas Eve.

Aliya totally got into opening the gifts, but when the wrapping paper was off the box (if there was no toy in sight) she was finished and ready to rip open something else, whether it was hers to open or not.

Here the girls are excited about their new presents and the excitement is about all I can handle!

We enjoyed a new game with Derrick's family: 6-handed triple-deck pinochle. I don't think we'll ever be able to play single deck again..it won't feel like we're holding any cards! We also played some RockBand. As you can see, grandma even helped Breanne with the guitar...all while holding a coffee cup. She's got skills!

The icing on the cake for Derrick and I was the opportunity to go skiing at Red Lodge with grandma and grandpa stayed with the girls. We had a beautiful day to be out and we didn't have any injuries.

Now, it back to the real world of school, work, Fusion, and all that good stuff. The break was fun while it lasted! Speaking of which, I better get to my Kindergartner!

Songs and gingerbread

Today was Breanne's turn to shine in her preschool Christmas program. She did an excellent job singing Jingle Bells, two snowmen song, We Wish You a Merry Christmas and saying their Bible verse together. We got to enjoy treats afterwards. Yummy!!
Today was also Madison's gingerbread house making day. She choose to have dad help her. (Apparently, he was the only dad there...what a dad, huh?) And she came home in typical Madison fashion, that house stuffed full of candy. "See? There's the mailbox."

So this is what you do…

..when you have a little extra time on your hands. You finally get to make the table quilt you’ve had the pattern for 7+ years. I do love snowmen!I’m not the only one doing some creating. Breanne got to make gingerbread houses at preschool last Monday. She liked creating all on her own and Aliya liked being there to eat the M&Ms. I don’t think the house lasted but 2 days before all the candy was gone. Oh, well…these are just their baby teeth, right?

She liked creating all on her own and Aliya liked being there to eat the M&Ms. I don’t think the house lasted but 2 days before all the candy was gone. Oh, well…these are just their baby teeth, right?Speaking of teeth, Madison has her first loose tooth. On Sunday, she started complaining of it hurting her. Derrick investigated and declared that her bottom tooth was loose. We are going to hear all about loose teeth for the next five-years, I’m sure of it.

Last week Thursday, Madison had her first Christmas program at school. She did a terrific job and didn’t tell us any of the surprises her class had in store for us. They were all reindeer!

She loved getting dressed up and put rollers in her hair for the first time that morning.

She was excited that Breanne, Aliya mom and dad could come watch her sing with the other kindergartners.

Aliya continues to be one. That has its ups and downs. This week, she found a little backpack and decided she was going to go to school too. She experienced her first McDonald’s playland and LOVED it last night! Not to mention the icecream cones. Just a couple hours ago, she started signing please. She can say “tan-ku” and now she can communicate please. She really is a sweet pleasant girl..I think we’ll keep her.

What more can I say?

Seriously, does candid photography get any better than this? What more can I say, except maybe, "Hello, I have a mustache and a beard. May I help you?"

FINALLY, on Sunday, Madison & Breanne got to wear their Christmas dresses...with knee highs. Yes, I can't believe they're back in style!
We had a great weekend with my parents. We celebrated a little early Christmas with them. Madison & Breanne got bathrobes! "It's starting already," Derrick says as he sees their robes hanging in the bathroom.

Aliya was really into opening gifts. She figured it out fast! Breanne also found her Santa hat for the season. "This is going to be my bedtime hat, because it keeps me warm," she explains. It also keeps her warm when we got out for dinner, to school, the store...

Aliya steals the show when she picks up my can of diet pepsi and starts chuggin' it. What a smart pick girl!
Mom and I woke up early to shop on Black Friday. I can't believe I've never done that before. It was really fun! Seriously, what could be better than lattes at 4:30am and awesome sales? Madison woke up Friday morning and said, "Are they gone already?" They barely dressed and ate breakfast and were ready to meet up with us to shop. Huh, hunting? I think not! Here are some fleeces the girls got from grandma...

Mom's "thing" is making cut-out sugar cookies with frosting with the grandkids. This is also one of Madi's favorite things to do. What a great memory! (Grandpa didn't really help with much but the tasting part...)

And although Aliya is a bit young to be decorating cookies this year...they sure tasted good!

I'll tell you what grandpa's part was...playing chase. "Grandpa, come and get me..." followed by much high-pitched screaming, running, giggling, tickling, whisker-rubs...you get the pictures.

The newest addiction at our house is Rock Band with the Beatles. Grandma even got into singing with Madison,while Breanne kicked it on the drums.

And last but not least, doesn't our little Breanne look sweet on Thanksgiving Day? We're so thankful for all our girls..three little pink packages, sent from heaven!