The Arctic Tundra

We went to Minnesota this week to visit some family and let the girls play in large amounts of snow. We had an amazing time and are so glad we went. What we didn't know when we went was that we were visiting on the coldest week of the year...actually the coldest week in years :) The warmest day was the first one we were there at a balmy 7 degrees for a high. This was our first time flying with the girls and it went great. The large amounts of snacks and activities in their backpacks helped make it seamless. The amount of snow that was on the ground was crazy to me, I actually looked out the window before we were landing and thought we were still high in the clouds but we were near the completely white ground.

Our first day in Minnesota we went sledding. Both girls loved it. Here is my cousin Danielle with her son Wesley and Alyssa Kate

Caroline shocked us all and loved flying down the hill on her reindeer sled. When she would reach the bottom she would say "I do that again".

Wes getting some air :)

Wesley and Alyssa Kate flying down the hill.

Mommy's snow beauty

The kids standing in front of the neighbors mailbox covered with snow....it was crazy!

Lego Land at the Mall of America...the Woody made of Lego's was very impressive

My Aunt Donna (my mom's little sister)

The big kids waiting to go on a ride at Nickelodeon Universe in the MOA.

This is the big roller coaster, it was so cool to have an entire amusement park indoors and the kids loved it.

Caroline sat on two rides but refused to actually ride them and got off.

I thought Caroline looked like an Umpa-Loompa(sp?) in her snow gear

On the other side of the fence is the Mississippi River...it was a trip for me to see it covered in snow and ice!

We visited the aquarium at the Mall of America... the kids loved it.

My cousin Jessica with Caroline at the aquarium

The Family: (L-R)- Danielle, Wesley, Travis, Caroline, Big Wesley, Alyssa Kate, me, Aunt Donna, Kate, Jessica and Mark

I took this picture this morning. It was a phenomenon I have never heard of. It was -20 degrees this morning and I walked outside and it looked like a glittering snow globe. Apparently when it is that wildly cold any moisture in the air freezes...the air was frozen :)

Another freaky trick in the cold....when it is over 15 degrees below zero you can throw a boiling cup of water into the air and it will immediately freeze into snow....you can see the steam coming from the cup

This one you can see the first bit of water hitting the air at the end of his hand turning to snow

Most the water is out now...cool right? :)

When it is that cold you have to find something fun to do :)

Our trip home...Alyssa Kate is looking at Minnesota covered in snow

Caroline was not impressed :)

3 of my Pillars

I have alwaya thought the biblical stories of Jesus time on earth were fascinating. I believe that He was truly Holy and God on earth, and that he was also 100% human at the same time. I know that Jesus selected His 12 disciples to further His kingdom and take His message to the people of the world especially after His death. I also believe they were his friends. God made humans very relational, intimate people. Since He was human he would have desired this closeness. All of this to say that I like the idea that God gave His son friends to help through a very difficult two years.

This week has been really rough and is one of those I wish I wouldn't have had to go through. During this time though there have been 3 people who are my closest friends and parts of my heart that have help carry me through. God provided them to me as a precious gift and I could not have made it in one piece without God and the three of them.

My husband is my strongest pillar. We have always said that we are example of Gods humor because we are both very Type A personalities, who are never wrong...just ask us :) But he is such a giving, loving man. During some of my lowest times he shines with support and love. He made me cupcakes one night this week because he knows that they are my favorite. It was his first cupcake baking experience and even though, as he put it, "they were the ugliest cupcakes ever", they were very yummy. He is an amazing father and provider. I would not be as good of a mother and person without him in my life.

My mother is the wind beneath my wings. She has always believed in me and all that I could do. We have always been a cross between Gilmore Girls and Terms of Endearment, with a little Beaches mixed in. :) While I might look like my daddy, it is mother that I am the most like. She has been my example of a great homemaker, mother and friend. She gives to everyone at the expense of herself. Her heart for those that suffer and are in need of help is an amazing example. It is funny to me that even at 30 years old my mommy holding me can make me feel so much better.

My best friend Alisa is the one who can show up with the perfect, unexpected item during a bad time. She has seen me at worst and still loves and supports me. She has always listened to my heart and helps me wade through some confusing times. She won't let me put myself down and will always have the perfect encouraging words or thought provoking questions. She makes any event fun and I can say one word and she knows exactly what funny experience I am referring to.

God had provided me with many wonderful people in my life but these three are pretty incredible.

The really "Lost" Tooth

We noticed one of Alyssa Kate's bottom teeth were loose a few months ago and we were actually worried. We took her to the dentist who reassured us that even a 4 year old can loose their teeth to make room for their big ones. This Friday night we knew it would be only a matter of time. The funny part to me about it is that I work weekends and Wes has the girls and he is totally grossed out by the whole loosing a tooth thing. Well, Sunday after church they headed to my parents for lunch and after spaghetti, bread and cake balls Aunt Ashley noticed the tooth was gone. She had swallowed it. I actually swallowed my first tooth when I was little eating a peanut butter sandwich. She was worried about not having a tooth for the tooth fairy so when I got home from work she wrote a letter to the tooth fairy that said "Dear tooth fairy, I ate my tooth, Thank you, Alyssa Kate" :) She put it under her pillow and this morning woke up to $3. That amount was not Mrs. Tooth fairy's idea, she thought the 25cents she got as a kid was good but Mr. Tooth fairy said with inflation she should get more. She took her money to the Dollar Store and bought herself a paddle ball and coloring book and with a twist of sweetness she also got Caroline a coloring book. I told her because she was being so sweet I would pay her tax that was over the $3. It ended up being 23 cents and she got to keep the 2 cents to put in her piggy bank...a good day all around. I can't believe my first baby has lost a tooth where has all the time gone????

Shutterfly great Holiday Cards

Shutterfly is offering new, fantastic Holiday Cards for 2010. They are adorable and there are so many different styles that you will have no trouble finding a perfect fit for you and your family. This past Mother's Day I created cards for all of the wonderful women in our lives and they turned our fabulously! Our families raved about the great collages of our beautiful daughters. Every Christmas since we had Alyssa Kate we sent pictures in our Christmas cards. This year we have great family pictures to send taken by a good friend. I can't wait to create adorable cards of our little family.

Here are few of my favorites that Shutterfly is offering this year:

One of my favorite things about the cards that the offer is that you can create cards that have as many as 7 pictures in them. I have a hard time choosing between the all the cute pictures of my girls and this allows me to share so many of them. While my favorite cards are the folding variety I found this one and thought it was too adorable with the Christmas tree shape made out of pictures!

Have fun creating and share how great you experience is! www.Shutterfly.com

50 Free Shutterfly Cards

A friend posted recently that if you post a message about Shutterfly on your blog that you will receive 50 FREE Holiday Cards. THAT IS AWESOME! I am a huge Shutterfly fan and have made two full year scrapbooks and think their prints are better quality than any others. Here is the link for the site:
blog.shutterfly.com/5358/holiday2010-blog-submission-form/
Hope this works!

Family Pics

Our friend Jill Brannon took family pictures of our family last week. She did a wonderful job and was able to get cuteness out of the choas.

Here is the link to her photography blog with examples of her work:

jillbrannonphotography.blogspot.com

Halloween

Our Halloween this year was a four day process :) This year was so fun with both girls into the dressing up and of course the free candy! The previous showed pics of our Halloween party with some little friends on Wednesday. Thursday night we attended a new event to us called Boo!seum. This year was the 15th year and we are glad we found out about it. Nine Little Rock museums host the event with people able to walk between them and play games, do crafts and of course get candy. It was fun to walk around downtown and see all of the other kids.

Making origami bats at the Heifer Village

Decorating Pumpkins

Trick or treating at the Candyland themed Clinton museum

Pop and his boy

Face painting was fun

Friday night was GSFest at our church. We had such a good time riding rides, playing games an seeing our friends. While Alyssa Kate rode quite a few rides this motorcycle ride was Caroline's only one. She was pretty calm before it started but as soon as it did....

she looked like this

Alyssa Kate loves to climb the rock walls on our play set at home and some of the parks we like to go to. There was a climbing wall at the festival and she said she wanted to do it. I was skeptical if she would actually go through with it but was proud of her even trying it. She showed no fear and mounted the over 30 foot wall and climbed like a monkey all the top and pushed a bottom that sounded an alarm to show she made it all the way to the top.

When she was finished on her first side the nice man that was running the wall asked if she wanted to climb the other side and of course she did. So, up the wall she went.

Best Buds


The was our first Halloween in our new house and the girls had a blast. I worked until 7 Sunday night and when I got home the girls and Wes were on the front porch handing out candy. The girls really liked giving candy to all the kids that came by. We set out after I got home to Trick or Treat for the first time. Alyssa Kate is a very shy girl with people she doesn't know and even if those she knows well but that girl went crazy Halloween night. She ran from house to house saying trick or treat and thank you to anyone who would give her candy. I guess if we want her not be shy we need everyone to give her candy when she sees them :)