Soccer!

I'm learning what it's like to really be a soccer mom. Both girls are enjoying their soccer season, and I'm enjoying taxing them around and cheering them on. They are so different. Rayna has been fun to watch. She gets in the middle of all the commotion with the ball or she is the leader. Her last game she scored 5 goals! It's been enjoying to watch Taylin's team actually figuring out some of the strategy to the game verses just running back and forth. Right now she likes being goalie!

Swimming Lessons!

The girls finished up their swimming lessons last week and they both have improved so much. Rayna has even improved since last week! It's amazing what someone else can do with my children!

This is Taylin
Rayna in her swim class

The first day Rayna used one of these kick boards she came home with this awful abrasion on the bottom of her chin from resting it on the board! It was pretty sad.

Valentine's Day

Since Valentine's Day ended up being on Sunday, I thought it might be fun for the girls to make cupcakes for their Sunday school class (especially since we home school and there isn't really classmates to hand out Valentine's too:(). I figured the girls would enjoy making a lot of them and then eventually they would burn out, leaving me to finish them. Boy was I wrong! They were waiting on me for the next ones to come out of the oven. They decorated 47 cupcakes, and I decorated one of them just to show them how! They had a blast! Even more they were so excited to bring them to their Sunday school classes and share them. It was so apparent how happy they were to being giving them away. "Tis more blessed to give than to receive!" That one seemed to come natural to both of them on this occasion. Now if only that would carry over to each other and their toys!

Little Entrepaneurs

On Monday night the girls had AWANAS. For those of you who don't know what that is, it's basically a Christian cub scouts where the kids memorize Bible scriptures. This past Monday they got to use there shares at the store filled with prizes. When I picked Taylin up, she had a sack full of goodies, but she wouldn't show them to me. She mentioned she got a ring pop and a sucker. I left it alone for the rest of the night. Yesterday, I looked in her bag to find five ring pops, six suckers, and two small toys! I was in shock of how much candy she got! (You would think I never let her have any candy!) I told her she couldn't have all of it and she had to share some of it. She was ready for the blow, I could see it in her face that she already knew she got to much. So, she thought for a minute and she said, "Mom! I've got a great idea! I can sale it!" With that, she set up a little table in the driveway with a sign attached and put her candy on it and waited patiently. She had one customer (mom). I don't think a single person went by the whole 45 minutes she sat out there, but she was still motivated to try it again another time!

Today, the neighbor girls came over with a sign up they had made for free ballet lessons at their house at certain times of the day. The girls signed up for a time slot of 4:30pm, put their leotards on, and went to their free lessons. I was told when I picked them up, they learned dances in the nutcracker. Their creative minds are the cutest things!

Things I Don't Want to Forget

Here is just a handful of things the girls have said lately that I don't want to forget (I'm really good at forgetting if I don't take the time to write them down).

#1
The kids and I were out on a walk around the neighborhood on probably one of our last nice days before winter strikes. I desperately needed some air and vitamin D (for some reason three kids and homeschooling keeps pushing me over the top). For most of the time the girls were racing ahead and I was playing catch up. But towards the end of our walk, Rayna started to lag behind. I overheard her talking to herself. She said, "Oh wow, look at that bird. He's almost as high as heaven!" Too sweet. I would love to just freeze her and keep her that sweet!

#2
While we were eating lunch together as a family, Daniel asked the girls what they learned in school that day. The girls sat for a little bit, and Taylin didn't really want to tell what she learned but Rayna started chiming in. She said,"We learned about fish, and dogs, and cows, and birds, and..." "We learned about animal homes?" I reminded her. "Yeah," she replied. Trying to get Taylin to talk, Daniel asked her again what she learned. She still was not very willing to share, so Rayna stepped right in for her. "Taylin was reading. She was doing a great job reading." Taylin got a big grin on her face and just started beaming. It looks like it has officially started. Little sister is in awe of big sister and big sister is proud to lead the way. I can remember being in those same shoes, and I was the little sister who was star struck by my older sister.

#3
During school time Taylin asked me if Jaden was learning to read in heaven. "I don't know, he might already know how to read. He is six you know, so he's a little older than you. But maybe when you go to heaven you already know that stuff," I told her. "What do you think he does all day?" She asked. "I don't know that either, but maybe he plays just like you do," I responded. Rayna decided to join the conversation and asked, "Do you think he has to go to the bathroom?" Amused at her question, I said, "Well, he might, but maybe in heaven God has made our bodies perfect so that we don't have to go to the bathroom anymore." With a serious look on her face she replied,"Yeah, because that wouldn't be good if we had to go to the bathroom there." Hopefully, I haven't some how traumatized my child in going to the bathroom for her to think about it so much, but I have to honestly say I don't think I have ever pondered that thought before!

#4
While over hearing Daniel and I talk about kids, Taylin stated that she wanted 40 kids when she grows up. "Wow," I said. "No, I don't think I could really handle that many kids. That would be too many," she stated. "Yeah, I can barely handle three," I told her. "But, Mom, God is raising one of yours." She stated. With smiles on both of Daniels and my face, I told her, "you are right." I can always count on Taylin to never forget her brother. Even in times when I don't expect her to remember him, she always does. She loves to bring him up and to talk about him. I won't lie, there are times when I think she makes it harder for me, but most of the time it brings a ray of sunshine to my heart. I love that she loves him.

1st Day of Ballet!

The girls have been longing to go to ballet classes for a long time, and they finally got their wish yesterday! They are in the same class, which actually just ended up being them! Hopefully, some other little girls will join. They had a blast dancing and especially dressing up! Their teacher was so beautiful, the perfect ballerina! At the end of the class the girls got to play freeze dance. They danced their little hearts out any way they wanted to and when the music stopped they had to freeze. Well, while they were dancing their hearts out they also enjoyed looking at themselves in the mirrors! They were so funny! You could definitely tell their were dreams of fairy tales, princesses, and pink ballerinas in their heads!

stretching their legs

listening to directions

Rayna's trying so hard to get this mermaid crawl down

My ballerina

Dancing their hearts out!

Swim Lessons!

We decided that this year was a must for Taylin to really learn how to swim and get over some of the fears she has, so the girls have been taking swim lessons! Before they started their lessons Taylin would not jump into the water to me or put her face into the water, she would only swim to me from about seven feet even though I knew she was fully capable of doing more. It amazes me what a complete stranger can accomplish with my kids over me. Their swim instructor now has Taylin swimming (dog paddling) all by herself all over the pool, jumping in all by herself, floating, and diving under water and retrieving toys, and starting to swim with her face in the water and pulling her arms out to swim (freestyle)! All after two weeks! Rayna is doing well too, but she did not have any fear issues to start with, she has always been my one I have to keep an eye because she has no fear and needs some (the instructor found that out on the first day of swim lessons)! Rayna is starting to learn to float all by herself and do a little bit of dog paddling, but she needs to get her muscles up first, but she was always the first one wanting to try anything!

Playing Redlight, Greenlight with kicking!

Projects Inside!

About two weeks ago we finally got the girls some bunk beds! They are so excited and are still thrilled with their new toy (because to them that's what it is!) So, that motivated me to redo their room and move all their toys from the playroom into their room to help get ready for the baby. I think I actually had just as much fun decorating their room as they enjoyed the new scenery. There is just something about girly things that gets me (I wonder where my girls get it from?)! Here's a few snaps of the finished product. Now I'm ready for the baby's room!

Crafts!

My girls truly believe that when the get to do a special craft they are being spoiled! It is both of their favorite things to do! So, today I came across these free birdhouses and the girls had at them painting them up! They were in heaven and then were very sad when they were done because the wanted more! (Looks like I still have some lessons to teach!)

Off in their own lands!
Their finished product!

Kids Say the Darnedess Things

The other night while putting the girls to bed I was privileged to have some interesting conversations with them.

Convo #1

Rayna is quite observant and very interested in new things. I have had a revolving wardrobe lately due to my expanding waistline, including my pj's. So, needless to say, I was wearing a new pair of pj's that Rayna had not seen. As I'm leaning over to pray with her, she starts to tug on my shirt and says, "Is this a jacket or something?"

I say, "No, its just a shirt. It's kinda like one with all the buttons."

Rayna proceeds to try to unbutton my shirt.

I say, "Rayna, don't unbutton it. I need it on."

Rayna says, "Why?"

"If I don't have my shirt on then my tummy will show and so will my boobies, and they need to be covered up."

Rayna's response, "I don't have any boobies."

I reply, "You do, there just little right now. When you get to be a big girl like Mommy then you will have more."

Rayna's reply, "Yeah, and my boobies will be bigger than yours!"

Laughing, I say, "I hope so."

Convo #2

Before starting to pray with Taylin, she tells me that she wants to pray for the baby and that he will come and stay with us and not go to heaven (Something she has been worried about since we found out the baby is boy). So, I say okay and we start to pray. When I prayed for that, I asked God to keep the baby healthy and help him to grow strong, and when it was time for him to come that we would be able to bring him home with us. Well, that was not good enough for Taylin. She wanted me to be specific and use her words. So, I prayed again and said, "Lord please let the baby come and live with us and not go to heaven." Taylin was satisfied and felt better.

She says, "Mom, when we pray that's how we talk to God."

"Your right," I said.

"And when we ask him for things then he will just give it to us and do what we want," she replies.

"God does bless us and give us a lot things when we ask Him for them, but He still does what He wants. Sometimes that's not always what we want. Remember, we wanted Jaden to be here, but God had other plans." I tell her.

"Yeah, then we would all be here. But God loves us and He has great big arms and can give us hugs! He can get all the plants and trees and all the people and give us a hug at the same time!" she says excitedly.

"Yes, He can. He does have very big arms." I say.

"But we don't want His kisses, because He's a boy." She says.

"Of course we want God's kisses. Daddy is a boy and you like Daddy's kisses." I reply.

"But that's Daddy, we don't want Gods." She states.

"Yeah we do. God's kisses are very special." I tell her.

"But what if He has a mustache? That would be funny, then that would be yucky!" She says.

"Grandpa has a mustache, and you get kisses from him. They kind of tickle, huh?" I ask her. "Yeah," she says. At this point she seems to be off in thought and we finish our bedtime routine with a kiss goodnight from mom.

Singing Girls

This weekend, while working on crafts in the morning, I caught the girls singing together this lovely made up song, although its really not made up. Can you guess where they adapted it from? Its there own personal version of Deck the Halls! Song writers already, making it their own!

ICE CREAM!!!

It's amazing at how a big scoop of ice cream can put smiles on faces! Not to mention the power it has over finishing dinner! Another fact Daniel and I are puzzled about, how is it that it can take Taylin an hour, and sometimes longer, to finish her dinner, but when it comes to ice cream its gone in a matter of minutes! As Taylin told us tonight, "It makes my body feel yummy all over!" Well, there you have it.

First Snow Fall

Its that time of year again, and last night we received our first snowfall. So, this morning when we woke up we found snow all over! Although, most of it has melted off now. The girls had fun playing in it this morning. Rayna's first task in the snow was, of course, eating it! Taylin's favorite part I think is the hot chocolate afterwards!

What we woke up to this morning.

Taylin clearing the snow off, "Its a dirty job, but somebodies got to do it."

"Don't eat the yellow snow, Rayna!"

More From the Bathroom

I'm sure you guys probably don't care about our bathroom stories, but this is what we seems to be getting a laugh out of us these days! This story is a little crude, so forgive me if you are grossed out, but this is your warning. The other night, Taylin crawled up into Daniel's lap. After a few moments, Daniel asks her if she farted, and she says no. He says, "You stink, did you have an accident?" Taylin says, "no." "Let me smell your hands," Daniel says. After smelling them and realizing they are not the culprits, he checks her pants. "Taylin, you didn't wipe! It's all in you undies!" Taylin says, "But, Rayna wiped for me." What!! "You let your sister wipe you." Taylin replies, "Yeah, she wanted too." Ugh! So, Daniel gets up and deals with the mess and we explain to Taylin its not okay for Rayna to wipe her bum and why. The next day, I here another conversation in the bathroom. Taylin is screaming at Rayna at the top of her lungs saying, "Rayna, stop! Stop! You can't wipe me! Rayna! Your going to make my bum sore!" I guess Taylin got the picture of why its not okay. Although the picture of my little potty training two year old wiping my 4 year old's bum is just priceless!

Tent Makers

For the last couple of days, making tents has been the thing for the girls. So, the tent below was their favorite and they spent much time in it including nap time. They desired to go to sleep in it too, but Taylin got sick, so Daddy made them sleep in their beds. But they sure loved it!

Moments for Sharing

Today, while I was putting laundry away, I heard Rayna yelling for Taylin, trying to figure out where she was. I heard Taylin call for her telling her she was in the bathroom. Once Rayna was in the bathroom Taylin says to her, "Rayna, look at my poo poos." A moment later I hear from Rayna, "Oh, wow!" Taylin says, "I know its a big one." Then Rayna comes running to me, "Taylin's a big girl, she went poo poos in the potty!" What a cherished moment. I'm so glad my children feel so comfortable sharing their bathroom moments!

Little Convos

I thought I would share with you some precious moments from the minds of my girls. Some of them are funny, some of them are just sweet.

Between Sisters

Convo #1

Taylin, "Rayna, you are to little to be able to sit in the chair by yourself."

Rayna replies after a moment of silence, "God is growing me big."

Taylin in shock of the response, "What did you say, God is growing you big? Mom, did you hear Rayna?!"

Convo #2

While I was doing bills on the kitchen table and the girls were coloring, I was allowed to ease drop.

Taylin, "Rayna do you want to get married?"

Rayna, "Yeah."

Taylin, "I want to get married when I get bigger. It will be fun to get married. Don't you think it will be fun?

Rayna, "Yeah."

Taylin, "I'm going to wear a big pretty dress with sparkles and I will be beautiful. Are you going to wear a pretty dress?"

Rayna, "Yeah."

Taylin in a much quieter voice, "And do you know what else, I'm going to be a mommy when I get married, and I want to have a baby, too. Rayna, don't you want to have a baby?"

Rayna, "Yeah, I have a baby, too."

And then the conversation ends because I couldn't hold my laughter in anymore.

Little Minds

Convo #1

While putting the girls to bed, Taylin asked me the following questions.

Taylin, "Mom, are you going to go to sleep right after you leave my room?"

Mom, "Yeah, but I'll probably talk to Daddy first."

Taylin, "Are you going to snuggle him?"

Mom, "Maybe. Is that alright?"

Taylin, "But Mom, can you wait until later so that I can be there and then we can be a family."

Mom, "Taylin, we're always a family, even if we're not together."

Taylin, "Yeah, but if we're all together than we're a better family."

Convo #2

Taylin accidentally walked in on Daniel while getting out of the shower.

Taylin, "Dad, what is that thing that is in between your legs its kinda where your bum is but its in the front?"

Dad, "That is my privates."

Taylin, "No, Dad. What is it really?"

Dad, "That's my privates."

Taylin, "No, what is it really?"

Dad, "It's my pee pee."

Taylin, "No, its not, really what is it?"

Dad, "It's my privates, and you need to talk to your mom about this."

Sneaky Rayna!

We have started to come across this sight quite frequently lately. Rayna has decided to sneak into sissy bed at night and at nap time! Her bed is much more comfortable and has better pillows I guess! Or maybe Taylin makes her feel safe? Either way, I think its kind of funny and cute. Taylin says she doesn't mind, I think Taylin likes it too, although I don't know how she sleeps with her! She is the biggest wiggle worm!

Little Pools

Lilah, Rayna, and Taylin enjoying the pool
"Look Mom, I dumped water on my head!"
"I love the water!"
Lilah was shivering and turning blue, so she was ready to get out.
My opposites!

Kids are always so entertained by the littlest things! The girls can have just as much fun swimming in our little tiny pool in the backyard as they can when we go to the big pool at the club. Today the water was pretty cold, but Lilah and Rayna dove right in! Taylin got in, but only to her calves and would never sit down. She enjoyed dumping water on her head and everyone elses too!

Summer Girls!

The girls love to have their picture taken, so we went out in our front yard on our deck to enjoy the summer air. Taylin tries to be quite the poser and Rayna just wants to do her own thing, oh yeah, she's two!