Asher and Amy

This little "Spot" is playing a tune!

2012-01-28T21:42:00.000-06:00

Elayna loves music. She finds the piano every day in her wanderings about the house. She usually has to share with Lilia but not today. Lilia was out with daddy running errands. Elayna had a great time playing. I got her down when she stood up on the piano bench. She is quick! I love the looks on her face.

Yummy! Chocolate Pudding

2012-01-23T22:03:00.000-06:00

Lilia loves her chocolate pudding. This is the recipe I posted previously using avacado. I made two batches and froze the first one. This is going to be a treat for us. I can't wait for avacados to go on sale.

My First PJ Sandwich

2012-01-23T18:25:00.000-06:00

This is one of the first peanut butter and peach jam sandwiches. Elayna loves them to eat them. Now, I just need to convince Lilia that they are yummy.

Chocolate Pudding (dairy free)

2012-01-19T14:02:00.000-06:00

I looked around the internet and found few recipes for making pudding using avacados. Yep, I tried and tested it out on the girls and Asher. Asher thought I used bananas and was surprised by the secret ingredient. The girls loved the pudding and had seconds.

Chocolate Pudding (dairy free)
3 avacados
1/2 C sugar or 2/3 C agave, honey or maple syrup
1/2 C cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla
Pinch salt
2 T - 1/3 C milk or non dairy substitute amount depends on thickness desired (rice, coconut or almond milk)

Mix in food processer or vitamix. The pudding will be creamy. Cool in fridge till ready to eat.

*I used a frozen banana the first time and used less sugar but the pudding had strong banana flavor.

*I think adding mint or other mix ins like peanut butter or hazel nut would be fun to try. Alternative to nutella without the dairy.

Lilia and Elayna loved the pudding. Avacados can be expensive but a great dessert for our family. I can not wait to get avacados for $.50 each. Avacados are a good source of good fats and nutritious.

http://www.avocado.org
http://www.avocadocentral.com

Yummy, Corn on the Cob

2012-01-17T18:27:00.000-06:00

We love corn on the cob at our house. I am hoping to try growing corn in our garden this year. This is Elayna's first time eating corn on the cob. She loved it! She took a big bite and then spit most if it out. Lilia is the corn eater in the family. She wanted more but I only made two.

What to do on a cold day...Fort Building on the Couch

2012-01-16T13:20:00.001-06:00

Lilia has gotten excited about building forts. I started a fort on the couch with two rooms using pillows in the middle. Daddy came home for lunch and re-engineered it to make the rooms accessible. Now Lilia had a secret pathway to the other room. Elayna decided she wanted to play. They had a lot of fun and I kept the fort intact as they played between the two rooms. Elayna loves to do what Lilia is doing. Love my girls.

Cute things Lilia says:
When daddy holds both girls, Lilia will say, "Two babies".
I thought Lilia was saying "brownie" but she was saying "bannanie", she wanted a banana.
Lilia is starting to pray more on her own. She is praying for what she wants. Her blankie and doggie are regulars in her prayers. She also includes Josh, Lin, Annie, Mimi, baby and Mikey. She prays almost every time, breakfast, lunch and dinner and before bed. We never know exactly what we are going to hear. Love ya Lilia!

Lollipop

2012-01-12T16:17:00.000-06:00

Elayna loves lollipops! She makes a mess and leaves a sticky trail. I love her faces she makes. These lollipops have vitamin C in them. I found them on Amazon and purchased a bin. I figured if they get lollipops might as well make them useful as well. They are a treat when we are out shopping, doctors office or when I want to clean a mess at home.

**Trying different methods to keep her hair out of her eyes. I had to keep putting the head band back on her head. She like this band and it is a knee high I altered. Need to make more.

Elayna is 1 years old!

2012-01-09T08:59:00.000-06:00

Elayna you are loved so much. We are so happy you joined our family. You are wearing 12 to18 month clothes, size 4 diaper, and size 5 shoes. You love your Eeyore and he is your softie. Your sister adored you. You were going to stay home from church with daddy. Lilia told us you wanted to go and be with her. We all went to church.
You love bath time and playing with your sister. You are trying to get that leg up and over the tub side. You can not wait to get in the tub. If Lilia is not in the tub you look for her.
You are walking everywhere. You will crawl if you want to be there fast. You will "walk" on your knees as well.
You are talking all the time. You have a lot to say. We will celebrate your birthday today. We can not wait to see you dig into your cake. We love you.

Visit with Friends

2012-01-08T17:00:00.000-06:00

Lilia is named after this great lady. We missed her at church and her family. Decided to stop by and see them. Lilia loves to dance, sing and play with them.

Korean Rice Noodles and Vegtables

2012-01-07T19:30:00.000-06:00

Asher and I cooked a Korean dish. Yummy. Not too hard too make but lots of vegtables to prepare. The girls loved the food. Elayna choose to eat with hands. Lilia insisted on using my chop sticks so she could be like daddy. Notice she used left and right hands. She uses both hands depending on what she is eating and where it is on the plate. She did a great job with the chop sticks. This surprised us because this was her first time using chop sticks. Need to buy her a set. Great meal and entertaining to watch the girls eat.

Pinkalicious

2012-01-06T15:19:00.000-06:00

Lilia loves her books. She loves to read Pinkalicious by Victoria & Elizabeth Kann. Daddy reads this book to her at night. I think he changes it up a little. This is her new favorite. We made cupcakes just like in the book and made them PINK! Lilia had a great time and the cupcakes turned out pretty good. Lilia did not turn pink though. Read the book and find out about turning pink.
Lilia loves to help me cook by dumping in the ingredients, stirring and licking the bowl.

Elayna this is how to drink out of sippy cup!

2012-01-05T22:56:00.000-06:00

We are trying to teach Elayna how to use sippy cup. She is fighting it but will do it after she voices her concern. A friend lent us some different sippy cups and that has helped. I noticed that Elayna wants what Lilia has so Lilia is using a sippy cup as well. Also, Lilia is wearing nightgown grandma H made for her and she got for Christmas. Elayna is dressed for the day but Lilia is not.

Just like Daddy....

2012-01-05T18:51:00.000-06:00

Lilia decided to be just like daddy...She surprises us all the time. The second picture she is putting contacts in her eye. Her eye is closed and no contact, just pretending.

Blender Pancakes or Waffles

2011-12-31T11:27:00.000-06:00

Here is my favorite blender pancake and waffle recipe. I change the recipe and make it dairy free.

Blend in blender on highest speed. Milk and wheat kernels for 4 minutes then add rest ingredients in order. Mix well.

1 C milk (coconut or rice milk)
3/4 C wheat Kernels
2 eggs
4 Tbs butter or margarin or oil coconut
1 Tbs sugar or honey or agave
1/4 tsp salt
1 scant tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder

Enjoy!

Ginger Bread Houses

2011-12-30T22:04:00.000-06:00

Making ginger bread houses has been a tradition for a long time in our family. We use graham crackers and make royal frosting to use as the glue. I collect candy all year. My mom sent a huge box of candy and it was a treat to have so many different kinds of candy. I used hot glue and made the basic shape out of graham crackers. Lilia watched daddy start decorating his house. She told me where she wanted the glue and then decorated that spot. She did color and shape patterns with the candy. She are a little candy but not as much as I thought she would. When she was almost done she realized the "glue" or frosting was yummy. She started licking her house and fingers. So cute. Grandma R. came a little later and made a house as well.
We have more than enough candy to make snow houses on a snow day with a few friends later this winter.

New Dinosaur Playground

2011-12-30T11:25:00.000-06:00

A friend called me up and we made plans to go to the park. It was nice weather and the kids had a blast playing together. They have dinosaur bones and eggs to climb on. They had some rope structures and other playground things. This was not the kind of playground I grew up with! It was fun! Lilia tried to keep up with the big girls. Elayna climbed on whatever she found. I think this park will be a regular place for us to go and play.

Santa Came....Christmas Morning

2011-12-25T23:04:00.000-06:00

Here is Lilia Christmas morning. We did not mention Santa to her. We wanted her to figure it out. Daddy got up and started breakfast. Lilia wanted her Cinderella dress on. I helped her get dressed. She headed to the kitchen with me behind her and was passing the Christmas tree when she noticed the gifts by the tree. She said, "Santa Claus come!" Breakfast can now wait. Lilia had great time opening gifts and Elayna loved tearing the paper. Daddy video tapped and I took pictures. It is fun to see their faces. Merry Christmas!

T'was the Night Before Christmas

2011-12-24T20:45:00.000-06:00

Lilia and Elayna colored a page in the big book. Lilia was coloring and Elayna enjoyed throwing crayons and then picking them up. Grandparents and Aunt Annie cane over for dinner. We had homemade enchiladas, fixings, and flan. I made a dairy free flan with coconut milk and it was divine. Best flan I have made. I usually make them with dairy. Grandpa, Annie and Lilia colored more in the book. We read the older books (T'was Night Before Christmas and Birth of Christ). We sang Christmas songs and talked.

I love the Refrigerator!

2011-12-21T17:49:00.000-06:00

Elayna tries to get into the fridge every time. This time daddy took too long and she won the prize....she got in! I love the happy look on her face. We will be keeping an eye on her. Wish I could convince her the sippy cup was as much fun.

Girls + Box equals Priceless

2011-12-20T15:57:00.000-06:00

A box ......best toy ever!
We got a large box from FedEx and the girls love to play in it. It has become a car, house, train and a hiding place. I love the simple things.

When I was a little my brother and I played in huge boxes that were taller than us and we could run inside. My dad would put packing peanuts inside and we would jump on the peanuts. We were old enough to not eat them. Oh, we had so much fun. I am sure we spent hours inside the box and had many adventures.

Christmas Tree Hand Prints

2011-12-19T15:58:00.000-06:00

This was an adventure to make. Only hint I have is do the youngest child first (top of the tree). She did not want to open her hand up when she was hoovering over the canvas. If we stood the canvas up and had her stand up we risked her touching the rest of the not dried tree. Hence if we do this again in the future, start at the top and work way down. Lilia had a great time making her hand prints. I think daddy secretly had fun too. No pictures on how to make, it was hard enough to keep painted hands away from everything else.

Nativity and a Box

2011-12-19T15:13:00.000-06:00

Elayna loves to climb up on this box and play with Lilia's nativity. Elayna has a Little People nativity that she plays with as well. She can not resist Lilia's though.

Cinnamon Rolls, what I did today....

2011-12-19T13:23:00.002-06:00

I just made 5 pans of cinnamon rolls, that is two batches!
Started at 8:45 a.m. and just finished and sent them ALL with Asher to work.
Total time was 4.5 hours. This dough has two rises and then has to rise a third time as rolls. Lots of down time to prep the filling and topping. Two batches of rolls used 2 lbs of butter, 2 blocks of cream cheese, 6 cups powdered sugar, 4 eggs, 4 cups brown sugar, 2 pkg of vanilla pudding, 4 cups milk, and 12 cups plus of white flour. The rest of the ingredients are small.

The recipe is on the blog. See this post Cinnabon Rolls

I am taking a nap now.

Girls in the Laundry Basket

2011-12-17T15:10:00.000-06:00

They had a great time riding in the basket. We have so much fun together.

Elayna Standing

2011-12-17T15:09:00.000-06:00

Elayna is standing and almost walking. We try to keep her hair out of her eyes. Love this little angel!

Easy Sugar Cookies

2011-12-15T15:07:00.001-06:00

I made sugar cookies and altered the recipe so Lilia could eat them. She loved them. I think this would also make a great fruit pizza. We are working on wearing clothes (Lilia).

Thanks to my friend Ann for the recipe.

Easy Sugar Cookies

Mix ingredients below to creamy.
3/4 Cup Sugar
1/3 Cup ~~Butter~~ softened I used Coconut Oil
1/3 Cup ~~Oil~~ I used Coconut Oil
1 Tablespoon ~~Milk~~ I used Rice Milk or another non dairy drink
1-2 tsp almond extract or other (vanilla, lemon)
1 Egg

In another bowl mix and then add to the above:
1 1/2 Cup Flour
1 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt

Mix everything together. You will have a spreadable dough. Spread in an ungreased baking sheet or jelly roll pan (15"x10"). Sprinkle with colored Sugar (1 Tablespoon or more). Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes and cut.

I did not use 2/3 cup of coconut oil total but just under that amount. Next time I will use the entire amount. They turned out great and they tasted yummy. I have purchased Coconut Oil from two different companies and love them both. Coconut Oil Online and Tropical Traditions. I use coconut oil as a substitute for butter and other oils and crisco in all my baking.

Ice Pops

2011-12-14T11:59:00.000-06:00

Elayna loves eating ice pops and is starting to figure out how to eat them. She ate two and was very blue.

Daddy's Komushin

2011-12-13T12:18:00.000-06:00

Elayna and Lilia love to play with daddy's shoes. They are called Komushin in Korean. Here is Lilia trying them on. They are slippery on the tile floor. She had a lot of fun slipping and sliding on the floor. The other picture is what is stamped inside the shoe.

Play Dough

2011-12-13T11:51:00.000-06:00

Lilia is teaching Elayna about play dough. Elayna is teaching Lilia how to share. Both are equally hard to do. Elayna tasted the play dough. She did not mind the taste. Lilia was mostly patient with Elayna.

Measurements

2011-12-12T14:46:00.001-06:00

Here are the girls measurements:

Elayna (this was not easy)

Head circumference 18
Waist 19.5 sitting
Back of neck to thumb 14
Waist to floor 14.5

Lilia (she held still and then measured me)
Head circumference 19.5
Waist 19
Back of neck to thumb 16.5
Waist to floor 20

Dressed and Not Dressed Piano Players

2011-12-10T13:40:00.000-06:00

The girls love to play the piano. They are learning to share. Lilia plays the piano nicely and is showing Elayna how to play nice as well.

Fixing Mommy's Hair

2011-12-09T11:23:00.000-06:00

Lilia decided to fix my hair. She keeps saying, "wait", "hold still", "two more" and "stay". She is also learning size and color of the rollers. She loves to play with my hair. It amazes me that she remembers what to do with the rollers because I do not use them often. She is having a lot of fun playing.

Climbing on Stool

2011-12-09T00:27:00.000-06:00

The first attempt at climbing on the stool failed when her feet slipped off. Elayna was not deterred. She tried again and stayed on the stool. She even tried to reach up and touch the counter top. She is daring. She had this proud look of accomplishment on her face. This made me smile. Now if she could be daring and try walking.....I can wait. No rush.
This week she climbed onto the couch. Lilia had the pillows on the floor and Elayna used them to her advantage and climbed up on to the couch. She loves to climb the stairs.

Elayna 11 Months

2011-12-08T10:07:00.000-06:00

Elayna you are 11 months old! You love your Eeyore. Not walking yet but getting close. You will take a step or two and then sit down. You are into everything. You love playing with your sister and being around her. You are wearing size 4 or 5 shoes if they stayed on your feet. 12 month clothes fit great and size 3 diaper is perfect for you. Your hair is always in your eyes and mommy tries to keep it clipped up. Your bed is your favorite place to sleep. When you get on our bed you go straight for the pillows at the head of the bed. Being on our bed is a treat for you.

Sent to Room

2011-12-07T17:30:00.001-06:00

I was trying to cook dinner and they were under foot. I sent them to their room to play. Yeah, they are playing and not fighting! They made a mess but they are having fun.

Swim Lessons

2011-12-07T17:27:00.001-06:00

Lilia loves to swim and going to swim lessons. She loves her pink swim suit. She jumps into the pool on her own and holds her breath. She is learning a lot and enjoys spending time with mom.

Santa Cookies

2011-12-05T20:22:00.000-06:00

I am going to a cookie party. Here is the cookie I am making. I will be making 10 dozen Santa cookies. 7 dozen done and 3 dozen to go. Whew!

Lilia Hand Art

2011-12-04T22:07:00.000-06:00

Lilia drew on her hands tonight. I don't encouage this but thought it was picture worthy.

Visit to Santa Claus

2011-12-03T18:38:00.000-06:00

We headed to the mall on Saturday afternoon. We never go to the mall especially during the holidays if I can help it. My cell phone is having issues and so we were headed to the mall for help. The line for Santa Claus was not long and so we decided to try out the Santa thing. Lilia has been talking about Santa for a week or more. She is very excited that he is coming. She was good till it was out turn. She would not get near him. Hmm, just like last year. We decided to take a group picture and see what we got. We did not plan for this visit but here is the picture of our family sitting with Santa Claus!

New Swing

2011-12-02T20:41:00.000-06:00

Elayna wiggled down from daddy's lap and found a fun swing. Lilia had to have her turn. They love daddy so much.

Lilia is enjoying Christmas music and is starting to learn a few songs. She has decided that Santa Claus is fun. She says she wants to sit on his lap and that he is coming. She wants costume and presents. We will see if she sits on his lap when she meets him.

The Box

2011-12-02T18:34:00.000-06:00

Best toy ever.....a box! They played for 30 minutes or more. Elayna was laughing and Lilia loved making her laugh. Lilia prefers to wear her panties and nothing else lately. She will wear a dress for a while. She will only wear shirt and pants if we are leaving the house and it is a struggle sometimes to get them on her.

**We love our girls!

Jingle Bell

2011-12-01T11:28:00.000-06:00

Lilia showing me her jingle bell. She is happy I promise. She does not smile for pictures lately. Need to find a big jingle bell for Elayna so I can hear her coming.

I Won!

2011-11-29T10:17:00.000-06:00

I won my first blog giveaway (Alaska Swag)! I got a surprise package in the mail yesterday. I totally needed the surprise. I have not been on many blogs this last month and I did not know I had won. Thanks Tara! I love my new Alaska cookbook and flip book.

Check out her blog, http://weirdalaska.blogspot.com

Lilia 33 Months

2011-11-27T19:29:00.000-06:00

Lilia you are growing up fast. You are talking a lot and surprise us with what you say. You love to wear dresses and panties. You take care of your baby dolls and are learning to share with Elayna. You are very sensitive to others feelings. You ask us if we are happy. We are happy and love you very much! You then tell is you are happy. You answer the phone if we are not quick enough.

Temple Sealing and Blessing of Elayna

2011-11-27T09:53:00.001-06:00

Friday night we drove to the temple. We got there around 6 pm. We are so excited to have Elayna sealed to us in the temple. We took a few pictures before hand so that everyone was happy. This did not work. Lilia was not happy but cheered up later when we were in the temple.

When we were in the temple Elayna loved looking at the chandeliers. She was so happy and cheerful. Lilia sat with her Uncle Josh and Aunt Lin.

We took a few pictures afterwards as well. I did not get a picture with my Aunt Cris and Uncle Carl and their son. Need to see if they got some with the girls.

On Sunday we blessed Elayna during church. We took a group picture after Elayna's blessing. During Elayna's blessing given by Daddy she only talked/babbled once that I heard.

Lilia did a great job during the blessing sitting with Aunt Lin. She loves her Aunts and Uncles.

Mommy, Elayna and Daddy

We got her to smile finially after a few tires of kissing her. I think her Eeyore is being waved at her to get her to smile.

2011-11-26T09:32:00.000-06:00

We headed to the park with the Grandma's, Uncle Josh and Daddy. Lilia and Elayna love to swing. Then Uncle Josh showed Lilia the monkey bars while Elayna learned to slide. We had a great time at the park and the weather was so warm.

Swinging with Uncle Josh and Daddy. They did this for atleast 30 minutes. Uncle Josh would push Lilia high and run under her. She loved all the attention.

Elayna learned to slide and loved doing it over and over.

Lilia and Uncle Josh on the monkey bars. She did this over and over as well.

Lilia insisted on going all the way to the top before coming down to the platform. She did this a number of times as well. Daddy was there to grab her if she fell or needed help.

Playing with Aunt Lin

2011-11-24T09:07:00.000-06:00

They had so much fun playing with Aunt Lin. The mega bloks were their favorites. They built a lot of tall towers and knocked them over.

A Book, a Ballerina and Puddles

2011-11-21T08:52:00.000-06:00

We headed to the library to hear the Nutcracker and see a ballerina. The girls loved the toys in the library. Lilia loved seeing the ballerina dance. The second best event was playing in the rain and puddles outside with friends.

A Woman's Prerogative!!

2011-11-19T12:31:00.001-06:00

Lilia and I went on an excursion to the dump to recycle, the gas station and to Home Depot. She had a blast. And, of course, she was dressed to the nines! Coat, purse, phone and sunglasses! Somewhere she has already picked up to look her best. Daddy is dressed for the dump and she's ready to attend a Broadway production!

Finding the perfect bottle

2011-11-17T20:30:00.000-06:00

Elayna loves this cupboard! She was so excited to find her favorite bottle.

Talking to Uncle Josh

2011-11-15T20:21:00.000-06:00

Lilia asks every day if she can talk to her Uncle Josh. She can talk for 20 minutes or more. He listens and asks her questions. She has hung up a few times or put the phone on mute. Her cheek hits the phone just right to do these things. Thanks Uncle Josh for talking.

Smiles from Elayna

2011-11-14T14:03:00.001-06:00

Elayna has a great smile and we love seeing it all the time.

Don't Spill the Beans

2011-11-14T13:25:00.000-06:00

Almost 15 years ago we were given this game for our wedding. We were to say what we loved about our spouse as we put a bean on the can.

Lilia loves this game. She is learning how to take turns. She loves to say, "Dont spill the beans". We have also counted the beans as we put them on the can, said things we were thankful for and loved. There are so many possibilities.

Sleep Anywhere

2011-11-10T14:10:00.001-06:00

Lilia can sleep anywhere! She fell asleep in the kitchen floor!

Leaves are Falling All Around

2011-11-08T22:14:00.001-06:00

When we got home the girls crashed and took naps. We then headed outside to enjoy the warm weather. The swings are a must and the leaves were for Mommy. Lilia loved crumbling the leaves while Elayna wanted to eat them. They both had a great time and Elayna took a good nap when we came inside.

Lilia loves to swing and go high. She does not like her "hairy" when it gets into her face or mouth.

Elayna is getting better at swinging. She likes the movement but not too high.

They love each other. Lilia loves to show Elayna things. Elayna kept taking leaves from Lilia's lap.

I did not know if Elayna would like the texture of the leaves. She had a great time playing in the leaves and I had to watch her that she did not eat them.

I was trying to get them to both look up and Lilia did finially but Elayna was occupied with the leaves.

The sun would poke out from behind the clouds every once in awhile and it was nice and warm on our faces.

Lilia is thinking about something and I wish I knew what it was.

Elayna is into everything and had a great time outside.

~Sisters holding hands~

I love the Fall and all its colors! I think these pictures turned out pretty good considering I took them with my phone. Next time I need to get the real camera out.

My "Babies"!

2011-11-08T22:01:00.000-06:00

I have noticed that I am not in many pictures. Hmm, here is one of my babies. They could not hold still or look at the mirror.

Elayna's Big Day at Court

2011-11-08T21:24:00.002-06:00

We went to court today. Grandma R drove down with us. We left around 7 a.m. and got there in time to meet our attorney at her office. We walked to the county court house and went upstairs to the third floor. It was a nice day and not too cold. We waited in the lobby\hallway while our attorney checked the schedule. We then went into the court room at 8 a.m. A couple of cases went before ours. It was very quiet and the judge talked softly. When our case was called we went to the front of the room. You can see in the pictures where we stood. The judge came down for the pictures. We were sworn in and then the case was reviewed and our attorney did most of the talking.

Elayna was not wanting to hold still. Asher and I kept taking turns holding her. The bailef motioned if he could hold her. He was older man and she loved him. His name tag said, Booker. She loved his glasses, badge and radio. He kept her occupied while we listened and answered questions.

I love Lilia's blankie in this picture.

Elayna kept looking at the bailef behind us.

Coming back to Mommy.

Kay thanks for coming. Our awesome attorney is on the right.

A big thanks to John, who took all the wonderful pictures for us. We are excited to work with him in Families Supporting Adoption!

What Lilia Sleeps with.....

2011-11-08T13:12:00.000-06:00

Here is what Lilia has to have to sleep: blankie, doggie, pookie, purple blanket, girrafe, and baby. We need most of these for nap and bedtime. Blankie is a must. She puts it in her head and rubs it on her cheek and nose.

Elayna 10 Months

2011-11-07T13:58:00.000-06:00

Elayna you are 10 months old. You are into everything. You crawl fast, stand for few seconds and pull up on anything you can reach. You sleep the best in your crib. You love Eeyore and sleep with him. You enjoy eating rice, bananas, stew, noodles, and pretzle rods. You are wearing size 9-12 month clothing, size 3 diaper and size 3 shoes. You love being around your sister Lilia and helping her with her toys. Everything goes into your mouth. You figured out the toilet paper and think it is a fun toy. You love playing in the fall leaves outside and tasting them. You are growing fast and we love our "wanie". This is what Lilia calls you.

PJ's

2011-11-06T14:55:00.001-06:00

We are in our PJ's, still! We are trying to get the girls healthy. I have not posted many pictures with me and the girls. Here I am, the normal me!

Fell Asleep on the Job

2011-11-06T13:50:00.000-06:00

Lilia fell asleep feeding her baby doll. Hmm, I might have done similar things as well. She was also watching Cinderella. If I need her to fall asleep, and she is tired, Cinderella movie does it every time.

Note her "CTR" ring. She keeps losing the ring and we manage to find it every time. "CTR" means Choose the Right. She loves to wear her rings.

Right now Lilia is almost over her cold and Elayna is in full swing of her cold. Hoping for better week ahead as far as health goes and everything else.

Day 1 of Doll House

2011-11-04T15:12:00.000-05:00

This will be a doll house cabin, eventually. My mom found the kit at garage sale and got a deal. She gave it to me a year or more ago. I decided that this would be a Christmas present for Lilia and Elayna. I stared by counting/organizing everything in the kit last week and made sure all the pieces were in the kit. We will see how my woodwork skills are. I took a class for my major in college and made a small cabinet out of walnut. During this class I learned that I am allergic to wood dust. I got really itchy where my skin was exposed (arms and hands). Not much dust with this project, yet. The porch is the front piece, then first floor and the back is second floor. I think this is a great start.
Now trying to get the girls to take a nap!

Court Date.....

2011-11-03T15:35:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we met with our attorney and signed the papers to move forward to get a court date. This morning I got an email confirming our court date and time. Yeah! Elayna will be legally ours on Tuesday, November 8, 2011! We are so excited. She is a great blessing in our life and we are so happy she is our daughter. We love you Elayna.

Eeyore

2011-11-02T19:45:00.000-05:00

Eeyore is Elayna's "blankie". She has to snuggle with him for her to fall asleep. She chews on him as she falls asleep. I need to buy another Eeyore so I can wash him easier.

The Cupboard

2011-11-01T09:51:00.000-05:00

Elayna, I knew you would eventually climb in and have been waiting for you to try. You have been playing with the plastic ware for a month and this keeps you busy while I cook. Today you plunged into the cupboard. I tried to get some pictures but I missed the picture where all I saw was your back end. Maybe next time. I had to help you out because you were getting upset that you could not sit up straight.

Happy Halloween

2011-10-31T19:30:00.000-05:00

We headed to daddy's work for trick or treating. Lilia got a little scared of the witches but had a great time getting candy. Lilia was Cinderella and Elayna was Papoose. Lilia aye a lot of candy today.

Lilia 32 Months

2011-10-31T19:21:00.000-05:00

Lilia you are 32 months old. You are our princess. You love to wear pretty dresses. You are a big girl now and use the potty. You wear size 2T and 3T clothes. We have a hard time keeping shoes on you. You wear size 7 or room to grow size 8 shoes. You love to wear your princess shoes and can even run in them. You are learning to swim and love your lessons. Mom is surviving them as well. You express your point of view a lot and insist things go your way. You love to talk on the phone and answer the phone.

Here are the questions we asked you.
Favorite color? Pink (she also says purple)
Favorite movie? Cinderella
Favorite food? Popcorn (she also says pizza and avacado)
Favorite tv show? Mickey Mouse Club
Favorite book? Cinderella
Favorite teacher? Mickey (Vicki)
Favorite song? I'm so glad when daddy comes home (popcorn popping, twinkle, twinkle)

You ask us if we love you and we say yes! Then we ask you and you say you love us. You also love hugs and kisses.
We love you Lilia!

Ramen Noodles

2011-10-30T11:39:00.000-05:00

We had a simple lunch....ramen noodles. Elayna you had a lot of fun eating. You did get some into your mouth. We enjoyed watching you eat.

Trunk or Treat at church

2011-10-29T19:39:00.000-05:00

We headed to the church for chilling and hot dogs. Lilia is tired so not the happiest Cinderella. She loves her dress and crown. Elayna was the happiest. She was our little Indian baby. We ate and then headed home. Yep, we did not stay for the games or candy.

Susan G Komen 5K Walk

2011-10-29T19:31:00.000-05:00

This morning we were up early and spent the morning in great company. We got to park close because Asher was our survivor. There was a lot of pink. We had a great walk and Lilia walked/ran one mile. Grandma wore her pink scarf that her mother made for her. We got home just after noon tired but had a great time.

Lilia's Christmas Wish List

2011-10-28T17:05:00.002-05:00

When she got the mail recently, Lilia found the toy catalogs. She has looked at them a lot and told me everything she wants. It makes me smile. She will be disappointed because we will not be getting most of the items. She knows what she wants. I hope to buy some Halloween costumes for a dress up box after Halloween for a Christmas present.

Little Mommy

2011-10-25T10:38:00.000-05:00

Lilia loves her baby dolls. She puts them to bed, butler and feeds them. She said her baby was heavy. I think she was tired of holding the baby. I got one of my baby holders and helped Lilia put her baby doll in the holder. She loved it. This is the holder my mom made and she used to carry me when I was a baby.

When we went to the library on Monday Lilia insisted her baby come. I ended up holding the doll. When we left I stuffed the doll in my library bag but the doll was still visable. A nice older lady stopped to see if I needed help (Lilia was going wild pulling brochures off shelf and Elayna was in my arms). She mentioned that she thought the baby doll was real from a distance and was worried about me. I am sure I was a site!

Brownies

2011-10-23T10:28:00.000-05:00

We love brownies at our house. Lilia helps me pour the ingredients into the bowl. She loves to stir and mix. I think her favorite thing to do is lick the bowl. I love my helper!

Baby It's Cold Outside

2011-10-22T13:04:00.000-05:00

We are all dressed and bundled up to go shopping. Lilia insists on wearing dresses lately. Elayna is not sure about the hat and shoes. They would not sit still for picture. Action is what we got.

First Swim Lesson for Lilia

2011-10-19T14:09:00.000-05:00

We decided to try swim lessons for Lilia. She loves the water and is not afraid to go under the water or jump into the water. She is fearless. She has been this way since a baby.
This picture is of her before we into the building. She is very excited to swim.

For these first lessons I have to be in the water with her. A friend is watching Elayna while we swim. Lilia did a great job. She helped demonstrate things for the teacher. We count to 3 for everything that involves holding her breath. She jumps into the water, going under. Holds on to the side and climbs out. Submerging her and kicking her feet. We will be working on floating. She gets worried but did relax when she knew I had her. I need to buy warmer suit for her (body suit).

Ice Pops

2011-10-17T13:44:00.000-05:00

We showed Elayna what ice pops were today. She loved them. Lilia even shared her ice pop. They are not the healthiest but are a fun treat. They love being together. Lilia is a great big sister and shares and makes sure Elayna does not get into things. Elayna is a great little sister because she loves to be around Lilia and smiles and laughs with Lilia.

Running Water......Tub Time

2011-10-16T14:04:00.000-05:00

Elayna loves the bath. She hears the water and she moves fast! She loves to play in the tub and all the toys. I gave her a bath by herself and she was not happy. She missed her sister Lilia. It was interesting because she noticed that Lilia was gone. When she saw Lilia she gave us a huge smile. They love each other!

Circus

2011-10-15T13:55:00.000-05:00

We got tickets to go to the circus from a friend. This was our first trip to a circus. Lilia got scared of the clowns before we even got inside. Daddy held onto her and she was fine. We got a few treats, popcorn and a snow cone. They both loved eating the snow cone and mommy got really sticky. We got to see the tigers,elephant, acrobats, and a cute doggie. We did not get to see the whole show, we were all tired. We had a great time and next time we can stay longer.

Visiting Daddy at Work

2011-10-14T16:09:00.000-05:00

We love daddy very much and are so thankful that he works so hard for us.

Reading her B of M

2011-10-14T16:07:00.000-05:00

Lilia has her own Book of Mormon and she loves to pretend to read from it. She also sings very loudly while holding her book. I hope she learns to love the Book of Mormon as she learns and grows. Lilia you are an example to us your parents. We love you.

Ten Years......

2011-10-13T13:34:00.001-05:00

Ten years ago our lives were changed forever. Asher had a small lump under his right collar bone. With help from a friend he got an apointment to see a doctor(when we called January was the earliest they could see a new patient). They took X-rays and then he saw the doctor. Asher was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma. His right lung was collapsed by the tumor. He went through chemotherapy and radiation.
To say it was a hard time in our lives is an understatement. I kept thinking I would wake up and it was a bad dream. It is hard to watch some one you love suffer and in pain. I could only stand by him and try to comfort him. I also had to realize that I could lose him for a time. I know he is living on borrowed time. In Sunday school we have been talking about perspective and how the scriptures remind us of who we are--children of God. We will all return home and leave this life. I think we are all living on borrowed time. Live the best you can every day and enjoy what matters most. I am thankful for the eternal perspective I have and the borrowed time I have with Asher. We have been blessed with a family and they are our joy and what matters most.

Laughing and a Ball

2011-10-12T13:55:00.000-05:00

Elayna was laughing a lot because of this ball. Very big smiles which I hope will lead to yawns soon. Elayna needs a nap. Laughing is always better than crying.

Lilia in Pig Tails and the Mirror

2011-10-10T11:58:00.000-05:00

I have not gotten Lilia to hold still to fix her hair in a while. I think she will let me now. I tell her we are doing princess hair. Yesterday I did a side braid in her hair for church. No picture. She looks in the mirror to see her pretty hair.

Eating Peas

2011-10-09T12:03:00.000-05:00

Elayna got her first peas that were not mashed tonight. She loved picking them up and got most of them in her mouth. She made some great faces.

Elayna and Cups

2011-10-08T12:11:00.000-05:00

Elayna loves drinking out of a cup and out of Lilia's sippy cup. I have other sippy cups that are meant for Elayna but she wants to do what Lilia does. She loves drinking water.

Crib Play Time

2011-10-08T08:08:00.000-05:00

In the morning Lilia loves to climb into Elayna's crib and play. I helped put the school house and little people into the bed. Elayna does not mind playing in her crib if she is not alone. Lilia loves to join her in the crib.

Elayna 9 Months

2011-10-07T09:39:00.000-05:00

Elayna is 9 months old! She is crawling everywhere and is fast. She loves to pull up to standing position. She has taken steps using her walker. She tries to stand on her own and then falls to on her bum. She will be walking soon. She lives to see daddy come home. She claps when we clap and waves her hand to say bye. She is trying to copy us. She loves her sister and loves to be near her. We are getting ready to finalize on her adoption. We love her so much and that she is in our family.

This is an outfit my mom made for me. I had clothes made from this fabric when I was a child.

Hide Me

2011-10-06T19:15:00.000-05:00

Lilia says, "Hide me" when she gets out of the tub. It makes us laugh that she thinks we can not see her. So funny. We have to "find her" as well.

Cute and in Pink

2011-10-06T14:50:00.002-05:00

I love the faces Elayna makes.

My Hair but add Red!

2011-10-06T14:50:00.001-05:00

This is my new hair, thanks Renee Felice Smith! May have to tone the red down a bit......

My First SUV

2011-10-06T09:02:00.000-05:00

We don't hunt but have friends who do and enjoy the meals from their catch. This onesie is so cute on Elayna. I love the red wagon (SUV) on the front. The ribbon and bow on her bum finish the outfit on the back.

Family Art Gallery

2011-10-06T08:27:00.002-05:00

I finished and it is on the wall! This was one of the projects I made at the Relief Society activity--simple, cute and usable. Thanks!

Mommy and Elayna

2011-10-01T23:06:00.000-05:00

Elayna is a happy baby. She loves to smile and laugh. She makes our family smile. We love you Elayna.

Great Grandpa

2011-10-01T22:41:00.000-05:00

We got a surprise call saying my Grandpa was coming for a short visit with my Aunt Linda (my father's sister) and Uncle Les. So excited. This would be Lilia and Elayna's Great Grandpa on my father's side of the family. They took us out to eat and the girls did great.

Cute Shoes and Sippy Cup

2011-09-30T16:54:00.000-05:00

Elayna can hold a sippy cup! She was loving the water and last night she got root beer. She is growing up fast.

Mommy and Lilia

2011-09-30T16:52:00.001-05:00

We took a nap. I got both girls to sleep--Lilia 1:30 pm and Elayna 3 pm. I decided to close my eyes as well. Lilia loves to snuggle, most of the time. I need to post pictures of me more often.

Lilia 31 Months

2011-09-30T11:00:00.000-05:00

Lilia you are 31 months old! You are growing up so fast. You love your sister Elayna. You love to paint, dance, sing, read books, run, swing high, give hugs and kisses, pray, wear dresses, cook brownies, talk and so much more. You do not like bugs and the vacuum. You are wearing 2T and 3T clothes. Size 7 shoes and size 6 diaper but are almost potty trained. We love you so much and are so happy.

Potty Training......Lilia or Mommy

2011-09-30T09:14:00.002-05:00

The question is "Who is being trained?" Well we started Wednesday morning and Lilia made it till Thursday night before an accident happened on the floor (twice). Daddy is partly to blame, he was using the bathroom. I know she is ready. She loves wearing her big girl princess panties.
Let me start at Wednesday morning...
I found this great blog post a couple of weeks ago and decided to try out the chart.
http://mmscrapshoppe.blogspot.com/2011/09/potty-training-chart-free-printable.html?m=0
It worked all day Wednesday and she was catching on to the stickers and candy. No accidents happened on Wednesday. Yeah! See story at end of post. Thursday was fine till after dinner--two accidents.
This morning, 3rd day, Lilia did not want to wear panties, camando it is! I was not putting a diaper on her. Daddy got her to put her panties on. She got in trouble and sent to time out. She knowingly wet her panties! Not happy. I put her on the potty and she popped. Gee, had to be happy about that! She finished her potty chart and got the sticker book as reward. Yeah! Let's see how the rest of the day goes.

On Wednesday night this happened...

We are at Red Lobster and Lilia is washing her hands after going poop.....

I set her down to wash my hands and a very well dressed lady walks in and Lilia says....

"pretty shoes" and the lady entering her stall says to her friend in the other stall....

"That girl has good taste" as she laughs.

****Lilia went twice at the restaurant! She earned five stickers. She got to see a lobster up close. It waved to her and picked up a coaster in its claws.

Forget Me Not

2011-09-24T22:09:00.000-05:00

A very inspriational article. Five points 1. to be patient with yourself 2. the why of the Gospel 3. to be happy now 4. the difference between good and foolish sacrifice 5. the Lord loves you

Forget Me Not

http://lds.org/general-conference/2011/10/forget-me-not?cid=email-shared&lang=eng

Picture from

Come What May and Love It

A Horse in Amish country

2011-09-24T18:17:00.000-05:00

We went to the Amish store. It is about an hour drive both ways. We decided to let the girls get some wiggles out of their system and let Lilia run. She loved the horse. Elayna touched the horse but I did not get a picture. Lilia was more hesitant about touching the horse. It was a beautiful day to be outside.