{This is Our life} 2.52 {This makes me laugh}

 Is there any sound more delightful then your children's laughter?  And there is certainly no other person that makes me laugh like they do!  Happiness is truly the key to life!

 I was really trying to think outside the box on this week's assignment and while my girls make me laugh with their funny stories, occasional looks or something they said, it is difficult to capture it on camera.  One thing that they do that makes me laugh so hard is when they play "Just Dance" on the Wii.  Allie's moves are just too much to handle! haha!

I wonder if in 30 years they will look at this picture of the Wii as we do when we see an Atari and joystick up close from our generation.  

 If a hair gets hurt on her head Juliette is nearly in tears, so this makes me laugh that she has feet of steel as she walks across the Lego ridden carpet without flinching.  Lego building is a favorite activity of her older sisters and during those times Juliette unleashes her inner "babyzilla". She likes stealing pieces and hiding them, snatching almost made objects and running off and throwing them against the wall before she is captured, and walking across their building area frequently...with bare feet since she doesn't like socks.  She does absolutely anything to get their attention, and trust me, she always does!

 This weather makes me laugh!  I certainly am not crying that our snow from a few weeks ago has melted and we had nearly 60 degree temperatures today!  

 Snow boots to rain boots in just a few days...

{This is our life} 1.52 {Evening rituals}

 The papers and markers scatter the floor on any given day and into the evenings until I pick up the art, sweep crumbs off the floor and find missing marker lids that have rolled under the chairs.
Juliette loves to draw and I smile when I see all the "faces" she draws.  She labels them mommies, and daddies, and babies.  She also likes to write j (backward), o and t.

 Technology + my girls is a new thing for me.  I have always limited TV time and encouraged books and free play.  When the ipads come out it is another level of focus, more like zombie focus.  While my 2 year old can navigate an iDevice quicker then me, I find the "watching" another sister playing the iPad playing extremely intriguing.  

 This is so Isabelle.  I find her stretched on the floor playing often with Lizzy.  She plays (more like acts) like a cat and they bat each other back and forth.  It is so amusing to watch.

 My little bathing beauty.  Who knew that changing your perspective in the tub makes for such pretty bokeh?  Miss Juliette loves the bath...and looks forward (erhm...strips down to nakey) every evening in anticipation.

 After my shouts of "get ready for bed...pajamas, potty, brush teeth and read".

 This is your 2 minute warning before you get out...:)

 Clean and toweled Juliette waiting for me to apply her eczema creams.

 Time to brush your teeth

 "mama, I do it".

 Our counter always has globs of pink toothpaste everywhere.

 This photo was taken by Allie.  This is me doing my routine with Juliette...books, songs, "rocky", snuggle snuggle, "rocky" some more in the big brown chair.

The days of kissing these sweet little piggies are nearly over as they are becoming a little too stinky to smooch.  I read on a blog about on how instead of beginning milestones...we will also have the end.  Some of them are welcomed (i.e. carseats and diaper changes), while others are just heart-breaking to think about ending.  I wonder what I will miss most. 

 I posted this picture mainly because of Allie's little fingers with marker all over them.  Only after a bath do I see her hands, "color-free".

 Isabelle prefers to be in bed with Lizzy perched on her chest, "ballet" kitty close by and her nose in a book.

 Allie is quite a good little reader for her age and is already reading some chapter books.  She is a joy to listen to.  She has a sweet, high-pitched squeaky voice and her voice inflects like an adult would read.  She has also learned to read with a book facing outward and looking upside down at the pages like a teacher.

 I love this page from Dr. Seuss', "I can read with my eyes shut".  

The more that you read,

the more things you will know.

The more that you learn,

the more places you'll go.

 Prayers, hug and kiss and ILOVEYOUS

Good night 

I hope to grow in my lifestyle photography as I am planning on taking part in a "lets do 52" weekly photography project.  It is titled "This is our life".

Happy New YEAR!!!

 When I asked Allie what her resolution was....she said she wanted to start a blog.  :)

 Juju was completely annoyed that she couldn't get the noise makers to work...I say a few resolutions she will be working on is not hitting/biting/slapping sisters when she is frustrated, the end of diapers, and a big girl bed.

 Isabelle kept giving me resolutions on how she will be nice and friendly.  I don't know how she could be any sweeter...maybe we should work on definitions.

Andrea and Shawn came to spend New Years Eve with us.  We went out for dinner and drinks and then back to the house to watch the ball drop with the 2 older girls.

 Together we need to become a lot more organized and spend more time as a family whenever possible!  I would like to exercise more and eat less.  I would also like to be in the moment more and less distracted by technology and phones.  Photography wise I would like to do more lifestyle moments and focus on the little things.  I feel sometimes I am a bit obsessed with getting that picture, but I can't even begin to express how much we enjoy looking back and that it is tangible proof that our life happens, it is a reminder of how much we forget and promise that we never will, and how quickly the girls change but they are forever that way in a photo.

Made it to 10:15...

Honestly I feel like we just ringing in 2012 and now here were are as another year passes us by.  How quickly the time goes and how when I look back I just feel so overwhelmed and lucky at this life.  Any glance at the news I feel we are one second away from disaster, a minute from a catastrophe, an hour away from our life being changed beyond recognition and so making it another year I feel like I can breathe another sigh of relief.  I am so grateful for each and every day.  I am blessed.  We are blessed.

Snow