Sunday, January 20, 2013

My oldest daughter is 7...WHAT?

I honestly can't even believe it! Look at her...she is no longer a toddler, a preschooler, or a kindergartner!  She's such a big girl!

She's become so independent.  She's taking showers, gets her own breakfast, makes her own sandwiches (sometimes), loves to help her sisters (sometimes, too).  She has grown into such a thoughtful little girl!  She loves learning about Jesus and try to constantly serve others.

To say I lucked out as a Mother is an understatement!  She's just about perfect!  She may be a little hyper and loud or maybe a tiny bit messy and perhaps overly emotional at times, but she's pretty much perfect to US! :)  Isn't she such a ham for the camera?

She was so very  excited to have a birthday party since she didn't have one last year, so I tried to make it as magical as I could considering I'm no party planner and we didn't go to Disney. :)

Her and some of her new friends!  I LOVE the one boy that showed up.  Such a sweetie!

I thoroughly enjoyed watching her and her friends! Nora is so very social, friends mean the world to her.

Can't you tell how much she in enjoying all her friends gathered around her? Seventh Heaven!!

I wonder what her wish was?  She wouldn't tell me...UGH! :)

This is her BFF from school!!  Such a sweet girl and her parents are wonderful, as well! Nora knows how to make good friends.

JOY!!

I thought it was so cute how all the other kids jumped up to see her gifts!  We ended up passing them around like women do at a baby shower.  Too funny!

The set up...



The rainbow cake!!

It was kind of a deal to make, not hard, but definitely time consuming!  But, she LOVED it, so it was worth it!

The party supplies!  FYI, I bought it all at target  Even the Happy Bday banner!!



I'll be honest, as I was putting together some things the night before I thought to myself, "Nicole, you really need to get a life"!!  I quickly corrected myself as I thought, "This IS my life"!! 

 I really like making things cute/pretty!  I really enjoy seeing my girls get so excited over the things I make. When Nora walked in from school and saw everything set up she said, "WOW, this looks AMAZING!"  It was instantly all worth it! I know that I, by NO means, am professional seamstress, baker, decorator, but I enjoy it and it does save some $$!  PLUS I love to take pictures of it all b/c, well, I am kind of a professional at that!  haha! :)  So just bare with me as I try to make things cute and girlie as possible and then take lots of pictures of it! :)

Some funny things Nora has said lately:

While singing and dancing to "Mrs. Jones" by the counting crows, "Mom, when we all grow up can we be big stars too?" I, of course, said YES!!

I believe it was for my birthday or maybe just a date night, but Nora told Wade that she wants to buy me a dress that I feel beautiful in and that she has money (in her piggy bank) so he doesn't need to worry about it.  She's too cute.

One day while she was watching me put on make-up, "Mommy, why are you getting beautiful to go out.  God loves you!"  

Yesterday while I was putting on make-up she said, "Mom, why are you putting on make-up?  It's not Sunday"  haha!  She says she think I'm pretty without it, I think she's trying to be my favorite!

Ringing in 2013

So, You probably don't remember, but last year I went ALL out celebrating New yeas Eve with the girls.   Take a gander at last years POST!! 

Yeah, I did nothing like that this year.  I mean, I did as little as I could get away with, including an 8pm bedtime!  HAHA!   We pretty much pulled up last years countdown on youtube, toasted the new year with sparkling grape juice, and gave each other a kiss and we were DONE!! :)

Do Wade and I get the meanest parents of the year award or what?!  Also, I'm pretty sure Wade and I went to bed about 20 minutes before the New Year!!  Yes, we realized it was only 20 minutes, but we just didn't care...What can I say?  We're AWESOME! :)

Hope everyone is off to a GREAT 2013 so far! :)



Sunday, January 6, 2013

Christmas in Pictures, 2012

Oh how I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!  Seriously, I L.O.V.E it and I know I'm not the only one!!  We have a bazillion traditions, to name a few, we go caroling and drop off goodies on Christmas Eve, eat spiced apple pancakes Christmas morning, open one present Christmas Eve, we have to watch "It's a wonderful life" at LEAST once, we try to buy a Christmas ornament every year from somewhere we've been, and we read the from Luke (or watch a cartoon on Christ Birth) and "Twas the night before Christmas" on Christmas Eve, oh and we also (sometimes) eat ribs on Christmas Eve!!  

Our Ribs!!  It was a tradition that my family started when we moved to Alabama.  It was just so warm there (compared to the Minnesota and Utah winters my parents grew up with) that Dad figured, why not grill?  His recipe changes from year to year, but it's always delicious.    We spent Christmas Eve with friends of ours so this was the results of their hard work! :)

After dinner we thought we might act out Luke 2, but that didn't really work out how we would have liked it too, more like, "quick put them in place and snap a picture".  Oh well, one day that'll be a cute idea.  Then later that night we read, "Twas the night before Christmas" all bundled up in the new blankets that Auntie Bea made the girls!

Our tree Christmas Eve...

Me being a photographer...

Still being a photographer...

Slippers for Grandma and Grandpa Bolinger...

I don't know how they did it, but they sat there and patiently waited for Wade and I to open presents!!

That Santa...he can never seem to eat that last bite!

Spiced apple pancakes...

One Of Elise's' favorite gifts, she LOVES trying to give us "shots".

Every time we go to someones house and they have the little princess, Audrey will disappear and play with them, so we thought it was a bout time to get some of her very own! :)

Nora and her La La Loopsy doll!!  I believe Audrey will know have to get one for her Bday! :)

The BEST gift wrapping EVER!!  The 3 girls wrapped it all by themselves...

Inside it was a pair of Croc flip flops that they (and Daddy) searched high and low for.    I thought it was so thoughtful, I hadn't asked for them, but they've heard be complain one too many times about how my "reefs" are OLD.  Wade asked around and heard that Crocs were WAY comfy and I have to admit that it is true!! :)  (yes, I know I clearly need a pedicure...hahaha!)

It must have been year of the shoes, I got another pair from my parents! :)  A Gal can't have enough shoes, right?

Nora finally figured out how to ride her "big girl" bike!

Audrey was equally excited about her "little girl" bike.

This was the "Piece de resistance"...A trampoline!!!!  They LOVE it! :)

 The Christmas aftermath...

 I've always LOVED this quote by Neal A Maxwell, so I put together a little something in Photoshop.  I hope we all found room for Jesus this season!!


Our Christmas Cards!!!  I LOVED them, too bad we only sent them to our family. :(  Next year, they will go out to ALL our friends and family


Grandpa took our picture for us that we put on our cards.  I also really liked a couple of other shots he took, so thought I'd share a few.  Thanks Grandpa Schafer!!



 I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas Season!!! :)

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

My Baby is TWO

I know it sounds cliche...but I really can't believe that my baby is TWO!!!  It seems that when you know it's your last child, you just can't help but spoil them rotten.  And I really don't want her to grow up!  well, I would appreciate her being potty trained or maybe even a little less temper tantrum, but she's just so adorable that she gets away with WAY more than here sisters did! :)

Seriously, look how big she is...

There's the look we get most of the time...usually while shaking her head "NO"!

Even though she's super naughty, we adore her! :)


She was so excited while I was making her cupcakes, she couldn't stand to keep away from them.

Can you blame her?  Don't they look divine?  I gotta say, I am NO good at making cakes, but I make a KILLER strawberry cupcake! :)

Her awesome gift, expertly wrapped by, moi!! :)  Whatever, she's 2!! ;)


It's kind of fun that her bday kicks of the Christmas season.  I love the Christmas tree in the background!!  My baby blowing out her candles...

Her gift!!  It's the cutest little puppy!! it barks and runs around in circles!  Elise LOVES animals, so this puppy suited her just fine.
 

had to take a picture with the birthday hat, of course!

Sisters!!  Yeah, they truly love each other!!  One day they really will.  My Mom told me the same thing, I didn't believe her.  It turns out she was right! :)


Happy 2nd Birthday to my sweet Elise!!