McConnell Life

Staying Cool in the Pool

2011-08-01T20:47:00.000-07:00

With it being so hot, it was finally time to break out the bigger pool. The girls have been content with our little pool, but they had a blast in our inflatable pool. Even though it is not big, the girls thought it was great!The girls love just playing in the water.
Liberty has been going under water all summer, but Trinity has just recently been trying to do so. She is trying to swim!It was too hot not to get in and join the girls!
Family photo:Lee inflated a raft and let the girls play with that. They had a lot of fun flipping off of it!
A very hot day, but some great summer memories!

Our First Sleepover!

2011-08-01T20:25:00.000-07:00

Liberty has been patiently waiting for a friend to get to spend the night at our house. Last Friday, we finally had a sleepover! Our next door neighbor, Violet, was the best first sleepover guest. Trinity was every bit as excited as her sister. The girls all had a wonderful time together. We started the evening with pizza...
A little playtime came next. Barbie, Ken and friends had a great time hanging out at the pool.
All of the playing made the girls hungry again, so time for dessert! Liberty had asked for us to have "angel cake." Add a little chocolate ice cream and strawberries, and you have 3 very happy girls!Time to relax with a movie. Barbie's Mermaidia movie was quite entertaining!
It was getting pretty late - almost 10:00pm, so time for a few books.
The girls all cuddled up on the a big pallet on the floor. Giggles and whispers did not last long...
Poor Violet was the last one asleep, and Liberty woke her up bright and early at 7:15am. After a quick breakfast, the girls had to get beautiful for the day. Accessorize!
When the natives started getting restless, we pulled out the crafts. The girls made some creative pictures.The girls couldn't have asked for a better first sleepover!

Playtime in the Pool

2011-08-01T20:14:00.000-07:00

What a hot summer! After such a cold winter, it is hard to believe how incredibly hot it has gotten this summer. Playing in our little pool has helped the girls get to spend some time outside.
Being silly is just part of the fun...
Trinity likes to say she is the silliest person in our family, but Lee really owns that title. Especially when he gets in the little bitty pool with all of his clothes on!

Back to Church

2011-03-12T19:50:00.001-08:00

Besides occasional holiday visits to my Mother's church, we have been on an extended hiatus from church. Lee has long wanted to visit Gateway Church. The satellite campus in NRH is not far from us. I have been a holdout because I am not a fan of really big churches and could not imagine "watching" the pastor on the big screen. But mostly I was apprehensive about leaving the kids with strangers and that Trinity would cry the whole time.

Tonight I was pleasantly surprised after meeting some friends and attending a service there. It wasn't quite what I expected. It wasn't as big as I thought it would be. The kids' classrooms were so appealing, and the girls did extremely well. Liberty was fine. Trinity had to have "hugs and kisses" at dropoff but did not cry! She didn't make friends in class because she played "alonely." She is shy just like Liberty was at that age. Liberty has overcome most of that, so I am sure Trinity will too. The key is that we go every week! We really like the Saturday evening option, so I think it highly probably that we will go back.
I did take a couple of pictures of the girls before we left!

Liberty's First Lost Tooth

2011-03-12T19:32:00.001-08:00

I couldn't believe it two weeks ago when Liberty told me her tooth kind of hurt, and I realized after examining it that it was loose! Last night, exactly two weeks almost to the hour, that loose tooth came out!
Liberty was able to move it all around with her tongue. We told her that we thought it was ready to come out. Our best case scenario was Liberty removing the tooth herself. She examined it closely in the mirror:
She was so brave but finally wanted Mommy to just pull it out. I got a kleenex and brushed it down over the tooth to dry it off so I could pull it, and the tooth literally fell out! We already had the Tooth Fairy pillow (compliments of Nana) on standby:
Liberty was so excited to wake us up and show us the the Tooth Fairy had left her a "REAL dollar!"I have a feeling that we will be going through all of this again very soon because tonight at dinner, Liberty announced that she had another loose tooth!

Living for the Weekend!

2011-03-12T19:23:00.001-08:00

That is how I have felt the last two weeks. I really like my job and enjoy the work, but things have been so busy lately. The weekends have provided some much needed down time. I am so glad that we cleaned up our back patio because we have spent a lot of time out there.

Outdoor Sunday

2011-02-27T18:49:00.000-08:00

What a lovely birthday today, just being lazy and enjoying time with family. The girls can't seem to play enough outside lately. We are so busy during the week, but I do think to get the camera when the girls start being silly outside. I can usually count on Liberty to give a beautiful smile for the camera. Trinity, however, is not really into cooperating these days!

Lee attached a rope swing to our tree last year. The girls have a hard time getting on by themselves.

Liberty decided to improvise...

Crazy girl!

Liberty had been moving things around in the yard. She pushed and tugged, saying "One, two...One, two!" as she maneuvered our old baby slide/swing set. I should have known something was up when she started pushing the playhouse across the yard. Her strength was pretty impressive!

With a little help from Mommy, Trinity did manage to get up there with big sister.
Mommy did get tired of getting Trinity off the roof every time she was ready to come back down, but Liberty assured me she could help her sister. Why should I have been surprised when they brought the little car over by the tree??

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-20T21:04:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day began early as we had a door decorating contest at work. Judging was at 8am, so I had to go in early to finish my door in the library. I did not win 1st, 2nd or even 3rd place, but I have enjoyed having a cute door! The doors that won were really well done. This was a fun contest, and a lot of people participated.

When we got home, the girls found a package
waiting for each of them from Nana and Harlan. As soon as they were opened, the girls had to try on their gifts! The outfits were a big hit. The girls paraded around and "swished" their skirts. I have no reason why the girls thought our bed was the best place to show off their new outfits.

It couldn't have anything to do with bouncing on our bed!

More Beautiful Weather

2011-02-20T20:21:00.000-08:00

The springlike weather continues...and we have spent more time outside this past week than we have in the last several months combined. Time spent indoors can turn into silly time! Liberty attempted to put on all of the necklaces and bracelets the girls have - probably to upset Trinity, who frequently wears a multitude of jewelry when we go places.

Liberty and her best friend from next door. Liberty hopped off her bike and onto this the moment Trinity abandoned it for a second. Trinity gets this out of the neighbor's garage whenever the girls ride bikes!

I seem to take pictures where Trinity is facing the sun and having to squint. I have no idea why, but she loves to ride next door and just hang out in front of our other neighbor's closed garage door.

Today the girls wanted to get out this relic from Daddy's childhood. Liberty understood how it worked but was just a tiny cramped. Trinity's legs were just a little short for it to be easy for her. Before it was over, one of the pedals was on the ground and a piece seemed to be broken. :(

So Liberty was off to play something else, and Trinity was suddenly interested in our big "frisbee."

Another Snow Day?

2011-02-09T18:50:00.000-08:00

I can't believe we had another day off school. It is really wrong to call it a snow day. It was more of some sleet that froze and then had a little snow dust on top of it! But it meant another day home with the girls. Lee ended up having to go into work for a half day. The girls went from playing with their little princesses to dress up. Trinity's favorite dress up outfit is a borrowed one from our neighbor. Liberty loves Ariel's wedding dress that we inherited from a friend. Trinity was happy to have Mommy take her picture, but Liberty was much more concerned her accessories!

Costume change! The evil witch vs. the ballerina! The girls chased each other all around the house during their "battle."

Knowing dress up could only last so long, I got brave enough to get out the cottage that Liberty got for her birthday. After getting it set up, I realized how big it really was - 6ft x 3ft! The girls went to town with the markers and starting coloring. They soon tired of that, but quickly crammed a ton of toys inside the cottage and spent a long time playing inside. This thing is so big...not sure where its final resting place will be!

Snow Today, Gone Tomorrow

2011-02-06T12:08:00.001-08:00

It is hard to believe the cold, icy week we have had when you look outside today! Gorgeous day! It is supposed to rain later this evening, but there is not a cloud in the beautiful blue sky. The girls followed me on their bikes down to a path that is being cemented around our little wooded area. That will be really nice when it is finished. After we got home, Trinity decided to try to ride Liberty's bike, so I got out the camera...

Liberty sweetly wanted to help her sister...but sister wanted to do it herself!

Meanwhile poor Liberty was getting in a little trouble! Time out did not make her agreeable...

And what would a pretty day be without climbing a tree? Poor Trinity was trying so hard to be like her big sister. Not quite there yet!

Real Snow Day

2011-02-04T12:48:00.000-08:00

We had a little snow the other day, but today was a real snow day! It snowed about 3 inches overnight and probably another inch this morning. The girls had a great time playing out in the snow and were delighted that our next door neighbor was home and able to join in the fun.

Lee discovered ice under the snow! Liberty and our neighbor had fun exploring!

The girls did a little sledding!
The wooded area just a few houses down was full of snow!

Definitely a good day!

Snow Day 2011

2011-02-01T14:09:00.000-08:00

Pretty much as soon as I realized I was changing jobs last May, life became even more hectic and the blog went by the wayside. But a Snow Day gave me a little time to bring it back!

Getting all bundled up to go outside in the super cold:

Oh the joy of snow! The girls didn't notice yet how truly cold it was:

Our two little "snow" angels!

Who is that good looking couple??? :)
Sisterly love and snow fights!

Our Family:

Mother's Day 2010

2010-05-10T19:36:00.000-07:00

Wow! I can't believe that this was my 5th Mother's Day. Time has flown by so fast. God has given me many gifts, but motherhood has topped them all. I am so lucky to have two special daughters who make my heart swell every day and make me laugh so much! I have been blessed with a wonderful Mom who has been such a help to Lee and I as parents. This was a great day of family time and rest.
I can always count on Liberty for a big smile!
Trinity is my little sweetie!
Lee made sure I had a wonderful day!
Love you, Mom!
Trinity had a smile for her Grammy!

Sweet Sisters

2010-05-10T19:24:00.000-07:00

Liberty has really stepped into the role of big sister. We are hearing her say a lot of sisterly things to Trinity and seeing her initiate a lot of play. The girls are getting along pretty well and seem to enjoy each other's company...for the most part!

Easter Egg Hunt

2010-05-10T19:12:00.000-07:00

The Easter Bunny brought the girls lots of goodies in their Easter baskets and left them some eggs to find in our front yard. The girls got to wear the dresses and shoes Nana had got for them. It was funny to see how the girls "hunted" their eggs so differently!
I couldn't get the girls to pose for a picture together!
Liberty was on the go!

Trinity was much more leisurely!

Trinty wanted to eat her candy...Liberty was noticing the roly polies!

Spring Break - Birds at the Zoo

2010-05-10T18:51:00.000-07:00

The Caldwell Zoo in Tyler is a beautiful zoo. There are not any extra special animals there, but the wooded area and scenic view from inside the zoo make it seem quite tranquil. We were there early and almost had the place to ourselves for a while. The girls had the best time in the bird enclosure. Everyone loved feeding the birds.
Liberty should be called the "bird whisperer" because she managed to get them to get on her feeding stick several times!
Trinity was a little more hesitant...
If you didn't know, Lee loves birds!
I was excited to get a bird to come to me!

Spring Break - Tyler, TX

2010-05-10T18:31:00.000-07:00

Our little Spring Break trip to Tyler was a lot of fun. The first stop was the Discovery Science Place. There were lots of different things to explore inside. The girls played in there for hours and didn't want to leave.

Dress up was a big hit!

Daddy and his girls:
Lots of things to climb on:

Yea - no work for a week!

Where Are the Butterflies?

2010-03-10T19:29:00.000-08:00

We went to the Butterfly Exhibit at the Ft. Worth Botanic Gardens on Saturday. We were all excited, but Lee and I were quite disappointed quickly after entering because there was a lack of butterflies. Oh, we saw several, but not what you would expect, and probably only 4 or 5 species. But all was not lost. We had packed a picnic lunch and explored the vast gardens. The girls had a fabulous time and so did their parents!
This butterfly was actually blue on his back, but closed wings hid this. Lee took a nice photo of this flower.

Lee is getting good at taking our picture from the outstretched arm!
It was truly like a sauna in the butterfly exhibit!
The girls loved seeing the flowers.
Some pretty smiles...

What is in there, Daddy?
The squirrels were all digging up their winter acorns...

February 27, 2010

2010-03-10T19:16:00.000-08:00

This was actually the real Big 4-0 day! 40 years to the day. Our family came over to celebrate with dinner and bowling! We had a great time. It was really fun to see everyone trying to bowl. There were a couple of falls that night. I won't name names, but for once, none of them were by me!
I remember being little and going to the bowling alley with my parents.
This is just too cute...
The older you get, the more deserts you have to have...
I do feel old when I see how big my nephew is getting...
Trinity was fashionable in her Aunt's boots...

Happy Birthday to Me!

2010-03-10T19:01:00.001-08:00

I had been dreading this birthday for months - the Big 4-0! It just sounds old. I am very happy that most people keep telling me that I don't look 40, but that still didn't make me too excited about my special day. But getting together with my best friends and celebrating at 7 Salsas made it all okay. Well, that and the beautiful Tiffany bracelet they got me!
Don't be jealous of my new hair! Okay, it is actually part of the balloon Bev got me.
They wouldn't let me keep the sombrero...
Stacey left baby Lexi to help me celebrate...her day is comin' real soon!
Pamela blew off homework to join the birthday festivities!
Our beauty masks...compliments of Bev!

Valentine's Day

2010-02-17T19:41:00.000-08:00

Okay, I cheated. These pictures were actually taken the weekend before Valentine's Day! I wanted to take some cute pictures of the girls and didn't want to wait until the last minute. The weather didn't cooperate. Our first pictures were in the overcast at the duck pond. It was so cold! So we went home and tried again after naptime when the sun had warmed things up a bit...
The minute we got out the bread to feed the ducks, these pigeons swarmed the girls!

We had the girls get in the first available tree to take a picture together, but the background was ugly and poor Trinity had Rudolph nose!
Liberty was grumpy after nap until we started talking about Jack...
The minute we gave Trinity her lollipop, it stayed in her mouth!

Liberty got very silly...
We did manage to get Trinity to remove her lollipop for a second!
Kisses!

Snow Day

2010-02-17T19:27:00.000-08:00

A snow record was set for our area. We got somewhere between 10-12 inches. It was amazing! They called Friday for a snow day soon after we got home on Thursday. We got out in the snow before 9am because it was already starting to melt a little. We did a better job dressing the kids in layers because they were so cold after playing in the snow on Thursday.
Liberty was upset because it snowed on our snowman! One of his eyes had fallen out so she dug through the new snow and found it.
Then it was time for dancing in the snow!
Lee taught Trinity to shake the snow off the branches.
Liberty discovered icicles.
Trinity ate more snow...
Trinity got colder than Liberty and wanted to be held.
The view behind our house was gorgeous. I hated that the snow melted so fast...

Yea for Snow!

2010-02-17T19:12:00.000-08:00

I was so surprised to wake up to a couple of inches of snow on the ground on Thursday. I couldn't believe it as it continued to snow all day long. It had not snowed like this in DFW since I was a little kid. Lee picked me up at 3pm, and we hurried to get the girls so that we would have time to get home and play in the snow.
Liberty had quite an arm with the snowballs!
Trinity tried to throw some, but ended up mostly eating the snow.
Lee decided to build a snowman.
Trinity was a good helper.
The girls managed to pose with me!
The view from our backyard was really pretty.

New Phone

2010-02-14T19:45:00.000-08:00

I am behind on updating the blog. Need to add Valentine pictures and snow pictures. But I got a new phone...I am in love! The Palm Pixi is a great phone. I have been learning how to use its many features. Between Lee, Pamela and the online support guide, I am doing pretty well. :)

Puppy Love

2010-01-31T08:53:00.000-08:00

Ever since Pamela got her new puppy, Ollie, I have been trying to get her to bring him over for the girls to play with. Pamela and Ollie came over yesterday. I am not sure who was more tired after they left, Ollie or the girls? That little puppy darted around so fast, it was really hard to get clear pictures! The camera couldn't focus fast enough. Liberty was a little skittish around Ollie at first, but Trinity loved him right away. Ollie sensed this and especially loved biting on Trinity's shirt and pants!
Ollie really was all over Trinity!
Liberty did get over her fears...
"Come get me!" the girls would say to Ollie.
Trinity warmed up to Pamela!
I do love puppies, I just don't want one while the girls are so little.
Liberty got out her little "doggy" after Ollie left. I really hadn't seen the girls play with this toy in about a year!

Cookie Time

2010-01-31T08:40:00.000-08:00

Everyone knows that I am no Betty Crocker. I don't even think to make cookies with the kids because we will just eat them! Lee is better about that stuff. So yesterday he decided to have the girls help him make cookies with cookie dough he purchased from a neighbor. When Lee put on the apron Liberty made him at Ms. Joyce's for Father's Day, both girls ran to get their little kitchen aprons...
Daddy taught the girls to make ball shapes:
Liberty was happy to pose:
The girls were so proud:
You knew this had to happen...
Daddy fixed it!
Are they ready yet??
Delicious! Baking is hard work!

Bev's Big Birthday

2010-01-24T19:19:00.000-08:00

Celebrating Bev's birthday was the most fun I have had in a long time! What a great time with friends. Bev said it was the best birthday she'd ever had, so that made all of us feel really good. Bev does so much for other people, and we really wanted her to know how much we love her!
Here is an awesome picture of Beverly:
Two Chicas!
Three Amigos!
Fabulous lunch at The Cheesecake Factory:
Shop 'til you drop!
Ready for dinner!

Super Time

2010-01-24T19:06:00.000-08:00

The girls had a super time at Lance's superhero birthday party today. They enjoyed going in the bounce house, jumping through obstacle courses, and battling other superheroes. But the best part of all was getting to wear a costume! Here is Trinity bouncing before the party really got started and Lance dressed up as Batman!

Mommy with her Super Girls!
Daddy helping Trinity with her mask:
Liberty beating up on Captain America!

Best Smile

2010-01-18T20:15:00.000-08:00

When I got home from being gone all day Saturday and part of the day Sunday, the girls were napping. Well, Trinity was napping and Liberty was resisting. She called out for Lee, not knowing I had just gotten home. I surprised her and got to hear all about the events that had occurred while I was gone. She was so animated and happy. I had to get the camera because she kept smiling and looked so beautiful. My little Liberty is growing up so fast. I can already tell that her smile will be her best feature when she is older. I love it!

Paci Girl

2010-01-18T20:11:00.000-08:00

Even after turning 2, Trinity still loves her paci. She even loves 2 pacis! After finding a spare paci the other day, Trinity couldn't decide which she liked better. I am really hoping that Trinity will be ready to give up her paci by Memorial Day weekend...that is our goal!

Just Cute

2010-01-15T19:21:00.000-08:00

The weather is finally a bit warmer, so it was a treat for Liberty to wear a skirt today. She had never worn this outfit and was so proud of how beautiful she looked! Trinity looked pretty cute too!

Where's Mommy?

2010-01-15T19:09:00.000-08:00

Ever since the girls got their dollhouse for Christmas, Trinity has played a lot with the Daddy and Grandma. The other night the girls were playing with the dollhouse, and I noticed Liberty had those two dolls. I heard her say that they were going somewhere, and I asked, "Where's the Mommy?" Liberty's response, "She's dead." I was a bit flabbergasted as she went on playing. If I dwell on it too much, I might become really disturbed, so I am going to go with kids say the funniest things!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-06T18:37:00.001-08:00

We got to celebrate New Year's Eve with Nana, Harlan and Grandpa. They were here from Memphis. Nana brought a party in a box! The girls loved the hats and horns. The neighbor was kind enough to give Lee some sparklers. Thank goodness it was too cold for the girls to do more than watch Lee through the window.
Nana was very tolerant of the horns!
Daddy, what are you doing out there?
Don't worry, girls...
All safe and sound!

Guess Who Turned Four?

2010-01-06T18:34:00.000-08:00

Show us those fingers - how old are you, Liberty?? Since we had the birthday party weeks ago, we took the girls to McDonald's and made ice cream sundaes at home on Dec. 27th.

Merry Christmas

2010-01-06T18:19:00.000-08:00

A belated post... Christmas morning was a lot of fun. Liberty was SO excited. Trinity was excited too, but she is not quite the morning girl that Liberty is. Liberty was going strong on opening presents, but Trinity got a little grumpy and just wanted to play!
Grammy spent the night to be with us Christmas morning!
Liberty helped Daddy open presents...
Trinity's mood did improve.
Liberty helped Mommy open presents...
The girls loved Santa's big present to them - their dollhouse!
The family gathered at Grammy's house later. The girls always like playing with their cousin!

Christmas Card Reject Pictures

2009-12-23T12:06:00.000-08:00

Like many other families, we try to take special pictures to put on the Christmas cards we send out. This year, we had everything planned out. Trinity just turned 2, so we didn't have to worry about her "crawling" out of the pictures this year. Being almost 4, Liberty is really good at posing on command. Ha! The girls got really silly and didn't want to follow instructions. Here are some of the pictures we did not use...
I can open my mouth REALLY big:
Trinity, are you pickin' boogies?
We're so tired...Are we finished yet?
Really...we're sleeping!
Trinity, don't gag yourself in the picture.
Liberty, what are you doing?
Lee was determined to get a good family shot. Many shots later, we ended up using the very first picture he took!

Gymnastics Birthday Party

2009-12-19T11:14:00.000-08:00

Two Saturdays ago Liberty celebrated her 4th birthday (early) with a gymnastics party. A lot of friends were able to come, and everyone seemed to have a really good time. The trampolines were a big hit as well as the rings. It was really nice to have the facility to ourselves.

Liberty began the morning with a new big girl booster seat:
Both sisters enjoyed the rings!

Liberty wanted Tinkerbell decorations:
Lots of presents!
A really fun group of kids!

Decorating the Christmas Tree

2009-12-06T12:45:00.000-08:00

Although the Christmas tree did not get put up the Saturday after Thanksgiving as planned, we did get it up and decorated that Sunday. The girls were so excited to help. Liberty remembered everything about the tree from last year and was very determined to assist with every step beginning with helping Daddy fluff the tree branches!
Trinity had to fluff too! She kept saying, "I'm pretending."
Wrap that ribbon around the tree:
Stop for a tree decorating hug!
Trinity was very into the ornaments, so we found one she could play with.
Liberty kept putting the ornaments right next to each other:
The star has to go on top!

Relaxing Saturday

2009-12-06T12:37:00.000-08:00

We were supposed to put up our Christmas tree the Saturday after Thanksgiving, but we were worn out! I never even left the house that day, but we did manage to go in the backyard for the girls to play.

Liberty was bug hunting and gathering twigs for her "campfire":

Trinity "drove" around until her sister impeded the car's progress!

Daddy to the rescue!
Back inside, Trinity decided to go "shopping." I promise I don't put on a hat and carry 3 purses when I go shopping!

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-12-06T12:26:00.000-08:00

There was much to be thankful for this year. Family and friends topped our list. We went to my brother's house to celebrate this Thanksgiving with him, my nephew and Mom. The girls had a great time playing with Bryan's dog, AJ. We had plenty to eat, watched tv and many people napped!
The girls loved this chair for watching a movie!
And snuggling with AJ:
Lee and James got in some tv watching...
We didn't get a whole family picture, but Lee and I managed to get one together!

Pumpkin Pie

2009-11-25T19:24:00.000-08:00

Last year began the tradition where Liberty helped me make pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving. She was so excited to help this year. As soon as Trinity saw us, she wanted to help too! Lee even got to be part of the fun.

A Week Off Work

2009-11-25T19:14:00.000-08:00

It has been so nice to have this week off from work and get to spend lots of family time together. We have even managed to take some pictures this week. I was so proud of Lee for taking some pictures of the girls while I was at the store... until I saw the pictures...
At least the baker's rack is bolted into the wall, but here is a close up:
Here is one he took this morning:
My pictures were a little safer: Cute pic of Trinity looking 2 years old!
Picture of Liberty being silly:

Trinity's 2nd Birthday Party

2009-11-21T19:09:00.000-08:00

Although she started out very shy and clingy this morning, Trinity had a great birthday party with family and friends. The kids played, everyone ate hot dogs and Mickey Mouse cupcakes and then Trinity opened her presents. Trinity (and Liberty) loved the presents. Even though the girls have several baby dolls, Trinity really loved the new baby that her cousin gave her.Some of our friends - next year I will remember to take a picture of ALL the kids together! We missed getting pictures of a few!
Happy Trinity with Daddy:
We managed to get a family shot at the party - yea!
Liberty was very excited about Trinity's gifts and took over some of them!
Still happy at the end of the night!

Happy Birthday Trinity!

2009-11-19T19:05:00.000-08:00

It is hard to believe that Trinity turned 2 today. It seems like just a little while ago that we were driving to the hospital to have her! Some current things about Trinity:
*Can count to 13 (sometimes)
*Is way addicted to her paci
*Speaks mostly in 3-5 word sentences
*Can be a little grumpy in the morning
*Likes to mimic her big sister
*Doesn't want to eat meat
*Loves to wear Mommy's shoes
*Always pushing a baby in the toy stroller
*Very sweet & definitely the baby
I forgot - likes to be silly!

Open House

2009-11-15T14:49:00.000-08:00

Little Hearts had their Open House last Thursday night. Liberty loves this two day a week program, and she really learns a lot from there. She was so excited about the Open House. We enjoyed seeing her teacher and her work.

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-01T18:40:00.000-08:00

Halloween 2009 was a good one. The girls really enjoyed themselves. We were spending the evening at our brother and sister-in-law's house, so I managed to get a few pictures of the girls outside of our house before we left. So glad I did because we only got 1 really good pic of the girls together. Of course, Trinity refused to wear her hat. But that was ok because she didn't want to wear the princess dress either, but we managed to get it on her. Letting her wear the princess shoes sealed the deal!
Liberty was happy as Ariel from The Little Mermaid:

Trinity wore the hat later with no problem! She was a pretty pink princess who apparently really likes suckers!

Two Little Fairies

2009-10-26T19:10:00.000-07:00

Some good friends had a little "Monster Mash" party for kids. Liberty was thrilled to get to dress up (even if Mommy wouldn't let her wear her real costume before Halloween). Trinity was not a happy girl about putting on an outfit. Both girls ended up in fairy costumes, minus the wings - less trouble! They enjoyed hunting for treats and decorating cupcakes. But best of all, they just loved playing with the other kids.

Halloween Is Almost Here!

2009-10-26T18:51:00.000-07:00

Where has October gone? This has been such a busy month as my lack of blog posts will show! This past weekend I realized Halloween was a week away, and we still had not decorated. The girls helped fix that! The girls thought that the little scarecrow was their new friend.

Snake Alert!

2009-10-13T19:31:00.000-07:00

Liberty and I had a little surprise last week as we were leaving the house. Hearing the words, "Mommy, there's a snake!" come from Liberty's lips as she was walking around the car had me immediately moving fast. (Liberty is curious about snakes as opposed to afraid like her Mother!) We backed up, and the blogger/scrapbooker in me immediately had to get the camera.
After taking pictures, I intended to get a broom to move the snake away from our garage, but he decided to slither on into the corner of our garage before I could get back to him. Only the tiny tip of his tail sticking out behind a big shovel alerted me to his new position. I decided to leave him alone and let Lee take care of him when he got home. Later we searched through google images and decided that this was a Texas rat snake.

Pumpkin Farm

2009-10-06T11:54:00.000-07:00

We spent a fabulous Saturday morning at a Pumpkin Farm in Grapevine. Although there were not as many pumpkins as we expected to see, there were lots of cute displays, tractors, a corn maze, slides, and little tractor tricycles. The weather was beautiful, and we even had a picnic lunch right there at the picnic tables they had out.

This was my favorite picture of the girls!

Trinity loved the "baby" white pumpkins.

Liberty was great at posing for pictures.

Trinity loved playing in the corn!

Happy Belated Birthday Grammy!

2009-09-27T18:21:00.000-07:00

Due to my getting sick with pneumonia, we had to postpone Mom's birthday celebration by one week. We had a great time celebrating Saturday night at Pappadeux, Mom's favorite restaurant. For once it was not crowded so we had space for several photo ops by the fountain. And then Lee got a little creative by putting the girls in a hole in the wall!

Fort Worth Day in the District

2009-09-27T10:38:00.000-07:00

Fort Worth has a Saturday in September where many of the museums are free and offer fun things for kids. We took advantage of this on Saturday and met some friends there. A great time was had by all. We started at the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame & Museum and then had a picnic lunch on the lawn in between the Amon Carter & Kimball museums.

The kids had a great time playing "chuckwagon".

Lots of "riding" horses.

Fun on the lawn - Liberty and the boy she says she is going to marry!

Cooling off the feet.
Sleepy girls going home.

Sharing a Bed

2009-09-22T18:47:00.000-07:00

Liberty has been begging for Trinity to sleep in her bed. Trinity has been getting into Liberty's bed every night, telling us "Night, night" and then eventually climbing out. Last night with the thunder and rain, Trinity was crying and scared in her crib. We asked her if she wanted to sleep with Liberty. She did and actually feel asleep in Liberty's bed. Lee was going to move her when he went to bed, but decided instead to take a picture of two sleeping sisters. Trinity made it until 5:22am!

Puddles of Fun

2009-09-22T18:38:00.000-07:00

With all of the rain we have had lately, the girls have been going a bit stir crazy in the house. Fortunately for them, the girls have a Daddy who believes strongly in puddle play! Of course Trinity has to "sit" in most of the puddles that she comes across. What is it about puddles that beckons kids to jump in them?

Nana's Wedding

2009-09-07T19:42:00.000-07:00

What a weekend! Our girls had their first flight on an airplane, and Lee's mother got married. Everything actually went very well. Liberty was so excited about the flight. The girls looked adorable in their dresses and had fun as flower girls. Trinity wowed the wedding crowd with Happy Birthday and ABCs during the wedding ceremony!

On the airplane and afterwards

In their flower girl dresses

With Daddy before the wedding

At the reception
In the hotel room

Flying home after a long weekend!

Afternoon Fun

2009-08-31T17:23:00.000-07:00

Almost September, and finally it is not quite so hot. After a spending all day inside, the girls were ready for some outdoor fun in the backyard. It was so nice to be outside and not sweat! We were outside for over an hour so that is saying something! The girls really enjoyed exploring in the backyard and managed to get along... pretty well.

Fort

2009-08-31T17:13:00.000-07:00

Nothing like having your own private space. Daddy was folding a blanket to put away and ended up creating a little fort for Liberty. She had a great time for about 15 minutes. Then her sister wanted to come in...

Hanky Panky in the Backyard

2009-08-31T17:11:00.000-07:00

Apparently these two beetles thought our backyard was their love shack. We caught them in some compromising positions on Saturday in broad daylight!

Daddy's Shoes

2009-08-26T18:25:00.001-07:00

These pictures say it all... Of course, what one does, so does the other.

Thinks She's a Big Girl

2009-08-26T18:21:00.000-07:00

Trinity is continuously imitating everything her big sister does. Drinking out of a cup is her new desire. It is such a good thing that our refrigerator has a lock on the built in water dispenser! Trinity usually ends up pouring most of her drink down the front of her shirt.

Remembering Dad

2009-08-26T18:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the 2 year anniversary of Dad's death. I miss him so much and try not to think about how my kids are missing out but don't even know it. Upon passing by a church on the way to my Mom's house, Liberty saw the cross there and said, "Jesus died on the cross. Jesus is in our heart. My Grandpa and Grandma (really Lee's Grandma) died. They're in heaven with Jesus." No lie. Strange that she picked that day to say that. But I have to add that I am so impressed with my Mom. She has come out of her shell and become so much more outgoing and independent. My Dad would be really proud of her.

Trinity in the Tub

2009-08-17T19:55:00.000-07:00

Playing outside at Ms. Joyce's + spaghetti for dinner = very dirty Trinity! Liberty was pretty clean and very happy watching her Aristocats movie, so Trinity got a bath by herself tonight. Lee usually gives the girls their bath but was more than happy to let me give Trinity her bath tonight. She really seemed to enjoy the extra room in the tub sprawled out on her tummy!

Fun in the Heat

2009-08-17T19:46:00.001-07:00

I really can't wait for fall to come. It will be so nice for the girls to get to play outside more often. Liberty rarely gets to ride her bike. Trinity would also like the chance to "try" to ride! We let the girls ride around after we got home one evening, but it didn't last long!

The Elusive Butterfly

2009-08-17T19:35:00.000-07:00

I had spotted this butterfly a couple of days prior to taking this picture. He would flutter around our lantana in the front flower bed and then flit away. When he appeared again as I was going outside to help Lee get the kids out of the car, I ran back in for the camera and managed to get a couple of good shots before he fly away. I have never seen a butterfly with wings that fluttered this fast - like a hummingbird! I was impressed that the sports setting on the camera let me get this shot.

Life With a Princess

2009-08-09T11:47:00.000-07:00

Liberty doesn't ask us to let her play dress up as often as she used to. I think that is probably because she gets her fill of it at Ms. Joyce's. A couple of nights ago she really wanted to dress up, and Trinity got into it too!

Liberty was a serious princess...Trinity was all about the shoes!

Trinity looks like it has been a rough night! Princess Liberty is posing outside of Walgreen's. I had the pleasure of a princess accompanying me to pick up some pictures!

Close Ups

2009-08-06T19:43:00.000-07:00

My wonderful sister-in-law came over to watch the girls while I ran to a dr. appt. She saw our camera sitting out and decided to take some close up pics and play with some camera settings. Pretty cool results... I can tell from Liberty's glazed look that she must have been watching tv!

Patience

2009-08-06T19:12:00.000-07:00

One day last week after the girls and I had been cooped up in the house all day, I felt like I was completely out of patience! Ironically, we had my Mom over for dinner on Sunday, and she remarked about how much patience I had with the girls and what a good mother she thought I was. I think tv may give me a little more patience in the future. Liberty is an avid tv/dvd fan. Trinity is suddenly taking an interest in tv and has started to sit for short spans and watch a little...

Teamwork

2009-08-06T19:00:00.000-07:00

Trinity is getting into more stuff every day. (I don't even want to think about her fall last week - faceplant between the toilet and bathroom cabinet. Miraculously, she just had a tiny scratch.) Liberty decided to amuse Trinity after she climbed into her little shopping cart. And then she even "helped" her out of it!

The Week in Pics

2009-07-30T06:59:00.000-07:00

Last week was a slow week. Not a whole lot going on and then Liberty had a stomach virus. I still managed to get some pictures...

After seeing Liberty get her toenails painted many times, Trinity decides she wants pretty toes too!

Trinity getting into things she shouldn't be into:

"Trinity, did you spill my milk?" asks Liberty. "Me?" asks this innocent face.

Did you know leg warmers (aka Daddy's socks) are making a comeback??

Just Because I Like 'Em

2009-07-20T19:59:00.000-07:00

Favorite pics of the week:

A Princess Tea Party

2009-07-20T19:32:00.000-07:00

Liberty attended a very fun birthday party on Saturday - a princess tea party! She was in her element with all that pink.

Getting her nails painted and a little lipstick:

With her friends from Ms. Joyce's - birthday girl Macey in the center:
Going on a Princess Parade:
And a group photo:

Go Away, Mommy!

2009-07-20T18:46:00.000-07:00

The laundry room seems to be a new play area for the girls. They love to go in and shut the door. Trinity can't open the door to get back out, but this doesn't bother her at all. They were having so much fun shutting the door, letting me open it and shutting it again that I had to get the camera.

Old Friends

2009-07-20T18:37:00.001-07:00

Lee's longtime friend, Andy, and his family came in town last week. Since they live in Iowa, we don't get to see them often. Several other friends gathered at our house. We were almost outnumbered by kids!

Monkey See, Monkey Do

2009-07-12T18:48:00.000-07:00

Liberty has really been enjoying her gymnastics class this summer. She has always been a climber and a jumper as well as being extremely agile. Trinity is now beginning to take more risks, climbing higher than before and trying to jump off things. She watches everything big sister does and tries to imitate her.

When Liberty was climbing on her elephant and jumping to the ottoman, Trinity had to follow suit:

When Daddy came home, the girls started jumping off the ottoman to him:

But then Liberty decided to "catch" Trinity:

So Trinity wanted to catch Liberty (look at those outstretched arms)!

Trying to Get Along

2009-07-06T13:20:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it can be hard to get along with your sister, especially when she has such cool stuff:

If you look carefully at the picture on the right, you will notice Trinity's hands really trying to get Liberty's off the stroller!

Of course Trinity really shows her love for Liberty by sitting on her sister's head (which Liberty actually loves!).Nothin' says lovin' like a squishy diaper grinding on your head.

Happy 4th of July

2009-07-06T13:02:00.000-07:00

We had a great July 4th this year with family. Everyone gathered at our house for a cookout. My nephew brought his belated birthday present with him - a puppy named AJ! The girls were so excited, and AJ only wet on our carpet one time.

Our Staycation

2009-07-03T19:56:00.000-07:00

We decided to be like most other people we know and have a staycation this summer. After making a list of places we thought that the girls would enjoy, we planned our week. Instead of dragging our camera around with us (it is a little bulky but takes pretty good pics), Lee snapped pics with his cell phone - so forgive the picture quality! Here are a few things from our week:

Visiting a Sculpture Garden in Frisco:

Lee and Liberty at a Ranger game:

Playing at Trinity River Park:

Riding the Zoo Train (but too hot for a day at the zoo):

Meeting friends at Leapin' Lizards Indoor Play - Liberty moved too fast for pics!

Here's Dorothy!

2009-06-27T11:35:00.000-07:00

Liberty has been asking for a pet for months now. Lee and I don't ever see a cat in our future, and as much as he would LOVE a dog, I am not ready for that yet with two little kids. Liberty's first fish, Rusty, made it a few months last year. So we are trying again with another Beta fish - Dorothy. It is actually kind of pathetic how excited Liberty was about Dorothy. She was so worried that Dorothy would die during the night. We had to say a prayer about it before Liberty would go to bed (but don't think I wasn't really praying because frankly, Dorothy does look a little puny to me! The lighting was a little dim in that pet store!). And yes, in that last picture, Liberty is reading a book to Dorothy.

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-23T14:51:00.000-07:00

It was a happy Father's Day. It kind of started on Saturday with my family (in combination with belated birthdays). We went to lunch and played cards at our house. On Sunday we just hung out at home and had a really relaxing day. To our girls' delight, Daddy filled up the pool and then we had a picnic. Long naps were had by all! And then more play time with the best Daddy ever!

Summer Break

2009-06-21T19:01:00.000-07:00

My Summer Break finally started this week. I so enjoyed the extra time with the girls. I know it will fly by so I plan to enjoy it over the next several weeks. Here was a little of the week:

Liberty playing doctor with Trinity:

Liberty's first polished fingernails:

Trinity feeding and kissing her baby:

Happy Birthday Lee!

2009-06-18T18:45:00.000-07:00

To surprise Lee for his birthday, I planned a trip to Waco. Waco has been a running joke between us since before we got married. I really don't even remember how it started except Lee kept joking about that being a great honeymoon place. Eight years later... we finally go to Waco. He was very surprised, especially because we got to go with no children. (We have the best brother and sister-in-law ever!) I actually chose Waco for this trip so that Lee could play disc golf. Even though it was the hottest weekend so far this summer, Lee played two of the three courses in Waco. We loved our bed and breakfast and ate some good food over the weekend!

Yummy Chocolate Cake

2009-06-09T19:43:00.000-07:00

Usually Liberty cries when she sees baked fish on her dinner plate, but tonight she didn't utter a word of protest. The promise of chocolate cake for dessert had her too distracted. Both Trinity and Liberty really enjoyed the chocolate cake, but Trinity got pretty messy. Daddy had an interesting idea for cleaning up the crumbs...

What's Cookin'?

2009-06-07T06:42:00.001-07:00

Lee took some cute pictures of the girls while I was gone on Saturday. They are finally starting to play together (sometimes)! I hope their kitchen play is a sign that they will be better cooks than their Mom! But I can see I am going to have to educate Trinity on the wonders of a "hands free" phone while cooking!

Yummy Ice Cream

2009-06-07T06:35:00.001-07:00

We have always known that Liberty has her Dad's sweet tooth, but it is becoming very apparent that Trinity has inherited it as well. Since Trinity never would take a bite of our ice cream, we didn't think she liked it. But when we gave Trinity her own ice cream, we realized she actually loves it!

Bubbles

2009-05-27T18:21:00.001-07:00

We had a nice evening enjoying time in the backyard with bubbles! Liberty loves blowing bubbles, and I have to say that I had a lot of fun blowing them too. The brand we used made really great bubbles. Trinity was intrigued by all of the bubbles but could not master blowing. I do think that she decided that bubbles don't taste very good.

A Week of the Girls

2009-05-23T19:43:00.000-07:00

Trinity enjoying an Oreo:Liberty with a very fuzzy caterpillar:Trinity unhappy in the bathtub:
Playing like sisters on Saturday:

Remembering Grandma

2009-05-23T19:19:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday we got the sad news that Lee's Grandma passed away in her sleep. Since her health had not been at all good, we know that this was actually a blessing for her. Edna Mae Martin was 88 years old and as spunky as could be. Liberty really loved her. We were so fortunate that Grandma and Grandpa were able to travel and be here for Trinity's first birthday. Here is a picture of Grandma back in November:July 2006 meeting Liberty for the first time:
July of 2008 meeting Trinity for the first time:Grandma will truly be missed. She was a dear lady who told it like it was and really had a way with little kids. We are sad our girls didn't get to spend more time with her but rejoice in her new life.

Japanese Garden

2009-05-18T20:35:00.000-07:00

Sunday was a gorgeous day so we decided to go to the Japanese Garden in Ft. Worth. The girls loved it. Everything is so green (even the water). Trinity was very interested in the koi. Liberty was on the lookout for turtles the whole time and finally got to see a couple right before we left. Both girls had to stick their hands in the water several times.

That Liberty

2009-05-18T20:08:00.000-07:00

I need to keep of journal of things Liberty says. Last week on Tuesday, I was buckling Liberty into her car seat and asked for a kiss. In a bit of a grumpy mood, Liberty turned her head and said, "No. It's not Mother's Day." (This was 2 days after Mother's Day.)

On Saturday after watching Barbie The Princess and the Pauper, Liberty had to dress up as a princess. The movie had ended with a wedding. Liberty asked her Daddy who she was going to marry. What is his name? We both told her that was a long time away, and we didn't know. She kept on and on. Finally I told her that only God knew. Her response, "Well, I'm going to ask him!"

Bathtime Princesses

2009-05-13T18:47:00.001-07:00

Ever since being old enough to really talk, Liberty has deemed her hooded bath towels her "princess". So she and Trinity are princesses when they get out of the bathtub. (Liberty is sometimes a happy princess and sometimes a grumpy princess.)

Girly Worm Girl

2009-05-13T18:42:00.000-07:00

Liberty is an enigma. On one hand, she is very much a girly girl. She loves princesses, dress up, pink & purple, flowers, etc. But on the other hand, she loves outdoors, dirt and bugs. How can a girl who insists on wearing dresses and skirts every day go digging for worms???

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T19:24:00.000-07:00

Being a mother is more than I ever dreamed: more rewarding, more tiring, more loving, more giving, more emotional, more everything! I am blessed with a wonderful Mom myself and two precious daughters. I am very fortunate that I live close to my Mom and get to spend these special times with her.

Pretty Toes

2009-05-10T19:10:00.000-07:00

Liberty is three years, four and a half months old and has never had her toenails painted! She really doesn't like us messing with her feet and has never seen me put polish on my toes (thank you pedicure salons!). But I finally decided she was old enough and could sit still long enough to let polish dry (thank you Cinderella dvd). Liberty has told everyone that there is to tell that she has pink toes!

Cuter Every Day

2009-05-10T19:08:00.000-07:00

I know everyone thinks their kids are cute, so why should I be any different?!

My Mother's Day Treat?

2009-05-10T18:58:00.000-07:00

Liberty was so excited on Friday when she came home from Ms. Joyce's. She had a huge bag of presents for me. But the only thing she was interested in showing me was some chocolate dipped spoons that she and Trinity helped make for me. She wanted to know when she got to eat "her" spoon!

Read To Me

2009-05-10T18:55:00.000-07:00

Trinity likes to look at books, but she is not too interested in us reading to her yet. The other night, she actually crawled into my lap to get a look at a book and let me read (most of it) to her. Liberty was about 20 months old before she started staying in our lap to read a book, so maybe Trinity will be there soon.

Budding Artist

2009-05-05T18:43:00.000-07:00

Liberty loves to paint but rarely gets a chance to do so at home due to little sister wanting to get into everything. Daddy took Trinity with him to the store on Sunday just so Liberty could have some painting time!

Shoe Girl

2009-05-05T18:41:00.001-07:00

Trinity is quite fascinated with shoes. Especially shoes that belong to other people. Liberty went through this same phase, but it is still really cute watching Trinity go through it too.

Silly Sisters

2009-04-30T18:41:00.000-07:00

Just a fun day at home. These two girls can be so happy and silly together. We will remember these sweet days.