Where's froggy---Yummy Apple

The other night we went to check on McKenzie before we went to bed and somehow froggy jumped on her back. Good thing we went in there because poor thing would have looked all over her bed for it in the middle of the night. So funny!!!

Many night after Kenzie has eaten she sits in her bouncy on top of the table as we eat. Well, now that she is older she is seeing what we eat and wanting it. She leans as far over her bouncy to grab things off the table as she can. The other night there were a bowl of apple slices and she worked so hard to get it and was so proud of herself when she did. She LOVED it. It was so cute seeing her try and eat it. It ended up falling on the floor and tears just immediately came. She loved being a big girl and eating something other than smashed mixed veggies...

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Trains, Santa and Puppets

What more could a 3 year old really want....My mom takes Ryan every year to Northpark for the morning around Christmas and who knew there was so much for a child to do. This year my dad, Kenzie and I decided to join them. First we saw the trains which were so fascinating even for me. There were displays of different building around Dallas and Ryan even spotted the McDonald's. We then went to see Santa and he actually came out of the chimney. Pretty fun for Ryan who continues to look up the fireplace and wonder how Santa comes down it. Santa told two stories to the kids and since we were number 63 in line to sit on Santa's lap we decided that the willowbend Santa that we saw a couple of weeks ago would do just fine. We ended the day with a puppet show in the middle of the mall. So fun!!!! It was a great day at Northpark.

Ryan's special room

My mom and dad have a room in their house that is right off the kitchen that is Ryan's room. He has all his toys, his own couch, his table to eat at and do arts and crafts on and now it is his Christmas room. My mom has gathered many different Christmas items to put in his special room so that when he came over he would see his room was decorated for Christmas just as the rest of the house. He got to decorate his own tree just the way he wanted to and he gets to even turn on his own Christmas music. There are stuffed animals of all sorts, Christmas books and even a little band of soldiers that play a little Christmas tune. Ryan is in Christmas heaven.

Turkey Day

21 people including McKenzie were sitting around the dinner table that night enjoying ALL of the wonderful Thanksgiving food. My sister and brother in law are wonderful hosts every year. They tackle the job of having everyone come to their house for the holiday. Scott's mom, Chris and his mom are the great cooks and everyone else throws in a little side here and there. Our nieces Ashley and Kaitlyn are so helpful to the old and the young. They help set the beautiful table, get the silverware and they even enjoy feeding and holding McKenzie. Kaitlyn says the prayer every year and she does an amazing job. Evan and Ryan get SO excited to play together. They are just three months apart so there is a friend for everyone. Thank you to Chris and Wendy and to all the cooks for a wonderful happy Thanksgiving.

The Table

My brother & brother-in-law. They look so much alike

My mom, Chris' mom and My mother-in-law

Aunt Bobbie, Uncle Tom, his brother Perry and of course the cutest baby ever...

Scott & his dad

Ryan & Evan enjoying the tent

McKenzie enjoyed her Thanksgiving

Scott, Wendy, Ashley & Kaitlyn
Me and my hubby

My Little Baby

McKenzie is 6 months old and it is so hard for ME to believe. Scott and I had a conversation that went like this.

M:"Scott can you believe that Kenzie is 6 months old"?

S: silence... he's watching tv

M:"Scott can you believe that Kenzie is 6 months old"?

S: turns to look at me and gives the "that's great honey" face

M:"Scott do YOU REALIZE that in 6 more months she will be a year??"

S:"Yep that is normally how it works Mari..."

So there you go. A man vs a woman...or should I say a mom vs. a dad. To a mom each month that has gone by is so sad because their little baby is growing up and you go look at newborn pictures and remember when....and to a dad they are just 6 months old and ol' so cute, but they are 6 months old.

McKenzie is doing great and has really started to have a cute personality. She loves when people talk to her and play with her, but nothing compares to her brother. Ryan can be throwing a fit on the floor or just walking down the stairs and when she sees him she starts smiling, panting and waving her arms and legs. Even though he pulls on her every limb, pounces on her head and drags her from place to place by her arms she seems to love it. She will defiantly be one tough cookie when she gets older.

She is eating baby food and truly enjoys it. Just this week she started getting on her hands and knees in the crawling position and scoots herself backwards. I will put her on the living room rug on her tummy and when I get back in the room she is crying because she is half way down the hall feet first.  Poor thing!!!

Most of the time McKenzie is an easy going baby, but she now is starting to let us know when she is not happy. She has a very interesting loud screeching cry that makes your face and eyes do weird things when you hear it and makes you stop in your tracks and run to pick her up...yep mission accomplished. She is a smart little thing. She is sleeping 11-12 hours and loves her bed. We are having sitting up 101 classes and she is getting better, but I am thinking she may crawl before she sits up. :) She is 27 1/2 inches tall and weights 16 1/2 lbs. She is in the 90% in height and 50% in weight.

What a true blessing. There are days I just can't stop squeezing and kissing her. She is too cute and I can't keep my hands off of her.

I love watching tv

Look I am on my knees

Oh my gosh I can't believe I just did that

I am so cute I can't stand it

Whose Brother???

5 years ago on my wedding day we were taking pictures before the ceremony.  In one particular picture we had the WHOLE family together.  I'm talking aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents... you get the idea.  It was the BIG family picture. 

My mom was running around, as mother's do at their daughters weddings, with an intense look on her face.  You know the look that says "I want everything to be perfect for this special day! Does Mari have lipstick on for the picture?? Her face is a little shiny, she needs powder!"   If you are a woman you know what I mean by zipping around.  That is what ALL moms do when we are nervous, excited or emotional....we zip!!! 

So the big family picture was just another thing that had to be done to make this day special. Once she helped my very elderly grandparents to the front of the picture and got my aunts to stand where they needed to be we ALL stood still and smiled for the picture.  Just as the photographer was about to snap the photo my best friend/maid of honor yells out "what about your brother???" 

My mother's response was "who's brother, where, what brother." And then it dawned on us all that MY brother was not standing with us in the BIG family picture.  We had to find him and remind my mom that she had an older child which made him my brother.  To this day, Jeff, my brother, has never let my mom live that down. 

So, today I sadly say I forgot my brother once again!!  As I was writing the post for my dad's b-day I remembered that I didn't blog about my wonderful brother on his birthday.  Not that he cares, but I care.  So today this blog is about Jeffrey Jon Bailey born September 13, 1973.

Being 4 years younger than Jeff you can imagine what it was like in our household.  I was the nagging little sister that always wanted to hang out with him and his friends.  Man....he had some cute friends and I thought surly they saw me as cute with my permed hair and braces.  I would always antagonize my brother by kicking over his GIJO men that he spent hours setting up...it was an accident... Hellooo!!! 

I would love to sneak up on Jeff and give him a little punch on the arm and then run. Wanting him to chase after me.  I would continue to do it over and over again and finally he would get fed up and come after me. I then would run screaming to my mom yelling that Jeff was going to hurt me.  And of course who would get in trouble?  Yep, my brother!  I know I was such a brat, but that is what a younger sister is supposed to be.  

So one time my brother actually caught me before I got to my mom and held me up to the moving ceiling fan and said that if I did it again he was going to put me in it.  Kicking and screaming I was scared he would really do it next time!

My brother often says that back then he loved me because he had to and now he loves me because he wants to. Now that we are all grown up and somewhat mature we do have such a special relationship. I enjoy when he comes to visit and I could not ask for a better uncle for my children. Ryan absolutely adores his uncle. Jeff can get him to do anything and eat anything. He loves bringing Ryan the LOUDEST most annoying toy he can find and I know that is pay back for everything I did growing up. Even when Ryan was little bitty and hadn't seen my brother for months he would always run in his arms the moment he saw him like no time had passed.

My brother is one of the smartest people I know. He is one of those that knows a little bit about everything. Don't even try to beat him in a trivia game because you will continually be the looser and feel like a looser. He is one of those people that always got A's in school and never brought a book home. He has a heart of gold and can make you not just laugh but fall on the floor laugh. We tell each other exactly what we think whether the other person likes it or not which between us is ok because we know we have each others best interest at heart.

I am so proud of my brother and excited about the life that he is leading for the Lord. He is in seminary at Waco and will graduate in May. It will be fun to see what God has in store for him and where he will take him.

I love you Jeff and want to wish you a very happy belated birthday. If there where a millions brothers I could choose from I would still pick you. I know sooo cheesy, but I do love you and love that you are MY brother......

Happy Birthday Dad!!!

My dad or Pop, according to Ryan, is turning 62 today. I cannot even put into words how wonderful my dad is to me and my family. He is someone I look to for comfort, wisdom, encouragement, guidance and the list could go on... 

To see Pop with my children is a sweet picture because I  know he loves them just as I do.  It is also a comfort to me that he will pass on to Ryan and McKenzie the same words of wisdom that he has give me through the years.  

It takes a special man to be a "girl" daddy and my sweet dad is one of those special men.  Even at 31 I still feel like his little girl.  On those days that I don't want to be all grown up I can still curl up in his lap and just feel little again.   After a hard day of keeping it all together as a mom,  just his hug can make me fall apart.   And I always find comfort as he begins to tell me it will all be ok....and sure enough it always is ok. 

My dad is a man of little words with great meaning. 

Pop is so special and that is why we celebrate this day in his honor!

I love you, Dad!

A Bit Late......

....HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

I just realized I never posted Halloween pictures. We had a great time with playgroups, parties and actual trick or treating.  At our Halloween playgroup each family brought food for a food pantry donation and the kids were able to decorate their bag and pick food to put in it.  It was a wonderful thing to see our kids get involved in helping others.  We had a great time dressing up and enjoying the events of the month!!

At this halloween party Pop-Eye won most original!

Ryan & Kenzie's Playgroup friends!

McKenzie as our little fairy!

Ryan the Pirate!

A view of the playdate chaos!

Pumpkin Decorating!

Our Food Pantry Donations

The kids worked hard decorating bags and then actually sacked up the food!

Baby Emily

I have been trying to write this for several days now, but find that my words do not justify the sadness that has taken place.

A week ago, 4 month old Baby Emily was taken from the earth unexpectedly to be with her Jesus.  WHY will be the question that may not ever be answered, even though I find myself asking God in a million different ways.  As I pray for the family, I find myself begging God to give them peace.  I pray that they have a comfort that is unexplainable, and that they gain the strength they need from our Heavenly Father. 

Emily touched so many lives in her short time and will continue to do so as we go through our everyday life.  I pray that as we hear the name Emily, see it written on something or just simply pass a newborn baby that we will be reminded of baby Emily.  I pray we are reminded of how precious a life truly is and how easily it can be taken away.  I hope that with every moment I will now treasure my children's lives even more.  With every touch I will embrace my kids and with every smile I will remember that life is a gift that does not need to be taken lightly.

Please pray for our sweet friends,  Jennifer and Steve, as they go through this hard time.  What precious loving parents they are and will continue to be.

Bubble Time!!!

Last night Scott was in charge of giving Ryan a bath.  Ryan's new thing is to take a bath in "the BIG bath" which is our bathroom.  He wanted some bubbles so I pulled the bottle out for Scott and left the room to change McKenzie. 

A couple minutes later I hear "mom, mom come here!"  When I walked back into the bathroom Ryan and Scott were laughing and covered in bubbles.  Scott said that he kept pouring and pouring and pouring the bubbles into the tub because there weren't very many bubbles.  Then, he decided there STILL was not enough bubbles so he turned on the jets.  Finally Ryan and Daddy got the bubbles they were wanting!!!

Ohhh, the fun we have with daddy!!

Pumpkin Patch

Last Sunday we went to a pumpkin patch with our good friends Courtney and Wes and their son Jackson. The boys had a great time trying to pick up all the pumpkins, jumping in the bounce house and riding the little train. At the end they even got to pick out their own pumpkin. We had a great time and look forward to doing it next year.