IMAGES OF SUMMER!

Scooter Rides...

Playing in the dirt...


Enjoying an ice cream cone...

Exploring Nature...

Feeding the ducks & Being cool

These two really are the coolest kids ever!

LOOK WHO'S 4!

Time has really flown by since that bittersweet day four years ago. We've been through a lot over the past four years with our girls, and honestly every bit of fear, worry and doubt has all been worth it.

Usually on their Birthday I find myself getting a little teary thinking of how their life began, but this year I am actually focused on the two little beautiful girls they are. It has taken a long time to get past those three months that the girls were in the hospital as well as the year after, wondering what the future would hold for them. I don't think we ever will get over that, but at least it is getting easier to deal with. It changed our lives forever in a lot of ways.

So I know it's been forever since I've updated and now I am at a point where it would take days or even weeks to upload pictures and update everyone on the different things that have been going on. So I decided that I would post some pictures of one of the most exciting days of our lives recently. Olivia & Avery's first dance recital! It was the sweetest thing ever. Both Brian & I expected all these little girls to be going in all different directions and of course it turned out to be the complete opposite. All of them did a great job at remembering their dance moves and the words to the songs.

Here they are all done up for the big recital, showing off their roses they got from Baka & Dida for doing such a job!

One of my favorite pictures of the night. Avery belting out the words to Baa Baa Black Sheep.

Waiting backstage and getting a little silly.

Posing for a pic with friends Brianna & Megan backstage

I've also been busy lately stamping up a storm!

I am having so much fun doing this that it's all I think about now.

Here are a few of the pieces I have done so far, to see more check out my new blog this is also part of the reason I haven't had time to update here.

There are lots of different designs and I am planning on having some fun giveaways from time to time!

The girls and I spent the day shopping today. I took them out and let them pick out something they wanted for their birthday. Of course we came home with Barbie. There's a surprise! I swear some days I think our house is being taken over by Barbie and the millions of little shoes, combs and any other little bits the Mattel people can throw in the box just to drive a parent insane! Honestly why is everything so small? Do they not realize that kids hate to pick up their toy's and because of it, us parents are injured in the process. If you've ever stepped on one of these tiny pieces like a barbie shoe, you know exactly what I am talking about.

This year I went against my own beliefs. I always swore my kids would NEVER have a scooter. Well I caved. So tonight after dinner we gave the girls their presents to open and the first was this scooter. Of course they loved it! We put it together right away and headed out. All the other kids on the street are cruising by us, some even without a helmet. While I had the girls all done up in full gear from head to toe. They both really did a great job on them for it being their first time. I will post picture's of it as soon as I upload them.

I am excited to see what the age of four brings. Three was a great age, so eager to learn and try new things. I have heard from a few parents that I know that four is even better!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GIRL'S WE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!

I'M A

VERY PROUD MOMMY!!

Last week while we were strolling through the mall, Avery turned to me and said "Mommy I want to get my ears pierced" I asked her over and over again if she was sure she wanted to do it and every time I asked she said "yes" so off we went. I was a little worried because only one girl was working which meant that one ear would have to be done at a time. She was such a little trooper she cried a little just before the second ear was about to pierced but other than that she was fine. I asked Olivia if she wanted to get it done next but she wanted nothing to do with it. She told me that she would do it when she was bigger.

If you look really close at the picture you will see Avery's new little diamond earrings that she is so proud of and I am so proud of her for being such a trooper!

EASTER 2009

I am very late at getting our Easter pictures posted this year. We had a great Easter but were hit Easter Monday with some kind of stomach bug. Poor Avery got it first, then me and then it was Olivia's turn. The only one spared from it was Brian. And he's lucky because this bug was not nice.

Saturday night we got all ready for the Easter bunny by putting out some carrots and a glass of water for him. The girl's thought he might need a snack since he had so many kids in the world to deliver all the yummy chocolates to.

Easter morning seemed as if we woke up it it was over. It was a completely different experience this year than last. The girls were running around the house so fast that I didn't have enough time to take many pictures of them during their egg hunt. Before I knew it it was over!Showing off all their goodies. The Easter bunny also brought them some new Barbies for the bath. Barbie is a huge hit in our house right now. We had Easter dinner at our house this year. The girls were even excited about that! They are at such a great age right now, understanding more and more how each holiday works.

They love spending time with their cousins and always play so nice together.

My little Easter Bunny

Being silly at dinner

After dinner Grandpa spent some time with the girls teaching them how to hit a golf ball. I think we may just have to get them a golf club each to keep practising with, and hope that our backyard survives the divots!

My favorite picture of the day, Jack & Avery.

ADDING SOME EXCITEMENT TO BATH TIME

WERE BACK!

From 10 beautiful days in sunny Florida with Grandma & Grandpa. We had such a great time travelling with the girls that we are all ready to do it again.

We started our vacation off by swimming and relaxing by the pool. The first day both the girls clung to me in the water but by the second day Olivia had figured out that swimming on her own was lots of fun. Avery wasn't so sure so she stuck close to me the entire time.

Olivia swimming on her own

Teaching Avery to swim

Our next adventure was the beach. The girls were in awe with the ocean and sand. I was a little disappointed that the water was very cold because I really wanted the girls to be able to experience a swim in the ocean. They did go in up to their knees without a complaint.

Soon we were off to the magical land of Disney World!! There are not even enough words to describe how much fun we all had. We all LOVED watching the shows with Mickey & Minnie, Donald, Peter Pan and of course all the princesses. Whenever the show started and we were near the castle the girls wanted us to stop for it. And believe it or not they actually sat still from beginning to end.

We toured Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Hollywood Studios. Each park was beyond amazing. I wish we could have stayed forever!!

On our second day into Disney we had a HUGE surprise for the girls. We spent the day at Epcot and then met up with Grandma & Grandpa at the hotel where we surprised the girls with two new beautiful princess dresses to wear for dinner that night with Cinderella. That was our first surprise. Our second surprise was taking them to the Bippity Boppity Boutique to get all done up like a princess for the night.

On our way to the boutique on the Disney Bus

The girls were so excited to get their hair, make-up, jewels, and for a final touch lots and lots of pixie dust in their hair. Avery didn't stop grinning from the time we got their until the time we went to bed that night.

This place was incredible!! This picture only shows all the little girls on one side, there were about another 10 seats on the other side as well. All were full with little princesses and they were many more little girls out in the waiting room waiting for their turn. We heard nothing but lots and lots of little giggles.

Sleeping Beauty & Belle!!

Every little girls dream is to meet Cinderella, and these two have not stopped talking about this moment ever since that night. Avery tells me at least twice a day how much she misses her and wants to see her again. Olivia had just as much fun as Avery did but I think she would prefer to be splashing around in the pool. That's the one thing she has not stopped talking about.

The next morning Grandma & Grandpa headed over to Magic Kingdom with us. They enjoyed the race cars, the famous tea cup ride and a train ride around the entire park with us.

Not only did we meet Cinderella but the girls also got to meet Belle and Sleeping Beauty. Both princesses are very popular in our house now. But will never be a popular as Cinderella.

After Disney we headed back to Grandma & Grandpas house. We took the girls to one of the most beautiful beaches around. Siesta Key beach. The sand on this beach is so white and it is as fine as talcum powder. The weather by this day was in the 80's so of course the girls played a lot in the sand, made some new friends, and even ventured into the water a lot more than our first trip to the beach.

I had to do it... and she loved every moment it!!

Having a blast at the beach!!

Our second last day in Florida was when Avery decided she was ready to let go of me and swim all by herself in the pool. She did just as great of a job as Olivia and the two of them swam from one end of the pool to the other.

Olivia decided she was ready for even bigger and better things. Swimming around the pool wasn't exciting her anymore so she decided jumping off the side of the pool and requesting that I dunk her head under the water was much more fun.

Hopefully we will make it back very soon to the sunshine state. We had a great time and hope that Grandma & Grandpa will let us come back again very soon.

Thanks for having us Grandma & Grandpa it was great!!

ICE CREAM SUNDAES

Making ice cream sundaes is another favorite in our house. The girls love making their own sundaes with all their favorite toppings. Right now their favorite topping is little candy hearts for Valentine's Day and Nestle strawberry syrup which usually goes in milk but is also really good on ice cream. Little chocolate chips and sprinkles of any colour are also a must have in our house!

Showing off their masterpiece!!

When all the ice cream has been consumed it usually takes at least a half an hour to clean up the teeny tiny sprinkles that make their way across the kitchen. Well, that's if the girls don't find them on the floor first which has always boggled my mind. Why is it that a child will not eat the majority of their food at the table but yet they have no problem eating off the kitchen floor?