January

So here we are starting another year. I decided that instead of making my new year’s resolutions, I would set two goals for myself a month and really work on them. For the month of January my goal was to catch up on my blog and continue to update it monthly. My second goal was to start journals for my daughters. Each month I will journal in each one talking about different memories or just everyday dealings that happened to them. I am really enjoying this because I get to make a record of their life and I want to give it to them when the graduate high school so they can have it as the go on and leave the nest. So far so good on these goals. I do have my yearly goals as well and that is to read the book of Mormon as a family and personally. Layla and I have started just yesterday. Together we were only able to get through a chapter, but we started and that is a major accomplishment. We also say are family prayer at that time too. It has taken time to come around but it has definitely been the best decision as a parent I have made. This month has also brought us crazy weather and with has come colds. Colds led a trip to the emergency room for Lily Mae. A fever that wouldn’t go away and an acute bronchitis infection, just not long after she had a not so good reaction to her flu shot..Yeah (insert sarcasm). Just a few days before that Layla had a run in with a pole at the playground during recess, she after all her mother’s child. Hahaha.. Layla also hit 100 Days of school.. she decided that we would uses noodles to mark that day, and make a “pasta salad” board. She worked very hard on it and did most of the work on her own ( aside from cutting the glue dots on because I have missed places the glue gun). So proud!! SO here is to the New Year and New Beginnings….

November thru December

Cheerleading is finally wrapping up and it seem like the weather is finally cooling off.
The leaves are changing colors. So this is what fall looks and feels like, I have only heard about it and seen some pictures. (HAHA). The holidays have arrived and so did all the
goodies that go with it. We spent Thanksgiving in Cedar Hill with the Floyd’s. Tina and Ms. Bonnie cooked an amazing dinner. Everyone was ready for sleep after eating. The rest of the holiday weekend was just resting and hanging and of course putting up the Christmas trees. The girls started the countdown till Christmas. The days went by fast and before I knew it Christmas break was here. I tried to keep the girls as busy as possible to help pass the time of
being home with all of them 24/7. I know that sounds bad but I was pleasantly surprised at how great they got along for the most part. We had a bake day and invited everyone to decorate cookies, make goop, and rice krispie treats. We all had blast here are some photos and as
you can see the women were cookie while the men watched TV.

Christmas morning came and I was more excited than the girls I think. I love watching them open their gifts. The girls made out. Layla got an electric scooter, a video camera, and a kid laptop, but I think her favorite was the twilight dolls of Edward and Jacob. Lily Mae has been
obsessed with Elmo on TV so Santa brought her very own Elmo, building blocks, and her very own cell phone. My lucky high tech girls! I was very thankful that the girls had a great Christmas.

We also got a special message a couple of days later that we were going to have special visitors at
our house. On Saturday morning Grandpa Gene, Grandma Julie, and Aunt Jaci surprised the girls by waking them up. Layla say Grandma and Aunt Jaci and started to see if she was somewhere else other than her room in Texas. After waking up they took the girls Christmas
shopping and everyone to lunch. The girls had so much fun. Then everyone came home and took a much needed nap on the playroom floor. I don’t know how they lasted that long after
taking a midnight flight out here and getting to our house at 7am. Such troopers that’s for sure. After some napping the adults left for a little trip to Sam Moon for some accessory shopping while Los stayed back and watched the kids. This was my first trip to Sam Moon and boy was I overwhelmed. I ended it up with a new bag for church to help with all mine and Lily’s
stuff. It definitely won’t be my last and now I have a plan of attack. After we returned and had some chili I had made in the slow cooker, we settled down for an intense game of Farkle. I am so
glad Julie introduced me to this game it was so much fun, and of course Aunt Jaci won. She is a very calculating game player. (Love you J). After that we had a mock count down for the New Year and everyone headed to bed early. Sunday was a nice a quite rest day. Grandma Julie had a day at the Layla and India Spa, where the made all of her makeover hair, nails, and makeup dreams come true. Then Grandma Julie made a great dinner, and grandpa provided some ice cream for dessert. Then it was time for another intense game this time it was phase 10, and yes Miss J won again, hahah!. It was so much fun. I was sad to see them leave Monday. We had so much fun and miss them already. Time to plan our trip to Nevada very soon.

September thru October

After 2 long hot months of cheer practice the girls finally got to showcase their cheers on every Saturday for the next couple of months. Now cheer has gone from taking three days to four days of my time. What I wouldn’t do for the girls. Layla and India also started piano lessons. The
primary president teaches them once a week. Layla is really picking it up. They had their first cheer completion and did great! Layla was sad she didn’t win a trophy but the older girls won two so they said they would share with all the “babies” as they call them and she was satisfied with that. They look up to them like big sisters. Lily Mae is growing like a weed. Every time I turn around it seems like she grow an inch. These months flew by and the next thing I know its Halloween. Layla was Princess Belle and Lily was Minnie Mouse. We had three days of celebrations. There was trunk or treats every night and carnivals all over so we bounced around and visited some neighborhood. The girls made out big time.

July thru August

So I have not blogged in six months and I guess it is about time. This is one of my New Year’s
Resolutions. So since June Life has been crazy busy. I thought being at home was
going to be easier than working a full time job, but I was SO WRONG. I feel way busier and stretched out then when I was working full time. July kicked off
the start to the craziness with cheerleading starting. Layla and India started cheerleading for the Cedar Hill Saints. Being a cheer mom I think I got a small taste of High school and boy I have a lot to prepare for. They had practice three times a week for two and a half hours in the humid heat that I was not used to. The girls persevered and picked it up fast. Then in August Layla started kindergarten. I was so proud and sad at the same time. My baby is getting so big. She is catching on quickly maybe a little too quick. I started classes this summer with Academy of Art University and took some photography classes just to learn the in ins and outs of the DSLR camera and Photoshop. I have been enjoying them and learning a new hobby is always fun. Los’s boys came out to spend the summer and boy was it a house full. Thank goodness for outside play and popcicles, and swimming to keep everyone entertained.