Twin Lovin ...

Happy Birthday to the two who make me crazy and keep us laughing!  We love these sweet, sweet girls!

December Pics

 Kristen took these pics for us at Hammonds Ferry.  Weather was great.  Kids didn't really wanna cooperate.  But such is life.  Oh well.  One day, I will have a good family picture!  I am determined.

 Poor Coleman.  He wanted to hold Ellie's hand.  She said, "nope" and doesn't appear to be worried about him.

 My new favorite picture of the twins.

Me and my girls … Hilley/Berry Family Reunion at Greenwood State Park

sweet hugs and giggles

wake up snuggles at grandmas. 

I DID attempt to do some Christmas "goodies" with the kids.  One time was enough for me.  We will try again next year.  We were making chocolate covered pretzel rods.  I walked around with the bowl of chocolate for the kids to dip their pretzels in.  When I walked around the counter to Clara and Coleman, Ellie would lick the salt off her pretzels.  When I would walk back to Ellie's side, Coleman would pick the chocolate off of the pretzels that were drying on the saran wrap.  Eve was eating sprinkles as she was drizzling some on top of the chocolate.  Clara was frustrated that I wasn't going fast enough.  They were all covered from head to fingers with chocolate (including the chairs they were standing on).  I made a memory … but one that won't be repeated any time soon.  :)  

A new friend

Welcome to Santa Anna Trail, Isi Garrard!  We have fallen in love with her and her gorgeous smile.  She is easy and fun to have around.  Isi just joined Eve's kindergarten class at the beginning of December.  Eve loves her new friend.

Sleeping Arrangements

You've heard about our shenanigans with Clara and sleeping … Well, we decided it was time to let her (and Ellie--who eventually required a mattress strapped to the top of her crib also) out of jail.  We rearranged our bedrooms (once again) so that Clara and Ellie were moved into their own room in toddler beds.  We moved EVERY PIECE OF FURNITURE out of the room, closed and locked the closet door, and took away all toys.  This has worked (for the most part), and the girls love their new bedroom.  Slowly, we will begin adding things to their room to play with.  But not yet.  

I loved walking in this particular night.  The girls have different beds, however, this night, I found them like this.  It was precious.  Clara's head under Ellie's legs.  Not sure how Clara could breathe, but she was.  

Here is another one from grandmas house over Thanksgiving break.  

sweet sisters.

Lately with Eve

First of all, I love that Eve is learning how to write.  This adds a new element to our family that is so much fun!  Here are a few of the notes she has recently left laying around the house.

"Eve is closing at 6" -- a sign for her Doc McStuffins Clinic and her store

 "Do it for Eve" -- to her dad, in response to her asking him to play a card game with her

She started trying to write Coleman at the bottom, but got frustrated and left him off :)

"Dad and mom, I am happy of you.  Mom and Dad." 

"Mom.  I am mad at you." -- To be honest,  I cannot remember what I did to make her mad.  

"Clara did.  Eve is sad."  This requires a story.  

Mimi came by the house one Wednesday during nap time and brought Eve her very own notebook with a cupcake on the front. It was a HUGE hit with Eve, and she was SUPER excited about it.  Once the little kids woke up, life got back to busy as usual and we moved on with dinner and baths and jammies before piling in the van headed to church.  Eve was distraught when she discovered that one of the kids had grabbed a pen and decorated the front of Eve's cupcake journal with "scribble scrabble".  She was determined to do an investigation and asked each of the kids a series of questions until she had narrowed it down.  I worked hard scrubbing the pen marks off with a wet wipe, and when I finished and got everyone loaded up in the van, Eve approached me with this note.  It was her verdict.  Have I mentioned how much Eric and I love this kid??      

This is a picture of me that Eve made out of her and dad's memory game.  She's creative!

Eve -- you are such a fun, funny, and full of life girl!  We LOVE having you as part of our family.  

 These are Mimi's glasses.  Poppa popped the lenses out for you and you wear them ALL THE TIME. Just today, we were at Publix, and while I was waiting to check out, I looked at you and laughed because I hadn't noticed that you had been wearing them all throughout the store.  And I thought people were just smiling at us because I was a crazy mama that brought all of her kids to the grocery store!  

Another year …

Happy Birthday, Clara!!  

You are smart, funny, hard-headed, brave, giggly, and strong.  You are potty-trained and stubborn about getting yourself dressed.  You are not a great eater … unless a bribe for dessert or chips is involved.  You have THE BEST facial expressions EVER.  You are a lover of shoes, cookies, gum, princesses, and Mrs. Stephanie (your GBCE teacher).  You are loud.  You want to be with Eve, wherever she goes.  I used to refer to you as the "easy baby" (and you were), but you are making up for it now with your strong-willed determination and disobedience.  We are working on that -- and I believe that this next year with you is going to be a blast!  I love you so much, Clara Bet.  

Happy Birthday, Ellie!!

You are sweet, gentle, girly, tender, yet tough, and inquisitive.  Your favorite phrase is "why?" … for everything.  You love the letter "E" and say "I start with that!" whenever you see one.  You don't quite grasp the concept of the potty, but you will be ready soon.  You LOVE Coleman.  You love baby dolls, and are the best little mama.  You are whiney when you first wake up.  You think every toy in our home belongs to you and you scream when someone picks up something you want.  We are working on staying calm and using our words to ask for something we want :).  You are cuddly.  You love blue jeans, pockets, and hats.  You will ask the same question over and over and over and over and over until someone gives you the answer you want… persistence.  I love hearing you smack your lips together and say, "Ok everybody.  Listen to me!"  You are a lot of fun and mommy and daddy love you very much, Ellie Boo!     

sweet heart

I was getting everyone out of the bathtub last night, and was feeling a little rushed to get everything accomplished before bedtime.  Eve was first out, so I told her to go get on her panties and find her pjs.  She came back to me a few minutes later with a grumpy, whiny voice, grumbling about not being able to find any pjs and "they dont fit" or "these squeeze my arms too tight" or "i dont like them" and I asked her to stop.  "Eve.  You need to quit complaining and whining.  Go into the other room and think about what you want to say to mommy in the right way.  Have a good attitude and mommy will help you."  "UGH.  I just gotta go THINK about what i'm gonna SAY!"  Eve fussed as she walked out of the room.  She comes back a bit later with this Barbie pad.  She turns it towards me and asks me if I can read it.  "Eve is SORE?" I said (clearly not thinking about my 5 year old not understanding the concept of double consonants or y's that sound like e's).  "I MEANT it to say 'Eve is SORRY.'"

Oh, Eve.  That is precious.  

My favorite apology EVER.

Pretty View

I saw the kids playing up on our hill in the yard this week, so i grabbed my camera to snap a few pics.  Eve and Ellie were the only ones that cooperated, but i was able to get one good one of both girls.  i really like the lighting, coloring, and nature surrounding the beautiful girls here...

I cant remember what Clara was so upset about... I think it was that she had dirt in her flip flops, but this was the face I got :)

A Hard Working Man

Eric is that... a hard working man.  He works hard at work, and he works hard at home.  The kids and I adore him, and are so thankful for the man God has helped him become.  

Coleman

is a smart boy.  He is 20 months old.  He talks in complete sentences and is very aware of what is going on around him.  He can count to 10, sing the ABC's, Jesus Loves Me, Wheels on the Bus, and You've Got a Friend in Me (it's adorable!).  

He is a big eater, but is starting to exercise his strong will at meal time.  He will soon find out that what mama puts in front of you is all you have to choose from ;).  

He LOVES to wear his crocs (that are a tad too small for his chubby feet), and is too cute in blue jeans.  

His favorite phrases are ... 

-i waaa waaa waaa woooddddyyy (I wanna watch Toy Story).

-what is dat?

-waaa take a baff (I wanna take a bath)  

-what is dat?

-yuuuu youuuu (i love you)

-what is dat?

-i waaaa eat oooo-guuuuhh (I wanna eat yogurt)

-shoes on

-what is dat?

:) 

i tried to take some pics of him outside ... he wasn't having it!!  

i love you anyway, Coleman Jude!!

Silly Faces

Everyone in our house is pretty much obsessed with making "silly faces".  I think it is mostly because that is the ONLY time that sticking your tongue out is acceptable!!  :)

Here are some cute ones ...

Make me smile.

Friendships...

I know I have posted pics like these before, but they never get old to me!

They are friends ... and they play together.  Eve and Clara tend to buddy up, and Ellie and Coleman are great for each other.  But then, there are days that Coleman will giggle and carry on with Eve and the twins go off and do their own thing.  I love it.  

New Pictures

Lisa Sawyer volunteered to take a family picture for us after church this past Sunday.  I still had on my volunteer shirt, and the kids weren't posed very well, but here we are ...

Here is a cute face from each of the kids ...

Everyone is playing so sweetly ... 

And lastly, I love pics like this last one.  This was on the way home from Blackshear.  We were down there celebrating June, July, and August birthdays.  Everyone's asleep (including Clara, who apparently didnt want us to see her sweet face).