The ABC's of Being Thankful!

It's that time of year again when we reflect on what we are thankful for. Each year it seems to me that we realize something new and maybe even have a better understanding of why we are thankful. Definitely a bonus if you ask me. We did our ABC's of being thankful and here's what our family came up with,they all have more than one, and if you know us well you will know which ones were group answers and which were individual, and if you know us REALLY well you will know which individual that answer belongs too:)

A: Ainsley & Abby
B: Bradley, Brian, Brandon, Band-aides, Board Games, Books and Barbies
C: Cousins, Chocolate, Christmas Music, Clothes, Colors, Cookies and Caring
D: Dr. Rosa, Dora, Doll and Dancing
E: Earth and Easy Mac
F: Family, Friday Pizza nights, Friends, Freedom and Food
G: God, Grandparents who go by Grandma/Grandpa and who go by Mee-Maw and Paw-Paw and Giving
H: Hugs, Hot Chocolate, Health, House and Helping Hands
I: Ice-Cream, I-Tunes, I-Carly, Internet and Icing
J: Jesus, Jumping, Jump Spot and Juice
K: Kaylee, Kisses, Kindness, Kristin, Katie and Kool-aid
M: Montessori, Miracles, Movies and Music
N: Numbers, Night-Night and November
O: Oranges, Ovens, Outlet Malls and Oceans
P: Pizza, Playtime, Ponies (as in My Little), Parents and Peace
Q: Quilts and Quiet
R: Rain, Rainbows, Running and Reindeer
S: School, Siblings, Sarah, Sunshine, Shows, Shopping, Santa, Snow and St. Jude
T: Teachers, Turkey, Toilet Paper, Time, Toys and Thanksgiving
U: Umbrellas and Underwear
V: Violets, Valentines, Veggie Tales and Vacations
W: Water, Watermelon and Waves in the ocean
X: X-amples and Xerox machines
Y: Yo-Yo's, Yellow and Yo Gabba-Gabba
Z: Zoos and Zooming on the 4-Wheeler

We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! What did you give thanks for?

Wedding Bells

Last weekend was Brian and Sarah's big day! We were all very excited to celebrate with the happy couple. Although Brian and Sarah have been together for quite sometime it was a little surreal to me that my little brother was getting married. How is that possible isn't he like 8? Apparently not.

The girls were especially excited to be flower girls! We had the rehearsal on Friday and they all did a great job. Saturday was a long day. Ainsley was disappointed that we had to go to the church "again" and we weren't just going to the big party. I explained that we had to go to the church again because Saturday was the real deal, the day before had just been for practice, but the big party would definitely happen after the church.

Ainsley was a little teary eyed coming down the aisle but I think it was a little overwhelming for her, and the organs were a little loud. However the all made it down the aisle and posed for all the needed photos. I would say for two 3 year olds and one 5 year old they did fabulous!

After the church we headed to get some photos at the reception site and then the bridal party headed to Miller Park on the party bus for some more photos and after a couple stops on the way back we made it to the reception. There was much dancing by everyone and lots of fun! What a great day! Thanks Brian and Sarah for letting us share your day!

Sarah giving the flower girls their bracelets after the rehearsal at the church was over.


Kaylee opening her bracelet.


Bridesmaids with Sarah at the rehearsal.


My mom with her siblings, and their wives, also known as the Riker Clan.


Sarah, A.K.A. Little Orphan Annie, getting ready.


The flower girls spending some time playing My Little Ponies before they had to get dressed.


Keeping busy coloring while waiting for the ceremony to start.


Brad and I walking down the aisle.


The Flower Girls


Mr. & Mrs.!!


Running through the bubbles.


The girls and I at the church shortly after the ceremony.


Brad carrying me into the reception as we were being introduced.


Brad, Brad's Dad, Mom and sister Kristin at the reception.


My other little brother, Brandon, and I.


Brandon's girlfriend, Nichole, and I.


Brandon dancing with Sarah during the dollar dance.


Kaylee and Uncle Brandon


Brad, I and the girls.


Brandon and Nichole


Ainsley busting a move.


Kaylee doing some twirling.


Doing the Cha-Cha Slide.


How low can you go?

Happy Halloween!

We had a super fun Halloween this year. Much better than last years, since I was able to be a part of it. We had Ainsley and Kaylee's respective schools parades that day. Saturday was a fun-filled day at Brad's parents with carving jack-o-lanterns, making taffy apples and pumpkin pops, and Sunday we visited Mee-Maw and Paw-Paw for some trick-or-treating and then up to Grandpa and Grandma Duffy's for more trick-or-treating and a wiener roast. It was a little chilly but the sun was out and their was little wind so it really wasn't that bad. Here are some photos of our fun Halloween weekend:











Hope everyone had a Sooktacular Halloween!

Sneak Peak

On Sunday the girls and I headed over to my Mama's to get generation photos done. My Mom has been wanting to do these for awhile. We found a great photographer by the name of Laura Elliott. She took one of my cousin's senior photos this year (Ironically after taking our photos Sunday she went in and took my cousin's family photos that afternoon). She is a stay-at-home mom who does photography on the side. I have to say she is SO reasonable and does great work. You can check out her site and blog at www.lauraelliottphotography.com. We were a little worried the outdoor photos weren't going to be because of the rain, but by 8:30 that morning the sun came out and it was a beautiful day.

Last night while on Facebook I saw some of the photos pop up in an album titled "Sneak Peak". I was so excited. So excited that I wanted to give you all a "sneak peak". I can't wait to see the rest!!! For now here is your sneak peak:)

Enjoy!!!

Brad's Birthday!

Brad's birthday was this past Saturday. He is not much of a birthday guy, if he had his way we wouldn't do anything at all for it. Unfortunately for him he does not get his way. At least not 100%. When he got home from hunting Saturday morning the girls gave him his gifts. He got a Wii gun with hunting game and some slimey and stretchy mini-body parts, Ainsley picked those out.

Then later that afternoon we had family over for a bonfire. It was a cool 86 degrees so good thing we had a fire:) While we didn't spend much time by the fire we did hang out outside a lot and enjoyed the day.

Brad got lots of help opening his gifts!



Daddy and his girls!


Ainsley took a photo of the Birthday Boy and Abby.


Wearing their "Dad" shirts!

Sarah's Shower

As Brian and Sarah's wedding is quickly approaching we celebrated with Sarah this past weekend by throwing her a shower. We held it at my mom's house and hosted Sarah and her mom and grandma's and some of our friends and family. We opted for a Sunday afternoon shower and featured desserts. I nervously made the cake. I always make my girls' birthday cakes and enjoy doing so, however this was my first time with fondant and I felt a more high pressure situation. Sarah seemed to like it so I guess I will consider that a success! Everyone seem to enjoy the shower and it put us one step closer to the big day this November! We are all super excited to be a part of their big day and welcome Sarah into our family.

What I am learning in Kindergarten...

We are a little over a month into Kindergarten and I am definitely learning a lot! Here is what I have learned so far:

*It's OK to give up that little piece of control, because sending your child to school is a positive thing.
*Even after the first day has passed it doesn't mean you still won't get teary eyed when you think about your baby in school or when you see commercials about school supplies. This still happens to me.
*The plethora of birthday parties continues in Kindergarten, as it did in Pre-school, tonight I will be taking Kaylee to her first Kindergarten friend's birthday.
*My daughter hops off the bus everyday with a huge smile on her face and skips all the way inside. This tells me she loves school.
*Having a Kindergartner like Kaylee means she will now read to me, instead of me to her, or instruct me on when it's my turn to read and when it's my turn listen:)
*Realizing the school has a library in it will be more exciting then learning your going to Disney.
*Riding the bus is AWESOME!
*Having swings on the playground is also pretty cool.
*Everyday expect to see a green paw print. Any other color=EPIC FAIL!! Especially when you are Kaylee.
*Attending PTO meetings is a great way to be involved, taking your husband with you when they will be talking about the budget is a great way to be embarrassed:)
*The preferred lunch is to take your own because your Daddy draws you a picture everyday and sneaks little treats in there like M&M's and Skittles.
*Being a Kindergartner Rules!! To see the first Progress Report with all +'s and "Great Job!" Makes a Mama and a Daddy very proud! It's a great day to be a Bulldog!