Surprise! Happy Birthday!

The finished project:

I spent two months off and on working on projects, sewing bedding and pillows, painting this room! I was so excited to give Abbie her own room for her birthday! It was such a fun project! Happy 7th Birthday Abbie!! We love you to pieces!!

She was in shock when We took her downstairs, she thought it was a surprise for gma and gpa who had come into town for Thanksgiving! It was fun to surprise her! All the hard work finally paid off:)

more projects

Ikea lamp with a little black ribbon goes a long way!

My before paint shot. My handy man neighbor, hung the chandelier, cut and mounted the headboard, and hung my curtains! Thanks!

Abbie's Room project #1

Headboard: a piece of plywood 4x6, cut and covered with 1inch foam.

The nightstands: killer deal at DI $30 for the pair. A can of black spray paint, scrapbook paper, and some new glass knobs.... ta-daa!

New Family Pics!

October 2009. We had the BEST time! Vanessa (http://www.vanessamillecamphotography.com/)is a phenomenal photographer! I was so excited to finally get updated family photos! Enjoy!

More family shots

Abigail~

She LOVED getting her pictures taken!! She is a natural, it was so fun to watch her! She is growing up so fast... she will be 7 next week!

Gorgeous~

Isabelle~

She is our little sweetie, she was so funny! I posted one shot of her talking about princesses, that's how they got her to smile and smirk.

It didn't take long for her to get the hang of posing. Beautiful~

The Twins

Quite a task, but worth every effort. We were throwing apples up in the air to get them to look at the camera. They just wanted to play with and eat them. Getting them to sit still and not crawl away was another feat all in and of itself. But look how cute they are!! I love these girls!

Fun Shots

These were the last photos before just Ben and I. The kids were so done, but you can't even tell without looking close. I just love these shots. It amazes when I look at them and realize these are all my kids!!

Just Us...

This was so FUN! Vanessa is a fantastic photographer, she was taking shots when we didn't even know it and they ended up being some of my favorites! It was the end of our crazy photo shoot, after trying to keep the kids happy and smiling, I was so tired and couldn't stop laughing.

Twinsies 1st Bday!

They HATED the cake! It was very funny. Olivia hated the feel and the taste but had to keep touching it and trying to throw it or wipe it off as quick as she could. Emily just thought it was funny that she could play and make a mess. They both licked it a little but didn't go back for another taste!

What an AMAZING year! I sit back and reflect on all the events that have happened and truly can't believe it has only been a year! I guess it just amazes me how fast time goes, but how much can be squeezed into a year. Emily has been our little angel.... tears fill my eyes as I think of all that she has had to go through. She is now healthy, growing, and catching up fast to Olivia. Olivia has been our joy through the struggles, just a sweetheart, with a smile and giggle for everyone. These two are quite the duo. We have loved learning many life lessons from both of them. Can't wait to see what next year brings...

You know when they have been in a room, toys are dumped out everywhere and very few played with. The fun part is emptying all my well organized toy bins. These two have helped me re arrange my priorities. A clean house isn't necessary ALL the time. Play time is way more important and more fun. Time passes too quickly to worry about organized toy bins! These girls have brought so much joy into our home and family! We are forever grateful for all the lessons we have learned from them.
Thanks Gma Johnson for making the cakes and hosting the party!