This little monkey...

...is getting more personality every day.

As if I didn't have enough hair to fix...

Well, at least I don't have to talk dolls down from a fit when I 'pull too hard'.

Check it!

See that new header up there with pics of four gorgeous kids?

All. By. Myself.

Seriously, I did it all by myself with this tutorial!

Ok, so maybe I asked my husband a couple of questions. Ok, ok, maybe three questions....but still!

Girl Paradise

Day two of our big trip included a disappointing visit to Northpoint Church. I was so excited to visit the church and especially to check out the children's ministry, but they had canceled services that Sunday. (I'll spare my opinion here about them canceling services for one of the biggest Christian holidays, but if anyone whats to know my opinion just ask I'd love to give it!)

So we had a relaxing slow Sunday morning at the mall instead.

The girls and I ate lunch at the American Girl store while Sam and Daddy ventured out to find an electronics store.

I can not tell you enough how well the American Girl company knows and caters to little girls. We had THE best time at this lunch. They had these little high chair like things that attached to the table for the dolls to sit in.
Emily only has one of her twins here cause she left Elizabeth #1 in the van. She said that "Elizabeth was too shy to go eat lunch and wanted to stay in the van."

The waitress came to the table and asked the girls' names (and remembered their names) and the dolls' names (and remembered those too!). They brought us all menus and the dolls their own little menus too.
Then they brought each of the dolls a little chocolate chip muffin. The girls had fun sneaking little bites of the muffins and pretending that their dolls had eaten them.
It was a very fancy three course meal. The girls had fruit and yogurt, mac n cheese, and a chocolate milk shake....typical 'kid' food but the presentation was gorgeous.
We finished lunch before the boys were done at the electronics store so we went back to the doll salon and watched some dolls get their hair fixed and even ears pierces too.
They all stood just like this watching for at least thirty minutes.
I'm already wondering when we can go back!

The big trip and a new addiction!

If you have a little girl, you MUST plan a trip to an American Girl store. Man, do they know what little girls like. I think the girls walked through the store with their mouths hanging open for the first thirty minutes.
There were lots of dolls to touch and feel, and lots of scenes (with little pieces) behind display cases.

Mara and Emily very quickly decided that they wanted the twins, but Becca Sue had a really hard time making a decision. She would see the twins and pick one up and say, "I want this one." Then I'd pick up a boxed one up and she'd say, "Noooo."
Then she'd walk over to the Bitty Babies and say, "I want this one." I'd pick up the box and she'd say, "Noooo."
I finally realized that she didn't care which baby she got, she just wanted it out of the box! So we helped her decide on a set of twins since the other two were getting twins.
Here's what my little baby doll did the entire time we were in the store on the first day. Guess all this girl stuff was just too boring.
All three of the girls got a set of twins from Mom and Dad and a bag and t-shirts (for them and their dolls) from DeeDee and Grand.
Check out their patient little faces as they wait to pay....
This next picture is my favorite...
And then, what Becca had been waiting on....they got to get them out of the box! Mara's doll's names change about once a week. (This week they're Hannah and Karena...what great names Rachel!)
Becca got a girl and a boy and named them Becca and Dawson.
And Emily named hers Elizabeth #1 and Elizabeth #2.
Here's my baby doll with the girls' baby dolls!....(love, love, love this picture!)
We had such a sweet family time hanging out at the hotel, playing/shopping at the mall, and IKEA too. Next up is our lunch date with our dolls at the American Girl store.....

Oh my word....

Squeeeeee!

Can. Not. Wait!

The fat guy in red came!

First of all, I've got to got on my soapbox for a minute and talk about the controversial fat guy in red. We 'do' Santa at our house.

We know a lot of families who don't 'do' Santa because they don't want to confuse Santa's realness with Christ's realness, and they want Christmas to be all about the birth of Christ. I totally understand their decision and am grateful that we each can make decisions for our own families. We have decided to 'do' Santa at our house and that decision was not taken lightly. We talked and prayed about it before we had children. Here's why we 'do' Santa.....

-The birth of Christ is not downplayed at all in our house, and we teach our children that Christmas is celebrated because of the Christ-Child.

-We talk every day about the realness of Christ.

-We do not talk about the realness or the fakeness of Santa.

I got so frustrated this last Christmas with adults (who don't 'do' Santa at their house) talking too openly about the fact that they don't 'do' Santa in front of my children. Hang in there, I'm almost done with my soapbox! So...if you decide not to 'do' Santa in your family, please do not spoil the fun for mine! Whew, I feel better now...jumping off my soapbox.

Now, on to what Santa brought to our house.....
The girls got a new kitchen, earrings, boots that they had been asking for forever (thanks to the Gap commercial), and some new books.

Nana and Papa got them new dress up clothes.
Aunt Carey made them these fun outfits. Oh and btw, did you see their new haircuts?!
And here we are looking at their main present. We surprised the girls with a trip to the American Girl Store for the next day. We're looking through the magazine here trying to decide which dolls they want to get!

Up next...pics of them picking out their dolls in the store and eating lunch with our dolls too....so fun!

Still Kicking...again!

I be you thought I'd be back the same day to show you what Santa brought.....yeah, me too! Not sure where the last several weeks have gone but once again I'm going to try not neglecting my poor little piece of bloggityville. SO....I really will be back in just a little bit to tell you about Christmas!

Waiting for Santa

I have a list of blog posts to catch up on again. I'm going to skip a few and jump to Christmas. Here is my quartet the night before all giddy for Santa.
Stay tuned to see what he brought....

Flood Warning

Bath time....
...in the sink....
...for not much longer.
I'm tired of having to put the kitchen rug in the dryer after every one of Sam's floods, er I mean baths!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from Phil and Carrie

Mara, Emily, Becca, and Sam

Rain, rain...go away!

On a cold rainy day like today, the girls and sunshine in these pictures warm me up a little bit.