The most wonderful time

The best thing about Christmas morning.... watching the excitement build as we waited for Daddy to check for Santa (start the coffee). We camp out on the steps and wait for the ok. I am the lucky one who gets to spend those last few minutes with them before the unwrapping begins. The cutest thing in the world though is watching my girls run into the living room.... straight for Grammy and Pappy. They bypass the gifts and hug and kiss Grammy and Pappy first. It is so sweet.

I don't know why but the day just flew by too quickly. I wanted more time to sit and play with my girls. Nowhere to go....Nothing to do but brush doll hair and play house. Try out new games and just enjoy each other.

I keep thinking about how fast it is going to go. The barbies and dolls will be replaced with ipods and clothes. I want to freeze time. Hold on to this. I love this age. I love the things they say, their perspectives on life. They teach me every day about loving people fully, speaking the truth, loving life and enjoying each other.

God, I thank you today and everyday that I get to be a mommy. Thank you for the blessing of these little girls.

Merry Christmas!

Santa Express

There are so many fun activities to do around the holidays. Thanks to my hubby we didn't eliminate this from our Christmas to do. I considered skipping the train, we had already done so much.... it was only a week until Christmas. Maybe we should just skip it. The little boy in him won out. He wanted to ride on the train! It was so great that we did it. Our good friends the Booths joined us on Santa's Express. We ate lunch in a caboose, rode the rails with Santa himself and enjoyed a yummy hot chocolate after the ride. We even got a little shopping done at the Outlets.

This was Matt's first time on the railroad. I think he had more fun then the girls did. I love the man I married. Such a kid at heart.

Matt's 1st train ride.

Birthday Girls

Four little girls now 3, 4, 5 & 6.... well almost. Just a year ago they all met, and now they are the best of friends. They share winter birthdays and had an amazing birthday party with some friends. It's hard to believe how grown up the have all become just over this past year. The time is going too fast. Seems like it was yesterday that I was holding my brand new baby....and now she is 5 years old. I keep thinking about how much I just want to stop time. How fun it is to have them this age. I love tea parties and dress up.... not yet ready for shopping and boys. I guess I still have some time.

All things Aubrey

Activities and Interests: playing dress up, doing puzzles, reading, running with mommy, Barbies, Disney princesses, singing

Arts and Entertainment: Backyardigans, Scooby Doo, Jimmy Neutron, Sid the Science Kid, Steve Songs, worship music

We are just learning to read. Short "a" sounds right now.


I to this day cannot believe that God entrusted me to raise this little girl. The size of her heart for others absolutely astounds me. Most days I feel like I have missed the mark as far as parenting is concerned, but in spite of my flaws, she continues to grow into a beautiful young girl. God has given this little girl a heart that loves Him and that loves others. This was my prayer for her, that she would see other people the way that God sees them.

She may be little

She may be pint sized, but her personality is HUGE. I cannot imagine our life without our little Leah. She comes down in the morning and greets you with a huge hug. She likes to cuddle, which I absolutely LOVE.

It's hard to believe that my baby is 3 years old. She still seems so little to me. You can quote me on this, she will be the life of the party someday. She is always trying to get a laugh (usually resulting in some sort of potty humor. Matt says that she will be the girl that every guy thinks she must be in love with them...but she's really not. She's just that intense.

She is learning so much just hanging with Aubrey and I while we do school. She has started singing the time line from Aubrey's Classical Conversations school work (with the motions).

We have decided that Leah is in her own little made up world most of the time. Like everything else she plays intensely. You have to get down and see what she is doing and interject yourself into her story.

She is the light in our day and we love her so much.

Mr. Buddy Man

Everett-Beverett (Leah's pet name.)
Buddy Man
Mr. Diaper Man (Aubrey's nickname for him.)

This past fall we were so lucky to have this little man join us during the week. Bright and early 4 days a week I am greeted by the sweetest face I have ever seen. His smile could light up a room. Aaron and Kristen have allowed us to be a part of their families life in such a special way and it has been more of a blessing to us then they could possibly imagine. Everett is the easiest little guy, just give him some blocks and room to move and he is content. He is teaching us how to have a BOY around the house. There is something just a little different about boys. It is so fun to have him around.

Please turn off your cell phones.

Just needed a day where no one could reach me. A day where my kids, whatever they wanted to do came first...not a ringing phone or a dinging text. Aubrey asked if we could go to Longwood, it was freezing but we only needed to make it over to the Conservatory where it is always springtime. I brought paints and pencils and we found a cozy spot to work on our painting skills.
We painted, we paid in the Children's water garden... they had all of me. We pretended to be princesses locked in a tower. Logan was coming to save Aubrey, Grayson for Leah. I asked who would be coming for me to which Aubrey replied, "Matt, your husband, the king!" Matt was glad to hear she has it straight who the king is.

More days, please, where I feel free enough to turn off the phone and be available for my girls instead of for everyone else.

Take me out to the ballgame...

On Father's Day this year Matt and I and the girls decided to head out to the Reading Phillies game. It was so hot that day and the kids were fidgeting and I was asked for the 18th time to take them to the bathroom. Being the wonderful mom that I am, I turned to Matt and said, "Can you please take them?" To which Matt replied, "I'd really like to see this play." Being my sensitive self I said, "Why, It's just the Reading Phillies?"

Come to find out I have been married to this man for 8+ year and he has never been to a real baseball game.... I mean a really real one. I had been to a number of games with my dad over the past couple of years. It never occurred to me that Matt had never been to a real Phillies game and wanted to go. Nice, huh?

I am hoping that I redeemed myself for this terrible oversight. With the help of our families, we arranged for Matt to go see a Phillies game with his Dad, Grandad and Pop pop... in a jersey provided by my wonderful Daddy.

It was so fun putting it together and giving him his jersey and tickets on his birthday. Just a few short week later he was sitting in the bleachers with the men. Happened to be that wonderful game which went on FOREVER. 16 innings I think was the final count.

Chicken Fairy

Need I say more?

Beach Weekend

I don't even remember the last time that we went to the beach with the girls. We've gone to the lake up by the cabin, it has a beach. Does that count? Julie, Allison and Adrienne invited us for a girls (and little girls) weekend away. We arrived in Ocean City sometime near lunch (yeah, we tried to get there earlier, but...). We sat their in the sand from about 12:30 till 6:00. Down to the ocean, back up to the towels, down to the ocean, play in the sand. That's the way in went for hours. Leah got to see the ocean for the very first time she was SO excited. She would sit on the shore line squealing and waving at the ocean to come back and splash her once more. We made our way to Atlantic City for a night in a fun hotel, complete with pizza, princesses and movies. A quick trip to the shops in AC in the morning. A treat for the girls at the Disney Store and a crazy ride home complete with some potty stops on the side of the road.

Thank you Booth's for an fantastic weekend away.

Today, you became a Christian. Happy Spiritual Birthday Aubrey!

Today Aubrey made the most important decision she will ever make. She decided that she wanted to live forever with God in heaven. She prayed a simple prayer in the back of the car. It is beautiful that such a small child can understand the greatness of what Jesus did for them on the cross.

We pray for both our girls that they would love God with their whole heart and that he would give them courage and strength to share their faith with this hurting world.

I am so blessed that God has allowed me to be a part of such a special little girl's life. I know that God has knit her together perfectly for His will and purpose.

I pray that she will continue to grow in her relationship with Him.

Happy Birthday Grandad!

One of the coolest things about getting to be a part of Matt's family when I started coming around was that 4th of a July was a big deal. Every year there was a celebration of not just Independence Day but also the honoring and celebrating of one very special man. Grandad! I am so lucky to get to be a part of this family and to get to be a part of Jack Webster's life and story. Every time I am with him, but especially on this day I think about all that he as done in his life and the amazing legacy that he is leaving behind. One of faith and respect and courage. I pray for many more birthdays with this man. We love you Grandad! Happy Birthday!

Blueberry Fun

Tie dye for Dad

I must admit I have not been that great about the cliche' Father's Day gifts. A hand made shirt, a tie, a coffee mug. But I think this year we hit the nail on the head. A group of moms and kids from our church got together shortly before the big day and made fantastic tie dye shirts for our Daddy's. Aubrey's and even Leah's came out quite cool. However Daddy and Pappy had ones that basically made them look like giant targets. Oh well, maybe we will redeem ourselves next year. I am hoping that Matt will have a whole closet of these by the time the kids are done doing these kinds of things. That would be awesome!