Happy 2nd Birthday Leah!

Two years ago today, our precious angel Leah Claire was born just shortly after 4pm. I have to try very hard to remember anything but what she is today - a little girl with dimples that can melt your heart - that is into EVERYTHING. She is strong enough to open the fridge, which has caused all kinds of fun, but that is another story for another day.

What are Leah's loves? Dora, Caillou, Max and Ruby...plastic dolphin bath toys (doll-feen!) that she treats like baby dolls. You can usually find a few 'tucked in' under rugs throughout the house...string cheese, vanilla wafers, whipped cream (imagine that)...her big sister (sissy!)...her "mommydaddy" since we are apparently one entity...balloons...bubble baths...

What are Leah's dislikes? Shoes...potty training...car rides without the DVD on (tv on, mommy!)...sand...her big sister (SISSY!...followed by crying)...showers...riding in a shopping cart...long car rides (just found this one out on our last road trip)...drop-off time at daycare and church...

We'll always see you as our little angel...you arrived at a darker time when Grandpa was very sick, but you helped us all heal I think.

Love you Bean Bean!

Vacations...Storms...Kids!

We recently returned from our vacation/mini-reunion to Gulf Breeze, Florida. I enjoyed seeing my dad's brother and family, many of whom I had not seen in over a decade. Poor Leah suffered from a ear infection early on in the trip, so we got to check out the emergency care facilities located nearby. Kendall loved having her very best friends (cousins Jake, Ella, and Rachel) within arm's reach all week. Trenton survived the week of total in-laws...extended at that!

We returned that late Sunday and witnessed a horrible storm sweep through the area the following evening. Our home is fine, however some of our land did not make it out quite so well. Everything is cleaned up and back to normal now, but it looked like a tree battle field for a couple weeks!

Kendall and Leah are going up so fast...Kendall began swim lessons today after ditching her floaties last week. She was very excited about the lessons until she realized what the lessons actually meant - ie hard work in the pool with a stranger, not push-over Mommy. She survived however and is actually looking forward to her next lesson.

Leah turns two this week! In some ways, I cannot believe she is already two. It seems like just yesterday I was watching the fireworks display 9 months pregnant, completely terrified at having two children under two. Now the terror has given way to something more like impatience and exhaustion! In other ways, I can definitely tell Miss Leah is turning two...the child can pitch a fit like no other...well, except maybe her sister...but it's still somewhat shocking considering the perfect little angel she was just a few short months ago.

It's interesting watching the relationship between Kendall and Leah develop. Kendall is still the boss in many ways, but Leah now has begun to fight back in certain areas. Just this past week I was grilling dinner outside and heard screaming coming from the house. I turn to discover that Leah has a chunk of Kendall's hair, pulling with all her might with no immediate intentions to let go. They do have their moments of playing very well together and it's adorable to watch...usually it's Kendall being the teacher and Leah being told what to do...but hey, as long as they're both content with that...

One of the trees we lost in the storm

Kendall hugging on her BFF Ella

Leah at the beach

Jolie's Triumphant Exit

Today my Jolie passed away.

And believe it or not, this was an answered prayer. Jolie's condition had rapidly decreased, so much so that I had finally given in to the pressure and called the vet about possibly having her to put to sleep. I have never liked that thought. Unless she was in true pain, I couldn't imagine taking in a live, breathing dog and bringing back her remains in a box.

So today at work, after I called the Vet, I prayed that she be released from her sick body here on earth...and she was. I came home to find her forever asleep.

I couldn't help but cry and it was 3 year old Kendall who took a tissue, wiped my face, and told me it was going to be okay...she would take care of me.

My sister said it best "Faithful as always, she did as you wished."

My Kendall Bee is Three!

My sweetie pie turned three on January 20th! Yes, I am a little delayed in this posting but there will be a few other blog posts about why...so back my Kendall...her favorite color in the whole wide world is PINK (can you tell from the picture?)...her best friend is cousin Ella...she could watch Dora for days and days without ceasing if allowed...she likes sugar sugar sugar (wonder where she got that from?) but doesn't like chocolate - won't touch chocolate chip cookies, chocolate cake, brownies, or chocolate milk...she loves to have her nails painted (usually at least 2 colors) but hates to have her hair fixed (by mommy anyway...Aunt Maili and Grandma seem to get away with it)...her favorite song is "I need you now" by Lady A. (nothing like hearing a 3 year old sing 'it's a quarter after one and I'm a little drunk and I need you now...")...she likes to swing and climb the mini-rock walls at the playground but is still scared of the slides...last fun factoid that mommy is certainly proud of.....drum roll please....she is completely potty trained! She even wears panties to bed at night :o)

Love you Miss Kendall Bee!

Can it get any busier than this?

Our little family has been so blessed! In the span of about a month, we stumbled upon a new home that we fell in love with, put our own house up for sale, and started a new business project! We close on our new home in mid-December and will be moving in the week after Christmas...I just love the character of the new home and the gorgeous acre lot that it rests on! I'm sure I will have plenty of pictures to share with the girls exploring their new environment in early 2011. Because we weren't exactly looking to move, our own home had to be fixed up and put on the market for sale. That has been a very time and energy intensive process - it never fails to amaze me how quickly the kids can undo what I just did. Anyone that tries to live in a home with 2 toddlers and two dogs that must be ready for showings at any moment is crazy! We definitely must have been...

Last but not least...I have begun my photography business - Two Pink Boots Photography. My little 'baby' was born in late November and I've had sessions pretty much every weekend - in case all the other things in life right now weren't keeping me busy enough :) Before each session, I pray that I'll capture some of the beauty God has blessed these families with. I feel so grateful with each opportunity and I think God's teaching me about the goodness in his creation.

Hope everyone is doing well during the Holiday season...although we likely won't send out Christmas cards this year, look for "We've Moved" card in early 2011 :o)

Much love,

Kristi

State Fair...and Photo Shoot Fun!

This weekend was a busy one...we road the train to the State Fair on Friday and then I got to take pictures of a friend and her daughter the next morning. I'm taking the lazy way out...lots of pictures!

When you need a good laugh...

There are times in life when you need a good laugh...like today while I was sitting in an hour long teleconference that was running 15 minutes past...everyone was virtually bored stiff and suddenly a random participant forgot they didn't have their phone on hold and started chit chatting very loudly for all 100 plus of us to hear. I believe her conversation ended with "oh my gosh today has been such a bad day....oh no, I hit myself in the face with this door!"

The entire room of 50 or so burst out into immediate laughter...and we all definitely needed it.

Well, this picture does that for me as well...no matter what mood I may be in at the time, I can't help but laugh at this picture...perhaps it's the look of absolute terror in Leah's eyes...or perhaps its the serene bliss of Kendall's...whatever it is, I can't help but laugh, so I thought I'd share in case you needed a laugh today as well...