Ryan and Casey plus 2

We had a fun few days celebrating Whitney!  First she woke to a yummy breakfast of her choice (cinnamon rolls and sausage) and then we picked her up from school for a surprise lunch date!  On her birthday morning she also woke to a fish tank sitting at her place and was very happy at the prospect of getting to pick out some fish!  Sadly Whitney wasn't feeling very well the evening of her birthday and woke the next morning with strep throat.  She was able to spend the next two days home from school with us (she was feeling much better after her first dose of antibiotics so I loved having her home so much!!) With the rest and medicine she had earlier in the week she was ready to go for her double party day on Sunday.  Whit chose to have three of her friends over for a shopkins birthday party.  They played games, decorated picture frames and even made edible candy necklaces.  An hour after her friends left she was surrounded by family and loved being...

After three days of pushing liquids and running to the potty, we have one very proud and diaper-less little girl.  Meredith did so well!  I was a tad nervous because she can be a bit on the stubborn side but she really took to it well and had very few accidents.  (one accident the first day and another the second but that has been it!!!) She still doesn't like to wear pants.  Her rationalization behind it is...that if she wears pants than how will anybody see her undies!?  haha!   We have ventured out twice and she felt so proud to be in a store and at Mamaw's house without a diaper.  I think she was totally ready for this potty training business!  Yay, no more DIAPERS!!!

When it is way way below freezing outside you tend to spend a lot of time inside together.  Good thing our girls love each other and enjoy being silly inside with us but these winter days could be long! I feel like after the whole dog troubles last week, I've spent more time treasuring the life I have and the wonderful blessings that come along with it.  Whitney's contagious laugh, Meredith's sense of humor and the girls' love for each other just make my days so happy.   Meredith started her very first gymnastics class and LOVED it.  She is not a sit down and color type of girl, she will not read books or do sticker pages with me for hours like Whitney did but goodness, did she love being in this class and being active!  I was interested to see what she would be like since she has never been in a social situation like this but she did amazingly well.  She was a great listener and followed directions so well.  She was very proud and cannot wait...

Ill be the first to admit that I made a huge error in judgement.  I sadly thought that getting a dog would be a great idea but as it turns out, we just weren't ready.  We honestly did spend our time looking, researching and talking for a few weeks before going in to a shelter but none of that would have prepared us for what is was like to have the dog at home with us. Rodney, aka Teddy, was a cute hound dog that was calm and really took to Whitney when we were visiting.  (meredith wasn't with us during that visit) We looked at many dogs but they were either too big, too energetic or both.  He seemed like the perfect fit.  So we brought him home.  The girls liked having him there but he was very loud.  He would howl at night.....loudly and for long periods of time.  Ryan went away for a few days and he got out of the fence too many times and leaving the girls behind at home was not ideal.  They were both so scared and I was done with running...

Our Christmas starts with the Awaited show! Its been a yearly tradition with my family to go the day before Christmas Eve since Whitney was born and it really gets us into the spirit!  This year Meredith was not such a fan, she was afraid of some things and really just wanted snacks that I didn't bring...even though I packed a whole lunch box full!!!  After the show we went to J. Alexanders in Rookwood and had a wonderful meal!  It was after 7 before we were seated so I was nervous but the girls did GREAT!! The next day we spend with the Skeldon's at church and Gammy/Papaw's house.  It is so much fun getting the cousins together so they can play!  All the kids loved their gifts and we remembered to get a group picture which is sometimes a challenge!! Christmas morning was at our house and it was nice and relaxing!  Whitney woke before seven and was dying to open presents because Meredith slept past 8:00!!!!  The girls loved their gifts and h...

We love Christmas time and the excitement that builds as it gets closer and closer each day.  There is something about a twinkling tree with Pentatonix Christmas music playing in the background that makes us all so happy! (if you don't know what Pentatonix is....do yourself a favor and goggle them, you will not be sorry!) The month of December was packed with so many activities that we had to split up sometimes to accomplish them all!  One night in particular, I took Whitney to a party to visit Santa in Dayton while Meredith experienced her second Xavier game with Daddy! The Christmas season kick off has recently been at Aunt Elaine and  Uncle Jay's house for the cousin PJ party.  The kids love their matching PJs as well as the snacks and movie time that follows.  Both girls were sick the start the month but they were troopers and battled through so that we could enjoy as much as possible!  The rest of the month included Mom and Me movie night, coo...