Birthday Girl - well, a month ago!

I can not believe it has been a year already! Time
really does fly! (even with those endless nights of no
sleep!) We are so grateful to have Cora in our home.
She brings smiles to our faces! We all love her so much
and I don't know what we ever did without her! (I guess
a lot of praying we could have her!)

"Big Girl"...Cora is the messiest eater by far!
She loves pepperoni pizza and spaghetti. I am
really enjoying being at home with her. Cora
really misses Grayson and Addy while they are
at school. As soon as they get home she is a
happier baby!

This is how I found her sleeping! A little scary, a whole

lot funny! I knew she had decided it was fun to sit up

after I had laid her down, but it has taken a few weeks

for her to figure out she can lay back down...even now

some days I find her folded in half. Amazing she is

comfortable enough to even sleep!

I love this picture of her. This is before she could climb stairs.

She would sit at the bottom and make noises until someone came

and moved her to where we were. Now, she can climb stairs but

gets scared when we show her how to come down!

Grayson and Addy are doing well! They are both getting anxious

to be able to go outside and play more. It makes it harder to get

homework done if the sun is shining...I think there should be

no homework unless it is bad weather! That way we could ALL be

outside more!!!!

pErcoLaTinG

{Nellie}...you make my mind work. Not an easy task. Every year she picks a word. One word to make herself a better person. Last year is was STAND (read her blog to learn more). This year it is DISCIPLINE. So, i have decided that this is a good thing. One word to make me think about me, who i am, what i want to {stand} for, and one word that will help me keep my focus for the year...
*definition of percolating: to become active, lively, or spirited
i have decided that my word is to be {ACTIVE}. This word encompasses both my physical and spiritual being. I have let myself slip in both and i can see and feel the difference. To be an ACTIVE person, for me, is to go back to the basics. That is why i {heart} teaching primary. i get it! i want to live an {ACTIVE} life...sometimes i feel like i am not a full participant. i am excited to start on my new journey...thanks nellie for getting my mind to percolate!

Playing Catch up

Happy New Year and very late
Christmas!

Can we come downstairs yet? We've been waiting and waiting!

Aunt Brittany came to help us open presents. We love her so much! Grandma and Grandpa Seal came to see us, too! Santa made it to our house again this year. He brought Grayson {night vision goggles}, Addy a {nintendo ds}, and Cora a {very noisy play computer}. We were very spoiled this year thanks to grandmas and grandpas. We wish we could have been with everyone to share this year...

Cora @ grandma seal's. She loves the phone!

i've been tagged

I am: a wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend
I think: about all the things i want to do...boy do i have plans!
I know: that my Heavenly Father loves me and my family
I want: to be happy-go-lucky again
I have: an amazing husband
I dislike: making dinner every night
I miss: my family-if i don't talk to at least someone every week
I fear: that i am ruining my kids
I feel: grateful for all of my many blessings
I hear: grayson, addy, and cora talking/babbling to each other
I smell: the sloppy joes we had for dinner
I crave: chocolate
I cry: when i start feeling overwhelmed
I usually: am at home wishing i could get something accomplished
I search: for ways to help others
I wonder: if i am being who i am supposed to be
I regret: not exercising
I love: to sing my babies to sleep
I always: want to try to be a better person
I worry: if i am teaching my kids how to make good choices
I am not: as loving as i need to be
I remember: getting the giggles at bedtime, or while camping
I believe: that Jesus Christ lives and is my Savior
I sing: when i am alone in my car, with music blaring (at night so no one can see me)
I don't always: keep my house as clean as i want it
I argue: with myself and rarely win the argument
I write: grocery lists and then don't go shopping!
I win: every game i play with my in laws (or so they say!)
I lose: keys, even if they are in my hand.
I wish: i could have a craft room to organize and create in...
I listen: to my kids read
I am talented: in that i think i can do anything i put my mind to
I can usually be found: wandering around the house wanting to get at least one thing done
I am scared: that my kids are being subjected to things i never was...i hope i know how to answer their questions
I need: to take more time for me...e.g. exercise
I forget: almost anything if it is not written on my calendar
I am happy: when my kids and husband are having fun together
I want to "Tag": those who want to find out more about themselves

PuMpkiN cArVinG FuN

Cora sporting the "alien" do...her hair is growing in so fast, but not yet long or thick enough to make the antenna curl...it looked a lot cuter before we put on her sweatshirt!

It is fun to watch Addy and Grayson create their own pumpkin faces...I can't believe how fast they are growing up!

Mike and I just kind of sat back and let them have at it...including scraping out the inside. Hands got tired, and you will never believe who thought it was gross to put HIS hand in the goo...yep, the boy! He kept asking "can I wash my hands YET?"

DecOrAtinG sUgaR CooKiEs

Make sure there is enough candy for ALL of the cookies...

Obviously not all of the cookies got candy!!! At least they had fun coating the ones they could!!!

tHe CosTumEs

our LitTle LaDybuG...

the wHitE niNjA...

VetEriNariAn...i don't think so...does she know she needs to LOVE dogs to be a vet? Most of us know STUD the chocolate lab is her nemesis!!!
BabY dOctor...sounds good, but "I don't want to carry a doll trick-or-treating"

our not so SpOokY crew!