Happy Birthday Weekend!!

Once again, I have no idea how to really upload pictures so they tell the proper story in the proper order. Please forgive the time line! We had a great birthday weekend (and it isn't over yet). Nana and Papa came to help us celebrate Breleigh's birthday and got a lot more than they bargained for. They were lucky enough to accompany us to the eye doctor where we picked out Helaina's new glasses. My mom and I shopped at Gymboree with gymbucks and got some great deals and they experience an extremely chilly weekend. (which just felt like they were home in the Great White North but I guess because they came South they were expecting a bit more warmth!)
Don't you just love how you can't help but smile when people start singing Happy Birthday to you!

More Tickets Please- we had to go to Happy Joe's for dinner and we had to play games. Over 300 tickets and I think we got two whistles, two princess wands (that have now become necklaces because they broke) and two packages of sour patch kids.
The popcorn game!
Just a really great picture of Nana and Helaina. Breleigh wasn't interested in posing at the time so she didn't get in on the action!
Our Girls! I took advantage of the cooler temps and dressed them in some of my favorite clothes for dinner.
This is Breleigh showing that she is 2! Helaina is trying to help her with her fingers. It looks like she might be trying to break them but Breleigh is much too happy looking for that to be the case! ;)

Fish cupcakes in the shape of a fish! These were very fun and actually easy to make.
The girls got sailor dresses and they came with dolly dresses that matched. Breleigh also got this new bonnet. We are not trying to recreate it. Oh... and when I say WE I actually mean... My Mom! My mom rocks, just in case you hadn't heard!
Helaina and Lanie match. She kind of likes the idea of matching her dolly. I told her maybe she should put that kind of thing on her Christmas/birthday list.
Papa and his girls hanging out watching a little TV. Papa loves his Fox news and other political shows but will easily give them up for a little Blue's Clues with his girls!

The 2012 American Girl Doll

American Girl announced that they will be releasing pictures of the Doll of the Year for 2012!
Her name is Helaina Grace Moran. She enjoys playing indoors with her pet Wolfie and making her own books. She hopes to one day be an Author and an Illustrator. She really wants to be your friend!

Just Goofing Around

Breleigh just hanging out in the playroom!
Aww..... I probably shouldn't ruin the moment and mention that I told her to give me a kiss?!
This one is slightly posed. I just had to ask Jim to actually look at the camera!
I consider this one of two "money shots" I got the other day. I was using my zoom lens and I have not done any editing on it at all. I think it is sweet. Check her fair, fair, complexion!
What's a girl without her wand!

This would be the other money shot of the day. I did crop this one a little closer. I sure do love my zoom lens! So many more fun things to do with photography!
This is why Jim doesn't drink a lot of beer! Does crazy things to him!

You must wear your sunglasses to drive your car!!!

Don't ask me why there are two pictures of Parker. Also, don't ask why I was unable to figure out how to remove one of them. I snapped this shot of him for fun and I thought it looked pretty cute. Flurry was sleeping some where in the house so she didn't get a picture this year.

I haven't posted in quite a long time. I think the only excuse I have is that I just haven't taken any pictures. I just needed some sun shining days and that problem was solved. Now, that being said, just because I haven't posted doesn't mean there hasn't been anything going on.

The girls and the grown ups are doing very well. We were unhappily forced to get new carpet for the basement after we had a minor water problem. In the big scheme of things it wasn't so bad it is just so hard to fork out the money for new carpet when the old stuff wasn't bad. The basement looks good but it really hasn't been put back to "rights" yet. I keep thinking I will "have time tomorrow" I guess it is true- tomorrow never comes!

Helaina has an adventure this week. She is going to the eye doctor for the first time. She failed her screening at school both times so it was time to step it up a notch. I have no idea how she is going to do at the doc. I am a mother who tries to prepare the girls for everything so we will see if I did a good job. She absolutely HATES getting water in her eyes (she is a real wuss) so getting her eyes dilated should be lots of fun! WE have talked about this part so hopefully the fact that she gets to wear sunglasses will lessen the burden.

Breleigh has decided that she would like to talk as much as her sister. She isn't always super clear in what she is saying but I can understand most of what she says. Fortunately Helaina can understand a lot of what she says so I use her as a translator. My favorite thing that Breleigh says is "I don't like it" and Daddy Daughter Donut Day. She also likes to tell us that the neighbors dog peed. Maggie peed. When you ask her where she always says on her foot. (that would be on Maggies foot, she does that) One day at a restaurant she actually said (while sitting in a booth waiting for her booster seat) Look at me, I a big girl now! She is also getting very good at tattling on her sister. This is something that I am sure will grow to be very annoying but for right now I very much appreciate.
We are looking forward to celebrating her second birthday on April 18th. My parents are coming for the big day. Now, if I just knew what to get the little bug!

I am doing just fine. I had the flu about a week ago and it really knocked me on my keester. Thankfully Jim was able to play Mr. Mom for me. He did a great job and other than the fact that the girls hair didn't get put up in a pony tail they survived just fine! I am very much looking forward to my parents coming. I can't wait to spend some of my gymbucks while shopping with my mom! I don't shop with anyone as well as I do with my mom. YEAH!

Jim is doing great. He is still working his John Deere followed by Weight Watchers. He loves it and it shows. I love to hear him talk about his co workers and how his members pick on him. This part of his life makes him smile so big!!!!
After an MS attack about a month ago we (Jim and I his Neurologist) decided to try a different medication. He now takes a monthly IV at an infusion center. Hopefully with this medicine we can continue to NOT see very many signs of his MS progressing. He needs to be able to do everything her can to walk his girls down the aisle on their wedding day.

In a nut shell...we are doing very well here in the beautiful Quad Cities!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine Breakfast! Heart Shaped toast with cinnamon sugar and pink milk!


Helaina glued all the eyes on her valentines! She HATED these when I first showed her the idea but then she warmed up to them!

My Sweet Little Valentines! I haven't had this much fun on Valentine's Day since I stopped teaching school!


Sweet treat after lunch! YUMMM!
Helaina wrote her name on all 16 of her Valentines. She isn't always sure what letter comes next in her name. We used the white board for an example and a magnet button so she could keep track of what letter she was on.
The girls decorated brownie hearts after their nap. Helaina was able to spread the frosting and place the sprinkles. Breleigh did a great job of placing the sprinkles. I will not be giving these to anyone as I am not sure how many times Breleigh may have licked her fingers!

Right before dinner the girls made Valentines for their daddy. I wrote down what Helaina wanted her card to say to her daddy. Here is what she told me to write.
"I love you. Happy Valentine's Day. You are so nice! We love you and we want to keep you. I would never throw you out. I would love to keep you!"

Random Photos of Cuteness

Notice the bare feet? She does not get this from me! I fight her daily on keeping her socks on!
Breleigh and her baby!
Getting ready for bed with daddy!
Helaina (AKA- Vanna) showing off her handy work on the whiteboard!

Isn't this a classy look. I hear it is the new look for Spring!
This picture was taken with the regular flash.
This photo was taken with the flash and a lightscoop. (Thanks to Jaci for that little hint- awesome)
Breleigh helping to clean up the table. Mommy's little helper!
Helaina and her buddy Parker!
Bald Eagle Days was really fun. We probably went more to see the wolves than the eagles this year. Helaina really liked the wolves. Thanks to my zoom lens we got some cool shots of the wolf!
Breleigh is showing off her wolf tattoo. She, of course, chose what Helaina was going to have on her arm. Both girls also got a wolf stuffed animal to take home with them. Helaina is in love with a little wolf she got at the zoo this past summer. She found "Wolfie's" Mama at bald eagle days. Of course, both girls had to have one!

I am not exactly sure what game this was when it started but Helaina tied Breleigh to the kitchen and Breleigh didn't seem to mind. I feel like that sometimes... tied to the kitchen.
After I cleaned out the playroom Helaina found her favorite place to sit. Of course, after she blocked herself in she didn't want to get back out to get things. Guess who she asked to help her out with that? Hehehehehehe- turns out that little sisters are good for something after all. ;)

2011 is going great for us here at Moran House. Jim is working A LOT which has been quite an adjustment for us three girls at home. He loves working for Weight Watchers and works three nights a week and Saturday morning. I just keep telling myself that at least he isn't at the bar, at the casino or golfing!

Helaina is still loving preschool. She really adores everything about school. She is still taking dance and has the CUTEST costume for her recital. It really is the cutest one out of all of them. Is she going to be a professional dance one day? Ummmmm..... I guess that depends on if she ever learns to skip! hehehehehehehehehe We are going to try something different this summer. I just signed Helaina up for a 10 week session of Jr. theater. I really have no idea what to expect. The class sounded like it would be right up her alley. Fingers crossed on that one!

Breleigh is NOT a baby anymore! It seems that even just since Christmas Breleigh has grown by leaps and bounds. She is stringing more and more words together and she is getting a little easier to understand. She wants to be extremely independent these days. She wants to put her coat on, her hat, her boots, etc. I wish she would get a little more independent when it comes to wanting to go potty on the big girl potty. She has caught on to the making herself go when I put her on but she hasn't really caught on to NOT going when she is wearing her big girl panties. (I know she isn't 2 yet but I was so hopeful)

Both the girls are a true blessing. Being a stay at home mom is the BEST job I have ever had!

Growing like a Weed

There has been a lot of "growing" going on in the house! The top picture is of Helaina now that she is 4! In the picture I am looking at the growth chart looks a little goofy. The numbers looks like they are on the trim to the door. Isn't that odd! My sister gave me the new cherries for the wall so that I could have a splash of color. I just love it! If you compare to the one below I think it really makes it pop!
A lot can change in a year. I can't even begin to explain all the wonderful things that Helaina is able to do now. Of course, there are also many "not so charming" things that she can do now too! She is still our loving pride and joy though!!!!