• Flashback Friday: Hanging Out At Home

    Flashback Friday - Awful lot of talking and moving for quiet nap time - Karlie and Brinac

    Two little critters, Karlie and Brina, who are talking, laughing, and giggling when it is suppose to be nap time.

    Today’s Flashback Friday goes back on October 2005 when the girls were 8 months old.  They have started babbling a lot more and discovered that they could get our attention when they shriek.  Brina especially had a shrill screech she would make followed by lots of giggles.  The first time she did it she surprised herself so of course she decided to just do it more.

    They are happy babies.  We tried to do some fun Fall activities with them this year.  They didn’t understand everything we were doing, but were always up for an adventure.  They were my little cuddle bugs.  Love my sweet girls.

    We love our books - oh yeah - Karlie and Brinac

     Karlie and Brina very excited about the cool John Deere books Daddy brought home for them!  

    Flashback Friday - Brina getting excited and doing her screechesc

    Brina giving one of her shrill screeches….wish I could transfer it into an audio on this picture.

    Karlie giving us a smilec

    Karlie is all smiles as she plays

    Brina is talking this morningc

    Brina talking with Mommy.  While I couldn’t understand what she was saying at this point she loved to happily chat away.

    Karlie loving lifec

    Karlie cutting some more teeth and drooling like crazy, but still a sweet happy baby.

    Brina up close and trying to steal the camerac

    Brina decided that she was going to steal my camera

    Karlie proud to be in charge of Mommy's cupc

    Karlie in charge of Mommy’s water cup, so proud of her big girl duty!  She didn’t even tip it.

    Flashback Friday - Brina on her cool ridec

    Brina loves the riding toys!  Anything to keep moving!

    Hey, what's up doc - Karliec

    What’s up Karlie rabbit!  Not sure about these glasses Mom!

    Sleepy Brinac

    Brina our little two finger sucker.

    Flashback Friday - Daddy's coming back from his first work trip to Plano, TXc

    Daddy’s first work trip away since the girls were born to Plano, Texas!  It was so good to have him back home again.

    Flashback Friday - Awake and ready for their 1st Halloween - Karlie and Brinac

    They are so happy first thing in the morning.  It is cute hearing giggles from their crib in the mornings – Karlie and Brina

    Brina and Karlie taking a nap so they can go out on Halloween nightc

    Brina and Karlie crashed in their seats

    Brina chewing away as Karlie smilesc

    Playing is one of their favorite activities!  Brina chewing on a toy and Karlie looking up to smile at Mommy!

  • Flashback Friday: Growing Up

    Brina thinking about how to get to Daddyc

     Brina trying to figure out how to get across the floor to Daddy!

    Today’s Flashback Friday goes back 10 years.  The girls were 6 months old and starting to learn so much every week.  They are more mobile and on the go.  They love babbling back and forth to each other and to others.  It is fascinating to watch them explore and learn new things.  Our family is blessed with these to sweethearts.

    Brina is the more mobile one, but Karlie is only a day or two behind her.  Karlie is the more verbal one, but it doesn’t take Brina to catch up.  They challenge each other and neither one wants to get left behind so they do a lot of their fun activities together.

    It is cute to see them working together like a small team.  Some of their jibber jabber we don’t understand, however, they seem to understand all of it and will randomly bust out laughing about some inside joke they share.

    Flashback Friday - Brina playing on the kitchen floorc

     Sweet Brina pausing to say “Hi” to Mommy!

    Give us smile Karliec

    Karlie is always quick to offer a sweet smile which makes my heart happy.

    Say CHEESE, Karlie and Brinac

    It’s only been a month since they started eating rice cereal and “solid” food.  The first time we had a lot of tears because they didn’t like it and wanted their bottles.  Now they are all smiles when they get into their high chairs .  They look forward to meal time (I think they consider it another form of play time only messier)!  Oh, how quickly things change in just a few weeks.

    Silly Brinac

    Having fun with Brina as we get her dressed for bed.  She doesn’t look too thrilled, but puts up with her goofy parents anyway.

    Talk to the Hand (Brina and Karlie)c

    Brina – “Quiet Karlie, it’s my turn to talk now….”

    Flashback Friday - What's so funny Daddy - Karliec

    Karlie – “What are you laughing at Daddy?”  She is all smiles and has no idea she has tape on her forehead!

    Flashback Friday - Brina so proud of being able to stand on her ownc

    Brina so proud of her standing ability.

    Flashback Friday - Cutie Pies, we love you - Karlie and Brinac

    Karlie and Brina, they had such pinchable and kissable cheeks at this age.

    Flashback Friday - Brina - I told you I was good luckc

    Daddy’s unique way of giving Mommy some cash.  Brina wasn’t too sure about this new toy in between her toes.

    Karlie - what Mom, I was just trying to get her to be quietc

    Brina would get very upset if she tipped over and couldn’t get herself back up again.  This time when she fell over I think Karlie was concerned about her crying because she stuck her fingers into Brina’s mouth (maybe to make her be quiet, who knows).

    Flashback Friday - Brina a little unsure about the cow rockerc

    Brina’s first ride on the rocking cow (with pillows on either side and Daddy next to her just in case).

    Good Morning Smiley Karliec

    Sweet Karlie

    Karlie figuring out the rockerc

    Karlie’s first ride on the rocking cow.  They were a little unsure about this moving cow at first, but as they got older it became a popular toy at our house.  They loved it.

    Karlie is ready for a fun dayc

    Happy Karlie girl

    Karlie pretending to drink from her sippy cupc

    They are learning how to use a sippy cup.  Karlie sometimes would “act” like she was drinking or play around instead of actually drinking so we had to make sure she was getting enough water.

    Flashback Friday - Brina does not like falling over, she gets madc

      Brina tipped over Mr. Octopus while playing and couldn’t get back up.  She was not happy!  Once I sat her back up again she was fine and her happy self again.

    Whose got Karliec

    Surprised Karlie woke up to a massive stuffed animal on the swing with her.   Where did this come from?!  “Butch” was a large stuffed dog I got as a kid from Grandpa CE and Grandma Willa.  The girls loved to roll around, climb, and play with it when they were little.

    Karlie happy to be hanging out with Daddyc

    Life is good – Karlie

    Flashback Friday - Brina - come close so I can touch youc

    Brina is fascinated with the new toy which we called “Giggles”.  It would giggle and move around the room.  She loved to followed it around the room and knock it over so it wouldn’t run away.

    Karlie concerned because it is getting closerc

    Karlie on the other hand was a little suspicious about a laughing and moving toy.  She was fine with it at a distant, but the first time it bumped into her arm she was hysterically screaming like it attacked her.  After watching it a few more times she eventually got used to it and enjoyed it.

    Brina on the hungry hippo, sitting by herselfc

    Brina riding the “Hungry Hippo”!  They could ride on the hippo and as it moved it would pick up block and other toys off the floor and put them into a storage bin under the seat.  It made “clean up” more fun for the kids.  They both loved riding on it or being pushed around the house picking up scattered toys.

    Flashback Friday - Brina and Karlie playing on Mr. Clownc

    Playing together on “Mr. Clown” mat.  They initially would both fit (with all their toys) and stay on the clown mat now they are getting older they never stop moving so even though they might start there they don’t stay very long.

    Karlie happy playing the pianoc

    Karlie is happy to play music for the rest of us.

    Brina showing off her belly button while Karlie waits for the picturec

    Brina talking and showing off her belly button while Karlie sits there nicely for the picture.

    Karlie - here let me check out your eye; Brina let me check out your mouthc

     They loved talking (or babbling) to each other.  This was one time while I was getting them dressed.  Karlie was talking away so I sat Brina up on the changing table with her and they talked back and forth for several minutes.  Who knows what they were saying, but they were having fun.  They were fascinated by the words and noises coming out of each others mouths and would stick their hands inside the others mouth trying to figure out how it all worked.  Loved these little interactions and the cute gibberish they made.

    Karlie curious about the hat and waking up in a strange placec

    Daddy let Karlie borrow his hat.  He was concerned about her getting a sunburn.

    Karlie cutiec

     Karlie sitting quietly, but not entirely sure about this thing on her head.

    Looks like a cute baby in the laundry basket - BrinacA whole lot of Brina mischief was found in my laundry basket.  They used to love playing in our laundry baskets.  Once they were older they made it a game to climb in and out, wonder how that started?  Sweet Brina is distracted me from doing the laundry, but hey that can wait until tomorrow, right!?

  • Date Night with My Sweet Girl

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    My sweet date tonight wanted to eat at McDonald’s.

    Last weekend I was able to go on a date night with my sweet Brina Bee!  She was very specific about what she wanted to do that night so I went along with her date night plan.  First, she wanted to go to the Goodwill Clearance Center, walk through a craft store, browse through used book store, and eat at McDonald’s.  We had a blast going through the bins at the Goodwill store looking for treasures.  Her big find was a cute FurReal pet dog (new it retails for about $90) and we paid between $1 to $2 for it (the goodwill clearance store charges by the pound).  All it needed was a good cleaning and some fresh batteries.  She was so excited!

    It was a lot of fun walking, talking, exploring, and eating dinner with my sweet Brina.  Love my time with her, listening to her talk, and watching her get excited.  She is a real sweetheart.  I didn’t take any pictures of us shopping, walking, and exploring because the only time we stopped moving was when we finally sat down to eat at McDonald’s!  She kept us going.  We packed a lot of fun into one evening.  Love you Brina!

    date night with Brina

    Love listening to her tell stories, laugh, and have fun together!

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    Thankful for extra time with my sweet B!