Going Green

Movin' on Up!

2011-01-24T19:11:00.000-08:00

Our new abode

(Yes, it's currently purple. KSU fans- I tell ya what.)

The big weekend has finally arrived! On Saturday, we are actually moving into our new home (which we have owned since January 7). Let's just say some major updating needed to be done. I can assure you that the wallpaper and carpet seen below are resting peacefully in the Manhattan dump. I seriously can't wait to post about a bajillion before and after photos!

A MILLION thanks go to our parents, Chad's brother, Young Life leaders, and all of the friends/babysitters who have kept my kids over the past few weeks. We could not have done this without any of you! There is still some SERIOUS work to be done on our 101 year old baby, but we couldn't be happier about moving day.

Give Credit Where Credit Is Due

2011-01-03T14:22:00.000-08:00

Well you may have noticed our fancy new family photo at the top of the blog. I must give credit to my fabulous friend, Jen Dillender! I've mentioned Jen before, but I thought that you guys needed to know about her new website. She is not only a super-talented photog, but she is a lovely friend, fellow YL spouse, and all around cool person. Her husband JD is not too shabby either.

Anyhow, I thought I would include a few more shots that she captured on a FREEZING day in Stillwater, OK. Enjoy and go see more pics of our funny kids at www.jendillenderphotography.com!

Beware- these children will melt your heart!

New Year

2011-01-01T13:07:00.000-08:00

Wow, it is 2011. What a wild ride the past year has been. In case you didn't know, I went back to work this fall. I am teaching 7th grade Language Arts and loving every minute of it. Unfortunately, blogging has fallen by the wayside! I have set a few goals (not resolutions) for myself for 2011. As cheesy as it may seem, blogging more is one of my goals. Of course, I don't have the time or energy to update you on ALL that you've missed since the summer. We've had birthdays, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas happen. I'll just have to gradually give you a few peeks.

Anyhow, I'll (of course) leave you with a few photos. I look forward to seeing you more in 2011!

Greens/Camerons- November 2010

Sweet Maggie

2005-2010

Halloween 2010

Our new HOME (project) for 2011!

Birthday Boy

2010-07-22T12:26:00.000-07:00

I really do promise that I will do a full birthday party recap, but I simply don't have a single picture! My mom took pictures along with my new favorite photographer (and friend!), Jen Dillender. Here are a few shots that I "borrowed" from her blog. She is simply AMAZING! I kind of felt like I had my own personal family photographer for a month. I can't WAIT to show you some of the other images she captured of my kiddos! Anyhow, here is a little sneak peek of Cash's big day! More photos and details will follow.

Jen, you are brilliant! Thank you SO much for capturing Cash's first birthday so beautifully!

Time Flies

2010-07-18T22:53:00.000-07:00

Where did the four weeks go? I feel like we just left for Colorado yesterday. The mountain of mail and the giant To-Do List tell me otherwise. We absolutely LOVED every minute of our time at Crooked Creek Ranch. I have special feelings for several Young Life camps for various reasons (maybe because I met my husband at one), but Crooked Creek outshines them all! The property was beautiful, the staff was spectacular, and our Assigned Team was phenomenal. I have SO much to say and SO many stories to tell. I'll leave you with a couple of teaser photos!

We're glad to be home. . . more photos coming just as soon as I can catch my breath!

Birthday Preview

2010-06-14T21:29:00.000-07:00

You may not know that June is BIRTH-MONTH for our favorite little buddy CASH! I seriously can not believe that this little man is going to be ONE! He even received his first birthday gift today- thanks Laughlins! We love you guys!

EVERYONE is excited to open the gift

He loves all of his new clothes and jommies!

He doesn't know that these are to wear, not chew on.

Since we will be at Crooked Creek Ranch for his birthday, what would be more fitting than a Cowboy Party? Here are a few little previews. I'll try to post pics after the actual party!

The invitations

The cupcake toppers

Loot (goodie) bags and badges

Bandanas

My favorite piece- the pennant banner

We'll let ya'll know what kind of wild west shenanigans we pull for this little cowpokes big day!

Summer Breeze Makes Me Feel Fine

2010-06-14T21:08:00.000-07:00

I have 3 full days to have my entire life in order. Ok, so maybe that's kind of drastic, but as you may remember, we are preparing to embark on our Colorado adventure! Being gone for an entire month is SO wonderful, but requires extensive preparation . . . multiplied by 5. As you can see, our girls are ready for Crooked Creek.

Since I should be making lists and packing right now, I will simply give you a photo montage of our summer adventures thus far. There is so much more to come!

We went to Memphis for Rachael's wedding (where I didn't take a single pic- ugh!). The kiddos had TONS of fun in Nan's freezing pool and playing with their cousins. We've got 6 kiddos all age 4 or younger in that pic- whoa.

We also had a visit from our dear friends the Grigors. They made the trek to Manhattan with Baby Gracie and we had such a fun weekend! Grace decided to help me wake Cash from his nap- I like the one where Grace is touching Cash's bum! We also took the Grigors to our splash park and the tots enjoyed mere seconds of the freezing water.

This past weekend, I took a scenic drive to Wichita to visit my college friend Nelly and pick up another college friend Ashley from the airport. What a glorious reunion! But seriously, isn't Kansas prettier than you expected?!

Keeper of the Plains- ask Kristin Neely for a full explanation.

Harper likes to hang out in Best Buy and watch a 3D movie. Am I a good mom, or what?

When it's not raining, we have spent some quality time at the park. Cash LOVES the swings!

These girls LOVE to show off their dance moves. They may not be too coordinated (ahem, Reese), but they sure do look cute trying!

Oh my. Are words necessary? LOVE this little guy.

Current Events

2010-05-05T14:18:00.000-07:00

No, we are not CNN over here at the Green house, but there are still PLENTY of current events. Here is my photo essay entitled "What the Heck We've Been Doing Lately". Enjoy!

Harper has diligently learned her letters!

We've FINALLY been able to head back to the parks to enjoy the warm(ish) weather. Doesn't Cash look THRILLED about this picture?!

We are also learning to get-along with each other. . . this is still a work in progress.

Harper is applying for a job at Outdoors, Inc.

We put away our winter clothes and happily replaced them with our summer clothes! I know, this is a bit ridiculous. Between our 6 kids (Greens/Camerons), we have seriously accumulated some clothes.

We went on an organizing spree and our medicine cabinet couldn't be happier.

Cash loves chillin at the park and checkin out the ladies.

We've spent some good, quality time with our grands!

We finally finished eating all of our Easter candy.

We visited Children's Mercy Hospital in KC to have Cash's birthmark inspected- how cute is he in a hospital gown?!?

We've had a few picnics!

We've soaked up a few rays. Thank goodness for sunshine!

We've exercised our artistic ability through sidewalk chalk.

We've been TRAVELING a TON!

NYC was our most recent adventure- how amazing is that view?!

We've even learned to CRAWL!

Our lives may be hectic, but we are loving every minute of it. Watch for our next installment of Current Events!

**Most photos captured using an iPhone- we apologize for their quality.

Granddaddy

2010-04-29T12:02:00.000-07:00

If you read this post, then you know that our life is currently in a whirlwind season! I feel like I have not even had time to catch my breath. In the midst of it all, our family experienced the sadness of death one more time. While I was in Orlando at a wedding, Chad called to tell me that my Granddaddy had passed away. I wasn't shocked (because his health had been failing), but I was still profoundly saddened. Because of the timing (I returned to Kansas on Monday, met Chad at the airport, exchanged luggage, and he flew to Atlanta that night), I knew I couldn't possibly make it to Memphis. Me, three tots, and a 10 hour drive just didn't compute. Anyhow, my sister spoke on behalf of us both- we were his favorite granddaughters (and only granddaughters). I just wanted to pay tribute to my dear Granddaddy here as well. Here are a few pics and the words Liz read at the funeral.

April 2005

July 2007

December 2007

July 2008

Our Granddaddy

There has never been a bigger supporter and encourager than our dear Granddaddy. He was very easily, our number one fan. His pride swelled whether we were cheering our hearts out at a sporting event, or singing at the tops of our lungs in a drama production. He had a way of making us feel like the most accomplished kids in school.

Through countless Grandparent Day functions, holiday meals, or our wild antics jumping on their bed, our Grandmother and Granddaddy loved us unabashedly. We knew that Granddaddy was going to brag about us extensively to his church friends and anyone else who would listen, so we felt as if we had a standard to uphold. Who would want to disappoint Granddaddy? This total admiration easily molded us into the granddaughters, daughters, sisters, and mothers that we are today. Granddaddy’s love for and delight in his grandchildren’s lives is a trait that will span generations in our family. Already, our parents dote on their grandchildren and it will only seem fitting for us to do the same. Granddaddy’s example of delight and esteem is one we can all aspire to. Jesus told the disciples, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35) Our Granddaddy was clearly a disciple of Christ, as evidenced by his immense love for us, as well as so many others.

One Year Ago Today . . .

2010-04-07T20:58:00.000-07:00

We were at the most glorious golf course on Earth! Granted, I was about 7 months pregnant and there was a lot of walking involved. It was still a fabulous day and I LOVED my shining moment at Augusta. The guys were kind enough to indulge me and my pimento cheese sandwich eating, picture clicking, and obsession with spotting golfer wives. All in all, I loved our experience at the practice round/Par 3 contest of the Masters. What a fun memory!

**I'm kind of a little bit happy he's coming back- is that bad?

So long Augusta. Maybe we will meet again someday!

**PS- all of these pics were taken with my little point-and-shoot. It just goes to show that the beauty of Augusta can not be denied!

To Reese, on her Birthday

2010-04-06T19:20:00.000-07:00

From day one, you made our lives so much more complete. You were the perfect addition to our little family! Everyone was smitten with you, even if you were extremely jaundice. You were quiet, loved to sleep, and all-around easy to care for. Harper adored you and always wanted to help give you a paci and hold you.

We definitely knew you were going to be your own little person. We could tell that you would be a bit more quiet and shy- which still holds true today! You LOVE to laugh- especially at your dad and your sister. Many mornings we wake up to the sound of you laughing at Harper.

You were born with a head full of hair and a passion for thumb-sucking. You still suck your thumb and hold onto your "lovie" to fall asleep. You are also quite the champion sleeper!

Although your siblings look 100% like your dad, you have a slight resemblance to your mom's baby pictures. You are definitely a chunky monkey, weighing in the 85th percentile for your age!

We would say that you smile about 96% of the time. You LOVE to snuggle. Everyday when your dad comes home, you greet him at the door and then demand some cuddle time in his big leather chair. It is just a daily requirement!

You LOVE to eat. Whether it's a cupcake or green beans, you will gladly consume it. I mean, you don't make it to the 85th percentile by eating nothing!

You've always been pretty laid back, but you are starting to hold your own and stand up for yourself- especially when it comes to Harper stealing your toys! You're screeching sound usually alerts us to this infraction.

You are DEFINITELY infatuated with babies- particularly your little brother Cash. No matter where we are, you can spot a baby. You are quite a good little caregiver!

You are definitely a little ham who enjoys entertaining people. If you get a good laugh out of anyone, you seem pretty satisfied.

You've experienced a lot in your two little years, and we always say we feel like you've been around much longer than that. You bring us SO much joy and you easily light up a room. We love you, little Reesey. God blessed us beyond belief on April 6th, 2008.

Happy Birthday Reese!

Birthday Party Preview

2010-04-03T20:01:00.000-07:00

Our little ladybug turned two! I wanted to post a few pics of today's festivities to whet your appetite. We are having an amazing weekend with grandparents, friends, YL leaders, ladybugs, candy, cake, Easter, and so much more! I had SO much fun planning this party and I will share all of the details later. Here are just a few shots of our sweet little ladybug!

Our sweet ladybug!

Some of the spread

Sweets / Dessert Bar

LOVING her little ladybug cake

Such a lovely day!

I promise I'll show more cute pics and details soon. Happy Easter!

Ships Passing in the Night

2010-03-18T13:29:00.000-07:00

Hello old friend. I have NOT forgotten about you all. Our life is completely crazed at the moment, and will continue to be over the next several weeks. I have several planned posts, just no time to execute them. Why, you may ask? Here's our life, in a nutshell:

March 1-4: Everyone in Memphis
March 5-7: Sarah in Houston (pics and a post will be coming soon!)
March 13-21: Chad in Guatemala with YL leaders
March 27: Manhattan YL 5K fundraiser
April 2-4: Our families are here for Reese's Birthday weekend!
April 9-12: Sarah in Orlando for Laura Brost's wedding!
April 12-16: Chad in Atlanta for Assigned Team Training
April 22-25: Chad and Sarah at Regional Retreat in Oklahoma
April 30-May 2: Chad and Sarah MIGHT be in NYC for YL conference
May 16-21: Chad at Frontier Ranch Work Week
May 20-23: Sarah in Memphis for Rachael Garner's wedding!
June 18-July 18: Green family at Crooked Creek Ranch for assignment!

Phew! I get tired just looking at that. Please bear with us as we attempt to be everywhere all at once.

Life and Death

2010-03-04T09:25:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2009

Whoa. That is the best word to describe this week for us! On Sunday I received a call that my 86 year old Grandma Shaw (known by everyone as Maw Shaw) passed away. It was a bit of a surprise and I really wanted to be in Memphis to support my mom and the rest of her family. My dear husband made arrangements and we left around 10:30 a.m. on Monday. We arrived in Memphis, played with the Cameron kids, attended the visitation on Tuesday night, my sister had a baby at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, we attended the funeral at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, went to the hospital to see new little Michael Walton Cameron (weighing a whopping 9 lb. 1 oz.), hit the road back to Manhattan around 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, and arrived in Manhattan around 4:00 a.m. on Thursday. Whoa. It was absolutely wonderful to be there with my family and I am SO glad that we did it. My sweet Grandma was so loving and caring toward every person she encountered. She left behind 7 children, 24 grandchildren, 51 great grandchildren, and 7 great great grandchildren. Whoa. We loved her dearly and we are thrilled that she is now with our Lord.

Harper ALWAYS has a blast at Nan and Pop's house. She didn't want to leave.

Liz and baby Michael. I think she now holds the world record for fastest birth. Seriously, she's a machine.

Reese was OBSESSED with Michael. "Baby" is one of the few words in her vocabulary, and I think she said it around 973 times.

Checking things out

Cute Cameron Clan

**There are a few things I LOVE about this picture- 1-No one is looking at the camera (my fault, I know), 2-Harper is trying to creep in the picture as well, 3-Thomas has an open fly, 4-Sarah Ann is making the funniest face. Greatness

This week was wild and we definitely experienced a full spectrum of emotions. All I know is that God is so faithful.

SBG

All You Need is Love

2010-02-14T16:16:00.000-08:00

103.6 fever. Changing clothes twice during the night because yours are soaked in sweat. Feeling like you are on your deathbed. Having your dear husband do all of the laundry, vacuuming, and caring for your three wee ones while you watch classic movies like "Pete's Dragon" and "Annie" makes for the BEST Valentine's gift EVER.

Seriously people, I have felt like death since Monday. I still feel like death. After two trips to the doctor, some blood work, and several phone calls, there is still no answer. Likely, I'm suffering through the nastiest virus known to man. Oh yeah, Chad was in Dallas all week too. I can honestly say that if it were not for our friend/YL administrator Cory, our wonderful committee, and a few amazing YL leaders (Syd and Krista!), I could not have survived the week. I'm still on the mend, but everything is better when dad is home.

Anyhow, I had high hopes of sending out Valentines . . . that didn't happen. So here are our holiday wishes to you!

Sending all of our love, Chad, Sarah, Harper, Reese, Cash . . . and Boomer, Winston, and Maggie.

Christmas in July

2010-02-05T12:37:00.000-08:00

Ok, so maybe I'm exaggerating just a tiny bit with the whole "July" part of that title. Doesn't it feel like Christmas was an eternity ago? Well, since my sister recently posted her Christmas update, I figured that it wasn't too late for mine. We had SUCH an amazing time in Memphis. We were able to be there for an entire week and it was pretty close to perfect. We also had the opportunity to see several of the wonderfully generous people who support us financially for Young Life. Seeing that we have donors spread across the US, it's always great to see some as often as possible.

Anyhow, brace yourself for the photo deluge. Between Nancy B. and myself, the photo madness can be overwhelming. It was such a joyous holiday season and it filled my heart to be with my family and friends. Here's the evidence of my filled heart.

A Saturday tradition at Nan and Pops's house- DONUTS! Gibson's, we love you and miss you already.

Harper and Reese were so happy to meet cute little Addie Wingo. Those eyes will melt your heart!

Cash and his buddy Rivers Glass were happy to just share bottle time together

Best Friends for LIFE! They look pretty excited about it, right?

Reese was making her move on Rivers. She loves a little baby.

I was so happy that Natalie (whom I have known since 1987ish) and Mali (whom I have known since 1995ish) were able to come over and bring their tots. Notice how I (the mother of 3) am quite a bit more disheveled than these two lovely ladies. Imagine that.

Nan had the lovely idea of buying the "Little People" nativity set. She had grand visions of the little grandchildren gathering around pops as he told the story of Jesus, Mary, and Jo (as Harper calls him).

Those visions quickly faded as the frenzy of little fingers couldn't wait to get their hands on the little people. Seriously, what did she expect?

Of course our children ate such healthy foods over the holiday. No, their Nan DEFINITELY didn't offer them ice cream sundaes every single night. Nope, that wasn't her.

Mmmmmmm.

More chocolate? Why not!

Cheers!

After everyone was hopped up on sugary goodness, it was bath and jommy time. Sarah Ann and Thomas LOVED baby Cash.

I LOVE this picture of the whole rowdy gang. They really played so well together (as long as everyone kept their hands off of Thomas's trains) and loved on each other the entire week. LOVED that.

Harper was involved in a SARS outbreak . . . oh wait, no she wasn't. Chad and Pops attempted to take her to the VA hospital to deliver treats with all of the people that work with Pops. Unfortunately, no tiny tots were allowed on the hospital floor because of the swine flu. She was a trooper.

Our annual trip to the Enchanted Forest at the Pink Palace was SUCH a success. No tears were shed, nothing was broken, and no children decided to wander off down the escalators. That = success.

Does it get any cuter? These two were joined at the hip.

Thomas found the trains. Happiness ensued.

I mean, really? Is there seriously anything cuter than this?

Harper was straining to get a good look at the trains. . .

. . . and Liz snapped this cute shot of her tippy-toe stance.

Team Green

To everyone's surprise, Reese did not cry when faced with the big man in the red suit. She surely wasn't going to sit on his lap, but she was quite happy to sit on that little horse.

Team Cameron/Green

The whole happy crew and our FAVORITE Santa. Seriously, I'm about 97% sure that this is the real Santa. Why he chose Memphis as his holiday photo post, I'll never know.

Do these two look proud, or what?

Do these two look sneaky, or what?

We were SO happy to catch a brief little hug and hello with Hannah Harlow Stephenson. This was literally on the side of Poplar Ave. We didn't care- we were just happy to see this girl!

We also made our traditional Christmas Eve outing to see Grandma Shaw and go eat Mexican food. LOVE the traditions.

Grandma's first encounter with Smiley Man Cash

One of the highlights of my week was seeing my wonderful high school friends. We (strangely enough) still keep in touch and try to see each other as much as possible. We enjoyed lots of fellowship, Chex mix, and a photo shoot. Perfect evening, if you ask me.

The expressions shown here pretty much define each of these guys.

Little did we know that Jenn was getting some practice for the debut of Baby Maddox in August!

If only you could see the huge grin plastered on Cash's face. He loved meeting the Langstons!

Eleanor and Rachael- my high school BFF's

I was a tiny bit worried that we might not leave the Ennis house with Cash. He's definitely a big hit among friends.

On Christmas Eve, Harper helped Pops hang the stockings in preparation for Santa. Nan, did you really think you could get away with NOT having stockings? How dare you!

Yay! You finally made it to Christmas morning. (I promise this post will end soon.)

While three happy tots awaited their destiny . . .

. . . Santa (err, Nan) had strategically wrapped their gifts in monogrammed blankets. That Santa sure knows what I like!

The moment arrived at last!

The girls received some serious dress up gear.

Can you tell that this child is happy?

Can you tell that I love to squeeze this child's cheeks?

While awaiting the arrival of Team Cameron, we had a little snack and called Gram and Papa.

Sarah Ann and Harper were very helpful when it came to opening gifts.

All of the little ones received house shoes- even Cash!

So maybe I got a little bit crafty for Christmas. If you want one of these, let me know and I can match it to your nursery. Ok, enough of my personal business plug.

Oh wait, I can also make you a cute little birdy painting too. These went to Nan and Gram.

Well, I will leave you with these scary looking ponies (they were the "IT" gift of 2009 at our house).

We had an AMAZING holiday season and we are thankful that our Christ was born. If, by chance, you made it to the end of this post, well then congrats to you. We hope all of your Christmas dreams came true. I had no intention of making that rhyme, it just seems to happen sometimes. Oops, there I go again.

I'll stop now.

Merry Christmas!

Delirium

2010-01-28T22:43:00.000-08:00

It is 12:41 a.m. and I am still writing about these . . .

Please let it end soon! The word "forklift" has lost all meaning to me. I feel like I will probably dream about these puppies . . . if I ever get to sleep! 21 articles due in 12 hours. Yawn.

**I promise that I'll be back soon with a fun, upbeat, picture-packed post. Thanks for bearing with me through my utter delirium!

Adventures in Parenting

2010-01-22T12:45:00.000-08:00

Wow, this is completely unrelated to parenting but I thought you should know that I am a crane expert. I just turned in 20 SEO articles on cranes (the machines, not the birds) and I don't ever want to talk about those things again. SO, we shall never mention cranes as long as we live, ok?

Anyhow, it seems that things have been pretty wild around here lately. Chad and I have both alluded to things on our blogs, so I thought I should fill you in. The first instance happened last week with our sweet Reesey. I was driving to a birthday party for a YL leader with all 3 kiddos in their appropriate seat. As I was about to turn onto the street where the party was, a car in front of me ABRUPTLY slammed on their brakes. Obviously, with no warning, I had to do the same thing. I came to a screeching halt and then heard Reese cry out. I looked over my shoulder and saw a pretty traumatic sight. Reese's entire car seat had dislodged from its intended location. How, you ask? I don't have a clue. Maybe it wasn't strapped in? Maybe Harper accidentally unbuckled it when she got in her seat? Maybe the junky seat belt plastic just decided it couldn't hold our chunky monkey's seat in place? Who knows. I do know that because Reese and Harper sit in the third row of the car, and because the seat in front of Reeese was folded up, and because there is a large metal hook sticking out of the back of the seat- Ewww, brace yourselves . . . Reese had some MAJOR mouth trauma. Her poor little mouth made direct contact with that pesky metal hook. Ugh. I get chills just thinking about it. As I glanced over my shoulder, there was a major bloody situation. I immediately pulled the car into a driveway and jumped out (slipping and sliding on the snowy sidewalk, mind you). I pulled Reese out of her seat and tried to comfort her. I called Chad (who was less than 100 yards away at the party) and he ran out. Reese was SUCH a trooper. Very few tears were shed and after cleaning up the exorbitant amounts of blood, she seemed OK. We knew she was ok when she downed a piece of cake at the birthday party. Her lip was busted, the inside of her mouth was cut in several places, and after a visit to the pediatric dentist, we found that three of her teeth were loose. Thank goodness little ones are resilient. As of Tuesday, two of the three teeth had tightened back into place. If the mouth trauma was severe enough to kill the third tooth, it'll have to come out. She will be our toothless little monkey for about 4 years- if that is necessary. We are PRAYING that it's not!

This is the day of the accident. Notice the scratched chin, and remnants of blood around her mouth. Her face had a different "puffy" look for a few days as well. Poor little girl!

Anyhow, after that long diatribe I'll keep the next story short. Yesterday, while the girls were having their traditional room time, Harper decided that she needed a little snack . . . Reese's pony-tail holder was the particular snack of choice. Now, Harper is 3 and she DEFINITELY knows better than to put tiny things into her mouth. She asked me if I knew where Reese's pony-tail holder was and I said no. She said, "Oh, I know. It's in my belly!" Hmmmm. Interesting. We are still awaiting the reappearance of the little green pony-tail holder. I'm not too worried about it.

So, all of that is to say that we have had some interesting days around here. I'm tired and ready for the weekend. Hopefully you are not experiencing anything of the sort around your house!

Rocky Mountain High

2010-01-20T07:06:00.000-08:00

Can you believe that we only live about 8 hours from skiable terrain?! I mean, nothing beats the beautiful Rockies and all of their little ski resort towns. I have spent several summers at YL camps in Colorado and winters on ski trips. One of my favorite memories of college was spending Jan Term of my freshman year living in Silverthorne and working in Breckenridge for a month. It was a totally random experience with a few of my sister's friends. We worked in lift ticket sales in the morning and skied all afternoon. It was probably my favorite job EVER. Kim Baugh Lee, I sure hope you read this!

Anyhow, we took 20 of our amazing leaders to the Rockies this past weekend for our spring leader retreat. Chad's AMAZING parents watched our kiddos and nursed Reese through a double ear infection- they are saints. All the while, we were able to spend time with the Lord, grow stronger as a community, and really cast vision and plan for the upcoming semester. I. Loved. Every. Minute. I think that I could easily live in Colorado. It just feels like home.

Our Fabulous YL Leaders

Greetings from Breckenridge!

Writer's Block

2010-01-13T14:10:00.000-08:00

I apologize for my brief blogging hiatus. It's not that I don't have plenty that I want to share- believe me- I can't wait to tell you all about Christmas, my birthday, and Reese's latest injury. It is simply that my writing skills are being put to use elsewhere. I have recently started doing a tiny bit of freelance writing. Most of it is ghostwriting or SEO writing, which is totally fine. They are easy assignments that don't take long, and I get to contribute to our household budget! The mental stimulation also makes me feel useful. I simply can't bring myself to spend every free waking hour writing- whether that be blogging or not! All of that is to say, I will be back to my bloggy self soon. I'll leave you with a lovely Christmas photo teaser- enjoy!

A Christmas Miracle- all grandkids together for a picture

PS- know anyone who needs a freelance writer? Send them my way! Feel free to peruse my make-shift freelance writing blog- it's still a work in progress.

Happy Birthday Nan!

2010-01-06T13:53:00.000-08:00

Sarah Ann, Nan, and Harper

September 2008

Today is my fabulous mother's birthday. In all of the chaos that is our life (have I mentioned that my Christmas decor is still up?), I neglected to send her a birthday card. SO, what's the next best thing? Well a blog tribute, of course! Doesn't everyone think that THEY have the best mom in the world? Well, unfortunately that's not true. My mom is LITERALLY the BEST in the entire world. I only hope that I can be 1/2 as good of a mom! Anyhow, here are my thoughts on Nan.

December 2009

Nan/Moom/Nancy is pure joy and fun. Anyone who has encountered Nancy B. knows what I'm talking about here. She is FULL of life and loves to share her excitement with everyone she meets- even strangers. If you have sat next to her on an airplane, you know this first-hand. In all honesty, the woman makes a new BFF wherever she goes. She has that genuine kindness that puts people at ease, thus making it easy for them to talk/listen to my mom. I LOVE that about her.

September 2009

She is also the consummate hostess and has taught me EVERYTHING I know about throwing parties or having guests over. Where most people stress out, Nan thrives in these situations. Over Christmas I told her that I wanted to have a few of my friends over for a little get together. The next thing I knew, Nan had whipped up a full-out party spread (mini ham sandwiches, chips and dip, veggie tray, home-made chocolate candies, snickerdoodles, chex mix, and more) and made it look effortless. She knows how to put together a soiree, and I LOVE that about her.

April 2009

One more thing that my mom does best is give of herself. She WILL in fact give you the shirt off of her back. She grew up with little, has been blessed with much, and now gives generously! Liz and I never wanted for much (and still don't) thanks to my dear mom (and dad, of course). She also gives her time, which is SO valuable. She is constantly organizing a baby shower, co-ordianating a wedding, taking photos for someone, baking a dessert for an event, or making a meal for something. She never complains, which is the sure sign of a true giver. I really LOVE that about her.

December 2009

Ok, so now that I've reduced myself to tears (Liz, get ahold of yourself too), I will say:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NAN!

We love you to the moon and can't wait to celebrate many more birthdays with YOU! You bless us beyond belief!

December 2009

Now and Then

2010-01-02T21:47:00.000-08:00

As I was sitting inside our house today wearing flannel PJs, a sweatshirt, a hat, and a blanket, I came to the realization that our life is WAY different than it was one year ago. I decided to document the major difference. Let's all take a look . . .

NOW- those little dots on Saturday and Wednesday are the icon for SNOW, people. Whoa. That big 0 on Thursday is also really staring me in the face.

THEN-The crazy part is that I would have (along with most South Alabamians) considered THIS to be a pretty cold week in Atmore. Little did I know we were moving to the arctic tundra!

SO, as I type this, snow is steadily falling outside. It's beautiful. Did I mention that there is still snow on the ground from LAST week? I LOVE IT! I am so thrilled that the Lord blessed us with SO many things over the past year. We added a boy to our brood, we moved across the country, we have met a SLEW of amazing people, and we have all been healthy. What more could I want? Do I miss our friends (YL, church, work, etc.) in Atmore? Of course! Will I be BEGGING for Atmore temps come March? Probably. Am I thrilled beyond belief that God put us here in Manhattan? ABSOLUTELY! What a difference a year makes.

**Thank you, iphone, for providing these visual images.

Lots of News!

2010-01-01T15:20:00.000-08:00

No, I don't mean news as in "Extra! Extra! Read all about it!" I mean news like, there are several NEW things happening in the Green House. As we begin a NEW year, here are a few of our "news".

First off, my dear husband has started a NEW blog! He caught the fever folks. After "fellowshipping" with a few of my wonderful high school friends, Chad was inspired to become an avid blogger. He had a brief blogging stint a year ago, and now he is back people. Check out Chad's blog, "It's Green Here". I have a feeling you'll love it.

Another major event happened two nights ago when Harper and Reese slept in their NEW beds! Chad's parents came to visit for a couple of days and they delivered some oh-so-cute beds that they found at an auction. It was time for Reese to bite the bullet and sleep in a big girl bed. She transitioned like a CHAMP! Other than a minor incident where she fell off of the bookshelf in between the beds, she has really surprised us with her big girl-ness. Of course, I have photos to document the event!

MAJOR thanks to the Laughlins for the CUTE bedding!

She wakes up happy in her big-girl bed!

A little groggy, but happy nonetheless!

She just does whatever her big sister does

One more thing that the girls are excited about is their NEW dress-up drawer! Thanks to Aunt Liz for some super fun dress-up jewels and Santa for some cute little tutus. The dress-up drawer has provided tons of fun already!

LOTS of pink and purple!

Reesey LOVES her new jewels!

Oh la la! Look at those amazing rings!

Well, that's just a peek at a few NEW things around here. There will be a MAJOR Christmas update with LOADS of pictures coming soon, so stay tuned. Until then, Happy News Year!

Busy Bees

2009-12-18T08:51:00.000-08:00

What a week! We have been in major Christmas mode. As I type, I am in the midst of packing 3 tots and 2 adults, finishing up some crafty Christmas gifts, doing laundry, and a partridge in a pear tree. We are heading out on our Southern expedition in just a few hours and I can't WAIT! It will be great to be back in the land of Southern hospitality! Also, I'm so thrilled to see many of my friends who I haven't seen in well over a year! Anyhow, I HAD to post a few photos from a big event- Harper's FIRST HAIRCUT! Yep, she's 3 and has never had her curls touched. Let's be honest, I felt scared about the curls. How do you cut curly hair? Would it look cute short? Would she look like the top of a microphone? AH!? Thankfully, Chad is a hair visionary. He took Harper yesterday and these are the results!

Looking at her magazine while she waits- SUCH a grown-up

Brushing out the curls- ouch!

Not really sure about this situation

Pensive

CLASSIC face

"Seriously, please stop taking my picture."

Ooooh! Diffuser!

Trying not to smile!

Couldn't hold it in!

LOVING her new short do!

OK- enough typing. See you in Memphis!

A Few of My Favorite Things 4.0

2009-12-15T08:26:00.000-08:00

I guess it's that time again friends! A few of you mentioned that you tried the coffee creamer or downloaded the christmas CD from my last post. Awww, you guys really read this? That makes my day! Anyhow, hopefully my new faves will inspire you as well. Let's get this party started!

Keeping in the holiday music spirit, this album is another great listen. Drew is actually a friend from high school and I can't say enough great things about this album. I promise I would not lead you astray. Download it on itunes (and get their new EP while you're at it!), plug in the ipod, sip some hot chocolate, and enjoy. That's what I do.

These cute little numbers are another holiday must have. Every southern little girl (even if my southern girls are actually going to be midwestern girls) needs a monogrammed dress! Nan snatched these up (with help from Liz and Etsy) for all of the Green/Cameron girls. Won't they look so cute when they sit on Santa's lap for their annual picture?

In completely unrelated news, I am in LOVE with my new hair straightener. Thanks to some family connections, it was free! I am not kidding when I say it has changed my life. Literally. . . well maybe my hair's life at least. Along with the chi, I now use Living Proof's "No Frizz" product. It. Is. Miraculous. Thanks goes to Chad's mom for bringing this jewel into my life. So, enough about hair.

As I previously mentioned, we are keeping warm with our heated mattress pad. Now, add the softest sheets in the WORLD to that equation, and you have a heavenly bed. I'm speaking of Pure Beech jersey knit sheets. I don't even have words to describe these sheets. They are unlike ANY jersey sheets I have ever felt in my lifetime. Bed, Bath, and Beyond should hire me to speak on behalf of these sheets. You've NEVER felt softer sheets- I'm not kidding here, people! Buy these sheets as a Christmas gift to yourself.

And finally, my favorite thing about this summer (although it seems far away right now) is that we will be spending a month of our summer looking at all of this! One of the MAJOR blessings of Chad's job is that we get to go on assignment at some of the most spectacular properties in the country. We just found out that we will be spending part of June/July at Crooked Creek Ranch in Winter Park. I LOVE this camp and know it has seen major changes since my sister and I worked there in the summer of 2000 (um, that's 10 years ago- yikes!). We can't wait for our kids to experience a month of YL camp too. We'll send you a postcard.

So, enjoy my current faves, and I hope your holiday season is full of your favorite things as well.

If You Lived in Manhattan . . .

2009-12-11T12:13:00.000-08:00

. . . and you were on our Young Life committee, or you were Orville and Irma who live next door to us, or you were our friends The Richards, YOU would be getting a little of this for Christmas!

Can you believe it? My domestic skills really decided to show up last night. We just wanted to put together some delicious treats for our friends here, and this is what we came up with. I made Oreo truffles, chocolate dipped pretzels, Ranch style crackers, and classic puppy chow (Rachael Garner- this brought back memories of you!). Now, don't go thinking that I'm a Susie Homemaker or anything. My kitchen was a DISASTER after this (beware of shaking puppy chow in off-brand zip lock bags!) and I was up until 1:45 a.m. making it all happen. We can't ALL be Martha Stewart.

In other news, I (finally) decided to let Cash try some rice cereal. He enjoyed it, I guess as much as you can enjoy flavorless mush. Here he is during the big event.

Looking a bit perplexed

Mmmmmm. Spoooooon!

Kind of a messy eater, but happy nonetheless!

One last thing. . .here's a little Christmas Card Preview to whet your appetite! Happy Holidays!

Everything is Prettier in the Snow!

2009-12-10T12:07:00.000-08:00

Even our tiny little rental house looks cuter with a blanket of snow on it! I couldn't be happier about the LOVELY 10 inches (or so) of powdery white goodness that we received on Monday/Tuesday. It really made things so festive and my kids finally saw REAL snow for the first time. You better believe that the photo opportunity was seized! I do have one little disclaimer- we were NOT prepared for such snow. I let the girls go out to play in the morning in rain galoshes and cowboy boots. I sent Chad to Home Depot for a shovel and a doormat. Thankfully, he made a Target run for snow boots and bibs for the girls as well. What a GREAT dad! Here is everyone enjoying all of the wonders of snow.

This is the view from our driveway

Reese was unsure

Harper LOVED every minute of it

Notice the footwear- not conducive to snow

Ahhh! It's cold!

Reese was kind of like the younger brother in "A Christmas Story"

Better equipped for the elements

"You ready to do this, kid?"

It snowed ALL day long on Tuesday

Snow Angel

SO happy to be SO cold

Notice the little snow baby down there. Love this shot!

Reese was offering Chad a bite of snow

She was pretty content to stand in one spot and eat the snow

Our home

Our street- before the snow plows came through at 5:00 am on Wednesday!

Harper loved to throw the snow AND have it thrown at her

Happy Girls

Cash DID venture out in the snow for a bit, but this was the only shot I got of him in his snow garb. You can still see a few flakes on his hood.

Those rosy cheeks are the aftermath of taking face-plants into the snow

The dogs are still not so sure about all of this.

So, we definitely LOVED our first real snow in Manhattan. Now, come March when there is STILL snow on the ground, it may be a different story. Brrrrrrrrr!

We've Decked our Halls

2009-12-09T17:01:00.000-08:00

As I have mentioned before, we LOVE Christmas and all of the decorations that come along with it. We opened 14 boxes of Christmas decorations on Saturday! No, unfortunately it won't all fit in our current house. I did manage to get a tree in (almost) every room though! We made a fun night of it with hot chocolate, Christmas music, holiday jommies, and lots of "No Reese, don't touch that!" I have loved having it all up and then looking outside to see the snow. It just seems more Christmas-ish than humidity and 70 degrees! Brace yourself, LOTS of pictures are coming. This is really a post for my sister- I know she appreciates it!

We started the night with hot chocolate- a first for our girls.

Reese was not sure what to think

Harper was practically licking the mug clean

Chad read a book- it somehow related a Christmas tree to the birth of Jesus

The girls were SO anxious to get into the boxes

Here, they are listening to Chad's specific instructions on decorating

Reesey needed some help

Harper was a pro

(notice the tip-toe stance!)

The finished product!

(after redistributing all of the ornaments from the bottom of the tree)

Tree #2- this is in the girls' room

Tree #3- This is in Cash's room

Tree #4- This is in our room. . .

. . .and it has one of these for each year Chad and I have been married/engaged.

(Chad's parents and the Laughlins do this too and they have enough to fill an entire tree- I can't WAIT for that!)

Some other favorite areas of decorations include. . .

This is by our front door (pardon the dog bed). I LOVE mercury glass and it is perfect with some simple greenery and lights.

Here's an up-close look

Since we didn't have room for our other large tree, I used some of its ornaments to fill this mercury glass urn.

No fireplace for the stockings? No problem! This was Chad's clever idea.

Some ribbon and different colored candles gave my everyday pewter candlesticks a holiday update!

Nativity or Nativi-TV?

My hodgepodge of holiday dishes

Well, that's the complete holiday home tour. I hope you enjoyed the peek inside our little happy home. Sending warmest holiday wishes from our home to yours!

Baby, It's Cold Outside

2009-12-04T12:34:00.000-08:00

It's 33 degrees right now, to be exact! I'll be the first to admit that I LOOOOOOVE cold weather, but my body is NOT accustomed to it just yet. Anyhow, it may be cold outside, but thanks to the generosity of Gram, Papa, and the Laughlins, we are staying warm AND super cute! Here's proof:

Our new flannel Christmas "jommies" are keeping us NICE and warm.

"Cheeeeeeeese"

Winston sitting still for Reese to pet him? Now THAT'S a Christmas miracle!

Just call her Rainbow Bright

Sassy Lady

Harper is pretending to take a picture with her pretend phone- and we used to pretend to play "banker" with my mom's old checks. Kids today.

LOVE this little skirt!

What photo should would be complete without a DANCE PARTY!

Not sure if you knew, but Harper is actually doing the "Stanky Leg" here.

Reesey is gettin LOW

Yesterday, they kept it real in their fleece hoods, ya'll.

Oh my word- I love that face!

He may not be sporting the latest fashion, but he is pretty darn cute.

While the kiddos have been keeping warm in their oh-so-cute clothes, Chad and I have been keeping warm with THIS:

Life. Changing.

This little beauty is AMAZING. When it's 16 degrees at night, it's nice to get into a pre-heated bed. Seriously, best sleep ever.

So, we are staying warm (I know, winter has just begun) and looking forward to our first snow (possibly on Sunday!). We hope these warm wishes find you well!

Thanks-mas

2009-12-01T21:18:00.000-08:00

When Chad and I were engaged, we set into motion the "Holiday Schedule". Although it didn't happen one year, we have made every effort to stick to our schedule. We alternate Thanksgiving and Christmas each year for each family. This year we spent Thanksgiving in Tulsa with the Greens/Laughlins and we will spend Christmas in Memphis with the Bryans/Camerons (and all of my high school friends that I have missed so dearly!). Since we will not see the Laughlins again, we went ahead and celebrated Christmas with them as well. It was a joyous Thanks-mas and here are the many photos to prove it!

Before we left on Monday night, I was trying to pack (it's not an easy task to pack two adults and three tots) and I just let the girls tear our den to bits. Harper said it was a "park". They were having fun and it kept them busy for quite a while.

I love the look of pure joy on Reese's face!

Harper being sassy

Oh, the faces of this girl!

The kids slept great in the car and woke up in Tulsa the next morning! PJ's and a movie were an appropriate morning activity.

Reese spending some quality time with Papa and Hank

We received these fun shirts from Nan. A friend of our family has a great little business that makes these cute shirts. This is the only decent picture of all three of our little turkeys!

Twins

Tilly enjoyed the girls' new chair

The cooking began early on Thursday- here Craig, Blake, and Sarah Laughlin are making the noodles.

Busy Bees

I used these honey crisp apples to make . . .

. . . THIS apple crisp. I was proud of my contribution.

This was a BUSY place on Thanksgiving Day.

Preparing for the feast!

Harper was killing some time before the big meal.

Mmmmmm. Just some of the spread

Our best attempt at a family pic

Harper made sure that EVERYONE saw her "bear bottom"

Now to start the Christmas portion of our day- Blake played Santa

Can you tell that she's a little bit excited?

Reese was clapping for joy! Yay for Thanks-mas!

Vicki, Sarah, Cash, and Sue enjoying Thanks-mas

We played "pass the Cash" all weekend long. Craig and Katie were trying to teach him to say "Hook 'Em Horns!"

Harper waited SO patiently until it was her turn. She looks so anxious!

We closed out the day with a Thanks-mas funfetti cake. What is Thanks-mas without funfetti?

Obviously Reese enjoyed it

All in all, it was a wonderful week. We feel so grateful for such wonderful and loving family members! Next stop, Nan and Pop's house! Merry Thanks-mas!

Inside Adventures

2009-11-20T12:47:00.000-08:00

As the weather gets colder (we had snow flurries on Monday!), we have to get more and more creative with our inside activities. You can only have so many dance parties before they get old. So, for Cash we caved in and purchased a Johnny Jump Up. Chad loved playing in one of these back in his day (according to Sue), so naturally we thought Cash would love it. We also returned our exersaucer to its rightful owner, so the little man needed something to stand in! Anyhow, he's still perfecting his bounce and getting the hang of it (pun intended).

I love how his little legs look!

Just hanging around

Now as you know, the girls also have their "room time" where they get creative. Today, I came in to find them sitting like this:

Harper said they were, "watching a movie and eating spaghetti." I thought, "Awww, how cute. I must get my camera and take a picture!" Then I took a closer look. I said, "Harper, what is that in your mouth?" She replied, "It's spaghetti, Mom." To which I said, "Ok, but what IS that spaghetti?" To which she said, "It's Reese's bow." What was formerly a cute bow is now spaghetti.

The spaghetti

Sad day for the bow

This was Harper "pausing" the movie

Cheeeeeese

Our final adventure before nap time was creating a Tent City. Harper loved crawling under all of the blankets, while Reese enjoyed tearing them down.

Blankets and curtains make for a fun afternoon

Loving the tents

Runaway bottom

Peek-a-boo

Tearing down the city

All in all, it was a good day. I'm thankful that my kids can have fun and be creative in any situation.

Twilight Moms

2009-11-19T20:08:00.000-08:00

*Disclaimer- this post doesn't contain any pictures of the kiddos. Sorry Grandparents!

So after a tumultuous morning of the dogs running away for an hour, I was finally able to start my morning. The girls were having room time and I was in desperate need of caffeine. I finally settled in with my coffee and a mountain of laundry to watch Regis and Kelly. I was a little bit excited to see that they were having Robert Pattinson on their show today.

Robert Pattinson

Now, if you've been living under a rock and don't know who he is (ahem, Liz), he is the teen heart-throb and star of the Twilight saga. If you don't know what the Twilight saga is, then there is nothing I can do for you.

Anyhow, I digress. SO, Robert was smoldering and trying to look mysterious when Regis and Kelly drew his attention to a row of women in the audience. They were TWILIGHT MOMS. They even had sweet bedazzled shirts similar to this:

I chuckled and thought about how funny it was that these women who were CLEARLY 40 and up were SO dedicated to these books/movies that they had shirts and were squealing like middle school girls! Then, another thought crept into my mind . . . am I a Twilight Mom?!?! No, my immediate thought was NO. I mean, I read these books while I was teaching 6th graders. I got them for Christmas and read all 4 books within a few days. No big deal. I wanted to have my finger on the pulse of my students and what they thought was "cool" literature. I also used sentences and paragraphs out of these books as writing samples (some were samples of good descriptive writing, and some were samples of BAD writing). I mean, it was strictly for work, right?

THEN I started thinking about the fact that if I didn't have 3 tots to take care of, I would DEFINITELY be at a midnight showing of New Moon tonight (so I definitely have the mom part). I also think that Robert Pattinson is somewhat handsome (for a younger man, of course). I also sort of liked the books (they aren't literary masterpieces or anything). I also would say that I'm on team Edward (mom, you will have no idea what that means). I also read all 4 books in a few days. So, am I a Twilight Mom?!?

I would say to some extent, I might be a mild version of a Twilight Mom. No, I'm not going to wear a bedazzled shirt of any kind and I'm not going to hang anything with any likeness of any character from the movie in my room. I will go see the movie and maybe read the books again one day. I am simply a fan, so don't judge. Who's with me? Anyone?

Fancies

2009-11-18T12:22:00.000-08:00

Harper has long been obsessed with her little princess shoes, which she refers to as "fancies". It feels like we own about 273 pairs of these shoes. I also recall days of squeezing my feet into similar tiny shoes when I was younger. Today Harper decided to teach Reese how to work the fancy shoes. Reese was a natural. Harper was strutting so hard that she ended up with a blister. It's tough being sassy.

"Ok, Reese. Put this one on your left foot."

Harper has worked with the posing a bit more than Reese

Mesmerized

Love it

Reese is a little ham!

Happy Wednesday from our fancy world to yours!

Reese's Big Day

2009-11-17T18:42:00.000-08:00

I first must give major snaps to Chad for his ghost-blogging! Wasn't his video montage the best?! Way to go, Chad! SO, today was a big day for our little Reese. We started the day at the doctor for Cash's 4 month check up (yes, he's already 4.5 months old) and Reese's 18 month check up (yes, she's already 19.5 months old). Reese weighs a whopping 27 lbs. (77%) and is only 32 in. long (46%). SO, she's basically a chunky monkey. She took her shots like a champ and after having some blood drawn (my LEAST favorite part of the day), we were on our way. Here's a look at everyone enjoying the doctor.

Waiting on Dr. Dove

Being a good big sister

Chillin like a villain

After nap time, Chad woke Reese up to go get her FIRST haircut! I mean, she didn't really NEED her hair cut, but Chad just thought she would be too cute with a little bob. Don't you think he was just MADE to be a father of girls?! He was SO right. Reese's cut turned out SO cute. Here are a few before/during/after shots.

Before the big event!

Love that sweet mullet

Hmmm. Zebra? On a baby?

Chad said she was so quiet and pensive during the process

Not sure what to think

It's getting shorter!

Time for a blow dry!

THE FINISHED PRODUCT!

How cute is she?

Bob from the back

SO, today was quite the adveturous day for our little Reesey. She's a delight EVERY day, but today she was extra sweet. I think that new bob might get her out of some trouble this week!

A Fun Video

2009-11-17T17:04:00.000-08:00

This is just a short slideshow of our lives to some fun music. We are a blessed family!

Come And Get It!

2009-11-12T16:34:00.000-08:00

Here's an average day of meals at the Green house.

LUNCH: The girls were dancing around in the den and waving hand towels around. Why, you ask? Who knows. BUT, Harper quickly suggested that they sit on their towels and have a picnic lunch in the den. Great idea, Harper! Anything to spice up our daily routine is welcomed. SO, here's our fabulous quesadilla picnic!

Reese has learned how to say "cheeeeeeeese" for the camera

Harper showing off her gourmet quesadilla

As long as this child has food, she's happy

Boomer and Winston anxiously awaited a single crumb

Cash got in on the action. . . the girls LOVE to rub his head

Baby communication is great

Pondering

Posing

The whole picnic gang

DINNER: Here's the scenario- Chad is coming home late, I needed to go to the grocery store two days ago, and little girls get GRUMPY when they are hungry. The answer? PANCAKES and POPSICLES. Enough said.

They had blueberries in them, so they were a tiny bit healthy, right?

Popsicles are also made of fruit, right?

Sometimes, you just have to live a little.

A Few of My Favorite Things 3.0

2009-11-11T12:49:00.000-08:00

I can't remember if I've ever been SO excited for Christmas SO early. I mean, can't you feel it? I try not to listen to Christmas music or get out any decorations before Thanksgiving, but I just don't know if I can help myself! We are celebrating Christmas with Chad's extended family (We can't wait, Laughlins!) over Thanksgiving, so maybe that's why? Who knows! All I know is that some of my favorite things involve the holidays, so don't hate. Here we go:

#1- If you can't enjoy the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte', then I've got the next best thing for YOU! This creamer really does come close to the real thing. My initial thoughts: Pumpkin flavor + coffee flavor = scary. My current thoughts: pumpkin spice goodness + coffee flavor = pure delight. Seriously, Coffee-mate should hire me to be a spokesperson. If you aren't into pumpkin, Chad likes the eggnog creamer.

#2- This is a GREAT holiday compilation album. I secretly listened to it on Monday. I know it's a bit early, so don't tell anyone I did. It features lovely ladies like Sara Bareilles, Ingrid Michaelson, Brandi Carlile, KT Tunstall, Fiona Apple, Colbie Caillat, and more! Get it on iTunes for Christmas. I promise you won't regret it!

#3- What did mothers do before Mylicon/Simethicone/Gas Drops? I am proud to say that we have never had a "colicky" or fussy baby. You would think that at least one of the three would be, right? NOPE! Chad and I (with our parental intuition) think we owe it all to these magical drops. They are miraculous. Marce' Hennigan told us about these things many moons ago, and now we should own stock in them. If Sam's or Costco sold them in bulk, we would buy them. Moms-to-be or moms with fussy babies- pump them full of these little drops!

#4- We are suckers for holiday decor. I would say that I alone am the sucker, but Chad would easily confess that he shares this burden. In our Atmore house, we had a tree (of some shape or size) in every room. Some were mini, some were medium, and two of them were large. Unfortunately, our current house will NOT allow for all of our trees. Nor will our current house allow for stockings hung on a mantle. I know, I might shed a tear too! Anyhow, we will trudge on and enjoy Christmas and all of its decor to the fullest extent. Seriously, what is more fun than watching two little girls and a baby boy enjoy this blessed holiday with such awe and childlike innocence? I can't wait!

#5- Chad recently purchased these fun do-it-yourself crafty books for me. I have read them. I haven't tried any of their projects . . . but I'm excited to try them some day. They are really cute and have inspired me to start getting crafty! Isn't that what stay-at-home moms do?

#6- Harper has "school time" every morning. I have been really surprised by her motor skills and progress. I am no elementary education major (thankfully my sister is!), but I'm trying to teach her to write her name, learn her letters, and color inside the lines. She is doing great. I particularly like her use of color! I love keeping samples of her writing and coloring.

#7-I can't resist this face. Enough said.

Our New BFF's

2009-11-09T19:58:00.000-08:00

I'm so thankful for Young Life. When we moved to Manhattan, we immediately had built in best friends. Our Young Life leaders are at our house several nights a week (which makes me clean the house more often). They love on my children, they bring me Sonic, they help me cook, they make me laugh, the loan me Gilmore Girls DVD's, they watch Oprah with me, they keep me up to date on pop culture, and they make me feel OLD! I FEEL like college was yesterday, but the reality of things is that we are OLD! Here are some photos of our new BFF's.

The whole gang at our fall leader retreat

Yes, that is Cash with Sydney and Cameron. No, they don't always dress like that.

Young Life Banquet

Some of our wonderful committee members after the banquet

The Leadership Team (minus a few). This crew comes to our house every Wednesday night.

Sydney's surprise birthday party (1 of 2 that night)

Tacky Ice Cream Social 2009

We LOVE you guys! Thanks for welcoming us into the YL fam!

SBG

Room Time

2009-11-06T10:13:00.000-08:00

Every day the girls have 1 hour of "room time" where they must play in their room together. This is usually time for me to do laundry, drink coffee, pay bills, drink coffee, do dishes, and drink coffee. They usually drag out every single toy and book, but it's OK because they are in their room and playing nicely. When room time ended today, I went in their room to find them.

I looked by the window,

I looked under the bed,

and then the closet door slowly opened . . .

to reveal two little girls and LOTS of toys.

They were happy, so I was happy.

Harper wasn't so happy when it was time to clean up!

I love my creative girlies!

Purple Party

2009-11-05T11:19:00.000-08:00

Although it was back in September, I thought some of you (Liz) might want to see some pics from Harper's 3rd Birthday. It was really a celebration all week long! When I asked Harper what type of party she wanted, she was adamant about having a PURPLE party. She also requested that everyone coming to her party wore purple as well. Seeing that KSU's colors are purple and silver, that wasn't a problem! We partied at one of the many parks here in Manhattan. All of her grandparents came, as well as Uncle Blake and her FAVORITE cousin Sarah Ann. Lots of our new Young Life friends came to make the party so perfect. It was SUCH a fun weekend and I literally can't believe my little girl is 3. She is SO curious, social, talkative, and goofy. She loves to make you laugh and she definitely enjoys bossing Reese and Cash around. She is our little purple princess!

On Harper's actual birthday, we started the day with donuts

We also had a surprise party that day

Several of our awesome Young Life leaders were waiting at our house for the big surprise. Harper's reaction was PRICELESS!

Chad bringing in the funfetti cake. What's a birthday without funfetti?

Our little party set-up. The picture in the frame is from Harper's first birthday

As soon as Harper's grandparents arrived on Saturday, it was PRESENT TIME

Some of her favorite gifts were Barbies, a My Little Pony, and a little polly pocket Snow White

Sarah Ann came with Nan and Pops to enjoy the weekend

Purple Party Day!

My girls ready to party in purple!

They are only about 1 year apart, but Sarah Ann towers over Harper!

Jumping for joy

Harper's cake

(Pops- what would I do without you?)

Purple Cupcakes

The spread

The goodie bags

The Cash

Ready to blow out the candle

She did this completely unprompted by anyone!

LOVING the cake!

Papa helping Reese with her cupcake

Some of our party-goers

Reese spent about 2 hours in this swing and still wasn't ready to leave!

Gram helping Harper

Sweet cousins

The Birthday Girl!

I LOVE this photo of Will with his balloon

After the party, Chad and I took Harper and Sarah Ann to the splash park. They couldn't BELIEVE that they were able to play in the water in their clothes! They were hilarious.

They LOVED the COLD water

Posing

Don't you love their faces?

Sarah Ann was drinking the water

After the splash pad, they played on the playground. This thing spins around and it is MY favorite thing to play on at the park. After the park, we took these two to the candy store. They were in complete awe of all the candy.

They closed out their BUSY day with a movie.

The adults closed out THEIR day with Guitar Hero. Nan, you were a trooper!

Nan loves Guitar Hero.

It was an AMAZING Birth-week for Harper and we LOVED having family and friends here to celebrate. We are so thankful to have people who love our kids so extravagantly.

SBG

Halloween Pictorial

2009-11-02T12:05:00.000-08:00

The girls loved Halloween. I knew Harper would, but didn't know what Reese would think. She was strutting down the street with the best of them! Harper was Snow White (her latest obsession) and Reese was Tinkerbell. We went with our friends Cory and Derek, their little cowboy Will, and bear Wes. We just did the good ole fashioned door-to-door thing and it was great. The weather was perfect and the girls came away with some great loot. Here are the photos- I know that's why you all come here anyway!

Don't they look so sweet?

In reality, Reese is trying to escape from Harper here!

Ready for CANDY!

One of my favorite photos of the night.

Posing, once again

She was holding up her dress like Snow White does in the movie

Scaredy Cash

He just went as his smiley self

The girls with Cowboy Will

They LOVED their glow wands- thanks Nan!

I LOVE this picture

Reese's wings

Loading up on candy

"Hustle up, Mom!"

Raving

Thanks to a wonderful Young Life leader (Laura Wetzel), I carved my first EVER pumpkin. Why did I live such a deprived childhood?! I did the one with the stars. Pretty good for my first attempt!

It was such a fun night and the girls were totally exhausted from all of the festivities. Hopefully the photos made you feel like you were there too!

Halloween Fun

2009-11-01T12:10:00.000-08:00

Here is a quick preview of our Halloween hilarity. Chad made this little masterpiece. The girls had an absolute BLAST Trick-or-Treating. There will be more photos coming soon!

Little Apple Autumn

2009-10-31T11:06:00.000-07:00

In case you did not know anything, Manhattan (Kansas) is nicknamed the "Little Apple". Cute, right? So we have been LOVING autumn here. The weather has been crisp, the trees have been every gorgeous fall color, and who doesn't love having pumpkins all around to decorate? This is something we really never experienced in lower Alabama. We had summer, cooler summer, 2 weeks of "winter" (lows in the 40's) and then back to summer. Praise the Lord for seasons! Here are some photos of all things AUTUMN!

Trees in our neighborhood

Can't get enough!

Harper LOVING the leaves

Reese is pretty happy with the leaves too

Happy Girls

Not so sure about laying down in the leaves

Posing- do you think she has her picture taken often?

Oh, the faces

Most Perfect Pumpkin!

Chad picked out this fairy tale-esque pumpkin and I'm officially in love with it.

What's autumn without apple cider? I'm not domestic enough to make my own.

Happy Autumn to you all!

O You! (No, not OU)

2009-10-30T11:57:00.000-07:00

As some of you may know, I am an AVID Oprah watcher. Many afternoons in college were spent snuggled up in my dear friend Nelly's bed to watch Oprah. Memories. Well, last weekend I had the absolute JOY of working at an O Magazine event in Kansas City. Several of our Young Life leaders were going and they were kind enough to let me tag along! My favorite husband was also kind enough to have the tots all weekend (with a bit of help from Gram and Papa!). It was a LONG day, but totally fun. Also, Oprah pays pretty well for menial jobs.

It was a conference where several contributors to O Magazine were holding seminars. All of the heavy hitters like Dr. Oz, Nate Berkus, and Suze Orman (I love JACKETS!) were there, as well as some of MY Oprah show faves (Stacy London, Peter Walsh, Donna Brazilia, Jim Karas, etc.). Gayle King gave the opening address and was on hand ALL day doing Oprah Radio coverage. I was totally star struck! I definitely had one of the best jobs as well. I was an Assistant Stage Manager (or Assistant TO the Stage Manager, really). I was in seminar room #1 and was basically there to make sure the contributors had everything they needed, the right people were in the right seminar, etc. My favorite part was that I got to wear a SWEET earpiece walkie-talkie. I know, I'm a nerd. Here are a few iPhone photos of the day.

Sydney and I were GIDDY!

My seminar room

Can you make out my earpiece? Ha!

The inside of my seminar room- it was in the round!

Cutie Nate

Dr. Oz

Gayle and Suze Orman at a distance

They were on the radio at this moment.

Stacy London

She was my FAVE! She was one of the most genuinely nice people. I also LOVED Peter Walsh! I wanted to take notes during his seminar.

Ok, so that's all of the celeb sightings for now. It was such a fun weekend and I just KNOW that I made Oprah proud.

Working at Bob

2009-10-29T10:33:00.000-07:00

So when we first moved here to Manhattan, KS, I guess Harper was a little bit confused. She kept referring to our HOUSE as Kansas. She was out with her Gram and Nan and she said, "I think my mom wants me to come back to Kansas now." She didn't understand the concept of Kansas being EVERYWHERE. So, to make it a little bit more understandable, we decided to give our house a name. We named it Bob. Harper often makes comments about things that happened at Bob or the fact that mommy works at Bob. It's great. So here are just a few shots of us and what we do around Bob! Enjoy!

We eat healthy

We keep things tidy

We play so well together

We lounge

We look super cute in pigtails

We melt mom with our sweet eyes

We strike a pose

We have "school" time

We support the Sooners

We practice winking

We have lots of happy moments . . .

. . . and a few sad moments

We have injuries

We LOVE each other to bits!!!

Come visit us in Manhattan and you too can join in on all of our fun! Side note- we officially entered into modern times and got the internet at our house! Hooray. You should expect blog updates galore now!

SBG

They Missed Me, They Really Missed Me!

2009-10-13T20:21:00.000-07:00

Wow, I have had some requests (harassments) to return to the blogging world. I can't believe you guys really missed this little patch of Green life. I will say that living in a world of 3 children, 3 dogs, a BUSY husband, and NO internet makes this a tiny bit of a chore. I will add that it is like one of those chores that you sort of enjoy though. Example: I enjoy organizing my kid's clothes. Strange? Yes!

Anyhow, I almost don't even know where to begin, so I'll just start with last weekend and hopefully post some of the things you have missed (Harper's B-day, YL stuff, my Favorite Things, books I'm reading, etc.) as I get around it it.

So, last weekend we tossed our kids to the wind (ahem, Gram and Papa's house in Tulsa) and went on our merry way to Norman, OK- home of the University of Oklahoma (commence Boomer Sooner sing-a-long). It was my birthday gift to Chad (he's 30 now) and it was SO great. We stayed with dear friends Gerod and Kerri Grigor and had SUCH a wonderful time. We ate (a lot), laughed (a lot), slept in (until 8:45!), cheered for OU, watched TLC, and enjoyed the time with wonderful company. It was the PERFECT kid-free weekend.

The Grigors, Greens, and Partridges

Apparently Santa is a Sooner

My First OU Game . . . Seriously.

They crowd-surfed (I know that's not a verb) this mascot (which I think resembles a unicorn) from the bottom of the student section all the way up to the president's box. It. Was. Rad.

Goooooooooo Wagons!

(Liz, that's for you)

Chad and sweet Gracie Grigor

**And just for fun, I'll include some pics of the CUTEST kids in all the land- MINE! They spent the weekend being spoiled at Camp Grandma (by Chad's mom and my mom!) and pictures of their antics will be coming soon. Enjoy!

Gracie's future husband!

The Whole Cute Gang

Insert Obligatory Wizard of Oz Allusion Here

2009-08-13T20:35:00.000-07:00

We ARE still alive and we ARE loving life in Manhattan, KS! I promise that I have not forgotten about you beloved blog readers (all both of you!) and I assure you that I will return (with pics of kids). The Green family does not currently have internet access, so finding time to escape the tots and update this blog elsewhere can be tricky. Rest assured that I will make it happen though. I will leave you with 5 reasons why I love Manhattan, KS:

1- The Chef Cafe: Fab little breakfast place where I'm pretty sure they lace their food with drugs that make you CRAVE it continually. Stacked french toast. Enough said.

2- Babysitters: as I envisioned, we have a plethora of AMAZING college friends to choose from when searching for a baby sitter.

3- Weather: I know it has been unseasonably cool here, but we have had some INCREDIBLE weather, including today! This weekend our lows are in the 50's!

4- Parks: This town has plenty of parks and I have plenty of active little girls to make use of the parks.

5- Sonic: I can't get enough. I feel like I might have a slight addiction. They are building a new one about 0.4 mi. from our house. Try to new Classic Limeaid Chiller- it tastes like a piece of Keylime Pie!

I will be back folks- please don't give up on me!

SBG

Jerry's Sno Cones and Carwash

2009-07-20T09:02:00.001-07:00

I remember my first trip to Jerry's with our entire English class. Coach Collums had told us tales about this fine establishment all year long. In the spring, we ventured to Jerry's and had an adventure.

This weekend was definitely a sad one for the E.C.S. faculty, students, and alumni. A WONDERFUL teacher, an admirable Headmaster, and an all around great man suddenly passed away. Coach Collums was an absolute INSPIRATION. Whether he was playing Simon and Garfunkel records for us, standing on a desk with his pant leg pulled up, coaching our 9th grade basketball team, or taking us on a field trip to Jerry's Sno Cone and Carwash, he did EVERYTHING with passion, integrity, creativity, and love.

He is "that teacher" for me. You know how you can just think of that one teacher who kind of changed your life in some way? He is the one teacher that impacted my high school experience in such a way that I still have some of the writings that I did in his class. I still remember the crackly sound of his record player. I can still recall his enthusiasm and intensity, but his gentleness as well.

I recently wrote in a letter to a potential employer that this certain teacher that I had in highschool really shaped and inspired some of my teaching practices. I only hope that I can do the same for my students, and that I exude the passion for education that Coach Collums exhibited.

Simon and Garfunkel

"Never Say Goodbye"

We share the days of laughter

We share the nights of sorrow

And in the morning after

We face the bright tomorrow

Side by side we'll always stand

Spirits flying high

Long as I can hold your hand

We'll never say goodbye.

We walk the halls of learning

And serve a proud tradition

The flame of truth is burning

To clarify our vision

Look at how the future gleams

Gold against the sky!

Long as I can share your dreams

We'll never say goodbye

Curly Q

2009-07-13T19:03:00.000-07:00

Oh, the joys of having curly hair! This is what my little Harper looks like when she wakes up in the morning or from her nap. Her head of hair is like a bird's nest! She calls it her "crazy hair" and I absolutely LOVE it! The more humidity in the air, the wilder the child's hair gets. It is fun and we have pretty much figured out how to tame it. It takes a bit of water and a good comb and seems to bounce right back into place. I'm hoping that we can avoid any awkward stage of photos where we try to make it straight, but it is just a frizzy poof. Curly-headed folk, you know the photos I speak of! All I know is that I sure hope these sweet curls stick around!

**Disclaimer- photos were taken on my phone- please excuse their quality!

A Few of my Favorite Things 2.0

2009-07-11T14:11:00.000-07:00

I know that MOST of my readers are just stopping in to see pics of Cash or the girls (ahem, Mom and Dad), so of course I'll start this post with a cute pic of the little man with his eyes open. It's kind of a rarity- the kiddo likes to sleep. Anyhow, I have a few more faves that I wanted to share. The first of which is pictured below.

This is the Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe swaddling device. It. Is. Incredible. If you are having a baby or know someone who is, you need one of these (or 2- for those middle of the night messes). I'm just disappointed that we only discovered this invention for our 3rd (and final) babe.

I must give Chad credit for this next find. He spotted these like a hawk at Target one day. They were a bit pricey, but imagine our surprise when we found them on SALE! I must say that the container is a bit small. We only wish they sold these at Sam's or Costco! Just try them and you will love them. They remind me of a pastry that we sold at the Gift Horse/La Baguette back in my high school working days. Delish.

OK, OK, OK- I will start by saying that this series is NO West Wing (our FAVE TV show to watch straight through on DVD) or anything. It's also not really a show that my mom or dad would like/approve of. It IS mindless entertainment that passes the time when you don't have cable. We have blazed through the first 4 seasons on DVD and have thoroughly enjoyed this show. I know we are late to the party since this show has been winning Emmy awards and Golden Globes for years, but we DEFINITELY love the characters and their antics.

This last one may be a BIT confusing. No, I'm not converting to a KSU fan or anything, but I am a BIG fan of our new hometown of MANHATTAN, KS- home of Kansas State University. We are only a couple of weeks away from the big move, and I'm getting really excited. Let me share some reasons WHY Manhattan, KS is one of my favorite things:

1- Target- enough said.

2- College Town- fun food, shops, and LOTS of babysitters available! Not to mention, things will actually stay open past 6:00 pm. THAT will be a novel idea for us.

3- Scenery- Manhattan is located in the Flint Hills- this is the ONLY part of Kansas that is NOT flat as far as the eye can see. It is actually QUITE beautiful and reminds me a bit of Birmingham.

4- Hometown of the late Earl Woods, father of Tiger Woods. I guess this is more of a fun fact that my husband enjoys.

So anyhow, those are some of my FAVORITE things at for the moment. Keep checking back for some new pics of the girls and of course baby Cash. He is a delight and EVERYONE (especially Harper) is smitten with him.

Belated / Beforehand

2009-07-07T21:11:00.000-07:00

Windy Gap- 2007

Since things have been a BIT crazy around here lately, I do have a very important BELATED message. I couldn't let the month get away without wishing my dear husband a Happy 5th Anniversary. On July 3rd, we celebrated 5 years of marriage. We have accomplished quite a bit in 5 years, but these are a few things that jumped out at me:

We've acquired 3 dogs (Boomer, Winston, and Maggie)
We've acquired 3 kids (Harper, Reese, and Cash)
We've had 6 different cars (Explorer, Passat, Grand Marquis, Freestyle, Titan, Land Cruiser)
We've had 3 different cell phone numbers (Oh, I hate to change my cell number!)
We've driven over 8,000 miles to visit family on holidays ALONE!
We've had TONS of fun and I can't wait for 55 more amazing years.

Tulsa- 2005

Disney World- 2006

July 3, 2004

I love you Chad Green!

ALSO, since tomorrow is the birthday of my favorite neice in the whole world, I wanted to pay a little tribute to her BEFOREHAND!

July 8, 2005

Sarah Ann, I remember seeing you in the hospital 4 years ago and IMMEDIATELY falling in love with you! You are such a spunky little girl and I'm always dying to hear what funny thing you've said for the day. You have a sweet spirit and a creativity all your own. I wish we could see you more often, but know that we love you to bits! Happy Birthday SAC!

EVERYONE looks so young in this picture!

Memphis- October, 2005

July 8, 2008

Happy Birthday Princess!

He's Here!

2009-07-03T11:15:00.000-07:00

Miller "Cash" Green

8 lbs. 10 oz.

21 1/2 inches

June 29, 2009

5:24 p.m.

WARNING: This post contains an absurd amount of photos, and this is only the beginning!

I know there are several folks out there who are just dying to see pics of baby Cash. I'll mainly stick to that in this post, although there are pics galore of the girls and all of the fun they are having with their grands. Everything went great on Monday. Although we started things around 9:00 am with the induction, nothing really happened until around 3:00 pm. I received the epidural, had my doctor break my water, and about 2 hours later, Cash was here! He seems pretty predictable right now, and we are just enjoying life at home with tons of help! We will be sad to see everyone leave after the weekend.

Cash and Aunt Liz. She was the chef extraordinaire this week. Liz, we can't thank you ENOUGH!

Cash and his happy grandmothers.

Cash with his Papa

The Laughlins took time out of the beach trip to come meet Cash and see the girls.

Harper, Sarah, Reese, and Katie

Sweet Face!

Finally at home with his sisters- he's not sure what to think

Harper is TOTALLY in love with her new brother!

She even held him all by herself

Harper has also been a good helper with Reese

Checking in on him

I'm pretty sure Reese thinks he's a baby doll

Enjoying some time with Pops

Sweet feet! He kind of has monkey toes- hopefully he'll grow into them!

Well, more pics will be coming soon. Hopefully these will tide you over!

They're Coming . . . . . .

2009-06-26T21:26:00.000-07:00

Nan, Harper, and Gram

April, 2009

Harper and Reese, brace yourselves. The Grands are coming! We are in preparation for a VERY big week around here. Harper knows that her Nan and Liz, and Gram and Papa are heading down tomorrow and she can hardly sleep. She is anticipating trips to Target, chocolate milk, and tons of fun. Reese is excited to get to know her Aunt Liz a bit better, seeing that she last saw her in NOVEMBER!

We can't wait for the Laughlin family to stop in, Pops to join us next weekend, and maybe even a few more visitors (ahem, Wilsons, Mr. Corn, etc.). Everyone will be anxiously awaiting Cash's debut on Monday, and he will come home to a house full of fun. Hurry on down everyone!

A Few of My Favorite Things . . .

2009-06-24T19:52:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I have been feeling like absolute DEATH for the past few days. I thought I had the flu, but the test was negative. As I am only 4 days away from giving birth to sweet Cash, I decided that I need to look on the bright side of things. I know I'm no Oprah, but this is my FAVORITE THINGS blog entry! WHOOO! Ahem, so let me explain.

These brownies are the absolute best thing that ever happened to me. I'm no organic earth mother who bakes from scratch, so this box is like a little bit of heaven. Not to mention, they were on sale at the Winn-Dixie! Try them with a scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream.

As I mentioned, I am VERY pregnant and REALLY not feeling so well. Tylenol PM (or the Walgreens equivalent pictured here) has been my BFF. I might have inherited the habit from Nan, but boy are these things magical. Sleep, here I come!

This is Cash's sweet new "diaper bag". It is manly, rugged, and his dad even likes it! Thanks to Nan and Pops for this little jewel. BTW- it's the Land's End Lighthouse Zip Top Tote Bag and it is made of durable water resistant "man" material. Check it out!

Of COURSE my little dears are some of my favorite things. This was last Sunday and Harper was enjoying her first EVER ice cream cone. How did we make it this long? I couldn't tell ya. She was thrilled, to say the least.

This is Reesey and her sneaky face. I just love those cheeks!

Soooo, those are some of my favorite things at this moment. What are yours? Any other boxed brownie mixes I should know about?

**Disclaimer- all photos are from my phone. Sorry for the quality.

Why We Love Our Dad

2009-06-20T19:28:00.001-07:00

Hey guys! It's Harper and Reese here. We speak on behalf of Cash too. Since Father's Day is tomorrow and our daddy is off on a wild west adventure, we just wanted EVERYONE to know why our dad is just the best. In David Letterman style- here are our Top 10 reasons.

1. He takes us on special father/daughter days to the movies and Chuck-E-Cheese and to eat pancakes and other fun stuff.

2. He plays his guitar for us and we dance and play and love it.

3. He is the BEST gift giver. He gives us things like watches and zebras and harmonicas and pink monkeys.

4. He loves our mommy- even when she is pregnant and crazy. He must REALLY love her.

5. He works hard to make sure we have a soft bed to sleep in, a roof over our heads, and all the Yankees hats we could ever want.

6. He loves Jesus and works hard so that all the high school kids we know will love Jesus too.

7. He does a GREAT Elmo voice that makes us giggle.

8. He does a wonderful job of fixing our hair and even putting bows in it. Not EVERY daddy has that talent- you know!

9. He wakes us up and gets us ready every morning while mommy is getting ready for work. Not EVERY daddy has that talent either.

10. He loves us UNCONDITIONALLY. Through our tantrums and tears, through our giggles and grins- he shows us love EVERY SINGLE DAY.

Here are some pictures of us with our daddy, in case you forgot how cute we were.

Chad and Harper at the glorious University of Oklahoma

December 2006

Swinging Harper in the front yard

February 2007

Holding newborn Reese

April 2008

Holding newborn Harper

September 2006

Chad and Reese at the Smith's farm

April 2008

Silly Faces at E.A. Prom

May 2009

Chad and ALL of his girls

August 2008

Dad and his little girls

August 2008

We love you Daddy! Happy Father's Day!

Workin' at the Carwash!

2009-06-20T09:15:00.001-07:00

It's HOT here. I know it is June and I know EVERYONE who lives in the Southeast feels like where they live is the HOTTEST. All I know is that it is H-O-T here. We are doing whatever we can to stay cool. Chad needed to wash the car last week so we donned our "babin suits" (as Harper calls them) and decided to help. Harper was REALLY into scrubbing the bugs off the front of the car. She was great! Reese just wanted to climb into the bucket of soapy water- don't worry mom, I didn't let her. Anyhow, I documented our fun. As for the video, I must say that this is something Harper learned at daycare. I wish I could take credit for her dancing abilities, but we all know that's not the case. Enjoy!

Harper splashed more soapy water on herself than the car.

Reese was keeping Chad company

She's working so diligently- she's her father's child.

She had a bit of an impromptu dance party too. You just never know with this girl.

Sweet dance moves.

Yes, she's doing the Stanky Leg. She just does it briefly at the beginning, so you may have to watch it more than once to catch it. She's the best.

Dearest Dad

2009-06-19T08:40:00.001-07:00

Since Father's Day is Sunday, I thought I would dedicate this blog to my dear dad- Bill Bryan. Since having grandchildren, he is now affectionately known as Pops.

I know I am probably a LITTLE bit partial, but I'm pretty sure that my dad is the best dad in the world. Not only did he survive living in a house full of women, but he provided (and still does) the services of a handyman, a coach, a counselor, a driver's ed teacher, a referee, and much more. He put up with nose rings, running late, strange boyfriends (my sister's), numerous wrecks/tickets (mine), and he still loved us unconditionally.

Some of my fondest memories are of the Father/Daughter trips that my dad took Liz and I on during our formative years. We went camping, canoeing, biking, hiking, ropes-coursing, skiing, and loved every minute of it. He instilled a spirit of adventure, confidence, and independence in me that makes me the woman I am today. He has been the portrait of a loving father that I know my husband strives to emulate.

Here are some photos that capture the essence of Pops. Some were scanned, mind you- sorry about the quality!

Father's Day 1990

Liz and I look thrilled and my dad has on some SWEET shorts

Rocky Mountain National Park- 2000

Destin, Florida- 2002

My wedding day- 2004

Harper and Pops- 2008

Dad, you are a Godly man who has taught me more than you could EVER imagine. You are the best Pops a girl could have. I love you up to the moon! Happy Father's Day!

The New Baby

2009-06-18T14:08:00.000-07:00

NO NO NO- Cash has not made his debut yet. We are welcoming another new baby to our family in the form of a car. We have been doing the one-car-family thing for a while now, and we know that it won't last much longer (especially when we move in July). In an attempt to be thrifty, Chad has been on the hunt for some older model cars that we could just buy. Well, he found his new man-mobile in a 1985 Toyota FJ60 Landcruiser. What's the catch you say? Oh, it's located in Montana.

At 5:00 a.m this morning we loaded up the car, drove Chad to the Pensacola airport, and sent him on his way to Montana. He'll take the next few days to drive his new baby across the country (it tops out at 65 mph, mind you) and hopefully find us a place to live in Manhattan, KS along the way. I'm REALLY excited to hear all about his adventure, but I do hope our other new baby doesn't decide to appear before his dad returns!