Happy 3rd Birthday Princess Jill!

On January 12, we celebrated Jill's third birthday with family and friends.  She of course requested a princess theme.  We invited her friends to come dressed as royalty.  The played princess bingo and Beauty & The Beast freeze dance, and then all enjoyed pizza and cupcakes.  Our Jillian is funny, loving, playful, and also strong-willed and independent.  She is growing up and not letting us forget it. :)  We love her so much and look forward to seeing what this year brings.  Happy Birthday Jilly Billy!

 

Christmas Memories 2012

We had a busy but wonderful time this holiday season.  Early in December, we traveled to Elkhart for a Crisp/Hernandez family gathering, and also a family wedding shower in honor of Sherrill.  We enjoyed unseasonably warm weather, and we ate our early-Christmas dinner on my parents' back porch, which was lovely.  The week of Christmas, we gathered again in Elkhart to spend time with my parents, my brother and soon-to-be sister-in-law, and the Ralph extended family.  It is always wonderful to spend time with cousins that we don't get to see very regularly.  These pics highlight our time and travels.

Crisp family meal on my mom & dad's porch.

The Crisp/Hernandez families.

 

Jill and Granny

Kate and Granny

The soon-to-be flower girls received a special book and necklaces from Uncle Casey and Sherrill.

Jill's new scooter from us was a hit.

I think Kate's favorite present was a handmade doll and clothes from her grandma and grandpa. 

Kate got a big-girl bike from us.

Relaxing with my sweetie.  I can't get over how old she looks in this photo.

We spent some time fishing in my folks' pond.  I really like to fish, and Jill seems to have inherited my interest.

Jill's first fish out of Grandma & Grandpa's pond! A good-sized catfish.

The Ralph clan at Aunt Linda & Uncle Ricky's home.

Kate and cousin Addison.  

Petting the horses is always a treat.

We drove home to have Christmas Eve & Morning in our own house.  Kate and Jill woke up to a  few gifts from Santa Claus.  Requested and received were a "wedding doll" (for Kate) and "Princess & the Pop Star" Barbies (for Jill.)

Fun, fun fun!

 

Merry Christmas!  We hope you had a joyful holiday celebrating Emmanuel, God With Us!

Thanksgiving 2012

It was wonderful to have my parents, my brother and his fiance to our home for Thanksgiving.   We read a passage from William Bradford's journal recording the pilgrim's landing on Plymouth Rock, and we took turns saying what we are especially thankful for this year.  Casey said, "I'm thankful the wedding is only 80 days away."  :)  We're thankful for Sherrill, too!

Halloween

Kate decided to take a break from her long-time princess affinity and be a Rock Star for Halloween.  Jill, of course, wanted to go as whatever her sister wanted to go as...but I decided I couldn't handle a two-year-old Rock Star.  So, I used glittery wings to persuade her to be a fairy, or more specifically, the Tooth Fairy.

We had our small group over, plus other neighbors, friends and family, for pizza and trick or treating.  Twenty kids in all!

 The girls had a blast, but we are all now in a weird haze of tired + sugar buzz.

Here's some other pictures from recent days...

Jill's first attempt at scooping the goop out of a pumpkin.

 Kate's Kindergarten Fall Party.  Jill is right in there with the big kids!

  

Sweet Berry Farms Pumpkin Pics 2012

This weekend, while camping at Inks Lake State Park, we went to Sweet Berry Farms near Marble Falls.  We love taking pumpkin pictures at this place.  We went there last year, too.  There's something about pumpkin pictures that I just love!  Welcome, fall!

Pumpkin climbing...more challenging than it looks.

Striking a pose on the "Berry Bounce."

Jill quickly learned that goats' tongues are quite ticklish.

We enjoyed picking our own flowers and getting some very pretty pictures.