32

On Christmas Eve, I turned 32.  It was the best morning; Wes brought me coffee in bed, I ate ice cream out of the carton with my babies, we got dressed and ready for a birthday breakfast of biscuits and gravy with my family, I blew out candles, opened presents, enjoyed an outdoor fire and just soaked up my special day.  After I told my sisters about a conversation the previous night between Wes and I about receiving words of affirmation on my birthday, my sisters and parents went around the room while I was opening presents and told me five of their favorite things about me (Austin even made me the sweetest sign that I can reflect back on).  It was special, meaningful and really touched my heart.

Here are a few pictures from the morning if you would like to take a look...

I think it is going to be a good year :).

Cozy Pizza Party

After we made our gingerbread houses, we went to the zoo for an impromptu play date and hurried home for naps before hosting my family for a cozy pizza party.  The idea is that everyone can wear their sweats/pajamas, but no one usually does.  Maybe in the future I should make it a requirement ;).  Emma's favorite party guest was the last one to arrive, but she was oh-so-happy when she spotted her baby Seodore.

And gave him a little cheek squishing for good measure.

Bobbob and Colleen were able to join :).

All of my favorite people in our house.  Inviting people over and making memories is what has turned our house into our home and I really can't imagine it any other way.  Please zoom in on this picture and look at Theodore looking at Emma - you will not be disappointed :).

Me and my mom!

Evsie's is obsessed with Travis (Ally's husband) and especially his hat.  Within 10 - 15 minutes of him being at our house, she plopped off his hat and had a field day running around with it.

Caught this cute picture of baby Theodore holding onto Ally :).

After a pizza dinner, we all headed outside to watch the light show that Wes put together.

We brought all of our chairs out to the driveway and had fun listening to Christmas carols, watching the lights and seeing Emma and Ev's run up and down our driveway like crazy people.

Wes did a phenomenal job :).

See what I mean by crazies. Literally 10 times during the show!!

I think Theo had had enough by the end ;).

After the light show we came in and had brownies and ice cream!

Followed by a small dance party and lots of chatting- these girls have so much energy, I just don't even know where they get it!

And they don't like to be the center of attention. Not at all ;).

It really was the perfect, relaxed kick-off to the next few crazy days!

Gingerbread Houses Courtesy of Snowflake

On December 23rd, our mischievous little elf, brought the girls their gingerbread house kits.

I had planned on doing these over the weekend before Christmas, but late Saturday night I opened up the kit and realized that you had to make homemade icing?!?!!  In case you haven't figured it out by reading my blog- I am not that into homemade endeavors ;).  I quickly made a decision to put these away for a slower day during Christmas vacation when I hopefully had more energy.

So December 23rd it was.  The girls woke up ridiculously early and were ready to go! Me, on the other hand, told them I needed to drink at least one cup of coffee before we started.  So around 7 in the morning, I finally pulled out all of the stuff and we got started.  Evsie's didn't mind the icing making or eating process at all ;).

I bought the Trader Joe's gingerbread houses because I had read how sturdy they were, but I never read that you had to whip up your own icing and if we did these again, I would remove the sprinkle packages from the boxes- what a mess!

We put some strategic icing on Ev's house so that all she would have to do is 'decorate' it.

However, we let Emma have full reign and decorating control over her icing and decorations and just helped out when she asked.

Is anyone surprised that Emma lined up her M and M's in a row ;).

Evsie's and Emma, hard at work.

They have completely different work styles, Emma methodically went through and put her candy on her house chit chatting away the whole time, while Ev's worked at random sneaking a few bites of candy from time to time and then looking at me while sheepishly grinning and saying 'me eat some my candy, mom.'.

When they were all finished up, they took a minute to admire each other's houses.

Before semi-obliging me with my photo requests.

These two and their elf were pretty happy about the morning activity.

Detailed shots of Emma's house.  Do you see how she decided to use her sprinkles?!?

I had gone into the kitchen to put the camera away and when I came back into the dining room, Ev's was eating a bite of her gingerbread house (so I promptly ran back into the kitchen to grab the camera and still caught her doing this!).

That night we were having my family over for a pizza dinner so I told the girls they couldn't eat any of their gingerbread house until after the get-together.  I set the gingerbread houses far back on the oven.  We headed upstairs for baths and when we came back down, naked Everly had pulled her car over to the oven, stood up on her tippy toes and was trying to reach her gingerbread house with all her might.  I snuck a picture on my phone (I won't post it because she's naked!), then yelled out Everly Grace- you are a stinkerpants!! And we all burst into laughter.  That girl loved her gingerbread house!

Show & Tell Tuesday: Reintroduction

I am linking up with Andrea today for Show and Tell Tuesday where we are reintroducing ourselves and sharing resolutions.  Hi, my name is Lauren.  Since I don't make resolutions, I thought it would be fun to share 25 random facts about me :) some are light, some are a bit heavier, here we go!

… I have three sisters (Austin, Adrienne and Ally- yes, I am the only L), two daughters (Emma (almost 4), Everly (2.5)), one nephew (Theodore (1))and one niece on the way.  I am obsessed with my family.

… Growing up my favorite color was purple; now I would say I tend to lean towards grey (in both interiors and clothes ;)).

… My mom makes the best biscuits and gravy and lasagna making them both my favorite food.

… By the time I was 26, I had completed all of my formal education (BBA in Finance from A&M, MBA with an emphasis in Accounting from UTD and sat and passed the CPA exam).  I have considered getting my PhD one day in something totally random, but having kids has kind of squashed that desire.

… Since the last fact sounds a little braggy, I must confess that I did not pass 2 out of 4 parts of the CPA exam on the first time around.  Making matters even worse, I missed passing by one point on Regulation (think individual income taxes, corporate taxes and tax law); I found out the news at work and spent the next two hours crying- super professional of me ;).

… I adored being pregnant; during each of the nine  months I started several sentences with ‘because I am pregnant…’ or ‘did you know I am pregnant…’. I am told that I drove my family crazy, but I like to think of it as endearing.

… That didn’t come as a perfect story either; I miscarried our first baby which is definitely one of the most devastating experiences of my life.  I got pregnant again right away with Emma only to find out that she had a vanishing twin.  It was simultaneously a relief and it crushed me all at the same time to know that I had a healthy baby on the way, but at the same time I had miscarried a second baby.

… I am 100% pro breastfeeding; Emma was breastfed until she was 10 months (and I was pregnant with Everly) and Everly was breastfed until she was 21 months old.  As a side note, I pumped and dumped for a two week business trip to Asia (which I think makes me pretty dedicated to the cause ;)).

… I am an accountant by day, wanna-be photographer by weekends practicing on my children every chance I get.

… My job has landed me in Europe and Asia with some definite pinch-me-is-this-my-real-life-kind-of-moments.

… I am self admittedly terrible at keeping up with people (this is terrible, but I am an out of sight, out of  mind kind of person); I have to work hard at keeping up friendships (it’s just not something that comes naturally to me).

… The first time I read a blog was when we purchased our house in early 2010; I wish I remembered how I stumbled upon it, but sadly I don’t.  I do remember it was Young House Love (still miss that blog!).

… I never thought I would say this, but we did co-sleeping with Everly and dare I even admit that I loved it.  I am more than happy she is in her crib now; but give me those baby snuggles (ahhhh I miss those baby snuggles!).  Side note, I am a total newborn mama- give me those sweet, sometimes pathetic newborn snuggles any day.

… One of my favorite parts of the day is the hour between 4 and 5 o’clock- my sister, Austin, and I chat up a storm on my commute home.

… We used to work together (for more than 6 years!) where she often dreamed of leaving to open up her own sandwich shop in Austin.

… I am a self-proclaimed coffee addict (but not snob); my favorite drink at Starbucks is either a white chocolate mocha or an iced coffee with toffee nut syrup.

… When I met my husband I didn’t like to eat steak or mushrooms; now I can’t get enough of both!

… I have had my ears pierced since I was 7 years old, but took a more than 15 year hiatus of wearing earrings and am now back in business with several pairs of the ever so popular BP studs.

… I am a terrible singer; like the worst-you-have-ever-heard type of singer… but that doesn’t stop me from belting out songs while I am alone in my car.  Adele and Taylor Swift are my current favorites.

… I live 1.6 miles from my parents (and the house I grew up in) and I love it!

… Words of affirmation is my love language, quickly followed my inclusion (what can I say, I don’t like to be left out!)- yes, I am aware that inclusion is not officially a love language ;).

… Sometimes I literally feel like the paparazzi is following me around- this may make me crazy, but I want to say it makes me awesome.

… I love to make holidays, traditions and birthdays special and always better than the last.  Birthdays might be my favorite thing of all.

… I have known my husband for more than a third of my life. He was made for me.

… My passions are my two girls and hubby, my family, investing in the stock market, interior decorating and dressing my toddlers (yes, that’s a thing- trust me ;)).