CHRISTMAS!!

We love Christmas time at our house we decorate way too early and do so many fun things throughout the season! This year I decided to do with our Christmas advent calendar to have the girls do something fun each day of December until Christmas. They loved it! Then we also got the opportunity through Brandon's work to participate in their night of giving. So we got to go as a family and shop for 3 little girls. The girls were around my girls ages so they got really excited to help pick out a new outfit, a toy, and one other thing that they each needed. Ashlyn especially was so into it. We picked it all out then went back to his work and wrapped it all up and put it in a big "Santa-like" bag to take to the families. Ashlyn was kinda bummed she didn't get to deliver it herself but she was so very excited to give the little girls Christmas presents. I hope we can do this as a family every year it sure made us realize how blessed we are!

We were able to go up to Boise for just 3 short days and see our family before Christmas. We enjoyed our time with all of them and are very thankful for all that they do for us and for such wonderful family!  The kiddos got to do our traditional cookie bake at my moms house then we did our secret santa gifts with my family and a big yummy dinner. Parker got this really cute truck to sit on with tools and blocks, he just loves it! Then the next day we spent with Brandon's family its so nice to be able to get along and spend time with family! We did our usual Christmas eve day with them even though it was a day early for us to get back to Utah. We had good fun with singing carols, eating dinner, opening gifts, and talking. What a wonderful start to all the Christmas festivities! The kiddos loved playing with all their cousins, they miss them so much!

Ashlyn and Carson making cookies at cookie bake!

Brookie into her cookie decorating

Parker Boy say cheese!

All us Bailey girls!! 

Opening at Grandma Baileys

Parker and Daddy checking out the cool new tractor

The boys playing phone games! Looks like they are having a blast

Grandpa Read reading the Christmas story 

Brooklyn and her new baby

Ashlyn super excited about her easy bake oven

Christmas morning! Look what Santa left ?!

Yeah for Christmas!

Ashlyn's lalaloopsy doll!

Parker said "Car" for the first time when he opened up his car!

Helping put together his car track!

Santa's key to come in since we don't have a fireplace! (He mailed it from the North Pole and the girls opened it on Christmas Eve to leave on the door knob to let him in)

Santa's footprints!

Brookie Boo and her feeding baby!! She is just in love with baby dolls, its so cute!

We then left early Christmas Eve morning to come back home to spend Christmas as a family. The girls were so excited!! We did some fun Christmas activities then got all ready for Santa to come. We opened pajamas, set out milk and cookies, read a Christmas story by the tree, and then watched a movie on Christs birth. The girls must have been super tired because they went to bed early which was nice considering the things we had to put together and do. :) The next morning Ashlyn woke up and went and peeked to see what Santa had brought then came running in "Mom Dad!! Santa came!!" (Usually Brandon and I wake up before them and wait around until they wake up) so we all then had a wonderful Christmas morning opening presents. Then I made for the first year scones (just like my mom always makes on Christmas morning) and a big breakfast. The whole day was spent as a family just hanging out! Now we are totally addicted to the xbox kinect Disneyland game. Our Christmas has been wonderful! I am so very thankful for my sweet family and for such a loving husband! Merry Christmas!

Christmas Dance Recitals

Brooklyn's Dance Recital

My sweet Brookie and me

Santa came to watch the Christmas dance recital!

Ashlyn's school class after their Christmas song!

Ashlyn's Christmas dance recital

Always posing! 

This year the girls Christmas dance recitals were so cute! Their teachers are just so darling with them! So we had  all in one day; Brooklyn's dance recital, Ashlyn's school music program, and Ashlyn's dance recital. They both did so good in their dances!! It was a crazy busy day but nice to have it all done! :)

Thankgiving

My Mom and me doing the traditional Thanksgiving rolls!

Getting excited to ride the train 

At the "North Pole" with Grandma Read

Sitting on Santa's lap...Parker not liking it so much! 

Telling Santa what they all want for Christmas!

Thanksgiving was great this year! We went up to Boise to spend it with all of our family. We had Thanksgiving dinner with Brandons family on Wednesday then on Thursday we had Thanksgiving dinner with my family. It was special this year at my families house because we were all together it had been two years since we all were together. It was so great to get together with all of our family and spend lots of time with them! Black Friday was always great with kicking it off at good old Sharis for breakfast with my fam then off to shop for the day! On Saturday we went on the Holiday express train to see Santa and the North Pole. It was so much fun the kiddos got to ride on a train for the first time. Which Brooklyn was in heaven! Parker even loved sitting there looking out the train window. The got to play with cousins on the ride and then Santa came and sat down with them and asked what they each wanted for Christmas and talked to them a little bit. It was so cute! Ashlyn jumped right in and said all she wanted but Brooklyn was a little more hesitant. Luckily the only was she would get close to Santa or talk to him is by sitting or talking to Mrs. Claus, luckily she was there too! :) Parker....well he wasn't too thrilled to sit on Santa's lap! Maybe next year. We had just so much fun with our families! It was a great Thanksgiving!

Happy Halloween

At the Halloween Express train ride!

My sweet Little Merdmaid!

Decorating pumpkins

This was a big day she loves playing wedding so when she got to be a bride all day long it was the best day ever! My Cinderella Bride

My Monster! He loved his outfit we put it on him and he gave us the cheesiest smile ever it was super cute!

So I am a little behind posting Halloween but I guess better late than never for my blog book. This year was really fun! We carved tons of pumpkins. When we finally finished we had a Rapunzel, Snow White, Minnie Mouse, Lightening McQueen, Spiderman, a happy jack-lantern, and Jack Skelington. We went a little pumpkin carving crazy but super fun!While we were carving Parker thought it would be fun to try and eat the pumpkins he of course like it just like everything else he puts in his mouth...the little stinker. :) The kiddos got to dress up 3 times! Once for ward trunk or treat, once for the Halloween dance recital, and then for Halloween! Halloween the girls really wanted me to dress up especially because I was helping in Ashlyns class. So I was Jessi/cowgirl it was fun to dress up! Ashlyn was Cinderella bride, Brooklyn was Little Mermaid or as she says it Little Merdmaid, and Parker was a monster. We did Ashlyn's school party which was totally fun then a couple of us from the neighborhood went to trick or treating in the park and let the kids play for a little bit, then over in Linden there is a real train that a couple families make into this really cool Halloween train ride so we went and checked that out. It was so cool with music coordinating with the scenes throughout the ride. Brooklyn loved it! She loves trains and to get to ride a real one was totally awesome. Then of course trick or treating in the neighborhood. The kids had a blast! Topping off the evening with our usual homemade chilli and cornbread. :) Happy Halloween!

Parent Teacher Conference

I had my very first parent teacher conference a couple weeks ago and I was kinda nervous but excited at the same time! So at the first of the year Ashlyn's teacher asked if Ashlyn would be a part of an extra reading group after school 2 days a week. I had really mixed emotions about it thinking she was way behind and then she explained it to me that it was for the average students just for them to get extra reading time. So I talked to my mother inlaw, my sister, and my mom and they all said why not do it it can only help her and kids her age love the extra time at school. So I went ahead and had Ashlyn be in Super Readers Club (that's what we call it)! She totally loves it and when she gets home all she wants to do is read more! I am loving how much she reads. So at parent teacher conferences her teacher was telling me that she was just doing so great in school and she loves to help out around the class room which she said was really sweet. Then she told me that she just moved Ashlyn to the top reading group in her class and that she is becoming a wonderful reader! YEAH!! I was so extremely happy! Her teacher is just so sweet and started to tear up and said that watching Ashlyn grasp a hold of reading and find a love for it is what being a teacher is all about and that she is so happy to be her teacher. I am so happy for her teacher and how caring she is and how great Ashlyn is doing in school. She loves every minuet of it! I am having so much fun watching her grow as a student!

Riding 2 wheelers!

So a couple weekends ago Ashlyn decided it was time to step it up and ride a two wheeler. So Brandon helped her get the hang of it and off she went just about a half hour of help. She was so excited and is doing awesome! Her little friends like to race starting at the top of our driveway and go across the street up the long driveway. She loved to ride down the road then use her break and see how big of a streak she made on the road. It's so fun to watch her and see how much she loves riding with her neighbor friends! I can't believe how fast she learned. What really amazes me is since Ashlyn learned to ride her two wheeler Brooklyn of course wants to be just like her big sister and asked for about a week if she could learn too. So Brandon and I thought well why not let her test it out and see how she does. So last Saturday Brandon took off her training wheels and started teaching her. Well only about 10 minuets later she was off riding it all by herself!! Stopping with her breaks and turning. Now Brooklyn is our little spunky and a bit crazy one! She is all over the place. She looks so adorable with her unicorn (yes I said it) unicorn helmet riding like crazy up and down the street! She is so proud of herself. And now the moment she wakes up she says "Mommy I want to ride my two wheeler bike! (with her little accent)" So that is what we do! :) The weather has just been so nice to be outside with the beautiful fall weather! I just can't believe both girls are riding two wheelers now!

Crazy Crafting!

So these past like two weeks I have had the crafting bug! It's been so much fun! So I thought I would share some of the fun things I have been doing!

This was my favorite project we painted around the pictures and I made the saying on my cricut. Then my awesome handy man of a husband cut one of our old tables down and I painted it to be an entry table. I just love how it all turned out! 

Sorry this picture is sideways. I finally finished the girls quiet books for church. I had so much fun putting them together and letting the girls help and put in their input on what they wanted on some of the pages. They actually play with them during sacrament meeting and it helps them be quiet, hence the name "quiet books" it is named that for a reason I truly believe that now! :)

My little pumpkins! Brandon cut them for me with some extra wood we had . Then with some sanding and a little paint,  they turned into some cute fall decor.

We had a girls crafting night last week to make  holiday wreaths! This was
the one I made out of burlap (might I just say I love burlap)! My new girlfriends and neighbors are just amazing...I am so happy with our new house and neighborhood, it's awesome!

I found the idea on pintrest to make your own canvas so I tried it. So this now hangs in our dining room to remind us of our family rules! :) 

I have a couple more projects in the works right now too so that will be for another post. But I just have to say I just love doing anything crafty, I think its my "outlet" (well other than shopping). But it's been really fun to be creative lately! :)

Dance Dance Dance

Ash posing after dance

Brookie loved her class

So the girls started dance class 2 weeks ago and they love it! I am so happy with the studio and their teachers...much better than last year! So we are going to Center Stage and the studio is amazing!! All the teachers are well qualified and there have been tons of professional dancers come from the studio. We go on Thursdays, it makes for a long day but very worth doing both classes the same day to just have one big dance day. So Brooklyn's teacher is Miss Kim (reminds me of the fabulous Miss Kimber!) and she loves her. Brooklyn did dance and tap all by herself, she was very proud of herself. Then Ashlyn's teacher is actually Miss Kim's daughter, Miss Amber. They are just the cutest teachers for the girls. We are so happy and excited to go to dance each week. It's so fun to see my girls find a love for dance like I did and still do.

Daddy Daughter Date

This is what happens when Brandon wants to take the girls on a date day without my supervision. We have a few pets....well kinda of. Brandon took the girls on a daddy daughter date last night. He told them that they get to pick out a pet! Ashlyn was so excited she thought she was going to pick out a dog or a cat and our sweet little Brooklyn was so excited that she was going to get a penguin! :) But they got to pick out some fish! :) They were stoked! When they came home they told me all about it and showed me their new pets as we all put the fish bowls together. Ashlyn named her big fish Big Boise State (because it is orange of course) and Brooklyn named her big fish Alley. All the small fish get new names every time we ask we will just call them the other 5. They are so excited and happy to have a pet to take care of! We all know what happened last time we had fish, oh that crazy Christmas party at our house with a bunch of 3 year-olds. Hopefully this time the fish will last a little longer! :)

1st Day of Kindergarten!

Ashlyn made a little present for her teacher Ms. Rigby 

Ashlyn and Emma

Tuesday, August 30th Ashlyn had her first day of Kindergarten! She is in afternoon kindergarten this year and just loves every minuet of it. The week before school started she went in for an assessment and when we walked into the school for it she was holding my hand and then started to rub my arm. (A little background on Ashlyn she is super confident and loves to meet new people and has talked about going to school for a long time. When she was little and on occasion now she will rub my arm for comfort to go to sleep) So told her you are going to do awesome and we get to meet your teacher this is going to be fun! She looked up at me and said "Mommy I'm nervous!" That was the first time I had seen this side of Ashlyn. As soon as we walked into her classroom she perked right up and I could tell she was going to be ok. A few days before I had a little break down thinking of my sweet little Ashlyn going off to school. I can't believe I she is old enough to be going to Kindergarten! I knew she was going to love it but it's still hard to think they grow up so fast. I was very excited to have her start her schooling chapter of her life. So the first day of school she was so excited she even got in the same class as her cute little friend Emma. They were super excited to be in the same class! :) I thought I was going to have a hard time and cry like a baby when I walked her into the classroom but I didn't! I gave her a little bracelet to wear so if she ever missed me while at school she could look down at her bracelet and it would be like I was holding her hand. So I think that helped me more than it helped her. :) I am so excited for her to learn and to go to school!

Paka Boy is 1!!!

I'm One!

Our little stud

Like Father Like Son....just adorable!

Opening his presents

He loved his cake!!

My darling Paka Boy

A flash back picture from the day he was born!

Parker turned 1, yep my baby boy is now 1! I can't believe how fast this past year has gone. While we were in town for the weekend we threw a little party for him. He is such a happy baby always doing his cheesy smile and just a truly happy boy. He wakes up happy and goes to bed happy. I am so proud of him he is my first baby to actually be on a good sleep schedule and yes sleeps through the night! He is on a great schedule he wakes up at 8:00 goes down for his first nap at 11:00 no matter what and has a second nap (yep 2 naps its wonderful) at 3:00 then actually goes to sleep at a normal baby time at 9:30. I am just so thankful to have him sleep so great. He has 3 teeth on the bottom and 3 teeth on the top so he looks like a cute little pumpkin when he smiles. Will eat everything in front of him and if you have food you better be ready to share because he has to have a little taste of yours too. He says mama and dada he is also starting to say ball he will pick it up and say ba and is starting to say this when he points at things. He chuckles and grunts all the time. He is left handed (Brandon has high hopes for him to be a left handed quarterback) its quite funny to have two of our kids being left handed but he is very much so a lefty.  He's a very busy boy he has been walking for a good two and a half months now. He absolutely loves to play ball he will pick it up then try and throw it to you, its cute! He also loves trucks and is starting to say truck sounds when he plays. At his one year check up he was 26 pounds which is 90% and 31.8 inches in the 95% so he is still a big boy. He had so much fun opening his presents on his birthday and after a slight melt down (from his fat feet squished into shoes, he prefers to be barefoot) LOVED getting into his cake. I am so thankful for this sweet little boy I just love every waking moment I have with him! He is a true blessing in our lives. His big sisters are so sweet with him and he already puts up with them doing his hair and playing babies and dress up with him. I can't believe he is already 1! Happy Birthday to my sweet Parker boy! I love you so much son!