Family Pictures

On Black Friday we found a deal to have pictures done at our favorite picture place, Camera Shy, for $80! Since I had been wanting to get our pictures done anyways we jumped at it and bought one. Then we found a day Hallie didn't have school so I didn't have to pull her out to have pictures done We originally picked Friday but Matt ended up having meetings most of the day so we rescheduled for Monday. He met us on his lunch and we got them done. I love how the colors look together and how everyone's hair turned out. Em was a pill and cried most of the session. We probably should have planned more around her nap schedule than meeting Matt since it fell right around meltdown point. So I was very pleased when we got these back that any of them turned out. Luckily we had a very patient photographer that did a great job.

Hallie-7, Gracie-5, and Emery 20 months

 Hallie at 7 is a mature and helpful little girl. She is very thoughtful, logical, and has picked up on some of my OCD planning tendencies and anxiety. She is beautiful inside and out. She is a great helper. She is excelling at school and is a social butterfly. She can also be very stubborn and emotional at times. She loves pizza, nachos, meatballs and rice, and chicken with veggies. She eats a lot of granola bars, fig newtons, apples, goldfish, and poptarts. She is starting to like older kid shows and recently has found full house(like I watched when I was her age). She has started to notice boys mostly when she or her friends are teasing each other. She loves playing PBS kids, with dolls, coloring, card games, and the double basketball game we got for Christmas. She and Gracie come up with some great imaginative stories and play really well together. She is looking forward to being baptized this year.

 Gracie at 5 is full of life and a love for it. She can brighten anyones day and has so much love to share that she isn't shy at all with. She loves to have her hair curled because she says she feel beautiful. She is getting to be a great little reader and will start kindergarten next fall. She is really enjoying preschool and I think it has been a great creative outlet for her. She loves to be my right hand man. She loves to cook and bake with me. She has gotten to the point she can make herself food if Im busy or she is hungry. She loves Elana of Avalor and pretty much anything disney. She can be timid in a new situation or if she is scared or worried. She loves yogurt with granola, pizza, nachos, tacos, spaghetti squash, and lettuce wraps. She has a tender little heart and doesn't do well in loud situations or with yelling. She is usually willing to try everything at least once. She is really great at entertaining herself. She loves to color, play with dolls, play on the computer, and cuddle. She is very thoughtful and loves to give gifts to everyone. 

 Emery is a very busy 20 month old. She is by far our busiest children yet. She is into and onto everything although when she is tired it is even worse. She runs, climbs, and wants to do everything her sisters are doing. She still naps one to two times a day. Sleeps 12 hours at night. We have finally taken away her bottle and are transitioning to a sippy cup. She still has a binki and a blankie she is obsessed with. She love yogurt, string cheese, soup, apples, oranges, cereal, puffs, goldfish, apple cider, hot chocolate, and fruit snacks. She goes potty in the toilet a couple times a day but I don't think she is quite ready to potty train although I just may be dragging my feet. She has all but a couple teeth and they are trying to poke thru for the past week or so. Her vocabulary grows everyday but she doesn't say many words clearly although she is getting better all the time. She says mommy, dad, Gracie, Hallie, kitties, mickey, sippy, binki, string cheese, treat, here ya go, counts to 3, potty, poo, shoes, puppy, ouside(outside), apple, bye, hey(she says this a lot), Nikki, Krissy. She loves to sing and dance in her own little world....its adorable. I love when she cuddles and she usually will if we watch Mickey Clubhouse. 

 Matt, as always, is so wonderful for me. He knows just what to do to make me feel special, loved, and appreciated most of the time. He is always willing to talk things out with me even when I can be pretty stubborn and unsure of my feelings. He reminds me everyday that he loves me and how beautiful I am...which I think every girl needs

Sometimes I get so confused when I look at these pictures trying to decide if we are done or if we are missing one more. I feel like there is one more but Matt thinks we are done which is so confusing to me. Only time will tell. I feel so blessed that Heavenly Father has entrusted us with these 3 special little spirits. We are all learning and growing together for sure.