A Very Girly Halloween

It was all things girly for Halloween 2015. And my Keags and Rys put the happy in it! 

It was a day spent at home hiding from the torrential morning and afternoon rain by changing our American Girl dolls outfits 78 times and making cake balls in our new Easy Bake Oven that Miss Taryn passed down to the girls for their birthday! Super girly right? 

But obviously the main event was tonight, and thank heavens the weather cleared up for us! The girls went the girly route of course and decided to wear last years costumes again because who doesn't love a Disney Princess?! I obviously do because I actually took a picture with my girks for once! Notice the red lipstick and Halloween make up. 

We went to the darling Riesbergers with the McArthurs and the Roberts for such a fun night! Keagan was serious about trick or treating this year and was usually the first one to each door and then off running to the next house! Unfortunately that meant she fell once, took a chunk out of her big toe and had a little bloody issue. But she was tough and had no tears! That great Brother McArthur carried her for a little bit and then she rode in sweet Betty's wagon. Riley was very excited to trick or treat but tired early. She was happy in her stroller and Keagan or sweet Maddie McArthur would get her a piece of candy at the doors I couldn't or just didn't get to. Keagan was so sweet in making sure Riley was getting enough candy! 

Action shot of Keags dropping a piece of candy in Rileys's pumpkin and running to the next house!

After our cute bunch collected a good amount and was tired out, we went back to the Riesbergers. The kids all played so nicely and Miss Nikki had made the yummiest cookies and hot chocolate and got the cutest cookie cake. Happy kids and chatting with good friends was a fantastic end to the night! When we got in the car Keagan said "that was SO fun!" I couldn't agree more! The best Halloween in years! 

Career Day

In the Bible Belt, we don't celebrate Halloween at school. So the best school ever, Brill Elementary, scheduled career day today! We had a ballerina and an artist coming from our house! Keagan changed her mind just yesterday but I think we still pulled it off and Riley wore a tutu for an 18 month old and it totally fit!

I happened to get pictures from Keagans teacher and a mommy friend! I absolutely love getting a glimpse into their day! 

All the fun was exhausting! 

 

This Parenting Gig is Hard!

Today I wasn't my finest self. Tonight my temper got the better of me and my frustration and exhaustion won. It wasn't pretty friends! There may have been some yelling and way too many "just go to bed NOW!" And it doesn't feel good now that the angels are asleep. It feels down right awful. 

The problem is besides all my excuses, some of which may sound very valid, this parenting business is just hard. I have every intention of getting it right, every day, every time. But sometimes, or a lot of times, I just don't. 

Hopefully these two precious girls won't remember nights like tonight. I'm hoping and literally praying that they remember their mommy loved them and their mommy tried; really really hard, even when she was exhausted and had nothing left. Seriously I hope they remember nights like Monday night where we had a great family home evening, read 2 books together as they sat on my lap, and did our traditional Monday night horsey rides! Please remember Monday!

Tomorrow I will try again and hopefully do better. Heaven knows these two babies deserve it! 

Here they are just a few years back! Look at those precious faces! 

Who Ya Gonna Call?

Today was Halloween day at dance! That meant the girls got to wear their Halloween costumes and did a little performance for us to "Ghostbusters!" Seriously so stinkin cute I could barely stand it! 

Look at BOTH of them posing! They seriously come up with this stuff all on their own! 

The big shows! Gamas even came to watch too! 

We are also blessed to have a whole bunch of friends in our dance classes with us including Kennedy Skidmore and Izzy Monson from church plus Kate, Alex and Charlotte Thompson and more! 

Her First!

Little Miss Keagan finally lost her very first tooth today! And she did it in a Keagan sort of way. Her goal was to lose it at school so that she got the special tooth saver treasure chest. Check! And she pulled it out all on her own. Check! And was SO excited to show everyone! Check!

This was what she looked like yesterday! The before picture...

And the after...

What a cutie!! 

She is so excited for the tooth fairy to come! And I am so excited for her to use my childhood tooth fairy pillow! When she hung it on the headboard I realized at her age I hung the exact same pillow on the exact same headboard and I had a little moment! 

With all of this cuteness the very cutest part was her note to the tooth fairy asking her if she could keep her tooth! 

Translation: "Tooth Fairy Please leave my tooth. I love you so much! From Keagan" and a picture of the tooth fairy coming to get the tooth! I'm not sure she could be any cuter!! 

The tooth fairy better get to it! 

Primary Program

My eyes stung with tears and my heart about burst today on my favorite Sunday of the year! Today was the Primary Program at church where all the children age 3-11 share with us what they have learned this year. The songs were awesome and each of my girls did great with their parts! Especially since Gamas was in the congregation with me!

Keagan's part, which she had memorized but she was so nervous she still read it, was "The Holy Ghost speaks to our hearts and to our minds. He comforts us, and teaches us. He testifies of Jesus Christ." 

Riley's part was  "Jesus Christ has power over the earth.  When there was a dangerous storm, He said “Peace, be still.” and the wind and the waves obeyed Him." Sweet Kenny Chalk helped Riley with her part. He was so darling and gently helped her up the step and lowered the microphone to her but then read her part. It was precious! 

I'm so thankful for the Primary program and all their leaders for all that they do for our little family! Primary helps fill in the gaps, the big gaps, of things I am not teaching my girls. Matthew 19:14 says "But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven." And yes, today was heaven! 

Trunk or Treat

Keepin the tradition alive, we had a good, fun tonight. Both girls ended up wearing their costumes from last year. Apparently their new costumes are itchy; of course. Dinner, games and trunk or treating is heaven for these girls! I wish poor Riley wouldn't have been so terrified of all the painted faces and cute Spencer McArthur dressed as Santa! But nights like tonight remind me how blessed we are to have this great ward family and so many people The Lord has blessed us with! 

My very favorite part was right before we were headed to the car and I stopped to talk to one more person. Keagan took Riley over underneath one of the street lamps. She dumped both of their buckets of candy out on the sidewalk and Keags had 4 times the amount of candy as Riley. But she split all the candy in half and put half in each of their buckets! Sweetest thing ever!! 

Make up!! Oh my!

Games with Ava Jones

Love thee sweet girls! Keags, Izzy Monson and Lexi Williams. I told them we will keep this for when they are in Young Women's together!

Checking out their loot! All these cute girls in a row make me happy! 

I adore this Jones family! 

Fun night! 

School is Cool!

If you haven't heard, school is cool. And Brill Elementary just might be the very coolest! 

I would know because I was there a lot today. This morning helping with Fabulous Feasting Friday which is a lunch for teachers and staff. Then onto being the class reader for Keagans darling class and great teacher Mrs Evans. Then back in the afternoon to mark laps for the big pumpkin run! Just some Friday fun.

Miss Keagan did 17 laps which is just one lap short of three miles! So proud of her! 

And I was so excited to catch Riley playing on the playground with her friends! The darling Violet and Addison in her class were so proud of themselves that they were helping Riley on the playground! So precious! 

Then both girls got their official all A's Honor Roll certificates! SO proud of them both! They sure are BRILLiant! 

Thankful Thursday

It's Thankful Thursday and I sure have quite a lot to be thankful about! Here's a short snipet of an extremely long list. 

1. I'm so thankful for clean and happy babies in the quiet of what is bedtime. Just like every mom I am very thankful when my girls fall asleep and look like real angels on earth. But when I'm not fighting them, which has a lot to do with my attitude at the time, I'm so thankful for the peace that comes right before bed. Quietly reading our scriptures, precious prayers said by Keagan and lots of hugs and kisses. Those are the kind of nights I hope they remember! 

2. I'm so thankful for generous and talented friends that bring us seriously cute and yummy cookies! Thanks Janelle! 

3. I'm so thankful for strides made in Riley's therapy. She is starting a new communication system called PECS that uses small pictures to communicate and has responded really well! On a Monday Keagan was so sweet and participated in Riley's speech therapy and learning this new system. I am really excited about the possibilities with this! 

4. I'm so thankful for sweet sister moments like Tuesday night when Keagan tucked Riley in bed, gave her kisses and even put her finger in Riley's ear which is her favorite! 

5.  I'm so thankful for days like today where I can actually take a break from adulting and sleep off a horrible headache while the girls are at school. My days are usually so busy and full with heaven knows what, but it's amazing to get a break every now and then; despite the headache part of course. 

It sure feels good to use that break to count my blessings on Thankful Thursday! I could go on...and on...and on...