Happy Valentine's Day!!

My sister Lisa is an amazing photographer and she had a Valentine's Day photo shoot. When we arrived at the destination we couldn't believe our eyes. The set-up was absolutely darling and was decorated in pink, red, and white. The girls had a blast taking pictures and I am so thrilled with how all the adorable pictures turned out. There were too many cute ones to choose from, but here are a few of my favorites. 

Yay...for love, fun, memories, and cute photo shoots. 

Happy Valentine's Day!!

We had Laylie and Rael's cousins for the day so we did cousin pictures too. I LOVE each of the girls so much. 

  

www.lisalain.com

A princess for the night...

Two Sunday nights ago, Laylie dressed herself in a Cinderella dress, a blue flower in her hair, and pretty white shoes to match her outfit. She was filled with total excitement, giggles, and ready to start her date with her Uncle Tim and Auntie Lindsay. A special date to San Diego where they would spend their evening watching Disney on Ice. She had the most magical time and told us all about it the next day. She enjoyed spending time with her auntie and uncle and she truly felt so special. What a true joy for Jason and I to know that others adore, love, and want to pour into our daughter like we do. So thankful and grateful!

We love you Auntie Lindsay and Uncle Tim!!!

Sisters that are unique made by God

Since we moved, I have noticed so much more about our girls. Laylie has shown her personality more than ever during this move and it's really fun to see how different our little girls are from each other. Laylie has had moments of sadness leaving our condo and still wakes up crying from time to time about our little space that we called home. The home she was carried to in her car seat from the hospital. Where her sweet friend Kapri lives only steps away and they would run around and play together. On other days, she tears up in the car about missing our little dog, Gypsy, every time she hears a romantic song played on the radio. My Laylie can sit still for hours reading books on the floor, or just snuggle with us. She has a huge heart, helps without being told and the most caring big sister. She loves to make others feel happy and feel good inside.
My Laylie is:  sensitive, joyful, loving, has big heart for others and doesn't like change.

Rael, on the other hand, is completely the opposite. She hasn't missed a beat about the move from our condo, to my parents for a week, and into our new home. She goes with the flow and as long as it's fun and you have some healthy snacks for her to munch on, she is great. She won't sit still for a second and runs everywhere. She doesn't care where we go or what we are doing as long as she can play (and eat). If you are sad about something, she will offer a sweet hug and a kiss, but won't take too long to make sure you are totally ok. She makes us laugh all day and has the cutest chubby little body.
My Rael is: Easy going, happy, silly, sweet, enjoys new adventures and expresses tons of energy.

We went to the doctor for a check-up. Both girls were getting a flu shot and a vaccine. Rael went first - she cried as the shot went into her soft skin, but stopped immediately, saw two band-aids on her thighs, and ripped them off as fast as she could. She looked up at me with her big blue eyes as if to say, "whatever just happened - nothing will take me down, mama!" Well, it was the big sister's turn...I looked over at Laylie all cuddled up in the chair. I held her long, slender body in my arms and started to sing "Jesus loves me". The nurse went as fast as she could and gave her two quick shots. Laylie immediately looked at the nurse and yelled "you're mean!" She had tears streaming down her cheeks, her face was completely red, and her eyes showed emotional hurt. She cried for some time in the office, some on the way home, and some even at home. She kept her band-aids on until bath time that night. Yes, my girls are so different, even at the doctors, and that is why I love them so much. My heart is overflowing with love for my two angels. I am SO thankful God made them so special, so unique, and gave them some really awesome gifts. I am one proud mama!!!

Another Dream is Fulfilled...

We are just so thankful and grateful for our new home. Each day we have someone special coming over to play and hang out. Kids will be running around, screaming in excitement, and it's total craziness which I just love. The more happiness the better!

This week Laylie and a Rael have been enjoying our big master bathtub. Rael acts like she is swimming and Laylie enjoys the space.

We spend our mornings playing in our large playroom where coloring, Legos, beads, baby dolls, blocks, and doll house take place. We love having a room full of fun.

We are spending hours in our front yard and cul-de-sac riding bikes and playing games. But, the last few days have been extra exciting because Laylie is now a professional two-wheel bike rider. She took off like lighting with no help at all the very first time. She sometimes scares me with how fast she goes and she seems to now have it all under control. We are so proud of her and feel like our little girl accomplished another "big girl" moment.

Life seems happier and lovelier in our new place. Maybe it's the extra space? Maybe it's the mama of the family expressing so much joy and knowing that now every dream of hers has come true. A beautiful home, children to fill the home, food filled in our fridge, the most amazing husband anyone could ask for and an awesome God to thank for it all. Wow, yes, I do pinch myself every morning to see If I am dreaming.

We are in our new place called HOME....

It was morning…I couldn't sleep all night because I was too excited. We were moving into our new home and I could hardly wait. We woke up bright and early in the new home on Saturday morning so we could get an early start unloading the truck to be there when our family and friends arrived. Friends arrived around 7am once again and VG donuts were delivered by our Dad which everyone just loved. We all started working together going back and forth from the house to the truck, and in less that 2 hours the truck was unloaded and everything was in each labeled room. 

Well, since I ordered a 6ft Subway sandwich, which couldn't go to waste, everyone wanted to stay until lunchtime - so we started unpacking. Let me just tell you…our new house was like tiny little ants on an ant hill with everyone working together unpacking, hanging things, organizing things, and hooking things up. My sweet friends Kelly and Pernel organized our closets, my sister Lisa and Mom did the kitchen, my sister Jillian made the beds, the Schmaltzs and the Esmays put things where they belonged and all the guys put furniture together, and hung things on the walls. By 3pm every room in our house was done from top to bottom.  Jason and I still can’t believe it and we are in complete awe of the blessings. We are blown away. 

I truly thought I would be unpacking for a month and trying to get my loving husband to hang thing after thing on each wall – nope…by the grace, time and effort of the people we adore, they made it all happen in a few short hours.  We will always remember this time in our lives when we called out for help and we were lifted up beyond measure. Thank you, friends and family…we love you!!

It has been day #3 in our home and let me just tell you…We are LOVING it!! Rael has so much room and won’t stop running. She now has bruises on her head because she keeps running into the doorframes. She is now a great friend to play hide-n-seek with and has learned to count, close her eyes, and hunt for the other person because of all the hours of already playing. Laylie is loving riding her bike in the backyard or cul-de-sac, having a huge playroom to play in, and dancing around everywhere. I am noticing things about the house that I never really noticed during our walkthroughs, things that I have always wanted, like…fluffy carpet upstairs, wood shutters, 2 sinks in the bathrooms, lots of cabinet space, and I am feeling that God choose this house for us. Jason is just having fun switching our address on things, doing little home projects already, and watching all 3 of his girls love the house he has provided for us. We are in total happiness and can’t wait to bless others with our home. We feel like we are in a wonderful dream!

Moving On...

We woke up early and we were ready to load our big moving truck. We had a quick breakfast and soon after 7am friends started arriving to help. The guys all worked together loading heavy furniture and box after box from the garage. Somehow to my amazement they all took turns puzzling each item to make it all fit into the truck. I was in awe and so thrilled everything fit. The girls worked together in the empty house wiping down walls, counters and cleaning the floors. By 9:30am the truck was fully loaded and the house was cleaned. I even had to cancel our pizza order for lunch because it went so incredibly fast. There are times in your life where you feel extra blessed by your friends and family coming around you, helping you, and making you feel loved. Jason and I felt this was one of those days for us. We were so grateful for all of the helping hands and complete willingness of others to give up their time for us. It blows us away!! We are looking forward to next Saturday to move again with these friends and family but this time unloading the truck and putting things in our new home. Wahoo!!!

A few hours later our town home was empty. We head to Via Borregos and did our final walk through. This was the first time the girls had seen our new home and I was so excited to show it to them, especially Laylie who is having a little harder time with the move. On the way to the house I was remembering the commercial on tv when I was a little girl where a family was buying a house and the kids were running all around the home in total excitement. I have always remembered that ad since I was tiny because I wanted to do that someday when I had a family. Deep down I was hoping it would unfold just like that commercial I saw years and years ago. I must tell you, when we arrived at the home, Laylie was smiling so big in her car seat behind us. We saw Jon (our brother-in-law and the most amazing real estate agent ever) wiggling the key in his hand. Then I looked and read a sign that said, "SOLD" in big red letters in front of the house. I got butterflies and a huge smile on my face, too.

We hopped out of the car, met a few neighbors, took a few pictures and then we let Laylie open up the door. We watched her little hands push open the big door and instantly the girls were running to each room screaming in excitement, checking everything out, finding the best hiding spots, playing outside in the bushes, and finding their own rooms. I was in complete happiness and it was just how I pictured it that one day when I first saw the commercial. Total joy, happiness and thrill. We all felt an awesome sweetness about the home just like I had when going through the house for the first time. We left the driveway knowing we would be back in a few days, calling it our own.

I pray that in this home, Jason and I can grow old in it, have more children, and just bless everyone we know with this house God has given us. We are just over the moon with our precious new gift.