Christmas 2009

What a fun and magical time Christmas is especially at the girls age. Teagan had been so excited for it she could hardly wait. She got a letter from Santa at preschool, it read that she was on the top of his nice list. I told her maybe on the day he wrote the letter she was! When she discovered what Santa had brought her on Christmas morning she exclaimed "I must have been on top of his nice list!". She was super happy with all her treasures. Taylee was a little more casual about the whole ordeal. She just wanted to eat her chips and candy! In fact she was quite obesessed with her candy. I had to take it and put it away. But she somehow snuck some into a stash. I caught her three times that morning hiding eating candy, one time she was in the corner of her closet with her nose to the wall eating it! How can you not laugh when you see such a thing. The girls had a great day playing with their new toys. Brandon and I spent the day playing referee because Teagan didn't want to share with Taylee. Grandpa and Grandma Moss came over in the afternoon for a visit. We went over to Dave and Dana's for dinner. It was a very nice and exhausting day!

HO HO

Teagan and Taylee visited a few different Santa's this season. They got their pics taken with the Santa at the West Park Plaza as always. They also visited with Santa's at the festival of trees, our ward party, and at Teagan's school party. Teagan didn't think the Santa at her party was a very good one. And apparently Taylee didn't either! Teagan was super excited to see each Santa. She asked him for a necklace, Dr. kit, and play food. Taylee asked Santa for chips.

Holiday Spirit

Pics of the girls after Teagan's debut. Just full of holiday spirit!

Teagan's Debut

Teagan's preschool Christmas program was just adorable! I'm not sure who this was funner for her or me. The kids got to dress up in their pajamas to school. The whole program lasted a total of maybe 20 minutes, short and oh so sweet! She was just beaming away up there. I know everyone thinks it but I KNOW my kid was the cutest! Taylee was so good she sat and watched nicely and sang along. After they had treats and Santa visited the kiddo's. Too much fun!

My Sugars

Baking sugar cookies with kids, twice the mess, twice the fun! I was going to attempt to make and decorate enough to deliver to some friends however after the first batch I decided against that! Taylee loved sprinkling the cookies, and Teagan loved licking the frosting between each spread.

Mom's on the Naughty List

So sure enough with a few other problems going on it was time add one extra element right? Thursday while taking Teagan to school I slid off the road into the ditch and took out our neighbor down the streets mailbox. I was so frustrated! Anyhow we were lucky enough that after talking to him he had Brandon come over to help him temporarily fix it and he is getting a fancy new rock one built (hope I won't ever run into that one). Apparently one of the other neighbors had actually backed into it one other time as well. Yeah I'm not the only idiot living on the block!

So the girls were pretty unfazed by the whole thing as dramatic as it seemed to me. However a couple of nights ago we were driving in the car and Teagan announced out of the blue that "Mom's not going to get any presents from Santa because she ran over the neighbors mailbox". Apparently my offense was serious enough to land me on the naughty list, Darn it!

Oh Christmas Tree

So after our failed attempt up at Red Lodge we ended up buying our tree again! The girls had an absolute blast decorating it. Teagan was all about the pink and sparkly ornaments. I actually got this set of them last year just for her likings. Taylee just enjoyed pointing to where I should hang them. So sweet!

Failed Attempt

We went up to the annual Red Lodge Christmas stroll and decided to go ahead and try to cut our try down this year. We hadn't cut our own down since Teagan was born. Unfortunately it was absolutely freezing and the snow was pouring down. The visability was awfull so it was hard to see from the car. We got the girls completely bundled up and drug them around on the sleds to search. Taylee hated it, whined the entire time we were outside. Teagan loved it and wanted more. So we discovered that the beautiful picture of going out with your family and cutting the tree down wasn't as easily achieved for our family this year, in fact we went home empty handed! Oh well it did end up to be a great day together and thats what counts!

Gobble Gobble

Thanks for the great turkey apple idea Kate! I had forgotten all about those. The girls had a lot of fun with them.

We had a very nice Thanksgiving. It was a real nice sunny day. We went over to Dana's for dinner. Everything was super yummy. The girls LOVED the turkey. Brandon didn't really eat much dinner saving room for as many pieces of his moms pumpkin pie as he could! And I was just wishing this baby would give up some room in my tummy for more of all of that yummy food! Its always nice to spend the day eating and relaxing with loved ones.

Something to bread for

This morning at breakfast Teagan came over to me with her glass of chocolate milk. "Lets do a bread" she said with an excited smile on her face tipping her cup up in the air towards me. Knowing what she was meaning to say I said "Sure, what do you want to TOAST to?". Gotta love those silly things she says.

Blessings

Well its more than official that Teagan is a smart little gal, and has her own ideas about just everything. We've encountered this "situation" the last few months. Its somewhat humorous, but also something we don't agree with and are trying to correct. I have caught her several times giving Taylee or her dolls blessings. We are trying our best to teach her that only worthy males hold the preisthood, and it isn't good play to be pretending to have it. So she has taken to "hiding out" when she gives her blessings. Her prefered place is the bathroom. She usually corners Taylee in there some how, after she's gotten her in there Taylee is actually usually rather cooperative, even adding her little amen at the end.

The other day I heard her corner Taylee in the bathroom. I nudged Brandon to go intervene. Apparantley she was blessing Taylee with the power to eat salad and her fruits and vegetables. Brandon interrupted the "blessing" before she could finish. He had a very nice talk with her about the preishood power and who we know who holds it etc. As I mentioned before He's already had to talk with her about this a few times before. As thankful as I am for her knowledge of the Preishood and her enthusiasim for it, I'm really hoping its a fase she will grow out of soon.

Potty Training!

Friday night the eve before she turned two Taylee decided she wanted to potty train. When we got home from Chucky Cheeses Teagan was in using the toilet. Taylee goes in there and just starts yelling at Teagan, "No me poop, me poop, me poop!". So I had Brandon grab the little training potty out of the garage and sure enough, she went. She is actually doing very well so far, she does NOT want to put a regular diaper back on, she only wants to wear the pull ups, (yipes $). The real big struggle right now is that Teagan thinks she has to be in the bathroom every time Taylee is. And she wants a treat like Taylee gets too. I'm trying to explain to her that there are things she has as a big girl that Taylee doesn't but I don't think she gives a darn. Anyhow very cool for Miss Taylee making her big girl decisions, hope it goes smooth enough!

Birthday Buds

Taylee and Grandpa Moss share their Birthday. Taylee wouldn't get her finger out of her nose for the shot, oh well. Unfortunately I didn't get a picture of the two of them together last year. Hopefully I can get one from here on out though. Grandpa Moss turned 64. He's a very special guy and I am glad the girls have him for a Grandpa!

Taylee's # 2

Taylee turned two this past Saturday. She had a fun filled weekend. We took her and Teagan to Chucky Cheeses on Friday night. Brandon invited a couple of his coworkers to join us as well. I quickly baked this box mix cake. When I started to frost it it started falling apart so I let Teagan finish the job, so it turned out just lovely.

On Saturday Taylee took full advantage of the day being all about her. We hung out as a family and had one of her favorite breakfasts, french toast and sausage. Then Saturday night we went over to Dana's and met the family there to celebrate. We had some yummy soup and bread for dinner. I made Marcia's pistachio cake, and brought the kids some cupcakes. Teagan had a very hard time not getting in the middle of Taylees things and taking over opening up presents, blowing out candles, etc. So it was a struggle with her.

I am so thankful for my beautiful little Tay Tay. She sure can be a hand full. But she is also very full of love and compassion for others. I'm so lucky to be her mom, and am excited to see how her little personality develops through the years.

Sassy Sistas

Teagan was too afraid to stand and get her pictures she must have inherited Brandon's fear of heights. So we got some with the two of them anyway. They can just be so funny together!

Getting Hitched

Teagan is busy packing her bags for her wedding in California. She has about ten of her dress up dresses on her bed and a few DVDS. She just came in with both arms full of panties and announced that she is going to need all of these for her trip as well. I'm glad she knows what her necessities are for such an important event.

Grouch Buckets

My girls can be just plain grouchy at times. Taylee was in a particularly grouchy mood and not being very polite to anyone. Teagan was giving dad a progress report when he came home, she told him that Taylee was being a lobster. Dad looked at her inquisitively, it only took him a few moments to figure out she was trying to say Taylee was being crabby. Lobster, crawdad, shrimp, crab, whats the diff?

Photo Shoot

I have really been wanting to be able to get Taylee's two year pictures professionally done. However due to our current $ situation that wont be possible. So I had Brandon go with me to this spot downtown for a photo shoot. It was in a way a disaster because we got all the way downtown and realized the memory card wasn't in the camera, it was still at home in the computer. I didn't want to not at least try that day so we drove all the way back home got it, and then all the way back downtown. By this time Taylee was getting awfully tired. She actually cooperated quite well, however the light did not. I really wanted to explore a few more spots downtown to take them in but it wasn't a possibility that day. And I think that's just how it goes when you take on the picture venture yourself, its always going to be something. I might try one more day to go out and see what else we can get for her, we'll see how the weather cooperates, and the light, and the kids, and the........

Halloween

We had a great Halloween in Billings this year. It was a very nice warm day and night. Unfortunately Mom was sick so things just didn't get done the same. These pictures were actually taken the week before when we went to our old wards trunk or treat party. Teagan wanted to be a princess and decided on Snow White this year. Taylee is still young enough for mom to choose so she was an octopus.

For Halloween itself we usually go to the mall but decided to stay away from all the flu germs flying around right now. We went to Janelle's (a coworker of Brandon's) house. She had dared him to dress up as a baby, and sure enough he couldn't let her down. So he showed up at her door with nothing but a diaper (sheet). and pacifier around his neck. It was the first time meeting her husband and I guess he was speechless, literally couldn't say a word. I hung out in the car as I wasn't feeling well but didn't want to miss out on the girls Halloween. Brandon changed immediately after Janelles and walked the girls up and down her neighborhood. Taylee was so funny, she would just walk right up there and grab the candy out of the persons bow with no hesitation. She was NOT fooling around, it was some serious business! Her sweet little thank you afterwards was just darling. Afterwards we took them to Grandpa and Grandma Moss's house. The girls both had a super fun and exhausing night. Holidays are so much fun with kids.

Pumpkin Patch

Well we had a particularly early freeze, very, very, cold freeze! Due to this freeze all the pumpkin farmers had to pick and salvage what they could before this. So we weren't able to get our pumpkin field pictures this year. This lady had most hers stored in her barn in a humongous pile. The girls really enjoyed feeding the chickens the old corrn. I really do love fall!

Flat Stanley

Teagans is loving every single moment of preschool. She had her very first homework assignment due today. It was the schools version of Flat Stanley. The kids were to take him home, color/decorate him. Then have him go to work with a parent. Stanley was then to return to school with report of what he did with the parent at work. They will be putting all the Stanley's together into a class book.

We almost set Teagan up for failure! They sent him home over two weeks ago. Suddenly its the third of November???? Anyhow we got it taken care of this morning in time. Flat Stanley had a ball with Brandon at work, it was actually more so just a photo shoot, oh well! Flat Stanley with Brandon at Lockwood School where he works for Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch.
Flat Stanley at home with Chase to portray his dog training business.