Weekend of Visitors and Snow

We had a great weekend with Chad, Becky and Trista! They were here Friday-Tuesday morning. The girls had a great time getting to know their little cousin better, I think Rissa finally likes her!
David once again took advantage of having help and tackled a long needing done job. All of us girls decided to do some re-sale shopping on Monday and were successful in finding some bargains.

They surprised the girls and brought an ice chest full of some Pa snow to build a snowman. We were going to be the only people on the block with a snowman. It ended up they brought us more than an ice chest full! I think they brought a whole storm of snow!

"Getting practice"

Rissa's two new best friends. She really took a liking to Chad, his name was the first thing she would say every morning. She still will ask about him sometimes.

I hope Trista enjoyed all her entertainment as much as it was enjoyed giving it to her!

David's weekend project; installing garage doors

A job well done!

I had a hard time believing that all the fuss about a snow storm coming was actually going to happen! We were amused at people needing to go for "milk and bread before this blizzard" and schools dismissing before a single snowflake, but it did really happen!

Amber wondering if she was really seeing snowflakes! (the camera did not pick them up) She reminded me more than once that I told her it never snows in South Carolina! I guess I should have said it is not supposed to!

Still snowing

They had fun playing in it, but Rissa did not like the snow.

We ended up with about 4 inches. Small compared to the North, but the most in 30 years for here!

Wintertime Blues

I think we all are getting spring fever! Although I am sure our winter time blues cannot be as bad as you Northerners! You get snow and we get rain, lots of rain. I wish it would save some for the hot Summer months. Maybe then we would not have to water everything every other day!
We are all doing well. I have been doing better as long as I don't push myself too much.
We are looking forward to a visit this weekend from Chad and Becky and Trista!

Babysitting


Getting two things done at once (:

Our recent family portrait (including Cosmo)

Our Super Bowl "Party"

An Update

Yes, we are still here! I have been neglecting posting lately! As usual, life is busy.

I was having pre-term labor on Wednesday and Thursday. Thursday night at 11, it was bad enough I figured I should go to the hospital. We decided it would be easier if I took myself so David could stay with the girls. So, I went. They sent me home two hours later, with instructions to spend as much time on the couch as possible ( yeah right! ) and to do no lifting. The baby is very low which is causing things to happen. It is impossible to be on the couch, but I can tell when it is time to take a little break there. I hope I don't battle this the next seven weeks. I feel very tired, an ache always, so it will be a long seven weeks! But I am not complaining, Cosmo will be worth it!!!

Rissa enjoying a popsicle

A library project

Amber entertaining the neighbors horses

Aunt Anita has a birthday on the 31st. The girls wanted to sing her a song, here is the video of their song. Happy Birthday Nitz!

Finally

I apologize it has been so long since I posted! It seems that I have not had the chance to catch my breath since we got back from Pa, so the camera was on the shelf for awhile.
It seems to go from one thing to the next! It started with ear infections for Jenny and Rissa, to the stomach flu the next day. We all took our turn last Friday- Sunday! David and I managed to wait our turn till Sunday when the girls were pretty much over it. I dare say it was the worst we ever battled!! It took us all a week to feel normal again.
It has also been the time for break-downs! From a flat van tire, to a dead refrigerator, then the dryer decided to join the refrigerator! So the girls and I have been drying laundry at the laundry mat the last week. Oh well, so life goes!
I was worried about "Cosmo" while I was sick,, but it is obvious that he is growing well! I now go to the doctor every other week, which makes me feel I am getting to the end! I have 8 1/2 weeks left! The girls and I have been having fun getting supplies for him!

The girls have been like caged animals waiting for warm weather! Thankfully, it has come!


Rissa "stirring" my cake batter

I find it amazing how different each child can be. Jenny is the one who will patiently work on something to get it finished. It shows in the pictures she colors and the puzzles she will pour over. I am anxious to start school work with her next fall, I can tell she will sit nice and patiently learn.

Rissa coloring her first picture

Home again

We had a great time in Pa! As always, the time passed to quickly and we were once again heading South. The weather was freezing in Pa, but we were surprised how cold it had gotten here while we were gone!

The girls were desperately hoping for snow while in Pa, and they were not disappointed! A snowman was on the agenda of things to get done. Thanks to Uncle Brandon, it happened. After they were finished, Amber insisted it needed a hat so it could come alive like Frosty the Snowman did!

We spent Christmas Day with David's family.
The kids enjoyed finding little surprises in their Christmas stockings from Grandma Summy

Even "Cosmo" got one!

My family had Christmas the following Monday

Matching John Deere sweatshirts from Mom

The cousins exchanged gifts- from Travis

A gift for Rissa from Trista

Amber's gift from Daryl

Fun with Family

Merry Christmas

We had a nice Christmas on Sunday. The girls enjoyed opening the gifts they were impatiently waiting for!
We plan to leave on Christmas Eve for Pa and will head home on January 2nd, so I will not be posting for awhile.
We hope y'all have a Very Merry Christmas and New Year!

Rissa peeking in at her new animal book


Rissa really likes "Choo-Choo's" right now, so that made an easy idea for her gift

I had a couple people laugh when they knew what I was getting for girls. The car garage toy is their favorite and they really spent hours playing with it that afternoon, and still spend a lot of time with it!

Girl Stuff

Some new movies

Christmas Season

The girls are enjoying the Christmas season. They love dropping change into the Salvation Army bell ringers buckets and saying, "Merry Christmas"! We are going to have our family Christmas lunch tomorrow since we will be in Pa for Christmas!! Yeah! The girls keep asking how many more nights they need to sleep till we go! It seems so long since we have been there and I think we all are counting down the days!
David got the privilege of going into the prison tonight to hand out Christmas packages to the inmates that some churches put together for them. The girls were wishing they were old enough to go too!


It is nice to have girls who fight to help me!


A new game they enjoy playing

It has been raining so much, that the girls long to be outside and take the chance to be when they can!

We have been doing a lot of baking this Christmas. The girls have enjoyed helping out this year.

Making pretzel candy

The highlight for them was decorating cut out cookies

This was Amber's favorite that she did

Jenny's best creation

As for Rissa, well she enjoyed eating them, or should I say eating the icing and candy. This is one Amber made for Rissa. ( please excuse Rissa's hair-do, she had just woke up from her nap!) (: