sisters

Kate loves her sister so much. I forget sometimes how Kate being at school all day really cuts down on here Clara time, but as soon as she is home she gives her lots of attention. She is always asking to hold her, whether we are at Joann's doing some fabric shopping or watching a movie as a family, she loves to hold her baby sister.

And I think Sawyer likes to be just like his big sister!

Neither one of them last very long once she starts fussing. But I sure love to see my kids love each other so much!

the kids

Anyone else want a Sawyer kiss?

best friends

The day I had my ultrasound and found out that baby #2 was a boy I cried. I think I cried because I like pink and flowers. I know all about girls seeing as that I am one. I was picturing dressing up two little girls in matching dresses with bows in their hair. I had a sister just younger than me and, even though we weren't best friends all the time, we went through stuff together. We were sisters and sisters can be best friends sometimes. And hate each other sometimes and that's okay too.

Now Sawyer is 3 1/2. Kate and Sawyer share a room, Kate in a big queen size bed and Sawyer in a twin. Every night I put the kids in their beds, give them kisses and squeezes and tell them goodnight and then I shut the door. And every night Sawyer crawls out of his bed and into Kate's.

We always have a large pile of library books at our house and I very often find my kids together on the couch or sitting on a blanket on the floor together with a book, Kate reading to Sawyer. Even before she could really read, she would make up the story and Sawyer would listen attentively.

My kids have always, always played together with very little disagreements. They play cars and they play dress up and with babies. They are always make a ginormous mess of my craft room with all their craft projects, they both love art.

Sawyer misses Kate so much when she is at school and still asks almost daily when she is coming home.

My kids are best friends and I love it.

my little models

I haven't been great at taking pictures of my kids recently so I decided that after church on Sunday I wanted to run and get my camera to take some in our Sunday best before we went upstairs. I took some of Kate in about 2 seconds.

And then it was Sawyer's turn. He would have nothing to do with it.

Come on Sawyer, give me a big smile!

Sawyer, what is on my head?

There is a lizard on the top of my head!
(that didn't get quite the reaction I wanted)

There is a smile! Now just look up at me!

No way mom.

I finally got one! But only because I was standing behind him trying to reach my camera in front of his face and focus at the same time.

Maybe right after church isn't the best time to take pictures?

tag alongs

I've had some fun photo shoots this week and I just wanted to give a big shout out to my happy trooper kids who marched along beside me and were well behaved during both of them. I am lucky and I know it!

Tea for Two

Kate has always, her whole life, been great at playing independently. I really don't think she's ever asked me to play with her. (Don't get me wrong, I have played with her! But when I'm doing something she is always content to play on her own.) The past 2 days, as soon as I have put Sawyer down for his nap, Kate starts telling me she is bored and has no one to play with. So I told her to go set her table and when Sawyer woke up they could have a tea party. I even told her I would pop some popcorn for the occasion! She was so excited that she kept running back and forth and telling me about her progress and then put her ear to Sawyer's door to see if he was awake yet. When she finally heard him awake, she bounded in and loudly proclaimed, "We are having a tea party, Sawyer!" Then they both came running out of his room together toward the tea party.

These guys really are best buddies and I wouldn't have it any other way. They enjoyed their popcorn and pretend tea (which, Kate informed Sawyer, is really strawberry lemonade because the prophet says not to drink tea). It made for a good afternoon and a good distraction so I could mop the kitchen floor!

long hair

I was straightening my hair for church today and Kate requested the same for her. It makes it look so LONG and she loves it! (I guess no matter what age you are, you always like the hair you don't have the best!) Check out when we did it about this time last year! She is getting so big!
(On a side note, she's getting bigger and, luckily, I got a little smaller than I am that picture. Wow...I had almost forgotten!)

To protect herself from getting her headband stolen, she had to get Sawyer one.

Don't worry, he didn't wear it to church!

Dashing Christmas duds

I took my kids with me on my friend's photo shoot so I could get some pictures of them in their new Christmas outfits. I put the finishing touches on them minutes before leaving the door and I love them. The kids and the clothes. I might have to try another photoshoot because Sawyer was a little cold and crabby, but I thought I would post this picture for your enjoyment!

Too cool for school

I'm more behind in blogging than I would like to be, but I wanted to post in the present so here it is.
Presently it is cold. Wonderfully, Christmasy cold. It is currently 48 degrees outside and pouring. We drank hot chocolate tonight and it was delicious. We also busted out Sawyer's winter coat that I bought him oh so long ago for a screaming deal for the first time. To my dismay, the tag reads 12-18 months. What was I thinking? If I was to buy now, it would be 2T. Good thing it was such a screaming deal. Nonetheless, he wore it today and he looked pretty cute in it, walking the halls of Kate's dancing school like he was the star of the football team. And I don't mind the fact that his cute little belly sticks out of it just a little bit! Maybe he'll let me take some decent pictures of him wearing the jacket someday, but for now this is all I could get!
Kate is doing well in dance. She participates in everything and listens to the teacher really well. Today was a little hard because the building is a little ghetto and doesn't have heat so the room was cold. Towards the end she came out and asked for her jacket....and she finished the class looking as "too cool for school" as her brother!

Did you spot the nose picker?

I'm in love!!

and no, I don't mean my kids

(don't get me wrong, they're pretty lovable!)

but I am in love with the lens I rented this weekend! I need to win the lottery or something because I have too many things on my wish list....

On a side note, after 2 days this week in the 90's with an unbearable amount of humidity and me in a bad mood, it has finally cooled off! Its rainy and in the 60's and finally feeling like fall! I was glad to have a season shift in the kid's wardrobe! Dressing them sure is fun!

Here are some of the pictures that I took today with the lens. It just so happened that my kids were in a rare picture taking mood after church and I got some cute ones!

(and don't you just love the new satellite dish my neighbors put right in the middle of my favorite and most convenient photo shoot location?!)

a few of our favorite things

Sawyer's boots. Every morning he brings them to me to put them on. They are his favorite! (lucky for me, they are my favorite too!)

Mickey mouse and suckers! Combine them and you have a Kate super favorite!

My favorite is when my kids play together and are happy! It makes my life easier!

What are your favorite things?

like father like son

I found a picture of Ryan and when I saw it I couldn't get over how much it looked like Sawyer!I tried to recreate it but I don't think the resemblance is as noticeable

I'm kind of digging this vintage feel on the pictures
check out the matching crocs!

imagination and dress ups

We finally gave Kate her birthday present yesterday...good thing she doesn't realize its a month late! We got her a box of dress ups full of random things I've been collecting for a while. She was in dress up heaven! And, of course, she wanted to include her little brother.
I actually hung up the mirror the day before and she couldn't stop looking at herself in it and putting her chapsticks on in front of it. And then Sunday morning I found her with my foundation all over her face....sneaky Kate! She was so proud if herself walking around saying, "I have my makeup on! I'm ready for church!"
I love watching her use her imagination and I can't wait to see her enjoy this present!