Happy Birthday, Jesus!

My mom passed on our childhood tradition of baking a birthday cake for Jesus with Kate.  

her favorite part...the tasting!

love that face!

They baked a yummy strawberry cake, and as usual...Kate made sure to eat plenty along the way!

Happy Birthday, Jesus!

Christmas Cookies

Kate & I finally got a chance to bake cookies!  One of her favorite things to do these days is help me cook, so she was super into this activity!

 One thing she loves more than cooking though...icing.

She has been so fun this holiday season - and I am soaking it up!

Birthday Wrap-Ups

I wanted to wrap up the girls' birthday posts so I can share all the holiday fun we're having!  So,  here are the links to the last of their birthday posts!

Kate's 3rd Birthday

Hannah's 1st Birthday

Happy 12 Months, Hannah!

Happy 3 years, Kate!

Hannah's 1st Birthday!

Hannah's birthday was a little more low-key since we have the luxury of her not knowing about it yet :-).  It fell on a Sunday, so we had our regular routine of church, lunch at Papcitta's, and naps.  That evening, we celebrated with iced sugar cookies & presents!

After having eaten her cake the week before, she fully appreciated the beauty of icing!

We got Hannah the same thing for her birthday that we got Kate - her first baby doll!

she wanted to share the baby's bottle

big sister showing her how it's done

One...already?

Sometimes it feels so easy to go right back to this moment.  Seems like she just got here.  But, then most, it's much easier to see how full this last year has been.

 I can't believe I have another one-year-old.  And, what I really can't believe is that it is has been just as amazing the 2nd time around as it was the first.  Maybe even a little better.  This time, I knew it was going to go so fast, so I sat more.  I held longer.  I let things go when I just wanted to be with my baby.

That baby is long gone.  She is a mover & a shaker who is more thank likely louder than I remember her sister ever being.  I have loved learning how to relate to another little girl.  She is so, so different in a lot of ways.  Much feistier.  Funnier for sure.

 This little girl thinks my lap or hip is the place she is supposed to be, and I remind myself often that one day she'll move along & it won't be.  So, I stop again and hold her a little longer.

I look forward to our years to come & learning more about her.  Learning the best ways to comfort, the best ways to challenge, to discipline, and to make her laugh.  This little girl is helping to write my story as a mom - and as a woman.  I am thankful for the things she's already, and the things that she will teach me.

Today, we're celebrating this little girl turning one - and I'm going to stop & soak up as much as I can.

White Rock Marathon Relay

A few months ago my sweet friend, Kate Coleman, who is a Senior at A&M this year started talking to me about running in the White Rock Relay with her and her friends.  This was *before* I was pregnant.  I hemmed and hawed & told her I really wanted to, but would have to figure out all the logistics of David keeping the girls overnight, etc.  Not to mention the logistics of being 30, in at best, decent shape, but not great, and running with a bunch of college students????

Well, time passed, I found out I was pregnant & I still wanted to run, but kept warning Kate that I don't run as fast as I did in college (and it wasn't fast then!), and now I was pregnant! I gave her many opportunities to kick me off the team, but they were sweet enough to have me!

It was a great break for me - I left Saturday at the beginning of nap time & got to do some shopping along the way in Canton & at the outlet mall before meeting them for dinner for our pre-race meal at Cheesecake Factory!  After a little more shopping at the mall, we headed for sleep!  

The next morning, we headed over to Eistein's for a little breakfast while we waited for our legs to start & I ran into one of David's old roommates, Caleb Dean, & his wife!  It was super fun to catch up, and David was very jealous!

Patti, Kate's mom - and one of my friends!, came and drove us around to our different drop-off points.  We were so glad to have her there, because this was the weather during our race...

Kate &  before running

I ran the last leg (5.2 miles), and got to actually cross the finish line which was super fun.

Kate & I (soaked!) after the race

our team after the race

I love races, and loved getting to do this with Kate & spend time with the Coleman women for the weekend!  Thanks Kate for letting this old pregnant lady join your team!

MOPS Steering Team Dinner

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of hosting our Steering Team at my house for our thank you dinner.  Bethany & I could not do what we do coordinating MOPS without these women!  They love & serve our moms in really incredible ways.  We love having a chance to get to pour some love back into them!

We decided to make it a tradition from last year & have soups for dinner - tomato basil, chicken chili, & taco! yumm!!  

 After our yummy dinner we played some holiday "Minute-to-Win-it" games!

After getting out our need for competition & an excuse to give out some prizes, we did what we love most and spent hours visiting!  Did I mention I love these women?