Memorial Day Week

Here's how we've been spending our Memorial Day week. It's like a weeklong event in our household since daycare is closed this week for teacher training. :)

Oh, and before we get to the pics, I wanted to say: we are DONE with the three-day potty training thing with Mollie. She.is.not.ready. Although, we've created a lot of potty interest because now her babies go potty all the time, she is starting to tell me when she pees in her diaper, she's a bit happier to sit on the potty (before bed, naps, leaving the house, etc), and she wants to wear "moush pannies" AKA Minne Mouse panties. :) So it's a work in progress, and that's a good thing.

Now the photos...

OK I know they don't look thrilled, but I think it's because I was attempting to make them stand still for a photo before they could get in the pool. :)




This little blow-up pool? May very well be the best $10 we've ever spent. :)






Who says you can't wear a nightgown and fairy wings in the front yard after breakfast? Not us!






I'm kind of dying with the cuteness of this last one. I could not for the life of me get Mollie to stand right next to Natalie, but it's pretty endearing like this I think. :)

Christmas in Oklahoma

We had a late Christmas with our Oklahoma family this year, but it was still lots of fun! I made Pioneer Woman's Drip Beef (OH.SO.GOOD.) for the gathering at my mom's, and Josh & Carolyn made a yummy spiral ham for a gathering at their house. YUMM.

Here are some photos from both days:

Christmas in Ohio

See, what'd I tell ya? Another Christmas post! Although I think this will be the last one for tonight . . . stay tuned for one more tomorrow!

We were seriously nervous about a 14+hour drive with Mollie after our last drive with her. However, she's a LOT older now, plane tickets are REALLY expensive, and Decemeber weather in Ohio is VERY unpredictable, so we decided to press our luck. We planned to drive halfway the first day, spend the night at a hotel, let the girls run around and swim, then drive the rest of the way the next day. Well, thanks to the weather, we had to leave early and decided to do it all in one day. Great decision! No, seriously, I'm not kidding! Mollie was almost as good a traveler as Natalie! It went so well and we made such good time that we decided to do the same thing on the way back - and it was even better!

We had a fun time visiting family in Ohio. The girls have SO much fun together now, it's ridiculous. They spent a lot of time playing pretend, and it was adorable. At one point, Aubrey was Santa and all the other girls were taking turns sitting on her knee and telling her what they wanted for Christmas. :) For the most part, they love Mollie and think everything she does is cute . . . but then there are times when they don't want her messing up their stuff and she gets yelled at. It's par for the course. I'd say for 5 little girls, they get along amazingly well! They just better look out for Caleb! That little cutie is going to give them a run for their money, I'm sure. And then another boy (Levi?) is on the way, due in March!! Exciting stuff!

Lisa hosted the Rank Christmas party this year. I have to say a good time was had by all! :)

The cousins, minus Kara & Elizabeth who had to leave early for another party.








Christmas morning at Mammy & Pappy's. Love the kiddos in their matching PJs! :)




This CRACKS me up. Mollie's "EEEEEEZE!" face:

Christmas at Home

OK, as promised, here's another Christmas post.

We had another wacky Christmas at home again this year, leaving early to beat the weather for our drive. So, again, we didn't get to do the whole wake up and open gifts early in the morning thing. Hopefully next year, since we'll be in OK for Christmas. We went out to Chick Fil-A for dinner, played Christmas Bingo there and won a kid's plate/bowl/spoon set. :) Then we came home and opened gifts. Not fancy, but it worked for us! :)

It was so funny, we really expected Natalie to be super excited about opening gifts and then about what was inside. She was pretty subdued about it, and kept going back to the ($5) Ariel Barbie. lol Mollie, on the other hand, squealed with delight at the tearing of paper on each gift, and got excited about everything, no matter if she understood what it was or not. It was so cute!

Reading the Christmas story in a Kid's picture Bible.


Opening gifts:


What Natalie wanted so badly - an Ariel Barbie. :) She just wanted to open it and play with it without opening anything else!




Mollie, misunderstanding her gift. ;)


The girls love their food cutting set!




Mollie is more interested in Nat's Scribble & Write than she is!




Here's Mollie singing to her baby:


Then patting her back, just like Mommy: