The Best Christmas Pageant

Last night, the FBC Shreveport Children's Ministry presented The Best Christmas Pageant. It was quite entertaining! It had all the elements of a good children's play...missed lines, wardrobe malfunctions, and falling set props! H & G made their debut in the Angel Choir.

Here are pictures of the angels getting ready to go on stage:














Here they are on stage














Although blurry, Gracie is beginning to de-robe; I was already laughing uncontrollably as Haley had gotten stuck in her her angel wings and a kind helper had to come on stage and assist her out of them!



















Ahh, mission complete...robe free! Haley is behind the little boy's large wings! Although they knew the words to the songs, they quietly observed all of the others singing instead. Oh, and please note Piggy's big stage debut as well!














Celebrating with cookies!















A big thanks to Tiffani, Caroline and the rest of the team that made all of this possible!
To see a great video of a little star dancing to the tunes, check out Candace's blog: http://www.chaneylife.blogspot.com/
Sam and Zeke will be old enough to participate next year...that should make it all the more exciting!!

Flashback Friday 12/25/05

I cannot believe these are our girls four years ago...they were so tiny!!

Thanksgiving 09

My homemade Thanksgiving centerpiece!

Jason prepared a glorious meal for our little Greer family Thanksgiving. Unfortunately our children did not want to partake in the food. I think they sat down for all of two minutes after their daddy blessed the meal. They each managed to shovel in two Sister Schubert rolls and off they went. The two of us remaining enjoyed (albeit quickly) the feast!

Jason had to work on Friday so the trio and I had another day together. After a somewhat enjoyable trip to the grocery store (it was nice and empty due to the Black Friday shopping bargains), we came home and made sugar cookies. They enjoyed all the Christmas cookie cutters and making the various shapes. After they baked, they each got to decorate and eat their cookie! Fun times!

what a crew

Ta-da!

Well, I never did find the USB cable for my camera, but luckily my mom's worked so I was finally able to download all the pics I took weekend before last. I bragged on facebook that I might have gotten the "perfect" shot of the trio for Christmas cards. Well, once uploaded and on viewed on a big screen, I'm not so sure about that! Oh well, they're still cute! Here are some funny out takes from the day.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

We'll be celebrating Thanksgiving at our house...just our little family of five. I'm looking to some quality time with my FOUR babies! And QT it will be...I'm attempting to potty train G & S in a day (or two!). Sam is already doing quite well and highly motivated by praise and suckers (thanks Rendi!) but Gracie is a different story! Say a little prayer for them and for me as we try and move past this hurdle!
Happy happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

some fall photos

I was able to get my trio dressed and to my grandparents' house on Saturday morning to take some pictures to hopefully use for a Christmas card. I would love to share some of those photos now, but the batteries in my camera died and as per usual, I don't have any spare. However, I do have an extra camera, so I was able to capture a few pics of the crew playing in the leaves when we got back home. Their daddy literally spent all day, mowing, blowing and raking leaves from our lovely tree filled yard. I had no idea the leaves would create such an entertaining 20 minutes! Lucky for us, but not so lucky for daddy, the leaves are back so hopefully we can do it again this weekend!

important time

I love these daily devotions from the ladies at Proverbs 31. The one from last Thursday really hit home; it is talking about finding time each day to have quiet time with the Lord...something I definitely struggle with (consider I am just now reading my Thursday devotional!). Good stuff...check it out!

http://proverbs31devotions.blogspot.com/2009/10/most-important-time-of-my-day.html

sunrise

We have windows all along the back of our house which is our hearth room/playroom area. This is where the trio watches tv and gets dressed in the morning. As I was helping Haley put on her clothes this morning, she looked up and asked "why is the sky pink?". It was amazing to see the sun peeking over the horizon and the sky illuminate as we began our day.

Hectic mornings mean I did not have my camera available to take a picture, but it was a wonderful reminder of God's beautiful creation.

new kicks

I finally gave in and bought myself some fancy (i.e. expensive) running shoes. If I'm going to run in 10k & 15k races and eventually a half marathon, I need the proper gear! My right knee has begun to ache and I've been feeling the onset of shin splints, so it was time. I felt a little ill paying the nice young man who helped me but now I'm really fired up to run in the Autumn Breeze 10k tomorrow morning!

you outta get ya one

I am very fortunate to have "Tootsie" aka my mom in our lives! Not only did she and my dad keep our trio last weekend while Jason and I had a get a way to Fayetteville for the AR/AU game, but she has been watching my sick baby boy since Tuesday afternoon! Poor Sam has been running a fever for days now; he really has no other symptoms except for a cough here and there and some snot. He didn't eat yesterday which is VERY abnormal, but his energy level remains high and he has enjoyed his time at his Tootsie's house.

Even at age 32, I have a mom who sacrifices almost daily to help me and my family. Not only do I appreciate her help but I marvel in the constant love she bestows on to her adult children. I pray I am in a position to be there for my children and grandchildren (and eventually my elderly mom) as she has been there for us. We've both told the kids that I'm Tootsie's baby and she's my mama to which Haley responds "you're not a baby, mommy...that's silly"! True, I may not be an infant but my mama's first born I'll always be (and thankful for that MOST of the time!)!

Yes, he is sick!

Some recent observations

Another summer come and gone in the Greer household. I thought certainly after the girls' birthday, that things would calm down. I don't know why I thought that, but I was wrong! Each night I fall into bed with a long list of things not yet accomplished that day. I wake up ready to tackle the tasks and yet they cycle continues to repeat itself. Even though time seems to fly by, I've noted subtle changes in my children as they personalities continue to blossom. Here's what I've noticed:
Haley:
This is a mama bear in training! She loves baby dolls, especially her "blue baby" Sally. She is very concerned about the nature and well being of those around here. She tells Gracie to be careful not to bump her head as she gets into the car. She tells Sam "it'll be ok baby brother" when he starts to cry. She wants to know if I have any boo boos that need band-aids so that I'll feel better.
She is a sensitive soul. I must admit, I raise my voice (a lot!)...one my call it yelling. To defend myself I have several voices to speak over! Anyhow, Haley cries anytime my voice goes over a certain decible level, even if the unhappiness is not directed towards her. She is a peacekeeper.
She is super smart and loves being in the big girl class.
She loves all things girly...pink and princesses. She will be some variety of a Disney princess for Halloween but being the girls she is, her mind changes daily!
Gracie:
She is an inquisitive one! She likes to sit on top of my toilet each morning while I get ready and asks what every single item in the bathroom is. Sometimes its like "Groundhog's Day" as each morning is a repeat of the prior one. Even if I tell her three mornings in a row that it is my clip on the counter, she still asks. Oh, she knows its a clip because if I don't respond, she'll tell me what it is, but she just likes to ask.
She is not a girly girl. While she will wear pink, she gravitates toward red. She only has one red shirt and it is her "Noel Methodist Children's Center" shirt that they wear on Fridays. She wears it to school on Friday, to bed Friday night, most of the day on Saturday and has been know to pull it out to wear to church on Sunday (it does get washed!). And what goes with a red shirt? Well her red keds of course! If I don't hide them, she will wear them with every outfit...and as I mentioned, she has nothing else red to wear! Her favorite combo is red shoes with pink socks....lovely!
As a non girly girl, she prefers cars to dolls. Oh, she'll sleep with pink baby but she also sleeps with Lightening McQueen and Doc. She prefers racing cars with Sam than watching Sleeping Beauty with Haley.
She is stubborn. She still is not potty trained. I don't think it is for a lack of trying on our part. Peer pressure, candy, prizes, coaxing, yelling, praising...nothing works. So, when she's ready, that's when it will happen. Don't try arguing with her as she always seems to win.
Sam:
His favorit word is "no". The answer to nearly every question asked of him, is no. It is getting a little frustrating. However, when I ask him to give me a hug, I don't get a no thank goodness!
His new obsession is Cars. Everything is Cars and Lightening McQueen. He played nicely by himself over at a friends house while we watched the LSU game because the little boy had a plethora of Cars gear. So, if any friends or family memebers are reading...make a note for Christmas presents! =)
He is finally paci free! It was lost for real and has not been replaced. He doesn't sleep quite as soundly in the morning but I'm glad its gone!
He is crazy about his sisters. I kinda feel sorry for any boys that want to date them in the far off future...baby brother may scare them off!
He is a little drummer boy! He loves to drum on anything and everything. He drums to the beat of music very well. Jason still has hopes of a sports star but realizes his talent may lie elsewhere!

Happy 4th birthday girls!

Then: August 19, 2005

Grace Talbot 1 pound 2 ounces, 11.5 inches long

Haley Higgins 1 pound 4 ounces, 12 inches long


The first set of goals...17 more weeks to go!


Now August 19, 2009

Gracie

Haley
Wow, is all I can say about the last four years! The girls surprise arrival into this world four years ago, changed life as we knew it. Not that we didn't anticipate change when we saw the two little heartbeats back in my eighth week in pregnancy, but we were not prepared to watch our babies develop primarily outside of my body! When they were born, their little eyes were still sealed shut, their skin was paper thin, their lungs sticky, wet and deflated. For weeks, the ventilator kept them breathing and a thin layer of saran wrap over a bed warmer acted as their womb. I could talk for hours about all the emotions we experienced, the struggles, the highs, the lows, the goals achieved, the set backs, the surgeries, and the lessons learned, but I'll spare most of the details. The last two pictures are from their birthday party on Saturday and as one can see, we have two perfect, little miracles. God has big plans for these girls and I continue to look forward to what he has in store for them!

Every day is an adventure in our household; there is never a dull moment. Sometimes I let my lack of patience get the better of me...raising three little ones is tough! But, last night after I got Sam out of the bathtub and the girls were in there by themselves, Jason called me to come listen to them. They were playing with their new Little Mermaid bathtub toys and singing the song "Beautiful One"..."beautiful one I love, beautiful one I adore, beautiful one my soul must sing". This song has been a favorite of mine for a while and our church band made a little 5 song cd on which is "Beautiful One". We listen to it every morning coming and going to school. They know that the beautiful one is Jesus. Even though they don't completely get it, they were singing the way you sing when Jesus is in your heart. It brings tears to my eyes just thinking back to it. We've come a long way and the Beautiful One has been right there with us every step of the way. Praise the Lord and thank you God!

Flashback Friday

This is hard...I've got lots of pics of my little trio! Here's just a sampling of some oldies but goodies.
More to come later on my thougths/memories of August 2005 and the birth of our amazing little girls. The entire month is usually full of mixed emotions for me!

Sam May 2007

Sam 2/24/07

Girls on their 2nd birthday 8/19/07

First family photo on the beach July 2006

Girls December 2005 still in the NICU

wordless Wednesday

beach time

The Greers went to the beach! Well, 4 out of 5 of us! Jason had to stay home and work as he hasn't quite worked long enough for vacation time. Two years ago, I drove back the 8+ hours by myself with the girls who were almost three and Sam, age 4 months. I'm smart enough to realize, that should never (I repeat never!) be done again! Fortunately, Tootsie graciously volunteered to make the ride with us there and back while Pop followed in a separate car. In retrospect, the drive wasn't that bad, but I am choosing to forget some of the bad moments.
We had fun despite daddy's absence (but we certainly look forward to his attendance next year!). We went to the docks to see all the fish the rest of our family caught; we made princess cupcakes; we enjoyed morning breakfasts on the porch overlooking the beautiful blue water and white sand; we made a trip to Perdido see our friends, Jack, Candace, Anna Grace & Zeke; we took a trip in town to Target; we played with Aunt Becky, Uncle Dave, Aunt Martha, Jay and all our Flournoy cousins; and of course we played on the beach and in the water. Despite all the help, mommy worked her little tail off and it really was no vacation for me, but it makes me so happy to make these memories with my children. While each day varied a bit, just wanted to share our typical schedule:
6:00-6:30 am up with the sun
6:45 am on the beach in pajamas
7:00 am breakfast stage 1
7:21 am back to the beach/to the baby pool/morning cartoons
9:00ish am everyone in the house gets up
9:15 am breakfast stage 2
9:45 am back to the beach in bathing suits and sunscreen
9:50 am Sam back to the house occupied with the water hose
10:15 am girls back to the house to be with Sam
10:20 am snack time!
10:30-noon tv, pool, beach, whatever
noon lunch
12:30 pm start the nap process
1:15 pm everyone asleep, but in different rooms...mommy juggles keeping all other house occupants out of napping rooms
1:30 pm mommy studies =( (and promptly falls asleep)
2:30-6:00 snacks, beach, pool, snacks, tv, beach, pool, snacks...you get the idea
6:00 dinner stage 1
7:00 baths
7:30 dinner stage 2
8:00 bedtime hell begins
8:00-9:00 fighting sleep; 3 little monkeys in one room, jumping from one twin bed to the other
9:15 ahhhh quiet
9:20 mommy in bed
...and it started over the next morning!

hear, see, speak

Things I've heard lately:
Haley to Gracie "You are my best friend"
Haley to Sam "Come here boy"
Sam "I want that right now" (in an extra deep, threatening voice)
Gracie (unfortunately her favorit phrase) "no mama"

Things I've seen lately:
Sam approaching his sisters from behind and tackling them to the ground (this happens ALOT)
Haley giving Gracie a hug after telling her she is her best friend
Gracie braving the swimming pool...jumping, kicking her legs and putting her head under water

Things I've said lately:
Sam, leave your sisters alone
Haley, PLEASE poop in the potty
Gracie, open your mouth and use your words


I could probably write a short novel about all the things Haley says. She's the talker, teacher, and leader of our merry little family.
Gracie is certainly making great strides in her communication skills but we still have a lot of work ahead of us. She is a champ at repeating things she hears...her little brain is churning all the time!
Sam may give Haley a run for her money in the talking department. He is very verbal and recently it has been brought to our attention that he has quite the raspy voice. Jack Chaney said it sounds like he smokes a pack a day! I guess I never thought about it much until recently but it is quite true.
Put all three of them together and it is a loud, raucous little trio!

Shout out Sunday

I know, its not Sunday, but I thought about this post yesterday but never got around to logging on! Special shout outs and thanks to the following:



Jack, Candace, Anna Grace & Zeke -
Our sweet, sweet friends offered to watch the trio and feed them dinner on Friday night so Jason and I could have a little date night! What a generous offer! Me and the hubby had a great meal and the kids had a great time playing. We heart the Chaneys!!



Tootsie, Pop and Aunt Martha -
The a/c at the Greer home was broken for a week and a half and with temperatures in the upper 90's, we were forced to leave our house and camp out at my parents' house. The first few days were ok as it was fun and exciting; plus Martha was out of town so we could have her room. Once Martha got back into town, the newness of the adventure started to wear off and quarters became a little cramped. Martha, at age 22, had to sleep in my parents' bed. Anyone who knows Martha, knows how much she LOVES her bed...big sacrifice! After three trips to our house, the a/c guys finally fixed the problem and we were able to enjoy the coolness of our home.

Thank goodness for the kindness and love of friends and family!!!

paklepakle

Our newest favorite post dinner activity is enjoy popsickles (paklepakles to Sam) outside in the warmth of the evening. Sometimes they leave their clothes on; sometimes they don't! Thought I'd share this picture as they are all fulley clothed!

Gladiolas

This pretty little flower was blooming by our mailbox! A month or so ago I noticed these green leaves and almost pulled it out of the ground not knowing what beautiful blooms would emerge. Glad I let grow!

Non-Pass and black Thursday

I was hoping this blog post was going to be celebratory in nature. I had things all planned out...take my last CPCU test, pass, spread the good news around to friends and family, bask in the knowledge of completing two years of mostly hard study. Instead, I walked out of the testing center yesterday head down, tears falling, dejected, bummed, annoyed and frustrated as the words "Non-Pass" jupmed off the 8x11 piece of paper in my hands. I don't really recollect a time in my life where I didn't pass a test. I've always been an excellent student who pretty much sailed through high school, college and 7 CPCU tests. There was a combination I suppose of overconfidence and just being plain burned out that led to a lack of studying on my part. I like run...do I stop running before I reach the end of my driveway? Well, no. I keep running hard and fast until I make it home and reach my goal. In the study world, I totally stopped running and didn't reach my goal. So now I've got pull myself up by the boot straps, focus my energies and keep on studying so I can retake and pass this last stinkin' test. Now, I will say in my defense that I passed 7 straight tests with no problems and they were all in essay format. This last one is the only multiple choice test in the bunch. Historically, I do not perform as well on multiple choice. Over analyization is a major downfall for me. Fortunately, I was able to end my day in the company of two unbelievable friends enjoying a great dinner filled with great conversation. The beautiful sun came up this morning and yesterday's "poor pitiful me" attitude has fallen by the wayside. After a few more days of rest, I'll pick up those books again and run on towards the finish line.

Why I'm tired...all the time!

 

 

 

 

Look at these smiling faces! They are wearing me out! I wish I had their energy! Haley & Sam did not nap yesterday; 2out of three are not good odds. On the bright side, Gracie, who seems to be the most cranky with out sleep, slept. However, even sleep deprived we played and played and played. After some morning fun with daddy while I worked out, we headed to Tootsie & Pop's house to swim and jump on the trampoline. The trampoline is a huge hit! I'm glad I don't have one at our house but it provides great entertainment and deep belly laughs when they get to enjoy it at their grandparents' house. No naps combined with outside fun meant bedtime at 6:30...ahhh, that was nice! I wish I could have gone to bed then too!
Onto Sunday when again, Haley did not nap. She did "rest" in our room so I at least got a quick 15 minute power nap on the sofa. It was such a beautiful, rather cool, day that we had to enjoy it. We busted out the Barbie Jeep and the red mustang for some entertainment. Tootsie took the girls to church to watch the children's choir perform their spring musical while Sam and I hit up Wal-Mart and Marshall's. Jason went to the grocery store and I'm waiting for my grilled chicken greek salad to be finished!
Ready to hit the hay and start a new week with a long holiday weekend upcoming. As a side note, we wish Candace the best of luck as she starts her new stint with pediatric PT tomorrow!!