First Birthday!

Maraliese "reading" her birthday card from Grandma and Grandpa Bob.

Izabelle snuggling her chipmunk from Grandma.

Opening their gift from Radley... Noah's Ark Little People. He picked it out from the children's consignment shop and he played with it all day. : )

I made the girls tutus for their birthday and I am hoping to get some 1 year photos of them in their tutus. Notice the teal, hot pink, and black... because if my girls are going to wear a tutu, it has to be a little bit punk rock.

Not sure if they like them!

They both got their own big cupcake. The inside was pumpkin apple harvest cake that I modified with wheat flour, apple juice consecrate instead of sugar and I added raisins. The frosting is cream cheese, heavy whipping cream, vanilla, and a little bit of powdered sugar and it was colored pink with cranberry juice. I made a third cupcake for Robert, Radley, myself to share... and it was so good!!!

Izzy

Izzy

Mara

Mara

Their birthday was actually last Saturday, but I am a lazy blogger! I can't believe we survived twinfants! There were parts of this year that went by painfully slow, but mostly it just flew by... in a state of blur. We have two toddlers now and I think this next year will be really, really fun! Izabelle is silly and spunky. She is loud too. Maraliese is silly, but a bit more mellow (but mellow is not a word to describe any of my kids). Mara loves to talk... not many real words, but she talks! They are both walking fools. They fight over toys and they hug and snuggle. They still sleep together in one big queen bed (well for part of the night... then they move to our bed : ) ) We are so greatful for such healthy fun kids. God has and is teaching Robert and myself so much trough these little ones.... it is hard sometimes, but so, so worth it.

Stats:

Izzy
27 1/4 in
17 lbs.

Mara
27 in
17.2 lbs

Christmas.. kinda late!

Christmas eve we bake a birthday cake for Jesus and this year I wanted to try out the recipe that I am going to make for the girls' birthday cupcakes, pumpkin apple harvest cake with whipped cream and cream cheese frosting. Well Maraliese snatched Radley's piece. I guess we know she will like her birthday cake.

Pumpkin cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning.

Maraliese is my climber and Izabelle is walking, she has not crawled since Sunday.

Rob gets a new MP3 player.

So, here I am because some would have said why no pictures of Christy. Greasy hair and all. But where there is no pride, there is no embarrassment. ; )

Radley trying out his recorder. He's not too bad.

Izabelle cooking in the kafka kid's new red retro wooden kitchen.... THANKS GRANDMA!
She really gets into it and make mmmm sounds as she pretends to eat.

Maralise playing in wrapping paper.

Radley helping Izzy play his harmonica, which by the way was his favorite present.

Our church is a church plant and still small so we did not have a Christmas eve service. So here are the kids in their "Christmas outfits" on Sunday morning.

Little Izzy trying to put her jacket on.

Masha girl... look at those rosy checks!

Way too hard to get a good pic of these kids. They are always moving and being silly.
But cute none the less.

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and were able to experience God's love, grace, and mercy. This Christmas was a struggle for us . So, Robert and I decided to make some changes in our "traditions", so we can fully celebrate the greatest gift mankind has ever known...
Jesus Christ.