Snow Day

We have had record snowfall over the past two days, and our kids have enjoyed every minute of it!! School and work were both cancelled today (it's the south - EVERYTHING closes when it snows), and there is no school on Monday, so our family has been savoring this wonderful four-day weekend! Ally and Sophie have been outside for HOURS both yesterday and today, so I guess it's safe to say they would be fine if God ever moved us back up north!

Here are TONS of pics...






















Our snow...um...pig













Daddy makes snow cones (it was clean snow!)



Time to come in from the cold and bake cookies!

Our Star Student

This was quite a weekend for Ally...

On Friday she was awarded the Star Student Award for her class in front of the whole school! Her teacher had e-mailed me to let me know ahead of time, but we decided to let Ally be surprised when her name was called during the all-school assembly. How fun it was to see the look on her face! And her classmates squealed in excitement around her! You would have thought she was on The Price Is Right as she ran up to receive that treasured award!

Her teacher told me before the assembly that Ally deserved the award because she is such a sweet girl, and is always kind and helpful to those around her. But then she told me they have an autistic child in their class, and Ally always goes out of her way to help him, and to make him feel included and special. I almost cried right there on the spot! Oh, my precious Ally - what a gift from God you are!!



Then on Saturday night, she was in our city's Christmas parade with a bunch of fellow Girl Scout Brownies. She cheerfully endured the chilly low 40's temps and the long, slow march, proudly displaying her Girl Scout cookie costume! In the words of Sophie - GO ALLY GO!!

Smile!

On November 10th at 5:45 a.m., the heavens opened and a ray of light shone down upon my sweet Gia's face as she looked into my eyes and SMILED! My heart skipped a beat, as it does for all mothers when they see that first smile. I grabbed for the camera, but it was too late. The smiling was over. For the next two weeks.

And then, Thanksgiving weekend, she started smiling again! At everyone! And at last we were able to capture that elusive smile on camera...

A Thankful Thanksgiving

My sister and her husband flew in from the northeast to spend Thanksgiving weekend with us. And of course, to meet their newest niece. Aunt Mindy is pure girlie-girl and lover of all things pink, so she fit in seamlessly with our female-majority household. Uncle Mark is a tough police officer who grew up with one brother, so it took him a bit to adjust to all of our frills.

And drama.

And abundance of pink.

I think that just for fun, God is going to bless them with all girls someday...

Anyway, we had such a blast!! We packed a LOT of fun into their short Friday-to-Sunday stay, and are so grateful they were able to come down to see us!









Mark's brother, who is attending school nearby, was able to come hang out with us too.









Mark and Mindy joined us on our annual excursion to get our Christmas tree...



























We love you, Aunt Mindy and Uncle Mark! Can't wait to see you again at Christmas!