Hard to believe

that our baby is four!
It has been fun watching Justee grow from this:

to this 1 year old: to this 2 year old:

to this 3 year old:

to a now 4 year old!

We started on her last week about how 4 year olds don't cry and can't be carried everywhere. I don't think it had much effect on her.

Justee's favorite meal is mac and cheese, so it wasn't a surprise that she wanted to go to Noodles and Co. for mac and cheese as her birthday dinner. After Sydnee's bball practice we headed there to eat and then came home for the presents and cake. Justee had not been very patient about waiting for those two things all day.

She was a gracious bday girl and hugged her sisters after opening the presents they picked for her.

When it was time to cut the cake, the little girl who tried to convince me all day long that she needed a piece right now, was too busy with her new toys to stop for cake.

She got a little purse with hair things and a ring in it from Gma and Gpa H, and some slippers from Gma and Gpa D.

I asked Justee what kind of cake she wanted for her birthday (while trying to convince her that a parrot cake would be cute...cause that seemed fun to make.) She told me she wanted a fish tank cake...probably due to the fact that the fish tank is right by our computer. So I looked up some ideas...then she told me she wanted a snake cake instead. Really? A girl snake cake of course. hmmm okay, I finally got used to the idea of a girl snake cake and was thinking of cute ways to girly it up when she went back to the fish tank. I let her mull it over for a while and then got her final decision.

I started with two 8 in rounds (if I ever do this cake again, I would use 3 just to give it more stability. Mine started to lean throughout the day.)

Then I thought about the decor. I saw this cake done with goldfish crackers, but thought about how gross those would taste, so I decided to use Swedish fish. After thinking about it more, I wanted to be creative with the fish, so I decided I would mold them out of gum drops. The plants and coral were done with fruit roll ups and such, but I couldn't find the right colors. So, I decided to mold them out of jolly ranchers that I melted in the microwave. I only slightly burned myself once or twice. ;)

Then I set up a scene that I thought worked (using nerds for the gravel.) Then I frosted the cake in my favorite white mountain frosting. Getting the frosting on is always the worst part.

Then the fun began...placing the candy on.

Justee loved her cake and had a great birthday. Thanks to everyone who called or did something to help make this day special for our little Rosie.

2 of 2

Just before 8 am, the girls were ready to attack Christmas morning.

Even Dozer had a great day!

Charlee got a pogo stick. After a small accident Justin had while trying to loosen the spring, it was a hit. Char gave it her best shot, but it was Sydnee who mastered it. Syd was a real pro by that afternoon.

We didn't have a white Christmas this year, but it was a beautiful day and the girls were constantly taking their new toys outside to play.

It was a lovely Christmas, but it seemed to come and go too quickly.

Because Christmas wasn't too long ago...

Christmas Eve PJs. Dozer even wanted in on the action.

I don't think I have ever seen a little girl as excited about pajamas as Justee was. She ran and hugged me and told me this was the best Christmas ever! Wow, and it was just getting started.
She didn't even hesitate to get them on. She is already making her move to rid herself of clothes.

We always get our pjs on and then head out to look at Christmas lights. Once we get home, it is cocoa and story time and then off to bed.

The day before the girls decorated a gingerbread house.

It was up and down in less than an hour...

Another tradition is a puzzle...Since the girls can't really help with mine, they got their own:

Justee Rose

I have a lot of blogging to catch up on, but for now I'll focus on this spunky little girl we like to call "Our Rosie."

Justee has quite the personality. She is much more outgoing and outspoken than her sisters, but she definitely has a sweet streak in her. She always makes me smile with the things she says. Here is an example that happened just last night....

I was letting her lay in bed with me until Justin came up to bed. I knelt down to say my prayers and she started up with questions.
"Are you talking to Heavenly Father?"
"Yes, that is who we talk to when we pray."
"Does Jada live with Heavenly Father?"
"Yes."
"But we aren't old so we won't die will we?" As I am about ready to speak she adds, with a lot of concern in her voice, "Grandma is getting a little bit old though." (Sorry mom)
"Well, everyone has to die sometime, and it isn't always when you get old, and Grandma isn't that old; but it is ok because when we die, we get to all be together with Heavenly Father. "
..."AND JESUS!" Justee quickly added.
"Yes, and Jesus."
"And Sydnee and Charlee too?"
"Yes."
Then the excitement built in her eyes and she exclaimed, "And then Jada will see us and be like, YAY! And give us all a big hug! And then we can be like, Group Hug! Cause that's what families do, right Mommy?"
"Right."

It always amazes me how precious and innocent these little souls are.

This second picture just IS Justee. She has this little mischievous look on her face a lot. She definitely likes to see how much she can get away with.


Justee likes to say, "That freaked me out!" when she gets startled or scared. She is always playing with my hair, she has been since she was tiny. She twirls it and smells it and tells me, "Your hair smells lovely, Mommy." When she is happy with me, she tells me I am her best mommy ever! She is quick to take that title from me when she is upset with me though; I get told I am not her best mommy anymore if I don't allow her to do something she wants to do. She never wants to go to bed. She can be out cold and will suddenly sit up and say, "But I'm not tired!" or "Just a little bit TV!" and then fall back asleep. She is obsessed with "Bad words" right now. She is constantly asking if words are bad...but she makes sure to say them first like, "Oh man!......Is that a bad word, Mommy?" or "Oh my goodness!....that isn't a bad word is it, Mommy?" (I think this comes from all the little kids (and adults) she hears saying the Lord's name in vain, and us telling her it wasn't good to say when she tried to repeat it.) As much as she keeps us laughing with her antics, she sure keeps us on our toes with all her crying and whining. She is the youngest and definitely acts like it. It does seem like her tantrums are becoming fewer and farther between, but she wins "biggest cry baby in the family" by a mile. :)

It is crazy to think that our little baby is almost 4 years old.

Ready or not...

Christmas is a week away...seems crazy.

Candies made- check!

Tree- check!

Lights- check!

Presents wrapped- check!

Now it is time to sit back and enjoy the season.

Merry Christmas!

Days like this...

When every word is said with a whiny tone, girls feel the need to tattle about the tiniest things, and the fighting never ends....it makes you wish for the days like this:

Sisters helping sisters.

Creative children making upside-down snow angels.

Giggles and laughter.

Girls playing well together.

Sisters complimenting each other on their throws. :)

Happy cooperation in building something.

A lazy dog enjoying a cozy fire...oh wait, that happens every day.

This snow came to us mid-Nov. and I think it is about time we get some more.

*Syd did most of the work on the snowman, but she is left out of the pics because she was in school. :(

Ice Skating

It's been so long since I've found the time to blog. I'm hoping to do better, but I guess life just keeps getting in the way.

We went ice skating with Tafoyas several weeks ago and had a blast. All the kids picked up on it pretty quickly.

Justin did a lot of sitting...(the skates hurt his feet...big baby. ;) It was nice not having to worry about Syd too much, she just took off.

Justee, like last time, was a little too brave. She wanted to do it herself, so one of us had to be right there to soften her falls. She did great though.

Charlee really started getting the hang of it...here she is trying not to fall.

All of us, minus Sherri, who obviously had to take the pic.

Love this pic. Syd caught some air...glad I was there to soften this one.

They're creepy and they're kooky...

Mysterious and spooky

They're all together ooky

The Addams family

Thought I better add a black and white for authenticity.

K...I'm done.