Me and My Family Quiet Book

I am so happy with how this quiet book turned out for Alexis! I have been wanting to make Alexis a quiet book for church and a family book for quite some time. So, tonight, I went ahead and did it! I made a Family Quiet Book for Lexi that we will be taking to church with us each Sunday. Since we do not live by family at the present time, I want Alexis to be familiar with their faces and names so that when we visit they will not just be "strangers" to her. I also wanted a book to take to church that has "substance" to it so that was the inspiration behind this book.

Here is how I made it:

I purchased a black photo book that holds 4 by 6 pictures from the Dollar Store.

With scrapbook paper, ABC stickers,glue dots, and flower pop-ups that I purchased from Wal-Mart; I decorated the cover.

Then, I made a "Table of Contents" for Alexis by placing her picture and name in stickers along with the above mentioned elements for the inside cover. Next, I typed out an explanation of the book, written from Alexis's point of view, printed it and placed it in the first sleeve below Lexi's picture.

Then, I made a cover using paper, stickers, and flowers for each category. Below, I placed a 4 by 6 picture inside the sleeves to match the category. I also added some cute white stickers on the pictures with specific names.

That was it! It took me 30 minutes to do.

Although this book is not done, due to not having everyone's pictures, it is 80 percent complete and it so sweet looking, if I do say so myself.

I hope it will fulfill the purpose that I created it for, and I hope Lexi loves it as much as I do.

Thank you to all family for sending me your pics.

Aaron and Maralyn's Wedding: July 9, 2010

Chris, Lexi, and I spent a wonderful week in Arizona for my brother, Aaron's, wedding. It was wonderful! The weather was gorgeous and my entire family got to be together again. I am so grateful for events that allow us to spend time with family. I am also so excited to have the coolest sister in law ever join the fam. Maralyn is great and heaven knows the farrelly family can use some more female influence. Anyways, here are some pics at the wedding that my parents took with their camera. Enjoy!

Fun In the Snow: New Year's Day

This morning, Chris took Alexis out to the backyard to play in the snow while I cleaned the apartment. Lexi had so much fun with her Daddy! Her favorite part was when Chris took her "sledding." I know it looks kind of ghetto, but Chris put Alexis in our laundry basket and let her slide down the small hills behind our apartment. She loved it! I could hear her laughing from inside. They were out there just long enough before they froze. When they came in, I had hot chocolate waiting for them. I am glad they got to spend time with each other because with Chris's school and work schedule it is rare. But it is nice for everyone when Chris is home. Thank goodness for holidays!

Christmas Morning: 2009

Merry Christmas everyone! We had a wonderful morning! Lexi slept in until 8:40 a.m. so Chris and I got to sleep in as well. It is a good thing too because Chris stayed up really late watching, "A Christmas Carol" and drinking his egg nog. I fell asleep on the couch shortly after the ghost of Christmas present entered, so I did not finish the entire movie. Needless to say, it was a great Christmas from the start because we were all rested. It was so fun watching Lexi open up all her presents. She unwrapped them herself and she loved the concept this year. It was really cute when we walked out to the living room where all the presents were and her face just lit up! I love being a parent! The holidays are so much more special now. Lexi got a long list of presents from Chris and I, and both sets of grandparents. Thank you everyone for the presents. And, my mom and dad, thank you so much for Chris and I's presents, we love them!

Lexi's favorite two favorite presents are a stuffed barney doll, and her baby strollers that she got from both Grandmas. She has already strolled Barney around the apartment!

I am also in the process of making my mother-n-law's cinnamon rolls. Because we woke up late, we will probably have them as an afternoon snack instead of breakfast, but hopefully they will be good regardless.

Chris and I got a digital frame from my mom and dad, so today we will be adding pictures to it so we can display it in our home. We also got some gift cards so we will have fun using those!

Later tonight, we are going to Wagner's for a yummy christmas feast!

This has by far been the most simple and quiet Christmas for Chris and I, but there is something special about being together as a family. I didn't think I would miss my extended family, but I do. It is a good thing Aaron is getting married and we can come out in January after the new year to be with our families. we love you guys!

Anyways, we don't have a lot of snapshots because we recorded most of our Christmas morning, but when we come out we can show you the exciting footage.

As for now, enjoy the pictures and we hope all have a very merry christmas and a happy new year!

Christmas Eve: 2009

For Christmas Eve this year, we went over to the Wagner's for the festivities. We ate delicious appetizers, re-enacted the Nativity story with five girls, had a white elephant exchange with the adults and talked and had fun. Although the kids did not fully understand what they were suppose to do, we felt the spirit as the story was read, songs were sung, and we remembered the birth of our Savior. Lexi started off as one of the wise men, and then she ended being Mary. As you can tell from her facial expressions in the pictures, she did not thoroughly enjoy playing a part in the story, so eventually, she took off all her costumes and started goofing around while making the others girls laugh in the process. Yes, that is my daughter, the ring leader :) I am so grateful, though, that we could be with friends on this special holiday and not be alone. Thanks Wagners for hosting a great night!

Santa Clause came to Rochester Hills

Today, Chris and I took Alexis to go see Santa. She can say, "Santa" as clear as a bell and everytime she sees pictures of him or reads books she can recognize who we are talking about. So, we thought she would be so happy to see Santa. Even in the short line we had to wait in she kept looking in the window where he was and repeating his name over and over. So, when it was our turn we were anxious to get some good shots of Lexi and Santa. Well, we walked in, took off her jacket, and told her to go to Santa, and she literally froze. So, chris picked her up and placed her on his lap. He was a very friendly Santa, but Lexi was not quite impressed. She kept squirming and wanted to get off of his lap, and we asked her to look at Santa and she wouldn't she just kept looking away. You could tell she was so uncomfortable and finally when he said merry christmas and was staring to put her down she said, "All done!" She ran to us like she had not seen us in years. She did not cry though so that was good. But, here are the best pics we could get of her. And, she made out with a lot of goodies from Santa. she got reindeer antlers, a sticker/coloring book and a candy cane! She did like those even though Santa was not her favorite.

With a box and packing peanuts, who needs real toys?

My parents sent our Christms presents in this shipping box and filled it with packing peanuts. Alexis could care less about the wrapped gifts I was placing under our tree. Instead, she was more interested in the box and all the pretty pink packing peanuts inside. She looked at the box and said, "In." So I put her in and she went crazy. She started kicking and throwing packing peanuts and had the look of the happiest kid on earth while doing it. She loved it. She even was putting them in her ears, which I kindly stopped for obvious reasons :) Anyways, when it was bathtime we had to literally force her out of the box while she was kicking and screaming and saying, "More please, more please!" So, thank you mom and dad for making her day. And, I am sure on Christmas she will love the wrapped presents as well.