Just because she's so darn cute...

OK I loved the pictures of Gracie in her coat that Terri posted on her blog so I was inspired to take some of Lil' before she outgrows her pink "fur". She is so funny and the last picture posted is of her giving me the typical Lilly look. She's like, "OK mom you have about 10 seconds to get this done and I'm laying in the floor and takin' my coat off and messing up my hair!

Motherhood...It's Not for the Weak Hearted (or Stomach for that matter!!!)

Attention Attention Attention...if you have a weak stomach stop reading right now...
OK I warned you...

I am a weenie...squeamish...whatever word you want to use...plug my name in and it describes me. Basically I passed out in Parenting Class in High school watching the birthing video...only we didn't get to the birth part. I blacked out at the nurse standing beside some peice of medical machinery. Yep things of this nature totally leave me weak in the knees (and not in a good way)

So fast foward to January 09. My poor little Lilly Grace has had a horrible case of diahhrea since New Years. We've tried everything, attributed it to teething, too much juice, etc and to no avail, she's still "going" 6 or 8 times a day. So Friday night she wakes us with a really high fever so it's off to the doctor on Saturday morning. Basically she has a ear infection, possibly the flu virus and get this...we don't know what is causing the digestive problems. But, could I possible bring in some stool samples on Monday morning to run some lab work? Of course I can....

So Monday morning bright and early I'm collecting the samples to take to the lab...dirty diaper...gloves...test tubes from the lab...the whole deal. I also am gagging my head off and trying not to puke in the test tubes...pretty sure this would mess up the lab results. I'll spare you the gory details...but as I'm driving my lovely specimens of Lilly's to Grave Gilbert Clinic on Monday morning I have decided that the educators that are trying to prevent teen pregnancy have it all wrong. They make girls take home those computer babies that cry and you have to carry them around and feed them and such...nope if they really want teenagers to prevent having babies at a young age...I feel certain that they should make them all get close up and personal with dirty diapers and a lovely fact of parenthood called "somebody's gotta do it and it's gonna be Mama..."

Anyway...love you all...hope you weren't eating when you read this...but all of you Mama's have probably done this or worse so I know you understand.

PS...Travis laughed his head off and entertained his buddies at the office with stories of my morning "duties" Thanks babe, keep reminding me that I wanted to stay home with the kids....

Just a quick post

Lilly Newborn

Noah Newborn

So sometimes right in the middle of my day...reality of how fast my babies are growing up hits me square in the face. Today, I'm going about my normal business, cleaning up lunch dishes and folding a load of laundry all while trying to change out Lilly's next size of clothing for storage. I came across a preemie outfit that she wore alot that somehow didn't get packed up with the newborn things. It is so so so tiny and I can remember very clearly when it was still a little big on her. Now she's 16 months old, 20 pounds and toddles all over the house eating everything in sight. She loves to wave "bye" points out her ears, eyes, etc, and she thinks her big brother is the greatest person on God's green earth.





While I'm being all sentimental over this tiny peice of cotton Noah saunters in to the room sighing and saying that he's bored. He says, "Mom come play a game with us." So I drop what I'm doing at 1 pm and we spend the rest of the day having a ball in our toy room. The laundry wasn't done, the totes were still out in the bedroom, but my babies are going to grow up soon enough. I want to enjoy every moment with them that I can. I know that one day soon, it will be me asking to spend time with him.

Christmas Fun

Here are a few cute pictures from the last few weeks. I'm going to add some more from Christmas morning a little later. Hope you all had a great Christmas. We sure did!
Noah and Lilly getting ready to open presents at Nana's (my Mom and Dad's) house on Christmas Eve morning...

Our Christmas sugar cookies (allergen free!!!!) I have a great receipe that has no eggs if anyone ever needs it...and surprisingly enough...they taste good as well!

Me and my babies before Church on my 28th birthday...

Noah at the preschool Christmas party

Lilly taking a break for a snack at the Christmas light display at Beechbend

Breakfast with Santa at South Edmonson... where Noah spent an hour shopping for gifts for his family!

The Celebrating has Officially Started!!!

OK anyone who knows me knows how much I love this time of year. Also anyone who knows me knows that I am still a smidge sad that last years festivities were ruined by breaking my leg and spending three days in the hospital hooked to a morphine pump!

Anyway, my 28th birthday was Sunday and we started celebrating on Saturday. It's tradition that Mom and I always go shopping on my birthday. When I just had Noah we took him when he was tiny but he has since inherited his Daddy's passionate hatred for all things shopping related so he opted out this year. So me, Mom, and princess Lil' took off for a girls day of shopping and lunch, etc. It was so fun, but I'll spare you the details of our purchases!

Saturday night the kids decided they couldn't wait to give me some gifts so I opened two candles and a Dr. Oz book from them (I really truly love Dr. Oz....) Then we went off to a fancy family dinner at Pizza Hut. Pizza Hut is one of the "safe" places for Noah to eat (there's only 2 or 3 we take him to) and since the manager also has a severe egg allergy we feel pretty safe in their food prep. We then went to the mall and to Kohl's with our aunt Beth (who's birthday was Saturday also!!!) We always have so much fun together.

Sunday, was Sunday school and church at Jock and the kids were all dressed in their Christmas clothes. AFter the service Mom fixed me a birthday dinner at her house. We all ate and then watched my 2nd favorite movie of all time (right behind Gone with the Wind) It's a wonderful Life. OK, so the rest of my family hates this movie, and I make them watch it every year anyway and then spend the rest of the day telling them how great it is and that I can't believe they don't like it...they continue to roll their eyes and be thankful they don't have to watch it for another year! Then we went to the Christmas Program at Pleasant Union. Noah loved it!

Anyway, it was a great weekend and I'm so glad to have spent it walking around on my own two legs instead of in a hospital bed like last year! I enjoyed every second of it! I'm now ready to celebrate Christmas and or 10 year anniversary the day after Christmas!

LOVE YOU GUYS...HAVE the BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!!!

PS Travis has enjoyed reminding me that I have one birthday left in my twenties and then gleefully informed me that I was now twice as old as when we first met (we started dating when I was 14) Thanks babe...love you too!!!

Finally a new post!!!

Lil's pink tree

family tree

Noah's cowboy tree

snowflake tree

Hello to all my "blogger buddies". I realize it's been forever since I posted but the photography worlds goes into high gear this time of year. I'm finally about to get caught up with orders, etc. so I am taking a break to update on what's been happening with the Parsley clan.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving and ate way too much, but it was fun. We spent the weekend at the Camp for Courageous kids for a family retreat for kids with severe food allergies. We decorated the house, we've shopped, we've survived a week long (that isn't a typo) stomach virus, and we're now in major Christmas mode.

We've been spending lots of time together watching Christmas movies and drinking hot drinks in our jammies. We've had a family ornament exchange, and are planning for some upcoming events as well. All while Mommy has been staying up until 2 am to finish Christmas orders. But you know what? I'm loving every second of it. Last year (December 18th to be exact) I broke my leg and ankle and spent my birthday as well as two other days in the hospital to have a metal rod and screws inserted into my leg bones. I then spent Christmas and New Year on pain medicine that made everything a blur. So I'm going a little overboard with the Christmas festivities this year. Oh yeah...and I'm pretty sure I'm going to start my birthday celebration on Sunday and continue them until the following Sunday which is my actual birthday!!!!

I know this is short and jumbled but I'll catch up everyone more later. Enjoy the pictures!!!

Sorry for the Parsley parade of trees pictures...I couldn't resist...we've put up 6 and I wish I'd have put them in 2 more places.... I have a family tree, a Scarlett O'Hara tree, a snowflake tree, a cowboy tree, a princess tree, and a kitchen themed gingerbread tree...next year I'm gonna put one in the playroom and our bed room too!!!

PS Wish it would snow....

I'm Thankful For...

my beautiful healthy babies asleep in the next room



my wonderful hubby (also asleep in the next room)



my parents who raised me



my in-law's who love me like I was their own



my beautiful new little nephew



my family who I love so much



my friends who I couldn't do without



my church family who I couldn't do without



my home that I love



my health



the food on my table



a job that allows me the schedule to be home to raise my kids



the fact that this week I will gather with the one's I love



I love you all and I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving. In case you don't know it, I'm thankful for your friendship!!!!