Merry Christmas!!

So here in the NE corner of OK we have some snow! Not near as bad as we would have got if we had stayed home. Michael had to stay home from work last night, but made it in today in an hour. He's planning on staying there tonight.

Santa visted the girls at Mamaw's. He ate cookies and left a note saying thank you. He also snagged his coat on the fireplace screen! We have to mail it back to Mrs. Clause so she can mend it.

We really miss Michael. We did have a great time telling everyone that we are expecting baby number 3! We've been able to announce all 3 pregnancies at Christmas!! Good times!!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

So it begins

Our week away from Michael. The girls and I made it to my mom's last night. The night was a little smoother than the previous however many. I'm still pretty tired. Piper seems to be feeling a lot better. She still has her moments of flat out whiny and irritable, which is totally out of character for her, but they are getting fewer and farther in between. Now we are having to watch for antibiotic induced diarrhea.

Michael went ahead and went back home last night. He starts a week of nights Wednesday night. Well, on Christmas day he gets off from the nights and then has to go back in to work the evening shift because he is "still in the rotation".

Hopefully the girls will be ok with being away from him for a week. Last night they were both expressing their dislike of him not being here.

Now both girls are in my lap making this hard to do!

Merry Christmas!!!

The verdict is...

Pneumonia.

Michael took Piper in this afternoon and they said she had begining stages of pneumonia. So it's antibiotics for our sweet girl.

Not meant to happen

I guess Christmas pictures weren't meant to happen this year. Sick babies mean everyone stay home.

Poor Piper has been just miserable. I'm thinking we may be taking her to urgent care this afternoon if she isn't better. We start our Christmasing tomorrow and she shouldn't have to be miserable for that.

Well I pray that everyone has a wonderful week with whatever festivities you all have planned! Merry Christmas to all!!!

A first

Today was a first for us. We went to get family pictures and we didn't purchase any. We've had bad sessions before, but they've always been more fruitful than 6 photos. It started out bad when Alli said first off she didn't want to get pictures taken.

When we got there, we of course had to wait. Then Alli was in a bad mood. Once Alli got warmed up, Piper wasn't having anymore of it. So we have another appointment Friday afternoon to see if we can't get at least one good family, sister, and individual child shot.

Budgeting...

It is that time of year again when we start looking at our budget for the next year. We have NOT been doing very well this past year. At all. There has been no financial peace. I need Dave Ramsey to come give me a swift kick in the bum. I should probably set through the class again.

Our credit card is out of control. Our savings is in tears. Our bank account, is in survival mode. I take full responsibility for our financial state. Michael does not do much in our finances and probably needs to do a lot more.

There is some sunshine on our horizon, Michael will be getting some nice OT and holiday pay. Him going to nights also helps a bit. We are also giving up the gym membership that we don't use enough to keep paying for. Especially since Piper has to stay with the baby section until she is 2 and is NOT happy about it.

I'm also going to really start couponing. How many times have I said this? But I mean it! I'm trying to figure out what else we can cut out and cut back on. Like we will be starting to cook at home more.

We will have some big expenses in the upcoming year that will make our budget even tighter, but we will get through it and I pray that this time next year, it will be better!

Oh, and if anyone knows of any part time job that will let you work about 4 days a week every other week, let me know!! Haha!

A Cheerful Post

Sorry, this is long overdue. Life here is moving on. Alli and Piper keep us busy and full of love and laughter! They are both growing up way too fast for my liking. I know all kids do, but I'm really feeling it! Allisyn is so tall that some brands of clothing, I'm having to buy her girls clothes!! I'm NOT ready for this! She is a little girl! She should be able to dress like she is 3, not like a little hoochie momma!

Piper is averaging about 2-3 sucessful potty tries a day!! I'm kind of excited about this one. I'm not putting her in pull-ups or anything until after the holidays, but if she is ready, we will go with it!

We had a great Thanksgiving! We got to spend some time with everyone, which is always nice!

Michael is for sure going to nights, now it's back to being the possibility of Presby. Which is what he would really prefer.

I've almost got my Christmas shopping done! We cut back this year, so it's been easier! I just have to do for great grandparents. I'm going to work on getting those put together and ordered.

Because of Michael's schedule around Christmas the girls and I will be staying with my mom for a week! We are all pretty excited about it!! We will miss Michael terribly, but at least he will get to sleep without all the excitement going on from Christmas.

Below is a pic from Thanksgiving! The girls love their Uncle Dustin!