Yay Miss A!

We had such fun watching the Miss America Pageant last night.  Sierra and Makenna {and Mama} picked our favorites from their Intros, and we didn't do half bad ;)


Congratulations to Miss Wisconsin, the New Miss America!!!

We're Ready, Are You?

Ready for the evening gowns, the swimsuits, the talent . . .

Ready for the "Here She Is" . . .

Are you?

Project 52 : Week 2 ~ Made With Love

Okay, okay.  I'm a little late.  But I'm here.
 I can't drop the ball on my Project 52 in the second week, right?  That would just be embarrassing. 
So.  Week Two's Theme:  Made With Love ♥

I'm working on Miss Kam's birthday invitations right now:

This theme was a little thrown together {like a half hour ago}. 
It has been a LONG, crazy week here at the Fraijo house. 
And it's been kind of hard to focus on much since we heard the news that Sierra's best friend is in the hospital right now undergoing surgery due to a nasty sinus infection that just won't break its hold. 
Poor little Sweetie is fighting like a champ. 
If you'd like to pray for her full and quick recovery {and maybe some peace and rest for Mom and Dad}, that would be so, so wonderful.

Okay.  Over and out.

{I'm linking up with Darcy at Life with My 3 Boybarians.  And you should too!  Go!}

A Little Bit Random

My thoughts are all over the place today.  Partly because I live on about an hour's sleep most days, and partly because I have an excruciating headache.  So I apologize in advance if this jumps around a bit.

So . . . this Little Miss

is almost 3! 
What? 
How did that happen?? 

Can I just take a little walk down memory lane real quick?

Check out this tiny little bundle.



Oh good gracious.  Tiny little cupcake.  Isn't she the sweetest??



This has always been a favorite of mine.  So serious.



And there she is last Winter.

My goodness they grow quickly, don't they?  Makes my heart hurt a little.


I've been informed that Miss Thing would like a Pink Princess Ariel Cake for her birthday.  If you ask, that's what she'll tell you.  Me: "But, what kind of presents would you like Kam?"  Kam: "Pink Princess Ariel Cake.  My told you already."  {Girl is a bit of a sass, you know}.  I was actually going to skip the cake thing this year and just make up more of the Cake Pops, and possibly offer an Ice Cream Sundae Bar.  But, I don't know.  Kam is one opinionated little girl.  And if she says she wants Pink Ariel.  She wants Pink Ariel.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I often feel a little bummed this time of year.  Now that Christmas is over, and we have a long winter/spring to look forward to.  But this year it seems we have so much to look forward to, I can't help but be excited.  Our San Diego trip, just weeks away {SQUEAL!!!}.  And I'm hoping to take a little trip down to Medford to visit my sister sometime this Spring.  She's about to have a baby {not her own.  She's actually a surrogate!} shortly, so maybe we'll plan something for March or April.  We're long overdue for a good visit.  And I think it'd be fun to take the girls on a tour of where their Mama spent some time growin' up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's almost Miss America time!
 I was SO excited to find out that it will be televised this Saturday {Jeremy works, so it'll be just us girly girls!}.  We are planning on breaking out the evening gowns, tiaras, and sashes, ladies.  Oh yes we are.  Do y'all have any big Miss America viewing plans?  Do tell!

Outside

Anyone else go a liiiiiiitle stir crazy this time of year?  We get a LOT of rain, which means a lot of time indoors.  So, when we get a dry spell, we try to head outside pronto.

That's just what we did the other day.
It wasn't beautiful.  We didn't see any sun.  It certainly wasn't warm. 
But the fresh air was absolutely delightful.



Taylor definitely thought so.



Kam got to wear her beloved boots . . .



and she found many a treasure. 
Many.

I love those kinda days.

Project 52: Week 1

For the last couple of years I've watched while others have participated in a 365, and I've wished I would have done my own.  But then, life is a little crazy right now, and I wonder if I would truly follow through each and every day.

The solution?  A Project 52. 

I can do that!

This week's theme is, Resolution:

I'm linking up with Darcy at Life With My 3 Boybarians



Consider joining in, why don'tcha!

Wordful Wednesdsay ~ Sunny Days Ahead!

Remember when I mentioned I had a little incentive for getting my boot in shape this year?

Remember when I said that I had the.best.Christmas.ever?

Remember when I told y'all that my SUPER wonderful in-laws {I actually kinda dislike that term, because to me, they're Mom and Dad} surprised us with a trip to San Diego in February?

Whoops!  Didn't I mention that? ;)

 

That's right! 

Come February, the SIX of us are all going to board a plane, and fly to the sunshine for 5 whole days of FUN!  Our first big trip as a family of 6 {or five, for that matter!}

 

{Our Vacation Countdown Chart}

To say I'm excited is a complete understatement.  I am just beside myself!  So very thankful to Mom and Dad for the opportunity.  We are going to have so much fun!!!!


Linking up with Rachel @ And Then She Snapped

New Year, New Goals

I've mentioned before that I don't really do the resolution thing.  But I *do* like to have goals that I am working toward.  I just finished reading my 2011 goals, and I had to smile, thinking back to where I was at this time last year.  Smack dab in the middle of house building.  Wow, that was stressful.  And looking forward to the birth of our fourth child.  At the time, I didn't even know she was a girl!  Crazy how much can change in just one year.  I didn't make it through the Bible :(  BUT, I did make it to Isaiah.  That counts for something, right?  And I am purposing to get through the rest of the Bible this year.  I am more than half way through.  I can do it.

That is definitely Goal #1  And in keeping with that goal, I am also purposing to pray more.  I pray with the girls at bedtime, say my own prayers before falling to sleep, and occasionally remember to thank God for all of those little blessings day to day.  Underwhelming, huh?  I received a prayer journal for my 30th birthday, and I have used it a handful of times, but I want to use it more often.  Sometimes I think that God would love to bless me with even more, it's just . . . I don't ask.  I could go on {and on} about that, but I won't ;)

Goal #2 . . . Exercise.  Ha! I know, I know.  Heard that one before?  Me too.  But this time I mean it.  I started a little over a week ago, and I've followed through every single day {except one!}.  And I have a little bit of an incentive this year.  Tell ya about it soon ;)

Goal #3:  Get my photography business off the ground.  I'm really praying about this one.

And too many other little goals to count!

How about y'all?  Do you make resolutions?  Do you have a list of goals?  I'd love to hear 'em.

Oh, and just because I can't resist:

Ohhhhhhh dear.  Seriously?  Is she the cutest thing ever, or is it just me?

Linking up with IA for TTUT

A New Year

Whew!  It's a NEW year, y'all!!!  That totally snuck up on me.
I swear, it was just the beginning of 2011.  Weren't we just finishing up house-building, waiting on the arrival of baby girl #4?  Was that really a whole year ago??   Yikes.

So . . . we had a nice, quiet New Year's Eve.

We spent the first part of the day in the kitchen making these:



Pretzel Bites. 
I found them through Pinterest {yeah, I've finally jumped on the bandwagon, and oh.my.word.  I'm a little tiny bit addicted}.  You can find the recipe here, at Two Peas And Their Pod if you'd like to make your own.  And trust me, you should!  The girls LOVED them, and they were super easy to make.

{Edited to add: You can follow me here: , but be warned, I haven't had much time to do pinning, so my boards are sparse.  I hope to change that soon!}



After a quick visit to see Jeremy's Papa {he had surgery last week}, we headed over to my mom and dad's for annual Bingo night.  Only this year, it was Bingo day.  The change in time worked out perfectly, because lately Kam and Taylor are ready for bed by about 7 o'clock.

We got home, put the littlest ones to bed . . . and then . . .

We PARTIED ALL NIGHT LONG!



Which is code for: we played some board games until Kenners and I fell asleep around 11, and had to be woken up by Daddy and Sis to ring in the new year.



Hope your celebrations were equally as exciting! :)

Treats for New Year's {Or Any Time!}

I'm always looking for fun ideas for kids in the kitchen {because my littles ♥ LOVE ♥ to help out}.

Yesterday we were experimenting, and here is what we came up with:  Our take on cake pops.  Easy, fun, and a little bit messy.



Start with Vanilla Melts.  This is the first time I've used these, and I'm pretty much in love.  So easy to melt and to use.



Toss in an Oreo Cakester.  These are pretty much heaven all by themselves.



Swirl it around, coat all sides.



Ours aren't perfect, because we're not perfect.  We like it better that way.



Then sprinkle or decorate as you wish.
This was just a trial run; I think we'll use popsicle sticks with the next batch. 



This is seriously so much fun for the little ones.  We'll be taking some to our annual Family Bingo tournament at Nana and Gramps' on New Year's Eve.

Let me know if you try 'em!

Linking up with the FAB Jen from TT&J!

Christmas Memories

Did you all have as wonderful a Christmas as we did?
 It was extra magical this year. 
For many reasons, not least of which because it was Taylor's first Christmas! 
With each new child, the holidays are more special to me.  More wonderful, and full of fun. 
But then, I suppose it's not just during the holidays.  It's really every day.



We were all still a little under the weather, but not too sick to open presents, of course.
Poor Miss Taylor, she came down with the virus right before Christmas.  She's still not feeling very well :(



I hardly took any photos last weekend.  Between caring for sick babies, and running all over for different holiday festivities, picking up my camera seemed nearly impossible.



But I cherish the few photos I did snap.



So many wonderful memories made.



Hope yours was equally wonderful!

Merry Christmas!

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Luke 2:8-14

{I don't think I have ever read or heard that passage and not become teary}

Merry Christmas!!!