The Magee Tribe

Haircuts

2011-07-02T19:20:00.001-07:00

Handsome

Is that stacking not adorable?

Frustrated she's not getting a haircut

Haircuts for the tribe

Yeah, I realize this isn't really blog worthy. I don't know...what can I say? I'm a mom...and I thought they were cute. I LOVE getting my haircut, and I think I've passed the love down to my kids. Haircut days are exciting!

Locks of Love

2011-07-02T19:05:00.000-07:00

That's some LONG hair!

Snip snip

Look at that excited face!

Pretty girl

Gracen has been growing her hair out for some time now. She liked that her hair was long like mommy's. However, she started talking about cutting it off...so we talked about Locks of Love. I showed her their website, explained what it was all about, and then told her about my best friend KC's sister-in-law who has cancer and has lost her hair. She was immediately moved to cut it off and give it away. I was so proud of her! She was brave and excited to tell everyone that she was donating her hair to someone who doesn't have hair anymore. She's getting so big, and I love the more grown up conversations we're starting to have.

Roomies

2011-07-02T18:41:00.001-07:00

Reagan, Aiden, Grier, Evie, Gracen, Ava, Brooklyn, Liam

During my last 2 years of college, I had the privilege of living with 3 amazing ladies...Renee, Tiffany, and Marissa. We lived in apartment #1204...which we refer to often. It was a small 2 bedroom apartment. I roomed with Marissa, and Tiff and Ren (childhood friends) roomed together. We were all involved with Campus Crusade for Christ at Texas State...we all had break through moments in our faith, as all 4 of us began to get serious about our relationship with God while being there. We all had been raised in the church, and were church girls, but all were dealing with private sin. God really used our time with CCC, through discipleship, bible study, accountability, and evangelism to break us, and grow us. It was a pretty sweet time. So it goes without saying that God really knit our hearts together in this journey. We had so many great times together. Sure...we argued, and got frustrated with things like a dirty kitchen, or loud music, or some of us being really chipper in the morning and some of us not. But overall it was a really special 2 years.

We try to get together at least once a year to reconnect and catch up. Unfortunately Renee lives in New Mexico, so we don't get to see her as often...but the rest of us live within 3 hours of each other. So fast forward like a decade, and we have procreated with enthusiasm! As much as we have seen each other, our children have never met! So a few months back, Tiffany and Marissa came for a visit and brought their sweet children. It was so fun, and surreal to see our kids playing together. We missed Ren's 2 boys for sure though! So not pictured our Sam and Noah...and in a few short months, you can add 2 more babies to the group. Yep, we have enthusiasm.

I'm so thankful for these ladies, and the many many times God has used them in my life to humble me, teach me, and sharpen me! I love you ladies of #1204!

FX

2011-07-02T18:22:00.000-07:00

Making sure he's doing it right.

Concentrating

Ms. Jada has LOTS of dance moves for the kids.

Once a quarter our church does something called FX. It stands for something catchy like Family Experience. Our kids love it. The families basically get to worship together in the "elementary world" setting. Every week our amazing elementary ministry team, headed up by my good friend Jada, lead the kids in their own worship. They hear a bible story, work on scripture memory, and sing together. It's during 2nd hour, and my kids flip out for it. Well during FX, the parents get to see what the kids are learning and experience worship with our kiddos with their fun music. It's so great. On Sunday mornings, Jada and her team pick kids to be on stage that have shown leadership. Aiden and Gracen both get to help lead worship on stage on certain Sundays...as well as FX. This particular time back in January, the theme was "Endurance", so they all had to dress up in sports attire. Gracen borrowed a soccer jersey from her big bro. I love to see my kids excited about worshiping the Lord! There is nothing sweeter. I love our church, and the desire they have to walk alongside parents in this journey.

Bringing in the New Year

2011-02-27T20:59:00.000-08:00

First night in a hotel room

Sleeping crazy

We were invited to a fabulous New Year's Eve party, complete with fancy clothes and dancing. This was the 2nd year our friends have thrown this party...and it is a blast! We were all set to go, picking out our outfits, and arranging childcare...when our friends Keith and Barie invited our family to Six Flags Fiesta Texas. They had 6 free passes for our family to use. Feeling unusually spontaneous, we agreed to go, booked a hotel room, and loaded up the kids...well, minus Evan. We thought she might make the trip a little more hectic than it needed to be. :) We had so much fun. Keith and Barie have 4 children as well, and all of our kids are sweet friends. It was pretty chilly, but our kids were good sports. We kept them out until midnight, with few meltdowns. We only lost 2 kids that day....2 out of 7 isn't bad. :) They lost their youngest, and we lost our oldest....oh, the adventures we had. We brought in the new year together and after that the kids quickly sacked out. I neglected to take pictures at the park, and Barie's didn't turn out that well...so this is what I have...a few pictures from our hotel room. This was the first time we have stayed in a hotel room with our kids. I had to get tips from Barie on sleeping arrangements. But they all did great! We're ready for our next adventure!

Adding to the Tribe

2011-02-27T20:41:00.000-08:00

This is not my actual test, but it looked just like this...for those of you still buying expensive pregnancy tests...do yourselves a favor, and hit up Dollar Tree for $1 pregnancy tests. They are cheap and accurate. I found out I was pregnant with all 5 kids using Dollar Tree tests...just sayin.

For those of you that don't know yet, we got exciting news a few days before Christmas. We are adding a member to the tribe! Baby #5 is due at the end of August!! We are so thrilled and thankful. We told the kids on Christmas morning, and they were super excited. We didn't tell people we were pregnant until about week 10...and they found out at like 4 1/2 weeks. All four of them did such a great job of keeping our secret. They did not slip once. We told our families at Christmas and swore them to secrecy as well....however, they did not do such a great job keeping it quiet. Our 4 little munchkins might need to give some lessons in discretion to the older family members. :) The kids are pretty convinced it's a boy...but I think it's just wishful thinking. I, on the other hand have NO idea. I knew all 3 girls were girls...but this one, is tripping me up. We'll find out in a few weeks, and I can hardly wait. We have names just waiting to be used.

Merry Christmas from the Tribe

2011-02-27T20:28:00.000-08:00

Christmas tree pictures are so much work....really. I had to take so many to get this shot...and they all look a little goofy. Grier's fake smile is too much in this picture. This group is a mess. We had a wonderful Christmas...sweet, simple, peaceful, focused on Jesus....well, as much as you can be with kids this age. :) It was so special.

Totally Backtracking

2011-02-27T20:08:00.001-08:00

Little Bumblebee

Little Ladybug

3 Bugs and a Doctor

Love this little bunch

I totally recognize that it's the very end of February and I'm posting Halloween pictures....and for that I'm a little ashamed. I don't know how they slipped past me....but I couldn't go without ever documenting these cutie patooties. I tried my hand at making the girls costumes this year, a butterfly, a ladybug, and a bumblebee. Although, everybody thought they were all ladybugs. Oh well. Aiden wanted to be a doctor, and isn't he the cutest doctor you've ever seen?? I love these kiddos.

The Birthday Girl

2011-02-27T20:00:00.000-08:00

Not loving the singing

Icing makes everything better

Happy 2nd Birthday my little Evie (In December)! It has been such a fun year watching you conquer so many firsts. You are a force to be reckoned with little lady. You are full of life, full of spunk and adventure, so friendly, and a blessing to be around. Your smile is infectious, and those dimples are impossible to resist. You make everyone feel special with your fun and outgoing personality. Daddy and I have so much fun with you. You have challenged us in a way that the other kids have not...you have climbed out of your crib...a first for the Magee household. You jump off of furniture as if you have wings...which is a no-no, by the way. You think you're 2 going on 15, with your incredible confidence in things that you obviously can't do. What would we do without you? We would laugh less...that's for sure. We love you so much and are so thankful you are a part of our family! Happy Birthday Monkey!

Salt Dough Ornaments

2011-01-28T21:31:00.000-08:00

We made salt dough ornaments during the holidays. The kids love using cookie cutters. :) They decorated them and we attached them to their teacher's bags of cake pops. They were so sweet. We have about 15 left over and I can't figure out what to do with ALL of them. I put a few on the tree...but 15? Wow.

Family Pictures

2011-01-28T20:26:00.000-08:00

***Lots of pictures!

My sweet friend Susan agreed to take pictures of our family for Christmas card pictures. She is so talented and was willing to give up some of her family time on a Saturday and travel out to our neck of the woods. She was great! She was patient and fun, and it helps that she knows and loves my kids. They felt comfortable with her, which was awesome. However, naps went badly that day. Grier did not take a nap at all, and Evan finally fell asleep 30 minutes before picture time. It was a rough start...not to mention this crazy windy cold front came in while we were taking pictures. Brrr! Overall the kids did great...but it was touch and go with Evan. :) Family pictures totally stress me out...which is probably why we don't have very many. These turned out great though! Thanks Susan!

Cake Pops

2011-01-28T20:19:00.000-08:00

I made cake balls on sticks, "cake pops" for the kids teachers at their fine arts school, and for their teachers at church for Christmas. They were so fun to make and turned out so pretty. They were a big hit and I think they might just be my new "thing".

Right of Passage

2011-01-28T20:15:00.001-08:00

Look at that big boy eating his first turkey leg. I was so proud.

Messiest Magee

2011-01-28T19:59:00.000-08:00

Just a Saturday morning with a doughnut. What in the world?!

Let me just start out by saying that I love this little girl to pieces. She's pure sunshine...always ready to smile, laugh, and have a good time. However, she is by far the messiest, grossest baby that I have ever delivered. There is nothing lady like about this little lady. She shoves huge pieces of food in her mouth, runs her messy hands in her hair, and seems to stain clothes daily. Most of the clothes she wears have gone through AT LEAST 2 other girls, most of the time more...because of fabulous friends with "hand me downs"....BUT somehow Evan has managed to ruin clothes that others have not. I've actually had to throw things out that she has worn only a few times. I'm keeping "Shout" in business, I tell ya. She's a mess. We all tell her that daily, and she just laughs.

Advent

2010-11-30T20:39:00.000-08:00

Advent starts tomorrow with the 1st of December. I follow this gal's blog, and have decided to use her advent ideas this year with the kids. I just wanted to post it quickly so that you too could enjoy some neat Christ centered activities with your little darlings this advent season. I'm praising God for the hope we have in Christ...the coming King! I would be lost without Him.

Friends

2010-11-29T19:18:00.000-08:00

This picture is from this summer...so it's old and the babies have changed a lot since this was taken....and we're missing 3 kids in this picture....Aiden, Gracen and the middle sister....BUT I had to share it. We had some spontaneous hang out time with our best friends today. It was just what Kendall and I needed. I don't think either of us were ready to start back up after our Thanksgiving break. We are both homeschooling mamas and our schedules are kinda opposite, so that means our hang out time suffers. Our kids love each other so much though and ask to hang out a lot. I love to watch all 7 of them greet each other...there's lots of excitement and hugging that goes on. It's melt your heart sweetness.

I'm sure I've talked about her before...but Kendall and I have known each other since we were little girls at the church we grew up attending. We were only acquaintances for awhile, and then my mom started babysitting her and her little sister after school everyday...and all day during the summers. I wouldn't say we were instant friends...would you KC??? :) I think we both just put up with each other because we had too. I was super bossy...I know, it's hard to believe. Kendall was and is super sweet. So we fought A LOT. But through the years the Lord knit our hearts together and we developed this kindred spirit, sisterly friendship. We both had become Christians when we were kids, but it wasn't until around the same time as older teenagers that we decided to live our lives for Jesus. And that right there cemented us forever. We also spent a summer together in NYC through Campus Crusade doing ministry in the inner city...super cool summer! Our husbands were in seminary together in Dallas, with no family around...so we really depended on each other. We started having lots of babies while we were there, and shared so many firsts together She is so dear to me, and has taught me a lot about being a good friend.

We now live the closest we've EVER lived married...approximately 8 minutes away...we even share the same HEB and Target! Our friendship has gone through many seasons, and as of late we try to fit in phone conversations...mostly when we're driving. We try to sneak out of the house in the evenings to hang out or watch the latest ghetto dance movie. :) We meet up for play dates when our schedules allow it. We bounce parenting concerns or ideas off of each other...or mysterious illnesses that our kids have developed...We talk out ways we can be better or more efficient homemakers...we exchange dinner ideas...we share areas we are struggling in and need prayer for...you name it. I'm so thankful that she's still a big part of my life after ALL these years. God has been good to me!

Aiden is a new creation

2010-11-27T13:41:00.001-08:00

Aiden's spiritual birthday

Celebrating his new birthday on our "You are special plate"...the same plate that my parents used to celebrate me and my brother's spiritual birthdays.

June 26th will forever be a day the Magee Tribe celebrates. A new Magee entered God's family on that day. Aiden trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of his sins...the most important decision he'll ever make! We are thankful for answered prayers, God's grace, and the wisdom to know that this was the real deal.

We had been talking about it with him for a LONG time...He KNEW the gospel, but we weren't convinced that he knew that he NEEDED the gospel. We also wanted him to initiate. Blake and I had been praying that God would make it very clear to us that it was authentic...real heart change, and not just head knowledge of what the Bible says. We asked the Lord to show us some specific things...and He did. God is good. Aiden was so excited...and that part was really cool! It actually happened on the last day of our big summer outreach at church. He had gone to a kids club all week...something the teenagers of our church help lead. Aiden had been asking us about becoming a Christian for awhile, and as we would talk about it with him, we realized he just wasn't ready.

The last club was on a Saturday, so Blake got to be there too. Blake and I both had jobs we were doing at the club. Blake was doing more manual labor stuff, set up, etc. and I was leading an adult bible study for any of the parents of the neighborhood kids that were coming to the outreach at the park. I saw Aiden go off with one of the teenagers, a girl who had been helping in his class the whole year. I knew what was going on and was kinda freaking out...and totally distracted. Blake and I both wanted to be there when he ultimately made the decision....but all we were able to do was be onlookers. I think God had to do it that way to move us out of the way. We had been telling Aiden "no" for quite some time. On that day, he took his faith into his own hands and told Deborah, that he needed to talk to her about asking Jesus into his heart. I saw the whole thing from a distance...and started to cry. Something in me knew that this was the real deal. He was probably 100 feet away, so of course I couldn't hear him...but I knew from his body language what was going on and I saw their celebration. I was still trying to lead this bible study...I honestly have no idea what I was saying at that point...I was in a totally different world. But I saw my first born, my 6 year old...looking so grown up and mature, going around telling everyone that he was a Christian...with such joy, and I was reminded of the joy of MY salvation. He ministered to me that day...so excited...knowing he was a new creation, knowing that his life had been redeemed, and he wanted to tell the whole world. It's several months later now, and he continues to be a light. He wants others to know about Jesus. He has such neat conversations with friends about Jesus' sacrifice, and I'm blown away by his boldness. I thank God that He has grabbed a hold of my son's heart at an early age. I pray that Aiden continues to follow after Him. We continue to pray for his sisters. Lord help us all. :)

First Days of School

2010-11-27T13:14:00.000-08:00

First day of 1st grade

First day of kindergarten

First day of their fine arts school on Wednesdays

The littles wanted a picture too

This treasure warms my heart...Aiden grabbed her hand knowing she was nervous...he's not a very affectionate kid, so this meant a lot.

We homeschool. It's a fun adventure. To be honest, it's something I've never wanted to do...but God has brought me joy through my obedience. Another confession...I'm not too quick to tell people that I homeschool. I don't know...I guess I'm still getting used to the idea...and probably still a little bit embarrassed about it. Our exposure to homeschooling has not been the greatest. We've known some sold out, "my way or the high way" kind of homeschoolers and they are not very fun to be around. I don't think homeschooling is for everybody, nor do I think it's God's way for education. It's a scary thing when people start believing that their values are God's values...that's rarely the case. However, for now, God has called the Magee Tribe to homeschool...and that's the adventure we're on.
Aiden started 1st grade this year and Gracen has started kindergarten. Going from 1 to 2 has been a big change....but a good one. I felt kind of weird schooling 1/4 of my children last year...it was all lopsided. Now, I'm schooling 1/2 of my kids and that feels a lot better. It keeps me busy...but the time I get to pour into them has been priceless. Blake and I see this time more than anything as discipleship and character building for them. Our studies are rigorous and challenging....I know academically they are doing well....but I'm more concerned with their hearts, their love for God, and their love for people...That's what we spend a lot of our days working on. Our time together has been a treasure for me.

Let's Try this again

2010-11-27T11:29:00.000-08:00

This picture has no real significance. I just think it's fun. It's from this summer....but this is pretty much how we've been around here for the past week...taking it easy...and it feels good.

I've been on a hiatus...and I'm dusting myself off and trying this blogging thing again. I'm nervous about it, because I set high expectations for myself, in general...and when I can't live up to them, I feel like a loser. So these past 6 months of non-blogging, I've pretty much felt like a loser...seriously. I've been so busy with family life, homeschooling, ministry, etc. that blogging has been on the bottom of my long list. I'll give it another go though...I do think it's helpful for me to slow down and process things going on around me...and of course, it's like a virtual scrapbook. I'm hopefully setting more realistic expectations this time...

Surprise!

2010-05-29T22:23:00.000-07:00

My personal favorite

I totally LOVE these kids. I mean, look at them. How can you not? They are hilarious and so fun! Blake took off a day in February and we surprised them with Chuck E Cheese. We told them we were taking them somewhere special, and they were going crazy trying to figure it out. When we finally pulled up and got out, they immediately started dancing, and celebrating. Blake and I were cracking up. I love that they are expressive, and joyful, and not too concerned with what others think...yet. I know that day is coming...but until then I'm gonna relish these sweet moments of pure freedom!

Change isn't always bad

2010-05-29T21:59:00.001-07:00

Last time sharing a room...for now anyways. (Sort of staged. I forgot that morning)

About to be 3 and ready for a big girl bed

New roommates at Aiden's request. He and Evie are sharing a room now.

Hello Gracen--looking at the "big" girl room

Grier's 1st night in a big girl bed. *Sniff, sniff. They are VERY excited to be bunking together.

So in February and March we did a lot of changing around here. We switched so many things around that it made my head spin. We decided to make our 4th bedroom a playroom, and so we combined kiddos. It's been several months since this took place...Aiden and Ev are still loving being together...and it's adorable to hear my 17 month old say "Aiden". She loves him SO much. Grier and Gracen are now in bunk beds. We wanted to start Grier lower to the ground. She was ready pretty quickly for a "real" bed. We had bought this adorable set of bunk beds unfinished (from Furniture in the Raw) in someones yard who needed to sell them quickly..for $30. Yes...$30! Isn't that ridiculous!? So, Blake painted them white and moved them into the girls room...pics later. We're still mixin' it up over here...although it's slowed down a bit...thank goodness.

Get Away

2010-05-29T21:39:00.000-07:00

Look at that handsome guy!

Yes...I brought my crock pot. Can't leave home without it.

In February, Blake and I got to get away for a few days sans kids. We headed to Fredericksburg to a B & B. We've been several times and always stay somewhere different...but this place might be seeing us again. It had every thing we could have wanted...it was romantic and cozy, and it was right off of Main St...so we could walk everywhere. We had such a great time. The purpose of our time away was to pray about the year, set some personal and family goals, and think through ministry commitments, our calendar, our vision for our family...you name it, we covered it. It was very productive...we talked, and talked and talked...and prayed and prayed and prayed. Both of our tanks were overflowing as we pulled out of there to see our precious children. The time away really recharged us. I can't wait for next year.

Freak Snow...in February

2010-05-29T21:12:00.000-07:00

It's in his DNA to throw things.

Don't eat the YELLOW snow! (I've always wanted to sat that)

Adventures to be had

*Out of order...this should be #1. First time to be in the snow (That they remember)

Snow Princess

Then something goes terribly wrong

And we scared the neighbors. I'm sure of it.

Okay, okay....so we might have been a LITTLE unprepared. I mean, we DO live in Central Texas. We don't get snow often enough to be outfitted for the rare occurrence, much less know what to do in it. And we might just be in our pajamas, with a little hoodie...and no gloves. It started off a fun adventure, but it wasn't long before we were all soaking wet, cold, and a little weepy. Well, just one of us...ahem. From the sounds of the wailing and the screaming, I'm sure our neighbors thought a child had been abandoned on the side of the road. Do I feel a little guilty for our lack of warmth...nah...we eventually went in and returned to our normal color with a little hot chocolate. And look at the memories we made...AND, bonus...now I have some footage for a certain person's rehearsal dinner video. Isn't her crying face adorable??

The Tribe Sees the Dentist

2010-05-29T19:47:00.000-07:00

Tag Team Cleaning

Brave Aiden--off by himself

Clutching the Side

Starting to relax

Whatev...

So, my question to you is...have you ever been to the dentist with 4 children 5 and under before? Well, I wouldn't recommend it. It's an adventure to say the least. Actually this trip was fantastic! First off let me just say how AWESOME Dr. G is at Kids Dental Smiles. Not only was he willing to see all 4 of my kids on the same day, BUT he and his staff are always so kind and patient too! And as a side note, Dr. G is opening up an office in the RR area, so he'll be closer to us!! Check him out if you need a pediatric dentist.
Okay, so back to our adventure...Aiden and Grier love the dentist. Aiden goes off by himself...no big deal. And as you can see Grier feels right at home. This was Evan's first time, and she apparently loved it as well...then there's Gracen.
Wow...where do I begin...Well, I have taken her to the dentist every 6 months since she was 12 months old...and now she's 5. So, if you do the math, she's been...a lot! That doesn't seem to matter. We role play EVERY single time starting about 2 weeks out. We talk about the benefit of healthy teeth. We talk about ALL the prizes she'll get when she goes...because they LOAD you up. But every time we get there we are met with a HUGE meltdown. You would think we were trying to pull all her teeth out. Anyhow, I think her file is marked at Dr. G's office, because the hygienist that came to take her back seemed to breath deeply before calling her name and asked me to come back, which they usually don't offer up front for the "older" kids. BUT to my surprise AND the hygienists, Gracen was AMAZING! She was brave (for the most part) and cooperative. I couldn't believe it. I did have to hold her hand the whole time...but hey, I'd gladly do that. I smothered her with kisses and praised her ALL DAY long for her bravery...It's only looking up from here.

Girls

2010-05-01T21:09:00.000-07:00

The lighting is weird on this picture...I still don't really know what all the buttons do on my camera...obviously...BUT I thought this picture was so sweet. I adore these 3 girls.

P.S....I'm now in "February"...I'm just chugging a long.

Our own little playground

2010-05-01T18:48:00.001-07:00

The kids got a trampoline and a swing set for Christmas from both sets of their grandparents...and it has CHANGED my life. I love that I can send them in the backyard and they have stuff to play with. I mean, it seems like a no brainer...but it took us awhile to figure this out. Before our backyard resembled a neighborhood park, the kids would find trouble quickly...very quickly. It wouldn't be but a few minutes, before I would hear either crying or "MOMMY!" Not only have they gotten along so much better, but it has made for some really fun playdates...and made it SO easy to have other families over. Thank you Grandparents...you made my year!

Officially in 2010 now!!

2010-04-10T22:20:00.000-07:00

We were headed to the car for church and I realized how adorable and color coordinated they were...so what could I do...but whip out my camera and snap a few pictures. Gracen had slept in some braids to see if we could make some waves...it turned out pretty fun.

And now, folks...this post brings me into 2010...officially. I'm so glad to be done blogging about 2009. I mean, that was SOOO last year...

Mommy's Helpers

2010-04-10T21:51:00.000-07:00

I love Evan in the background of this one.

The girls were helping me get little treats ready for Aiden's class at Grace Harbor. They love being in the kitchen and helping me cook, or assisting with whatever project I'm working on. I wish I was better at letting them help me cook more. I know it blesses them when they do get to help...but it's hard for me. It's hard for me to slow down enough to bring them along. I know I'm gonna look back on this time, and wish I would have included them more...but it's a process to get them all washed up, and lined up on chairs just to get started. Okay, fine...I'll work on it. Writing this is convicting my heart. Okay I said, I'll work on it...leave me alone. :) Check back to make sure I've done a better job.

Playing "Train"

2010-04-10T21:44:00.000-07:00

I especially love the days when the kids get along beautifully. These are the days that I'm thankful for having them all so close together.

Just Because...

2010-04-10T21:36:00.000-07:00

...she's adorable. These are a few or four months old...she has more hair now, and a mouth full of teeth...but she's still the same fun Evie.

Playing in PJs

2010-04-10T21:24:00.000-07:00

I don't really know what they were doing...I was just entertained...

Do you see the annoyance on their faces? There MIGHT have been a few snowflakes falling and they MIGHT have been a little under dressed....oh well, live and learn...right? :)

Happy Birthday Evan

2010-04-10T21:09:00.000-07:00

Happy 1st Birthday, my sweet Evie.

Evan is technically almost 16 months old...BUT, the girl's GOT to have a birthday post...right?! She had a very subdued birthday...and I'll admit that it almost didn't happen at all. I mean, her birthday is 6 days before Christmas. It's a tricky thing to get all the family together, knowing you've got to all round up again in a few short days...but we managed to do it...thanks to my Mom and my sweet husband's insistence that we celebrate her. It was a special time...laid back and relaxed like Evan herself. She is the most affectionate, sweetest, lovable, and fun little one year old...and she LOVES cupcakes. She was so easy to please. In fact, we only got her a little stuffed Marie from Aristocats for her birthday. I only felt mildly bad about it...but again her birthday is RIGHT before Christmas...AND she's the 4th kid. Have you seen our playroom? We seriously don't need anything else for a little girl...like ever. She loves her little kitty though...I think it all worked out okay. Happy Birthday our precious girl...we thank God for you every day.

One last Christmas Entry...

2010-04-10T21:01:00.000-07:00

These stockings warm my heart.

Magee Mantle Memories...say that 3 times fast.

The Worst Christmas Tree Pictures...Ever.

2010-04-10T20:54:00.000-07:00

Gracen, Aiden, Evan, and Grier --Christmas 2009

...and these were the "best". Wow, have I ever mentioned how hard it is to get pictures of 4 little ones before?? Because, it's a challenge people.

Christmas Morning

2010-04-10T20:41:00.000-07:00

Waiting patiently to open gifts.

Loving their sleeping bags.

Checking things out.

We got them each a tent from Ikea...and this is what we walked into....love it! They were a hit.

Dress Up

2010-04-10T20:35:00.000-07:00

Gracen and Grier were playing in my heels...and I'm pretty sure they both walk in them better than I do.

Trimming the Tree

2010-04-10T20:01:00.000-07:00

Investigating the tree

Topping the tree

Of course you have to wear sunglasses when you decorate the tree...at night.

Blessed

Not much to write on this one...except that I'm totally horrified that I'm posting Christmas pictures in April. I just HAVE to get them up here, for "scrapbooking's" sake. We had fun...listening to our favorite Christmas worship albums...complete with hot chocolate, and a fire in the fire place...well, after we were done. The kids were really helpful, and a little more thoughtful about where to hang the ornaments then in years past.

Potty Trained

2010-04-10T19:50:00.001-07:00

Grier potty training herself on Thanksgiving

Along with having a healthy son on Thanksgiving, Grier decided she was D-O-N-E with diapers. So she informed us she would be using the potty. We said "great" and let her lead the way. She was amazingly easy to potty train...I guess there's something to that whole big sibling thing...or maybe it was just God's grace pouring out on me. She wants to be like Gracen SO badly...most of the time that's not a good thing, but in this case, it was super duper! She had no accidents, and to this day...being April...she's had maybe 2 because she waited too long to get to the potty. She wore pull-ups for a whopping 3 weeks for bedtime, and then decided she was done with that too. I could hardly believe it. So this is something to celebrate in the Magee house...because I've only had ONE child in diapers for the last 5 months...HELLO, that is a rare occurrence around here! Can we all say a collective Hallelujah!?! Thank you Grier!

Still catching up from 2009...

2010-04-10T19:25:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving 2009

We had plans all lined up...We were headed out to Uncle Bill and Aunt P's house. I was assigned things to bring, the kids were excited, etc. The day or two before, Aiden started complaining about some intense pain in his arms and legs. I dismissed him at first, because to be honest...he's a bit of a hypochondriac. But eventually the pain was so bad that he was brought to tears. He had no other symptoms. So of course, we both were thinking the worst...leukemia. We made an appointment to see the doctor the next day. We prayed...I cried. I think we both had trouble sleeping, knowing that we could find out some life altering news the next day. We headed in to see our beloved Dr. Chang the next morning...and after about a 20 minute exam, he was all set to get some blood work going. He made some off hand comment about the flu, and I reminded him that Grier had the flu the week before. At that point, he was pretty convinced that's what Aiden had...so he tested him, and lo and behold he had the FLU! How weird is that? He had no fever...and no other symptoms. But apparently you can get some pretty wicked myalgia with the flu. Blake and I both breathed a HUGE sigh of relief, and thanked God for the flu...and then proceeded to smother our son with sloppy kisses, and bear hugs...so grateful to have a healthy boy. But of course, because of his "sickness", we weren't able to go the Hengst's like we had planned, because sweet little cousin Gunnar would be there, and he was only about 4 weeks old...and if anyone was around Hayley in the first few months of Gunnar's life...you know she was a TAD crazy. I'm just giving you a hard time H...because I know you'll read this. :) You had a baby during flu/swine flu season...it's understandable...sort of. ;) Anyhow, so that left me scrambling the day before T-Day to put something together for our intimate little Magee Thanksgiving...party of 6. And as you can see in the above picture...I pulled it off rather well...if I do say so myself. It was fun...and cozy...and one that Blake and I will never forget, because we had a NEW reason to be thankful...a son with a case of the flu. Praise God.

Salsa Chicken and Black Bean Soup

2010-02-04T16:23:00.000-08:00

I stumbled upon this blog a few months back, and have really enjoyed several of the recipes. I actually got her cookbook for Christmas too...which I'll blog about later...but yum-there are some GREAT recipes on her blog. I made this a few weeks ago when we had some friends over. It was really good...and warm...oh so warm. It's cold and rainy here today. I would love to be eating this soup tonight.

Salsa Chicken and Black Bean Soup, from "A Year of Slow Cooking"

1 lb. chicken (I think I used about 2 lbs.)
1 c. dried black beans (or 2 cans, drained and rinsed)
4 c. chicken broth
1 c. frozen corn
1 jar prepared salsa (16 oz) (I used homemade, instead of store bought)
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 c. sour cream (you'll stir this in at the end)
shredded cheddar cheese, cilantro, tortilla chips (all optional)

*I use dried black beans, so I soak them over night*. Drain and rinse the beans the next morning.Add the beans to the crockpot. Put in the chicken, and add both the broth and salsa. Add the corn and the cumin. Stir, but be careful not to stir the beans below. They need to stay at the bottom of the pot, closest to the heat. Cover and cook on HIGH for 9 hours. It takes awhile to get the black beans soft.

The blog says: If you'd like to thicken the broth, you can use your immersible blender to blend a bit of the beans and chicken. If you don't have one, scoop out 2 cups of the soup and carefully blend in your traditional blender. Stir the mixture back into the crockpot. *However, I did not do this.

Stir in the 1/2 cup of sour cream before serving, and garnish with shredded cheese and broken up tortilla chips.

Brisket

2010-02-04T16:02:00.001-08:00

I got this really easy recipe from my friend Lisa after eating it at her house. Oh my, was it good!! Especially if you like the flavor of smoked meat.

Brisket

1 Center Cut Brisket (about 3 lbs.)
1 Bottle Claude's Brisket Mix (Red Top)

Put Brisket in Crockpot. Pour Claude's on top. Fill bottle with water and shake to get all the spices loose. Pour on top. Cook on low all day (about 8-9 hours). Amazing!

I made it this week, and was reminded of how darn good it is. And my house smelled incredible too!

Fall Cakes

2010-02-03T20:55:00.000-08:00

LOVE Gracen's intensity when she's doing something creative

I also love to watch her delicate hands.

Can you see the difference in personalities?

A little lick won't hurt

The tongue helps her get it JUST right.

He concentrates so hard when he's "working"

Watching his design unfold

I grew up decorating sugar cookies with royal icing for EVERY holiday...and totally loved it. My Mom was amazing at creating family traditions. I've tried to take a page from her book, and create those special moments for our family too. I've taken some of hers and added some of my own. I also like to do the roll out sugar cookies and royal icing with my kids...but man, is that a lot of work. Props to you Mom for being so consistent with it. I have not managed to do it for all the big holidays...so this is my 2nd choice...decorating cakes. I don't think the kids have an opinion either way. They like doing both. So in November we made "Fall cakes". I love doing creative stuff with my kids...it's really peaceful in those moments and I enjoy seeing what my little budding artists come up with...It's also a special time around the table as we create sweet memories, and stronger bonds.

Real Life Babydoll

2010-02-03T20:07:00.000-08:00

She's got some skills.

Evan's messy face is what happens when your 2 year old "big" sister feeds you.

Evan thinks Grier is a blast...just as the rest of us do.

It's Grier's real life baby doll...now if only Grier learned to change diapers.

Breakfast for the Tribe

2010-02-03T14:30:00.000-08:00

Oatmeal Banana Muffins fresh out of the oven

Sneaky little thing

Mission accomplished.

Mornings around here can be intense. There are 4 hungry kids that want food NOW. I'm sure we're not alone there. I'm a morning person...but not a -sit down and relax- kind of morning person. It's my productive time, where we accomplish chores, get dressed, and start school. So needless to say, I don't make a big breakfast for everyone. We eat breakfast quickly and move on...which means we eat simple things like frozen waffles, cereal, nutrigrain bars, etc. Well, those things add up...especially for 4 kids, 7 days a week. So about a year ago, I started thinking differently about how I run things around here. I wanted to be healthier, and more frugal. I decided that making things from scratch would not only be better for us, but would also stretch our dollar. I started making big batches of muffins to freeze and pull out in the mornings for the kids, along with a piece of fruit. I'll just take a day and make dozens and dozens and DOZENS of muffins...then put them in bags to freeze. It's super easy for our family, and the kids LOVE them. They are also great for eating on the go. On Sundays, our kids eat breakfast in the car on the way to church. So if you ever see us in the parking lot before church starts, you'll see me wiping down everyone, and dusting crumbs off of church clothes. Here's one of my favorite recipes:

Banana Oatmeal Muffins

1 cup of brown sugar (I use Sucanat)
7 TBS of Unsweetened Applesauce or Coconut Oil
2 eggs
1 1/3 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 large)
1 cup regular oats
1/2 cup fat-free milk
2 cups whole wheat pasty flour
1 TBS baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; beat well at medium speed. Combine banana, oats, and milk. Add that to the sugar mixture, beating well. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon-stir with a whisk. Add it to the sugar mixture-beat until moist. Spray your muffin pans w/ cooking spray and fill them about 2/3 of the way up. Bake them at 350 degrees for around 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
*I always add some Flaxseed Meal to my mixture for an extra boost. Makes 24 regular size muffins.

Hanging out at the Soccer Field

2010-02-02T13:51:00.001-08:00

Grier, cousin Brooklyn, and Gracen

The girls not surprisingly get a little bored during Aiden's games. I always enjoy watching how they entertain themselves out at the field. I love to hear their little squeals, and see them running around. They totally run like girls. They are so fun.

Let's Do This Thang

2010-01-31T20:54:00.001-08:00

Game Face

Don't mess around with a soccer player. They mean business. Especially 5 year old soccer players.

Right of Passage

2010-01-31T20:18:00.000-08:00

My title is kind of tongue and cheek. While it was a trip down memory lane, and was special to me personally...I get that getting a Barbie Doll isn't that significant in the grand scheme of things. In fact, I don't even know how I feel about Barbie in general for my daughters...yet. BUT I LOVED them as a child. I had about 17 Barbies, the Barbie Dream House, the car, the swimming pool, etc. I was a Barbie fanatic to say the least. I played with them WAY past when it was acceptable...like 7th grade-ish. Sooo, one day I came home from school and saw that my Mom had sold every lick of Barbie paraphernalia that I owned. I couldn't believe it. Let's just say that it was a sad day at the Stanley house. So fast forward 15 years...I'm pregnant with my first daughter, and dreaming in pink. I immediately thought of my old Barbies, and Cabbage Patch Dolls that I wanted to pass down to her. Only problem...I no longer had Barbies. So what else could I do...I hopped on Ebay to hunt a few down. I found 3 of my old Barbies and won them easily. Apparently early to mid 80's Barbies are NOT the latest rage. This Barbie up above "Jewel Secrets Barbie" was one of my favorites. I finally decided to give it to Gracen a few months ago. I was so excited to share this special doll with her. She was sweet and listened to my stories, but I could tell that she wasn't nearly as pumped as I was. It gave me some good perspective...it's just a doll Mom.

Play Date

2010-01-31T19:33:00.001-08:00

I LOVE play dates with Kendall...for obvious reasons-like, she's my best friend and I enjoy her company, and our kids love each other...but there is another reason. It always turns into a spontaneous photo shoot. Her camera is always close by and she seems to always capture the sweetest moments with my kids. I end up with a fun filled day AND the most precious pictures of my babies. What more could you ask for from a play date?

Delegation

2010-01-29T15:51:00.000-08:00

A Rainy Fall

2010-01-29T15:40:00.000-08:00

It's really sad I know...but I was REALLY proud of the girl I made.

Apparently Play-Doh is serious business

Sneaking a few bites-gross. I wondered for a moment if she had Pica.

It was so rainy this Fall...so we had to break out the Play-Doh, among other things on a pretty regular basis around here.

Carving Mr. Pumpkin

2010-01-29T15:28:00.000-08:00

We had fun carving our pumpkin. We roasted the seeds afterwards...and they weren't very good. I'll need to hunt down a better recipe before next Halloween. On a side note, Aiden was in his underwear...so most of the pictures I couldn't put on my blog. :)

Glitter Pumpkins

2010-01-29T15:14:00.000-08:00

My friend Danielle gave me this idea for Glitter Pumpkins. She does this every Fall with her kids as their little Fall tradition. And a bonus...you get to decorate with these adorable things. The kids had a lot of fun with this...so I think we're going to keep it in the craft rotation.

Smiley Magee

2010-01-29T14:47:00.000-08:00

Evan really gets into her baths. She hears the water running in the bathroom and makes a jet line to get into the tub...even if it's not for her.

Evan is ridiculously happy. She's so sweet natured and just a blessing to our family. I still can't believe it sometimes. Here's my point. Have that 4th kid. If you're thinking about having a 4th...DO IT! Seriously...it's awesome. I've talked to many moms and the running theme is 4th babies are laid back, joyful, and loving. So just go for it. You don't ever hear people regret having that last kid...but you do hear people say that they regret not having more kids...just sayin'.

I Love You. You Love Me...

2010-01-29T14:40:00.001-08:00

I am not kidding when I say that my daughter loves the big purple dinosaur. As you can see we have bunny ears for our tv...so our selection is limited. But wow...it doesn't even matter, because Barney has Evan's heart. The minute she hears the theme song she crawls over, pulls herself up, and begins dancing...completely taken with the incredibly cheesy songs. I'm glad I had my camera close by to capture it.

New Addition

2010-01-29T14:30:00.001-08:00

Okay, so I'm going back in time as I update my blog. So these pictures are old. But my cousin Nason and his wife Hayley had their baby at the end of October. His name is Gunnar...and he is precious!! Nason is much more like a brother to me than a cousin...so Gunnar is a special little guy...I'm calling him my nephew instead of 2nd cousin or whatever...that just seems so formal...and wrong. You can keep up with their blog and see much more up to date photos by clicking on "The Hengst Family" on the left of my blog. They are coming over tomorrow night and I can't wait to get my hands on that baby.

It's So Hard to Say Good-Bye

2010-01-28T22:10:00.000-08:00

Gracen Mrs. Sarah and Grier

Ugh. I hate writing this in January, and we said good-bye in October...it still makes me sad. We had a lot of change in October...one being a move. That move led to a REALLY long drive to dance class. So we had to say good-bye. And what you don't see in this picture is a very sad Mommy taking the picture...with tears rolling down her cheeks. Sarah, and I went to high school together and she was one of my brother's best friends. She is an AMAZING dance teacher. She has been teaching Gracen since she was 2 1/2, and then Grier started with her in August. I had visions my girls as teenagers taking dance with Sarah. We had such a wonderful experience at Dance Emotions, and it killed me to leave that studio. And just as I anticipated...the day Gracen started at her new studio, she fell apart sobbing that she wanted Mrs. Sarah. My heart broke. Us Magee girls are not big fans of change. She has slowly come around though...and that makes it a little easier each time.

Family Pictures There are bunches

2010-01-28T21:27:00.001-08:00

Aiden 5 1/2

My favorite

Grier- 2 1/2

Gracen 4 1/2

I warned you that there were a lot....sorry. Now, would have been a good time to know how to do one of those collage thingies...oh well. My friend Abby, a photographer in the Austin area took pictures of our family in early September. You can tell they're older because Aiden still has a buzz cut...and on a side note, I will NEVER do that again. Anways, these turned out really good. Abby's SUPER talented. The kids did great for the most part, and we were glad to get family pictures....our first ever professional pictures! It was way over due.

Aiden's Cheerleaders....Sorta

2010-01-28T21:13:00.001-08:00

Sweet Gracen-Cheering her brother on

The Little Monkey

Watching Aiden

A wee bit grumpy

A bit sunny out

Aiden has 3 sisters who love him with a passion...and occasionally pay attention to his soccer games. What more could a big brother ask for?

Bend it Like Aiden

2010-01-28T20:53:00.001-08:00

Go #9

What he does best....guarding the goal

New Friends

Go KICKS!

I think Aiden has found his sport. Well, he's only played soccer and t-ball. But he's really into soccer...more than he was t-ball. He likes to run a lot...maybe he'll do track and field or something. Anyhow, it is really cute seeing all the little kids going after the ball. I could really get into the sports mom thing. Aiden is playing indoor soccer at the Y currently (these pics are from the Fall) and Blake is his new soccer coach. I love seeing my guys out there together. Next time I'll remember my camera.

Aiden's First Sleepover

2010-01-28T20:31:00.000-08:00

Barie giving game instructions (Can you see Ainsley hiding in the tent?)

Life Long Best Friends....Aiden and Ainsley

They have SO much fun together

They were inseparable

Aiden, Ainsley and the birthday boy, Kade

So, Aiden had his first sleepover...and NO there were no girls. Well, there were girls at the beginning of the party...but the girls left, and the boys got to spend the night and do boy stuff...whatever that is. Ainsley and Aiden were pretty disappointed they couldn't stay together...they are such sweet friends. I was REALLY nervous for Aiden to spend the night with a friend...but Kade is our pastor's son...who we completely trust. So we felt like we could say yes, AND sleep that night. The AND was a big deal. Aiden had a blast, and wanted to know when the next sleepover would be. I avoided that question. Apparently, he did not miss us much.

3 Ballerinas and a Rockstar

2010-01-28T20:09:00.001-08:00

LOVE LOVE LOVE this picture...it's TOTALLY my kids. Gracen is causing mischief, Aiden is trying to do the "right thing" by looking at the camera, and Grier is being a total goof ball. I will treasure this picture forever.

Goofball Grier continued...in both pictures

A-D-O-R-E these feet

I'm one blessed Mama.

Halloween was really fun this year. We hung out with our new neighbors for a little while and then hit the streets. The kids did not last long...especially Gracen and Evan. So the 3 of us came back, and the baby went to sleep. Gracen and I passed out candy to the neighborhood, and chatted with our other neighbors for awhile. It was a laid back night...but so enjoyable getting to know people on our street.

Dancing Days

2010-01-28T19:44:00.000-08:00

My Ballerinas

Have NO idea what the head cock is all about...but I blame it on Auntie JoJo...she's famous for it.

Excited about class starting.

My pretty girls

Gracen and Grier LOVE dance...I mean L-O-V-E love dance. I was under the impression that this is normal for all little girls...but overhearing moms at dance class complain about dragging their little girls to dance, I'm thinking we might have something here. I might actually have dancers on my hand...which I think is pretty cool. Gracen eats, sleeps, and drinks dance...almost to the point of obsession. This past Sunday I peeked in her room at church, b/c the class we teach is next door to hers. Instead of sitting with all the little girls during small group time she was in another part of the room "practicing her dance" as she put it. What dance? I'm not sure. She hasn't learned her recital piece yet...so I'm not sure what the urgency was all about...but whatever. Anyways, after talking to her, and explaining that there is a time and a place for dance, and that she was being disrespectful to sweet Mrs. Carla, she went and sat with her small group. But you can bet what she did when we got home that afternoon...

It's Alive....

2010-01-28T19:26:00.000-08:00

**Note: My title has nothing to do w/ this adorable, precious picture of Evan...my now 13 month old...what is that about??

Okay, with some encouragement by friends, and most surprisingly Blake, I'm gonna start blogging again. It really is good for me to write stuff out, and of course I love the idea of family journaling...so here it goes. I'll leave you with a picture before I start a bunch of entries.

Taking a break

2009-11-09T20:48:00.001-08:00

My sweet little dumplin
What's more fun than burying your arms in the dirt?

Going higher

Sweet Gracen is always trying to entertain her baby sister

a thoughtful Grier

We took a much needed break from school...these pictures are old since I'm trying to catch up on here...so these were early September...you can tell it was still hot in Texas, with all those sweaty heads. I forgot sunscreen that day, so we all got a little pink...or we got our daily dose of vitamin D...however you want to look at it. We love our local parks.

School

2009-11-09T20:14:00.001-08:00

The school room (at our old house)
Aiden working hard
Gracen coloring

Grier playing w/ magnets

Grier sorting animal erasers

Several people have asked how homeschooling is going, including family. I think people are curious, and perhaps worried about how I school w/ all the littles around. Well, for starters Evan is taking her morning nap...so that helps tremendously. And Gracen does some preschool work right along side us...Grier is a bit trickier. I put several activities together for her to play with while we do school. Those are two examples up above. She gets restless pretty quickly though, and she's not an alone time kinda kid at all. She wants to be right in the middle of the action.
So she tends to interrupt us quite a bit when she's finished with her activities. But we've got our little groove going, and I think we're all even enjoying ourselves. Homeschooling is a lot harder than I ever thought in my stage of life...but I really like having Aiden with us, and the girls do too...even if they won't admit it.

Back in the Saddle Again...

2009-10-28T19:42:00.000-07:00

Last morning in our house. We let Aiden have a sleepover with the girls.

We took pictures like this when we moved from Dallas...and Gracen was wearing the gaucho pants that Grier is wearing here...total coincidence.

Good bye house

Last time to run down our sidewalk...I was an emotional wreck that whole morning.

This is their thing...Gracen doesn't peddle things very well...but she loves to run after Aiden.

It's been a long time since I've posted anything. With our move, unpacking, and homeschooling...I haven't made blogging a priority...but I'm gonna try to slowly catch up and keep up now that we're more settled.

Caught

2009-09-03T21:16:00.000-07:00

Here's proof that they love each other. They were watching Gracen's spring dance recital for the 100th time...and I looked over and couldn't believe they were holding hands. I snuck off to get my camera, peeked over the coffee table and caught it on camera...I now have it forever, and might just keep it handy so that I can remember there is true affection there...even if it's way down deep.

Grace Harbor

2009-09-03T20:56:00.000-07:00

1st day of Grace Harbor

Aiden with his homeroom teacher, Mrs. Turner.

We stumbled across this program several months ago for homeschool families, and feel like we found a jewel. The name of the umbrella program is Grace Harbor. Aiden goes once a week and he attends art, p.e., music, speech, Spanish, and character building. I love that he's getting exposed to all of these different classes, and making friends. He has gone two weeks now, and his favorite class is SPEECH. I can hardly believe it. He certainly did not get that from me. I'm still haunted by my college freshman speech class, where I literally cried every time I got in front of the class. Nope...he gets that from his Daddy...who is extremely comfortable up front. And his second favorite class is art. I love that. I just knew p.e. would be his favorite class. Look at my big kindergarten boy. I couldn't be prouder if I tried.

They might just be related...

2009-09-03T20:20:00.001-07:00

Aiden is slouching...Gracen isn't taller than Aiden. :)

There was excitement in the air on the first day of school...can you tell? The kids were unusually goofy...

First day of homeschooling

2009-09-03T19:59:00.001-07:00

He's just a little bit excited.

My super handsome guy

Here's Aiden on his first day of school...at home. He was so excited to start. I just had to do a first day of school photo like my Dad tortured me with EVERY year...same place...EVERY year. And now, it's my turn to do it with my kids...

Shaving Cream Fun

2009-09-03T19:29:00.000-07:00

A little shaving cream goes a long way.

Making Baby Food

2009-09-01T13:12:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure why I'm blogging about making baby food. But some people have asked me how I do it...and I kinda want to remember what it was like doing this...one day when I have kids in college, and I'm way past this stage. I really enjoy making it...I feel like I'm giving my baby the best...and it saves A LOT of money. So, after I steam it, and puree it...I freeze it individually in ice cube trays and then pop the cubes out and freeze them in a big freezer ziploc bag...like all the peas together, all the sweet potatoes together, etc. I have bought jarred baby food a few times, when I'm in a pinch. I've kept the jars, and I use them to freeze individual portions for when I'm on the go. I just defrost it and throw it in the diaper bag...it works great.

The Vet

2009-09-01T12:59:00.001-07:00

I've been trying to teach the kids how to play imaginary games...does that seem ironic? I LOVED playing school, house, library, and "Kids In Cooperated" (anybody else play that??), and anything else I could think of. Oh, my best friend Jo and I would play 20/20 when we were in like 3rd grade...no joke. One of us would be Barbara Walters, and the other one would be the mother who just gave birth to twins. Oh, I'm laughing just thinking about it. But we called her Barbara Wa-Wa. We must have heard one of our parents imitate her or something. Anyhow...the imagination is amazing. Okay, maybe my kids are too young to think of those kind of scenarios...but I'm trying to help them along. So, one morning we played "Vet". Mommy was the vet, and if you'll notice they each have an animal with them. This is them hanging out in the "waiting room", waiting to be called in by the doctor. Doesn't this look for real? It was making me laugh...I just had to snap a picture.

Who needs a pool??

2009-09-01T12:57:00.000-07:00

Catching Rain

2009-09-01T12:39:00.000-07:00

I think I've mentioned before that my mom is a Master Gardener. She took a class this summer on rain water harvesting, and is now licensed to do it for other people. I'm not sure what all that means, but I do know that she has been hired by several people to do it for their houses. It's pretty cool. There are huge barrels that you install at the corners of your house, and they capture the rain water that comes off your roof. I can't remember the exact equation for determining how much water you can get, but it has something to do with the square footage of your house (roof). Anyways, it's an unbelievable amount of rain...and it's free! My little suburban mom is turning into something of a hippy lately, and she's starting to rub off on me.

So of course, I'm cloth diapering...mostly because I want to be a good steward of God's resources: Earth and money. And we are recycling everything allowable...We use mostly sunlight during the day to light up our house, and I'm line drying most of our clothes...so I thought...let's catch a little rain. Now, I don't have a barrel system yet...but as you can see from the picture we have gotten pretty creative with our containers. The kids love it, and I love that they are learning to be good stewards as well. As soon as the buckets get full we dump them in yellow spots on our grass, or we water the trees, or flower beds, and then we set them back out to collect more free water. And a total bonus...the kids get to play in the rain. As a side note, our lawn is one of the better looking ones on our street.

Oh, What A Father's Willing to Do for His Girls....

2009-09-01T12:33:00.000-07:00

I know it's a really busy picture...and I tried to make it simpler by changing it to black and white...BUT I just had to get a shot of this. These girls have it pretty good! They both love to have their backs tickled. So Blake decided to tag team them, and do it at the same time. He is the sweetest ever. Have I mentioned that he gives me a 30 minute massage at least 3 times a week?! I love him! And he loves his girls...

Delish

2009-09-01T12:20:00.000-07:00

I know this is kinda unusual...but I LOVE these beans. My friend Kendall's mom introduced us to them awhile back...and I have been hooked ever since. I feel like at this point that it's just cruel for me not to share them with you...because they are THAT good. They are dehydrated flakes, and you add water, bring to a boil, and simmer 5 minutes. That's it...seriously. I add salt, pepper, and garlic powder...and WOW...totally fab! I ALWAYS have them on hand. I try to tell everybody about them, including every checker I get at the grocery store. I seriously think I should be getting some endorsement money for this product. In fact, the last time I picked some up at HEB, the checker asked me to do an impromptu commercial right there at the cash register featuring these marvelous refried beans. I had NO trouble coming up with my little sketch....it's like I'd rehearsed it in my head 100 times. Go buy a bag or 3 and let me know what you think.

Budding Artist

2009-09-01T12:16:00.000-07:00

Gracen has recently really gotten into drawing, and coloring. She was very proud of her ladybug.

Dreaming of Better Days

2009-09-01T12:11:00.000-07:00

I caught Grier in the baby's exersaucer the other day...no doubt, dreaming of better days...when SHE was the baby.

Meal Idea Monday

2009-08-31T21:26:00.000-07:00

BBQ MEATBALLS

1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup quick cooking oats
6 1/2 ounces evaporated milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup ketchup
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon liquid smoke flavoring

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a medium baking dish. In a bowl, mix beef, egg, oats, evaporated milk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, and 1/2 cup onion. Form into 1 1/2 inch balls and arrange in a single layer in the baking dish. In a separate bowl, mix ketchup, garlic, sugar, 1/4 cup onion, and liquid smoke. Pour evenly over the meatballs. Bake uncovered 1 hour in the preheated oven.

*This recipe is really popular...so you might already have it. I got it from my friend Stacey...when Evan was born, but then I started seeing it everywhere. It's really good. My kids love it too.

Meal Idea Monday Make-Up

2009-08-31T21:15:00.000-07:00

Parsley Pesto Breadcrumb Pasta

Salt

1 pound spaghetti

2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped or grated

2 bunches flat-leaf parsley leaves

1/3 to 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus 3 tablespoons, divided

Ground black pepper

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Boil Spaghetti noodles according to package direction. Drain thoroughly.

Parsley pesto: Place the garlic and parsley leaves in the bowl of a food processor. Add some salt and pepper, and pulse until roughly chopped. With the machine running, pour in 1/3 to 1/2 cup EVOO (just enough to make a thick, smooth paste). Turn the machine off and reserve.

Place a large skillet over medium heat with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the pine nuts and toast, stirring every now and then, until very lightly toasted. Add the breadcrumbs, stir to combine and toast until the breadcrumbs are golden and the pine nuts are a dark golden color, 2-3 minutes. Add the pesto to the skillet with the breadcrumbs and cook 2-3 minutes (just enough to cook out the raw garlic taste). Add the lemon zest and juice and season with some pepper. Add the drained spaghetti and parmesan cheese to the skillet and toss to combine.

*This is a Rachel Ray recipe. I'm usually not a huge fan of hers, but I came across this and decided to try it...and Mmmmm good.

Meal Idea Monday Make-Up

2009-08-31T20:51:00.000-07:00

Shortcut Lasagna

1lb. ground beef
Chopped onion (I omit this, but add onion powder)
1 jar of spaghetti sauce (28oz.)
1 bag of cheese ravioli (don't know the exact measurement)
2c. mozzarella cheese
Salt and pepper
garlic powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown ground beef, adding salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Drain grease. Pour in spaghetti sauce, and let it simmer for 5 minutes. In an 8x8 baking dish, spread enough sauce and beef to cover the bottom, and put a layer of ravioli down end to end. Spread a layer of sauce, and then cheese just like you would with lasagna. Keep layering with sauce on top. I think I usually get 3 layers in. Bake uncovered for 1 hour. Let it stand for 5 minutes before serving.

This is so good, and we always have leftovers. We had this last week, and the kids LOVE it.

I'm Behind

2009-08-31T20:40:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I'm so behind on blogging. We've had a lot going on over here at the Magee house. We're moving at the end of September, and so we've been attempting to pack, and look for a new house...etc. I'm preparing for a garage sale, and a consignment sale, and new ministry commitments at church. Aiden also started kindergarten last week...and like I've mentioned before, I'm homeschooling him. It's a decision I know that God has asked of us, but I've questioned him several times in the past week...because it keeps me really busy, and it's been a challenge to school him with his little sisters around. But the one thing God keeps bringing me back to...is His grace. We're still new at this, and I believe that He will equip me for this journey...I'm just waiting for that to happen. :) In the meantime, I'm gonna try to catch up with blogging, because I enjoy writing. It's become kind of an outlet for me. And I want to "scrapbook" our family events, since the paper kind just isn't going to happen.

Meal Idea Monday

2009-08-10T21:56:00.000-07:00

Mexican Lasagna

1lb. ground beef or turkey
1 pkg. dry taco mix seasoning
1 c. water
12 (6") corn tortillas
1 c. salsa
1 (8oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (15oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (4oz.) can sliced black olives, drained
1 (4oz.) can mild chilies, drained
2 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown meat; add seasoning and 1 cup water. Cook until thick. Spray a 9 X 13 pan. Place 6 tortillas on bottom of pan, overlapping them. Mix salsa and tomato sauce; set aside. Top tortillas with half the meat, corn, olives, and chilies. Pour half the salsa and sauce mixture over this and sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese. Repeat, finishing with cheese. Bake 20 minutes. Serves 6-8.

I got this recipe out of a kid friendly cookbook, and it's a hit w/ the family...including the kids. I omit the olives though, and it still tastes great to us.

Practical Theology for Women

2009-08-05T11:50:00.000-07:00

I started this book recently, and I'm really enjoying it. For those of you who know my husband you know he's a seminary grad, and a HUGE historical theology guy. He loves talking about all things theology. In fact he's recently started a blog (It's in my blog list to the left) appropriately named "Traversing Theology". Anyways, because he is passionate about good theology I have started to become a lot more interested in the subject. One of the ways that I can be his recreational companion is to read books like this one. Funny huh? I mean, yeah, he likes it when I watch a football game with him or go listen to music at Waterloo Records...but he LOVES it when I read books about theology. He has been giving me a hard time about having not read his thesis yet...but I seriously don't even understand the title. So maybe after I'm finished reading this book, I'll be ready to tackle the thesis. That should make up for all the romantic comedies he's had to watch, and the shopping bags he's carried.

Okay, well back to the book....it's really well written, and I like the way it's laid out. I included a picture of the back of the book, so you could read it, and hopefully it would peak your interest. And did I mention how pretty the book is too? The woman knows women. I would have picked it up in the store just because it's pretty! Hmmm...I might have some others issues as well. It's broken down into 3 sections: (1) What is Theology, (2) Who is our God, and (3) Communicating with our God. Ladies, it's only 152 pages...super thin. You will be doing yourself a favor if you read a copy of this book. Sharpen your mind, and be ready with an answer....we should have solid theology as well.

Here's the author's blog:

http://theologyforwomen.blogspot.com/

7 months

2009-08-03T20:57:00.000-07:00

I am totally smitten. Really. I'm proof that it can happen again...on baby #4. Evan is my sweetest baby yet...I'd say that they just get sweeter every time...but there was a 'Grier' thrown in there somewhere. Evan is now 7 months, and we just took her for her 6 month check-up...a little late....but what's a month, or so. She weighed in at a tiny 15lbs. flat. Just for fun, I'd thought I'd post my other children's weights at 6 months:

Aiden-18.1 lbs.

Gracen-19.12 lbs.

Grier-17.5 lbs.
I'm a tad concerned, but I'll keep an eye on it...and maybe weigh her at HEB next time I go. I'm sure she'll be fine. She eats well...so maybe there's no need for concern.

Evan is sitting up, and also getting up on all fours for a few seconds at a time. There is no sign of teeth yet, but she is drooling, and chewing on everything...so I'm sure it's around the corner. I don't think my babies get teeth until at least 8 months...that's probably why nursing is such a good experience for me that 1st year. I just discovered some cradle cap...yuck. She's my first baby to have it, and I'm pretty sure it's because she doesn't get bathed as often as my other 3 did...oops. But we've got a good regime of daily "Head and Shoulders" and it's already going away. Evan gives us belly laughs constantly. She's funny. She seems to always have a smirk on her face, like she's just waiting for someone to do something goofy or funny...which happens often around here. It's like she's saying, "Come on guys, just meet me half way. I'll pretty much laugh no matter what." It's awesome. She's also trying to hold the spoon when we feed her...

Uh-oh. I'm still rooting for a personality like Blake's...but we'll see. Gracen fooled me like this. In my experience, you just never know.

Meal Idea Monday

2009-08-03T20:35:00.000-07:00

Honey-Glazed Chicken

2 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
3 Tbsp. honey
3 Tbsp. vinegar
3 Tbsp. orange juice
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. corn starch
2 Tbsp. oil
4 cups cut-up veggies-I use broccoli and carrots

Cut chicken into bite-size strips and set aside. For the sauce, combine honey, vinegar, orange juice, soy sauce, and corn starch in a small bowl; set aside. Pour oil into a large wok and heat over medium-high heat. Add vegetables to the wok; cook and stir for 3-4 minutes or until veggies are crisp-tender. Remove vegetables from the wok. Add chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes while stirring, or until chicken is no longer pink. Push chicken from the center of the wok. Stir the sauce, add to the wok’s center, and cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Return cooked veggies to the wok; combine veggies and chicken with the sauce, and stir until heated through. Serve over white rice or Asian noodles.

This is super yummy! Blake and I love stir fry, and so I'm always trying new recipes. Some don't work out, but this is a keeper.

Meal Idea Monday

2009-07-20T21:19:00.000-07:00

The VERY best "Baked Chicken & Rice" you've ever had...for real

1 ¼ cup uncooked rice
3 cans of: cream of chicken
¼ cup melted butter
½ cup milk
¼ cup French dressing
1 package sliced almonds
parmesan cheese
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Spray a 13x9 pan. Mix all liquid ingredients together. Add rice to half of liquid ingredients and pour in bottom of pan. Lay chicken on top; pour remaining liquid over chicken. Sprinkle generously with almonds & parmesan cheese. Bake at 325° 1 ½ hours, covered with foil for 1 hour. Uncovered for 30 minutes.

This is so good, so easy...and the leftovers are AWESOME!

Backyard Bible Clubs

2009-07-14T19:54:00.001-07:00

Day 1 Group Shot w/ Aiden and Grier

First Freeze Pop

Summertime

Day 2 Group Shot

Singing songs

Backyard Bible Clubs are this week for our church's association. Gracen has Princess Camp, thanks to our amazing dance studio....Dance Emotions. So I've been going with the other 3. Backyard Bible Clubs are so cool. They are one of the highlights of the summer for me. It's like VBS, but more outreach oriented, b/c they are in people's backyards. The idea is that you will invite your neighbors to come and participate. It works out well, b/c most kids are already bored from the summer break, and most parents are looking for something to entertain their kids...perfect! They are led by each of the churches youth, who go away to boot camp for training. I LOVE to see the youth stepping up and serving in this way. It really helps me to have vision for my own children 10 years down the road...and how exciting for the parents of all these teens to know that their kids can share the gospel like 5 different ways...pretty cool stuff. Friday night is the big "party" (Summerfest) where all the families are invited to come and celebrate the week w/ games, food, and fellowship. It's a blast. Aiden is really into it this year, and Grier is just along for the ride.

The Cutest Baby Ever

2009-07-14T19:48:00.000-07:00

Evan-almost 7 months

Seriously...is she not a doll?! Those cheeks get LOTS and LOTS of kisses.

Meal Idea Monday

2009-07-13T21:14:00.000-07:00

Oregano Chicken

1/4 c. butter melted
1/4 c. lemon juice
2 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
2 tbs. soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 large clove garlic, crushed
6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Hot cooked rice

Combine first 6 ingredients; stir well. Place chicken in an ungreased 13x9 inch baking dish. Pour butter mixture over chicken. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 more minutes. Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Serve it over the rice, with the juices if you'd like. Yummy!! This chicken is so tender and full of flavor!

Big Brother's Shadow

2009-07-08T19:02:00.000-07:00

I found her yesterday hanging out in Aiden's room watching him play with his Tinker Toys. Apparently, she wanted to be cozy during the viewing. She was snuggled on his toy box complete with her pillow and blanket. Grier is such a character. She LOVES her big brother. She follows him around a lot, which is fine by him. Aiden is really really sweet with Grier, and appreciates the company. They both love being around people and would rather play with someone than be alone...so they make a good pair.

4 going on 14

2009-07-08T14:51:00.000-07:00

My 4 year old, going on 14...Gracen has claimed a "special" spot in the house. She sandwiches herself between a chair and the couch...and usually puts this pillow up as the "door". Oh, and she calls it her "cave". Have I mentioned that she NEEDS alone time...like a lot?! I totally don't get this, and it can be a real source of frustration for me. But my dear, sweet husband not only gets it but identifies with it. He is helping me to understand her a little more, and to be okay with it. I want her to be fun, and lively, and the life of the party...but she's not. She is definitely all of those things at times...but not on command, and especially not in any sort of predictable pattern. I am learning a lot as a mom, as usual...and I feel like something God has been working with me a lot on, is stepping back and letting my kids be who God created them to be...not who I want them to be. Now, I'm not saying let them behave however they want to, or speak to people however they want, etc. I'm talking about their God given personalities. And if you know me even a little bit, you know that I LOVE to talk personalities, and tests, and that I use sanguine, choleric, melancholy, and phlegmatic in my day to day language. :) So this should be an easy lesson for me. I mean, I get that my daughter is not a sanguine (look it up)...but why not? It's so much fun...doesn't she want to have fun?! See what I mean? That's the slippery slope I go down. God made all of my kids special and different...and each has a unique personality...now it's just a matter of me stepping back and letting God do amazing things with that unique personality.

My Future

2009-07-06T22:13:00.000-07:00

My future: The girls taking the car for a spin...not ready!

Doesn't Gracen look mischievous?!
First time in the driver's seat...3rd born.

Playing in the Garage

2009-07-06T22:01:00.000-07:00

Bubble Head
Easy Rider

My tough guy

She looks guilty

Hanging out in the garage, trying to hide from the sun.

The Mysterious Package

2009-07-06T21:53:00.000-07:00

I received this box last week, with Huggies diapers, wipes, and baby wash!! But there was no note attached or any kind of clue as to where it came from. I do love mysteries...however, I would love to thank the person who sent this to us. So, if you are a blog reader of mine...thank you so much!! What a thoughtful gift! We love diapers...especially with all of the bottoms around here. :)

The Summer Do

2009-07-06T21:35:00.000-07:00

The Before-My favorite Mop Top

Doing some cutting prep work-Mommy's trying to hold it together.

Daddy working his shaving skills

Hosing off all that hair

The After-a much cooler head for summer...a much sadder Mommy

And I'm pretty sure we cut off the last of his red hair...okay, maybe not all of it...but most of it. *Sniff, Sniff.

Meal Idea Monday

2009-07-06T21:20:00.000-07:00

Chicken Almond Stir-Fry

2 tbs. vegetable or sesame oil
4 skinned and boned chicken breast halves, cut into thin strips
1 (2.25 oz.) package sliced almonds
1 (16oz.) package frozen broccoli, carrots, and water chestnuts
1 tbs. cornstarch
1 tbs. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup pineapple juice
Hot Cooked Rice

Pour oil around top of preheated wok, coating sides, or in a large nonstick skillet. Heat briefly at medium-high heat. Add chicken and almonds; stir-fry 2 minutes. Add frozen vegetables; cover and cook 4 minutes, stirring once.
Combine cornstarch and next 4 ingredients; add to wok. Cook, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes or until mixture thickens. Serve over rice.

This is super yummy...and my kids even love it! I marinade my chicken in a little soy sauce before cooking, to add some extra flavor. It's really easy too.

The Green Scene

2009-06-21T20:58:00.001-07:00

Drying my first load of cloth diapers. Isn't it just the cutest?!

Dance Recital

2009-06-17T19:17:00.001-07:00

My beautiful ballerina

Proud parents.

Gracen and her good friend Carson. Love this.

Practicing for the big show.

Gracen had her Spring Recital the night we left for the beach. It was a crazy day of packing and getting ready. But somehow we managed to get her there, and ready to perform. She did such a great job! I'm serious...such a great job. I'm not one of those moms that thinks her kids are the best at everything...I'm totally aware of their flaws and their weaknesses. I actually didn't know what to expect with her. At her Christmas performance she ran off the stage crying. But she has matured a little bit even in the 6 months since then. So when she got up on stage, I could tell it was gonna be a good night for dancing....and was wonderful. I love that she loves to dance.

The Magee Tribe

Haircuts

Locks of Love

Roomies

FX

Bringing in the New Year

Adding to the Tribe

Merry Christmas from the Tribe

Totally Backtracking

The Birthday Girl

Salt Dough Ornaments

Family Pictures

Cake Pops

Right of Passage

Messiest Magee

Advent

Friends

Aiden is a new creation

First Days of School

Let's Try this again

Surprise!

Change isn't always bad

Get Away

Freak Snow...in February

The Tribe Sees the Dentist

Girls

Our own little playground

Officially in 2010 now!!

Mommy's Helpers

Playing "Train"

Just Because...

Playing in PJs

Happy Birthday Evan

One last Christmas Entry...

The Worst Christmas Tree Pictures...Ever.

Christmas Morning

Dress Up

Trimming the Tree

Potty Trained

Still catching up from 2009...

Salsa Chicken and Black Bean Soup

Brisket

Fall Cakes

Real Life Babydoll

Breakfast for the Tribe

Hanging out at the Soccer Field

Let's Do This Thang

Right of Passage

Play Date

Delegation

A Rainy Fall

Carving Mr. Pumpkin

Glitter Pumpkins

Smiley Magee

I Love You. You Love Me...

New Addition

It's So Hard to Say Good-Bye

Family Pictures **There are bunches**

Aiden's Cheerleaders....Sorta

Bend it Like Aiden

Aiden's First Sleepover

3 Ballerinas and a Rockstar

Dancing Days

It's Alive....

Taking a break

School

Back in the Saddle Again...

Caught

Grace Harbor

They might just be related...

First day of homeschooling

Shaving Cream Fun

Making Baby Food

The Vet

Who needs a pool??

Catching Rain

Oh, What A Father's Willing to Do for His Girls....

Delish

Budding Artist

Dreaming of Better Days

Family Pictures There are bunches