Our own little playground

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!!

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...

Dress Up

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

Right of Passage

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

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?

It's So Hard to Say Good-Bye

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.

Dancing Days

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...

Who needs a pool??

Budding Artist

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

4 going on 14

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.

Dance Recital

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.

Dress Rehearsal

She looks like she's at least 6 years old to me...the make-up is freaking me out.

My little Daisy

Her very first bun.

Gracen has her dance recital this Wednesday. It's going to be a lot of fun. She's really excited...which is great. Because, she had a massive melt down at the little Christmas recital at the studio. This one will be in a huge auditorium. But she did fabulous tonight. I guess you can never tell. Gracen takes dance at Dance Emotions. www.emotionsdance.com. It's a great studio. The owner and Gracen's teacher is Sarah, who is a friend of me and Ryan's from high school....and she is wonderful with the little ones. Next year we'll add Grier into the dancing mix.

Playmates

Gracen and Grier are becoming such great playmates. I think having Aiden in school a couple days a week has been good for their relationship. They get to have totally girly days...dress-up, tea parties, playing house, playing with their ponies. It's been really fun. Grier follows Gracen around and wants to do exactly what she does, and Gracen LOVES that! And don't you know she likes bossing her little sister around, after being bossed constantly by her big brother. We rediscovered an old toy...a bus tent, and they have been imagining all kinds of games in there. I can't wait until Grier gets bigger and they can have real conversations, where she's contributing to all of their pretending. In the mean time, Gracen is getting pretty used to having a shadow that does everything she says...Hmmm.

Thelma and Louise

Oh they make me laugh constantly...They put these on and I couldn't help but snap a few pictures...what little divas.

Happy Birthday Gracen

Oh Gracen, where do I start? Well, let me start by saying how late this is...almost a month. Sorry about that. Life has been busy lately. Gracen you just turned 4, and I think I'm still in shock. It has gone by too fast. You were my first girl, and as soon as I found out, we named you Gracen...like on the way home from the appointment. I had been dreaming of a little girl for some time, and was so glad when you came along, even though you were a big surprise. Gracen, you are so fun. You have THE BEST imagination in our family. You come up with wild stories, and keep us entertained, and on our knees. :) Daddy and I laugh at the plots you make up on the spot. We see huge book deals for you. You also make up songs non-stop...We'll tell you to clean your room, and suddenly it's a song. You are really creative...and I can't wait to see what God does with that. You are a little on the unpredictable side, and are very passionate, feeling things deeply...we are working on making good choices, and living above our emotions right now. You excel with encouragement, and have really shown us all that you are capable of lately. You love to please Mommy and Daddy, and obey with a glad heart. You have been such a big helper since Evan came. I am so proud of the big sister you are becoming. You are so loving...you give THE BEST hugs and kisses, and love to hold people close. Gracen you have a fierce love..and anyone who receives it is blessed. You bring us so much joy and laughter, and even Aiden says that you are the funniest person he knows...Happy Birthday sweet girl!

Flashback

Announcing our pregnancy with Grier

Fall '07

Turning 1 & 2

A sweet moment...Spring '07 -turning 2 & 3

Moving to Austin...saying goodbye to our Dallas home

Simple Pleasures

Bath time

I'm not real sure what the point of this posting is...I was just feeling sentimental. Aiden and Gracen wanted to look at old pictures of themselves. They love that. Do your kids? Anyways, they wanted to see pictures of us in Dallas, and so we started scrolling through picture after picture...and I got sentimental. It was a sweet time for us. While we were there, it seemed so hard. Blake was so busy with school and all of his jobs. I was pretty much pregnant the entire time. We had very little money, and very little space for that matter. We lived in an old house that was about 1,000 square feet. I just couldn't wait until we graduated and "moved on" to something better. Well, now we have been "moved on" for almost 2 years now...and life still feels pretty much the same. It is actually busier now, with the kids getting older, and needing more from us...and of course we've added to our family as well. But you know, life was pretty simple. When you don't have much, life is pretty simple...and we were blessed. The last year of seminary God opened our eyes to see how blessed we were. We started keeping a list of the ways God had blessed us...and we were overwhelmed. It got to be really exciting. We would be doing something like yard work, laundry, or studying, and one of us would blurt out a blessing. It was constantly on our minds. It's amazing how your perspective changes when you look at your day this way. We are truly blessed people. We have so much to be thankful for. God has lavished us with many good things...a relationship with Him, a pretty great marriage, 4 healthy children, a roof over our heads, food, 2 running cars (one of which was a gift to us), a church we love and can openly worship at, good friends, supportive and loving family, health insurance, a working washer, dryer, and dish washer (seriously!)...our list goes on and on and gets much more specific. It doesn't matter what season of life I'm in or what I have or don't have...it's about living in the present (not dreaming about the future), making a choice about being content, and thankful for ALL that God has given me today. What are you thankful for?