All tangled up

Ever since Abby went to her first movie in the theater this summer (Toy Story 3 - where she saw the trailer for "Tangled") she's been wanting to go back to the movies. When I heard the Drive In was playing the movie, we set the plan into action! Although the original plan was to go on Thanksgiving night, we all zonked out and fell asleep early...so planned another night instead. And what a night it was! While Eric stayed home with the twins, on a cold and somewhat -rainy night, I took Abby to see the movie. It was great! The rain stopped as we pulled into the Drive In and we turned on the radio, turned on the heat, settled in and enjoyed the show! Although she started off in the passenger seat (in her booster so she could see - ha!), she eventually made it over to my lap and we snuggled under the blanket laughing all night long! What a GREAT Mommy and Daughter date night!

All you need is love

The Christmas holiday season has begun! It is now officially the time where people start decking the halls, going home for the holidays, jingling their bells and rockin' around their Christmas trees. You will see signs all over for holiday sales, signs for parties being held and signs for Christmas cheer. But in all this hustle and bustle, in all of the signs of Christmas, look for the true meaning.

Fir Tree - The pure green color of the stately fir tree remains green all year round, depicting the everlasting hope of mankind, all the needles point heavenward, making it a symbol of our thought turning toward heaven.

Bright Star - The traditional tree topper is the heavenly sign of promises long ago...God promised a Savior for the world, and the star is the sign of fulfillment of His promise.

Candle - The candles we light around the holidays symbolize that Christ is the light of the world, and when we see this great light we are reminded of He who displaces the darkness.

Wreath - The wreath symbolizes the real nature of love. Real love never ceases. Love is one continuous round of affection.

Santa Claus - A symbol of the generosity and good will we feel during the month of December.

Holly - The leaf represents immortality. It represents the crown of thorns worn by our Savior. The red holly berry represents the blood shed by Him.

Christmas gift - God so loved the world that he gave his begotten son. Thanks be to God for this unspeakable gift.

Candy cane - This represents the shepards' crooks. The crook on the staff helps to bring back strayed sheep to the flock. The candy cane is the symbol that we are our brother's keeper.

Bell - The lost sheep are also found by the sound of the bell, it should ring mankind to the fold. It symbolizes guidance and return.

Angel - It was the angels that heralded in the glorious news of the Savior's birth. The angels sang Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace and good will toward men.

After seeing the signs, you can't help but realize that the true meaning of Christmas is love. John 3:16-17 says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." The true meaning of Christmas is the celebration of this incredible act of love. The real Christmas story is the story of God's becoming a human being in the Person of Jesus Christ. Why did God do such a thing? Because He loves us! Why was Christmas necessary? Because we needed a Savior! Why does God love us so much? Because He is love itself. Why do we celebrate Christmas each year? Out of gratitude for what God did for us, we remember His birth by giving each other gifts, worshipping Him, and being especially conscious of the poor and less fortunate. The true meaning of Christmas is love...and yes, Virgina, Jesus loves you.

"Iron"ing out the wrinkles

Well, as the news reports claimed, this year's 2010 Iron Bowl was a good game...sort of! It was a hard fought back-and-forth battle that ended with Auburn's comeback to win. Auburn might not have made the most plays, but they made the biggest...and they won the game 28-27. The best part of the night...hanging out with the family and the twins getting to watch their first Iron Bowl! Thankfully, they were napping in the final minutes of the 4th quarter, so they didn't see Alabama lose, but it was fun to watch them trying to hold their pompoms and cheer on with their Daddy and Big Sister! ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!! See you again in Florida on New Years Day at the Capital One Bowl!

Happy Thanksgiving from the Wades

On Thanksgiving Day we’re thankful for
Our blessings all year through,
For family we dearly love,
For good friends, old and new.

For sun to light and warm our days,
For stars that glow at night,
For trees of green and skies of blue,
And puffy clouds of white.

We’re grateful for our eyes that see
The beauty all around,
For arms to hug, and legs to walk,
And ears to hear each sound.

The list of all we’re grateful for
Would fill a great big book;
Our thankful hearts find new delights
Everywhere we look!

Sleep is for the weak

For the first time every, Abby had a slumber party at our house - and it was awesome! After getting the A-OK from her Mommy and Daddy, she called her BFF cousin, Whitney, and asked her to come to a slumber party at our house. After Whitney said "Wait one minute, are you asking me to spend the night at your house? OF COURSE!" it was nothing but drama for these two girls to wait until Monday night. When the big night got here, there were sooo many things that kept them happy - taco dinner, tummy buster sundaes, Tinkerbell movie, books, toys, games, and tons more! And no kidding, there was actually some prank calling unbeknownst to any adult in the house!! Ha! But both girls were asleep by 9 PM and had a great night...and then a great day playing together when morning came! So for those keeping score - Abby's 1st slumber party: ONE, Mommy's fear that a ton more will happen and is scared to death about when all three want friends over: HUNDRED.

And what a week it was...

A week's gone by since the last post - shocker, I know, ha ha! And because soooo many wonderful and crazy things happened in this last week, I thought I'd hit a highlight of the top 5...or maybe 11...

NUMBER ONE
Quote: The finest clothing made is a person's skin, but, of course, society demands something more than this.
Activity: Unloading all of Barbara's maternity clothes on someone that is much in need because we will be welcoming a new little niece or nephew into our family next year! Congrats again to Heather and her crew! Love yall!

NUMBER TWO
Quote: People who love sausage and people who believe in justice should never watch either of them being made.
Activity: Barbara prosecuting speeders in the big Hatch of south Alabama...and a huge shout out to Aunt Jerry and Justin for helping me be able to go and not worry about daughters! Thanks and much love!

NUMBER THREE
Quote: Why does it take a minute to say hello and forever to say goodbye?
Activity: Saying goodbye to a family icon.

NUMBER FOUR
Quote: There is always one moment in childhood where the door opens and lets the future in.

Activity: One of Abby's BFFs has started hanging out with us at our home on Wednesdays...she came this past week and the two of them tackled everything from painting, playing, running outside, dress up, doll weddings, movies, and most of all - TONS of laughing!

NUMBER FIVE
Quote: The heart has reasons that reason does not understand.
Activity: A scare with a heart condition by one of our closest loved ones...we are still keeping him in our thoughts and prayers - and there's nothing sweeter than hearing your 3 1/2 year old ask to call this person (while they are still in the hospital) to tell him that she loves him and is sorry his heart hurts.

NUMBER SIX
Quote: Sports is the toy department for human life.
Activity: 63-7....speaks for itself.

NUMBER SEVEN
Quote: Gobble til you wobble.
Activity: Sitting with the twins while watching Abby perform at her school's Thanksgiving Program. And eating the feast afterward - should I have chosen the sweet potato pie or the salad? (Wink, wink!)

NUMBER EIGHT
Quote: Would you like some cheese with your whine?
Activity: Having the most fun at an adult only party where one of our own turned the big 4-0! Happy Birthday dear friend, we love you!

NUMBER NINE
Quote: Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.
Activity: Abby's 1st official real-deal pedicure and manicure...for her, it was love at first sight and feel!

NUMBER TEN
Quote: Let's not just go to church, let's be the church.
Activity: Another gorgeous morning and evening at Providence Baptist Church!

NUMBER ELEVEN
Quote: Families are like fudge - mostly sweet with a few nuts.
Activity: Having three of the most fun relatives come over for a Sunday afternoon visit that had Eric and Barbara laughing so hard we had tears in our eyes! What a great day - love to all of you!

Half time

Today, November 14th, Reagan and Blaire turn 1/2 a year old! Six months ago they came into our world....and today we celebrated that day! Happy "1/2" Birthday girls! We love you!

Happy Veteran's Day

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”
-John F. Kennedy

Beach bums...or should I say beauties?

If you have children, and you're the one responsible for clothing them, you know how frustrating of a job that can be. I believe it was Mark Twain that said "Clothes make the man..." but it's Mommy Wade that says "Buying children's clothes is the most frustrating thing with the exception of losing baby weight." Here's why it's a problem....you'd think a 3 is a 3 in any language, right? Wrong. In some stores a 3 really means a 6; or a 3 can mean a 0; or, glory of all glories - a 3 can mean a 3! I basically have a list of each store and know before going in, what size to look for. You think that's a joke? Nope...all of these stores carry sizes that aren't the same as the next store/brand: Faded Glory, Circo, GAP Baby, Okie Dokie (JCP), Children's Place, Sara Togs, Gerber and my all time favorite Carters. And on top of that, stores put out their cute holiday stuff early and rarely have 2 of the same sizes when trying to outfit twins...or get matching outfits for twins AND a big sister! So, what's a Mommy to do? Go shopping at all the stores. And what's a worn out Mommy of three to do? Send a personal shopper out first to do a lookey-loo (and pre-purchase) to limit my, eh hem, window shopping! Ha! "Aunt Kelly" is still in Florida - only a mile or so away from a string of stores providing outlet prices. She headed out earlier this week and scored big on all of the holiday clothing I needed! No lie, when I headed out (with all three girls) this morning to spend the day shopping, all that I apparently had to do was meet Kelly and swap my money for the clothes she bought. It really was like a miracle on 34th Street, or should I say Highway 98! After "shopping", and a little Bass Pro Shop mishap (which put the Grinch right back into my shopping experience), we headed to lunch...on the beach of course! Beautiful weather, gorgeous sunshine...and "Uncle Matt", Kelly's husband, getting to meet the twins for the first time! We ate some good seafood, played in the gulf, built sandcastles, turned Abby into a mermaid, and snuggled with some babies! We ended the day with a safe trip back home and honestly couldn't have asked for more! Maybe I do like shopping...I said "maybe."

Memoires from the kitchen...

Abby: Mommy, did you forget that I wanted to eat breakfast this morning?

Mommy: No, I didn't forget. What do you want? Grits, butter toast, cheese toast?

Abby: Um, let me check the pantry. Oh, yes, chips. I want chips.

Mommy: (For the thousandth time this month already) No, you are not having chips for breakfast.

Abby: Wait, what's this?

Mommy: Rice Krispies

Abby: Oh yeah, I'll have some Rice Krispie treats for breakfast.

Mommy: It's cereal. You put it in a bowl and add some milk.

Abby: Soooooo, what? No marshmallows?

Mommy: Nope. Not today. Here, try some. When I add the milk, you'll hear the snap, crackle and pop.

Abby: (After the milk was poured) I hear it, I hear it! Now can we add the marshmallows because they may snap, crackle and pop too!

Mommy: Nope, no marshmallows this morning.

Abby: Well, then I guess we'll never know if they snap crackle and pop.



(And that's another typical Tuesday morning in our house - HA HA HA!)

Picture pages

We are only ONE WEEK away from two of our girls turning 1/2 a year old! Wow...times flies....they are getting so big and I'm in such shock each time I take another picture. And speaking of pictures, with the time difference this morning, we were all up and dressed early enough to take a few more pictures of our favorite subjects!

A gorgeous day

The weather might be a bit chilly, the babies might be a bit fussy from their shots, but the sun is shining and the outdoor activities are happening all around...we love fall!

Our sweet babies

Today Reagan and Blaire had an appointment with their pediatrician, Dr. Mac. Technically, it was for their 2nd (out of 6) Synergis shot, but Dr. Mac combined it with their 6 months check up...and since they aren't technically 6 months, they won't get their 6 months shots until their appointment next month. But with all those technicalities out of the way, the appointment was picture perfect. Both girls are doing great in their physical growth as well as their skills (motor, cognitive, etc.). Reagan now weighs in at 12 pounds 3.5 ounces, and Blaire is at 13 pounds 6 ounces. (For their age, they are in the 5th-10th percentile for weight, but for their corrected age, they are in the 50th percentile.) Blaire's hemangioma has gotten out of the proliferation stage and has entered the rest stage. It'll stay in this stage for at least a year or so before diminishing and disappearing. The girls tolerated their shot extremely well and we were in and out of the appointment with time to spare to run a couple of errands before heading home. And one of those errands was a quick run to the grocery store to pick up some vegetables for the girls to start eating! Yes, Dr. Mac said that it was time to add veggies to their daily diet. They are going to follow the footsteps of their big sister, Abby, and start with Sweet Potatoes. And what a start it was! The girls were both a bit tired of their big day (and the medicine didn't help much) but they both ate over 1/2 a jar of the veggies...and ended the night in all smiles!

Time is ticking away

Reagan Nichole Wade
5 months, 19 days, 10 hours and 5 minutes

Blaire Elizabeth Wade
5 months, 19 days, 10 hours and 6 minutes

My Mommy Moment

The one question I get every week is "How do you do it?" I come up with lots of silly little answers ("Prozac helps." "Do what?" etc.) but the truth is, I've got the biggest supporter out there. And, yes, Eric is my biggest fan (especially when he's the one that asks "How do you do it?" Ha!) but there's someone else out there that gets me through every minute, every hour, every day. He reminds me constantly that "“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” When I'm weak, injured, in need, being persecuted, in distress...He's there, He's strong, He's in His glory. At least once a day (especially on days like Wednesday when I'm home alone with all three girls from morning til night), when I feel like I need a little Mommy Time, I find myself saying a prayer and no kidding, something always comes through. Some days it's a neighbor, some days it's a visitor, some days it's extra patience I find deep down, some days it's a phone call from a friend, some days it's just a realization that all three are napping at the same time, and some times it's God showing His power through funny and crazy ways. That's my Mommy Moment for today that I want to share with you...it just happened minutes ago. All three girls are up from their naps and have all had their afternoon snack (there was milk and grits going around...I'll let you guess who got what, ha!). Both Blaire and Reagan are basically outgrowing their baby bouncy seats, but aren't quite old enough to sit up in our play station activity center. They were both sitting propped up in the big leather living room chair and were doing fine. Abby was coloring at her play table a few feet away. There was peace in the house. Then the cries started. And wouldn't stop. Both babies were fed, clean and comfy so I wasn't sure what was going on. They aren't lap babies so that wasn't the problem. But something was wrong. After trying everything, I was at my wits end. The twins kept screaming and Abby kept yelling "What's wrong?" I thought, "I'm going to put them in the bouncy seats, buckle them in and just go into the other room for a minute to clear my head." And that's exactly what I did - and headed into the bathroom praying for some peace. I was gone for not even 2 minutes when I realized there was no crying. All I heard was laughing. I snuck my head back into the living room and saw Abby sitting in front of both girls putting on a "stuffed animal" show with her turtle (Turtle...named by Abby), Blaire's dog (Ah-choo....named by Blaire) and Reagan's giraffe (Ah-gee...named by Reagan). The twins were spellbound - watching Abby and the animals while giggling, cooing and smiling at their Big Sister. I thought "What in the world!" Then it hit me like a ton of bricks...I prayed - He answered. I was weak and in need - He provided. My Mommy Moment for today - remembering that God shows himself in lots of forms...but today, He was in a Big Sister and three stuffed animals.

Peanut, Peanut Butter, Jelly!

This week The National Peanut Festival is in Dothan, Alabama and it is one of our all time favorite family fun events! If you don't already know, approximately half of the peanuts grown in the U.S. are grown within a 100-mile radius of our Wiregrass area. The National Peanut Festival (which by the way is the nation's largest peanut festival) is held each fall to honor peanut growers and to celebrate the harvest season....and to give us some super fun as well! We decided this year to make it a girls night and it was awesome! Since Eric had to "work" late (can anyone say "Fore!" Ha ha!), and it was the perfect night to take kiddos (no crazy concerts, events, etc.) I packed up and took Abby to her 4th NPF...but we weren't alone!!!! Blaire and Reagan got to go to their very 1st NPF...and we had another first timer as well - Aunt Kelly (Barbara's sister). Aunt Kelly has been around town for the past week or so visiting with her favorite nieces, ha! The five of us headed to Dothan (making a pit stop at the voting polls first) where we spent over three hours enjoying the crazy rides (Bear Affair, Dizzy Dragons, Fire Chief, Free Fall, Merry-Go-Round, etc), our favorite fair foods (seriously - people will fry anything in the deep south, ha!), and of course checking out the live stock (Moooooo! Ha!). To make a very long story short, we all had a great night and it was a ton of fun....once again, the NPF was a great event and we love going and are already looking forward to next year's "festibull."