By Geri Imler on 1/20/2010 1:51 PM

After all of the chaos of Christmas and the mass amount of new toys and things for the girls, we decided we had to come up with a new strategy for organization around here.  So, after turning the dining room (which was rarely used) into a playroom, it was time to figure out just how to store all of those toys that were on the floor and in plastic boxes so that the girls could easily get them out to play with and put them away when they were done.  So we come up with the idea of these "cube shelves" with bins in them for the girls to keep their toys separated and organized.  We filled a whole wall with these shelves, divided up the toys so similar things would be in the same bin, and then used the opened shelves to store other toys.  We stuck their bookshelf in the middle of all of this, Tim decorated the top of the shelves with baskets of animals, and ta-da!  An organized, easy to use and clean up, fun-to-be-in playroom!  The girls LOVE being in there, and they do a great job of helping to clean up before nap time and bedtime each day.  We have made the rule that the girls must keep their toys in the playroom unless they are given permission to have them elsewhere in the house, and this has really helped to cut down on clutter in the other rooms.  Of course there are days when the playroom looks like it exploded everywhere, but at least it is easy to pick up and put back in order.  Also, getting a lot of boxes and toys off of the floor and into the bins and shelves has really opened up the floor space in the playroom, too.  The girls are free to be creative and independent in there, and it is a lot of fun to just sit in there with them as they play.  And Sophie enjoys watching her sisters move around and be active as she rolls around on the floor in there.  Overall, we are very pleased with the result so far!  Take a look at the new shelves and bins:

The new wall of shelves and bins in the playroom.  The floor space is completely open in front of this wall now, which gives the girls a lot of room to play!

By Geri Imler on 1/20/2010 1:24 PM

Sophie is getting to be such a big girl!  This past week she had her two bottom teeth pop up, and then a few days ago, she tried rice cereal for the first time.  She didn't know what to make of it at first, but I am pretty sure she liked it because when I put the bowl down for a second she started screaming for more!  Emma and Abigail were great helpers, too, by feeding her some spoonfuls and talking to her while she ate.  It was hard to remember just how much she would probably eat for her first try, but Sophie let me know by opening her mouth over and over for spoonfuls until she finally didn't open it anymore, so she must have been full.  She is now eating it both in the morning and at dinner time, and she seems to really like it!  I love that she already knows what is coming now when I put her in her seat at the table, and that she keeps opening her mouth for more to eat!  I did forget how much comes back out that you have to keep putting back into her mouth, but it is still super cute!  See Sophie's big milestone below!

  

Here comes the very first bite (left)......and her reaction of, "What is this?!?" (right).......

  

.....and then thinking, "Maybe this is not too bad" (left).....and finally enjoying it as she gets messy (right)!

By Geri Imler on 1/19/2010 8:13 PM

Another day of snow brought more snow fun!  The girls kept asking and asking to go out and play in it as soon as they saw there was more snow, so Daddy took them out with him when he took down Christmas lights outside.  This time, Abigail made a snow angel, which is funny because we are not sure where she learned to do that or if she remembered it from last year (which would be pretty amazing!).  Emma decided to "paint" the tree with snow, and of course they made snowballs to throw up in the air.  They had a great time, but did get a bit chilly this time! 

   

The girls making snowballs to play and trying to make a snowman (left).  Emma (middle) and Abigail (right) as my little eskimos!  Abigail is pretty happy about her snowball.

 

Emma painting the tree with snow (left) and then watching as Abigail makes a snow angel (right). 

By Geri Imler on 1/19/2010 7:57 PM

Sophie is such a mover and a shaker as a baby that we decided to get her something fun to use all that energy in.  She has been using so much of Abigail and Emma's old stuff that we wanted her to have something of her own, so we got her a brand new jumperoo.  It is like an activity center that she can sit in and also bounce up and down.  The seat rotates all around so she can play with different things, and it has several height adjustments so it can grow with her.  At first she just looked at it, not really sure what she was suppose to do in it.  But she is starting to build up her "stamina" to play in it for longer periods, and as of today, she just loves to jump and bounce up and down in it.  It is like she forgets that she can do that in it, and then when she starts jumping she gets really excited and happy.  Super cute!  I think that this Fisher Price Rainforest Jumperoo is going to provide a lot of fun and entertainment for our little energy ball!

  

Sophie enjoying her new Jumperoo!

By Geri Imler on 1/19/2010 7:34 PM

The girls got to play in a bunch of snow after Christmas was all over.  They got all bundled up in their snow suits, complete with coats, hats, and mittens.  They had fun just walking in their boots in the snow, making footprints all over the place.  They balled up the snow and threw it up in the air.  They watched as Tucker tried to eat the snow.  They tried to make a little snowman and had a snowball fight with Daddy.  And last, they went up into their playset and went down the slide that was covered in snow with Daddy.  In other words, they had a blast!  Check it out:

   

Emma, Daddy, and Abigail ready for some snow fun! (left)  The girls playing and checking out the snow (middle and right).

 

The girls throwing snow up into the air (left), and ready to head down the snow covered slide with Daddy (right).  Tucker is ready for some slide fun, too!

 

Weeeeeeeee!  Slide Snow Fun! 

By Geri Imler on 1/19/2010 7:07 PM

Later on Christmas day we all went back over to my sister's house and spent time together there, eating and relaxing as a family.  Then, on Saturday, the day after Christmas, we had another gathering of family from Tim's mother's side at his parents' house.  The girls enjoyed playing with other kids, eating good food, taking a whack at a pinata, collecting candy and treats, opening and exchanging presents, playing the piano, playing bells and singing carols, and much more.  Sophie got to be the baby that represented Baby Jesus when Grandpa Dave told the story of Jesus' birth.  And it was just wonderful once again seeing family members and spending time celebrating with them.   Overall, Christmas was a BUSY few days of love, laughter, and holiday cheer! 

  

Emma, Sophie, and Abigail (left) ready for the celebration to begin!  And Abigail and Emma playing on the piano (right).

    

Sophie with Gramma Michele (left), representing Baby Jesus with Grandpa Dave (middle), and cuddling with Daddy (right).

 

Emma (left) and Abigail (right) taking their turns hitting the pinata.

 

Singing and playing bells (while enjoying lollipops) with Gramma (left).  And Sophie playing with Mommy (right).

 

By Geri Imler on 1/19/2010 2:15 PM

Later on Christmas day we celebrated with Tim's parents.  Abigail and Emma were great helpers, handing out presents to everyone.  The girls got some wonderfully fun things, including "Baker in Training" hats and aprons, cute clothes, and neat new books.  They looked so cute in their new cooking attire!  Abigail and Emma did an awesome job taking turns opening their gifts, and we are all so thankful for not only the presents, but the time spent together on Christmas day.

   

Emma and Abigail handing out gifts (left).  Emma opening and showing a gift (middle and right).

    

Michele and Dave opening a gift with Sophie (left).  Sophie looking cute (middle), and Emma holding a wooden Baby Jesus (right).

   

Abigail and Daddy having fun together while she wears her new apron and hat (left and middle).  Abigail and Emma showing off their "Baker in Training" clothes (right).

Naptime!  We are exhausted after all of that Christmas fun!

By Geri Imler on 1/13/2010 3:16 PM

Christmas morning we headed over to my parents' house as is tradition to open presents and have a huge breakfast together with my siblings and their families.  We all went there in our jammies, per tradition, and enjoyed a fabulous breakfast that my mom makes for everyone.  Once all of our tummies were full, it was time to open presents (which the girls were amazed at how many Santa had brought!).  We all found our spots to sit, and we took turns watching each of the kids open a present, going from youngest (Sophie) to oldest (Ethan).  The girls got some great new toys including things for their doll house, a little laptop, new books that make sounds, fun new clothes, doctor kits, and so much more!  Sophie got some new things to play with, too, including lots of teethers, and a new light up doll and rocking horse from her cousin Ethan.  Abigail got a huge My Little Pony from her cousin Aubrey while Austin gave Emma a new Diego doll.  The kids played with their new things while the adults opened all of their fun stuff, and after the mass chaos of opening gifts was done, we all sat around and chatted and looked at all of the blessings we had gotten that day from one another.  Then we played and relaxed together for a while until it was time to head to our different houses to nap.  Christmas morning is so much fun at my parents' house as it brings back memories from my childhood and growing up as we make new memories with our own kids there.  It is by far one of my favorite moments of each year. 

  

Sophie asleep in her car seat on the way over to my parents' house (left).  All of the kids: Aubrey, Austin, Ethan, Sophie, Emma, and Abigail (right).

   

Sophie opening a present with Mommy (left), and Emma pointing at presents and opening one (middle and right).

   

Daddy reading to Abigail and Emma from one of their new books (left).  Abigail excited about her My Little Pony (middle).  And MawMaw reading to Emma (right).

 

Sophie asleep on MawMaw after all of the morning festivities (left).  And A Family Photo (right)!

By Geri Imler on 1/13/2010 2:24 PM

Our family has been struck by a nasty flu bug this past weekend and week, so I have not been able to get the Christmas photos up.  But now that I am feeling a bit better, and trying to relax by sitting here as the girls nap, I thought I would attempt to upload some more photos.  Christmas Eve we all went to Fort Wayne, IN to spend time with one side of Tim's family.  The girls got to wear their pretty dresses there, which they thought was neat, and while there they got all kinds of nice presents from great aunts and uncles, as well as great grandparents.  Later that afternoon we all headed to Lima to attend a Children's Mass with my family.  The girls did a great job, at first, during the church service, but when it was time for the kids to head up to the altar during the homily, things went a little haywire.  The girls started walking all around, not really staying in one spot.  We ended up chasing them down (the church is circular, so they had a lot of room to roam!), and having to send them out to the car early with Daddy while I stayed with Sophie for the rest of Mass.  After that, we had a nice dinner together and got into our Christmas jammies, ready for Santa to come visit Lima that night. 

   

Abigail (left), Emma (middle), and Sophie with Grandpa (right) on Christmas Eve while in Ft. Wayne.

 

Opening gifts together.

   

Enjoying a lollipop while opening gifts (left).  Sophie with Grandma-Great (middle), and playing with Gramma and a sleigh with reindeer (right).

   

Our Family (left) and Sophie (right).

Abigail, Sophie, and Emma getting a photo together.

By Geri Imler on 1/7/2010 8:47 AM

We had our family Christmas on Christmas Eve morning since we would be heading out of town for more fun Christmas festivities.  The night before our Christmas the girls left Santa cookies and water on the fireplace, we read "The Night Before Christmas," and then it was off to bed.  In the morning, tim woke up the girls by ringing bells to make it sound like reindeer.  The girls came downstairs and walked in to the see the tree and all of the presents, and their reaction was funny as they just stood there with their eyes and mouths wide open, in a bit of shock.  Then we all sat down, I handed out a gift to each girl, and they opened each gift slowly.  They got excited about all of their gifts, but of course they loved some more than others.  One of the best reactions came with Emma opening the Tinkerbell DVD as she started yelling and screaming with excitement, saying, "Tinkerbell!  Tinkerbell!  Tinkerbell!"  They also loved opening their huge Buzz Lightyear and Woody from the movie, "Toy Story."  Another funny thing was that they would open a gift, get excited, and then toss it back into a pile we made of all that they had gotten, ready to open another one.  It was a very efficient assembly line, which was good because Santa brought them quite a lot of things!  This was also Sophie's first Christmas, which was very exciting.  Sophie got all kinds of baby toys, from teethers to ball poppers to noise makers.  She basically sat and watched what was going on, just taking it in, as she so often likes to do.  Tim and I opened our gifts after the girls got through all of their toys and had started playing with them.  We did not let them get everything out already, but they chose a few things to play with, including a bunch of cooking stuff, while we busied ourselves with cleaning up and making muffins for breakfast.  Tim and I got some very thoughtful gifts from each other, and overall, the gift giving for everyone was a tremedous success!  We had to hurry up and get ready to leave shortly after breakfast as we had to get to Fort Wayne, IN to see other family.  On a side note, we left everything laying around where the girls had put it in our family room, and when we returned Sunday after the weekend festivities, they were so excited to see all of their new stuff from Santa again!  Our Christmas morning was absolutely wonderful and is a very special memory that I will keep for a long time. 

    

Sophie opening her very first Christmas present and with that present (left and middle). Abigail excited about Buzz Lightyear (right).

    

Emma excited about Woody and opening another present (left and middle).  Abigail showing off her new Tinkerbell doll (right).

  

Both girls checking out their new art easel (left), and Sophie surrounded by some of her new things (right).

  

Tim opening a gift from the girls (left), and the girls "cooking" in the kitchen with some of their new things (right).