Time for GINGERBREAD!

Jared has begged me, shamelessly I might add, for the past several years to make real gingerbread so we can make gingerbread houses. Honestly, I have never had the desire to put the extra effort into making it, cutting out the house shapes, etc…..UGHGHGH!! What’s wrong with graham crackers??!?

Well this year, he won. And I’m soooo glad he did! Real gingerbread is so yummy, way better than graham crackers! Thankfully, I’ve been done with the Christmas shopping for a while (got most of it done before Thanksgiving), so I’ve had some time to do things I have always intended to do in years past, but have just never had the time.

I did make one modification, though – all in the name of compromise! Instead of houses, we made Christmas trees. It was WAY easier than dealing with walls that fall over and roofs that cave in! We used star-shaped cookies to make the trees, glued them on top of each other with a little frosting, put some more frosting on the tips of the branches, and added candy for ornaments and lights. Ta da!!

We had a girls’ tree and a boys’ tree, and if you ask me, the girls’ tree ROCKS! It was so funny to watch. The boys – being boys – just slapped it all together, as fast as they could, and then started eating. The girls – being girls – were delicate, took their time, created a beautiful masterpiece, and then enjoyed looking at it the rest of the evening.

Rachel enjoyed watching from her highchair. She was pretty tired, but still enjoyed the goodies that were passed her way to keep her happy.

Caleb was lucky enough to get in on the action. What baby can resist a binky-topped Christmas tree??!!?

Now this is a tradition we’re definitely going to repeat. So much fun!

Christmas Preview

We had a Pre-Christmas Party with my family on Dec. 6. We had so much FuN, and I got some really cute shots of the kids, so I just have to blog about it! Unfortunately, we were missing a few important people. Jared was home doing tithing settlement, and Greg, Brooke and their kids were home in North Carolina having a baby!

It was so fun just to be together. This was the first time we had seen Isabelle in person (she was born 6 days before Caleb), and this was the first time Andy and his family had seen Caleb. I should have taken a picture of the two of them together! Mental Note!

The kids had a great time making sugar cookies. I think they had the most fun just rolling and re-rolling and re-rolling the dough! Edible playdough!

The kids also made cards for Grandma to take to Max, Lauren and Tommy in North Carolina. It was sad to have them so far away!
Of course it's fun to open gifts. Emily has really started to catch the Christmas spirit. She has been so excited to just see others' faces as they open gifts. So sweet!

We saw the whole range of Rachel personalities: sweet, impish, and embarrassed. See for yourself!

I so wish we could all live closer! We always have such a great time together. My family is wonderful, and I love you all!

Merry Christmas!!!

Christmas Project

This is what we are giving friends/neighbors for Christmas this year. I spent the past several days making 19 of them! I think they turned out pretty cute. I got the raw wood frames at Michaels, painted them, used Mod Podge to glue scrapbook paper to the front, printed the saying from Pres. Monson on the back of the leftover paper (one by one, I might add), and tied the ribbon around it to finish it off.

I like to give gifts that aren't necessarily Christmas related and that are non-food items. Don't get me wrong - I love Christmas, and I love food. But that's the problem - it seems like by the time you get the fun Christmas stuff, it's time to put it all away! And don't we all get soooo sweeted out by the time January rolls around?! So here's to something different!

Pig Tails!

Finally, at the age of 19 months, Rachel's hair is long enough for pig tails. A proud moment for me indeed! Isn't she just adorable?!?! The natural curl just makes it that much cuter!

Thanksgiving

Today I thought I'd post some of the things I'm thankful for. When you take a step back to look at your blessings, you realize how very abundant they are. So, without further ado...

I am thankful for:

Jared - truly the world's best husband. I don't think there are many men out there who would be willing to go to work all day, then come home and cook, take care of kids, take care of a pregnant wife on bedrest, keep the house clean, and still be happy. And he did this for two pregnancies in a row! Jared is truly an example to me. He is so thoughtful and caring. He has so much faith and is so strong. He treats me like a queen. I appreciate his ability to make us all smile and keep a happy and light atmosphere in our home. Hopefully someday I can be a little more like him.

Emily - she taught me how to be a mom. She has a very special place in my heart because she introduced me to the wonderful world of motherhood. I am amazed that she is so full of life and vigor. She is creative and adventurous. She is a great example of strength and persistence. She is soooo helpful, sometimes at the expense of her own enjoyment. She knows how to just enjoy life.

Josh - he keeps me laughing. You never know what he may say or do to make us burst into laughter. He is a sweet and tender person, and he reminds me frequently how important hugs are. He is so kind and loving to everyone. He is very good at doing what I ask the first time I ask. He is a real man in the making.

Rachel - she truly is the sweetest and most easy-going person I know. She is a daily reminder of God's hand in our lives. I will always look at her know that my happiness and well-being are important to Heavenly Father.

Caleb -just a bundle of sweetness! I have to admit - the dimples get me every time! He is a sweet reminder of faith and trust in God's plan, not mine. I can't imagine life without him!

Parents - I am lucky enough to have been taught and raised well. Even though my dad has passed on, I feel and see his goodness. And I am lucky enough to have my mom close enough to continue to experience her goodness. I'm also lucky to have a wonderful set of in-law parents who are great examples.

Health - even though I struggle in this area, I look at others and realize that my situation isn't so bad. It helps me get through those days when I feel just lousy. And I'm so thankful for every day that one of our kids isn't sick!

Not being pregnant this year!!! Don't get me wrong -I love each of my children dearly. But I'm so glad I can actually ENJOY the Thanksgiving meal this year!

Our home - we are so blessed to have such abundant space, and now we have the basement finished too! I wonder how people managed to live in such small homes and not kill each other?!?

Jared has a great job

We have 2 vehicles to get us where we need to go

The gospel - the older I get, the more I treasure my membership in the church and the blessings that come with it. I don't know how people make it through this life and all of its difficulties without the perspective and peace of the gospel. How blessed I am to know of my Savior and to have the gift of His atonement.

Spring - I love this season because it reminds me that there's always something good and beautiful just around the corner. You can't beat the beauty and freshness of newly blooming tulips, greening grass, and sunshine.

I could keep going, but at the risk of completely boring anyone reading this, I'll stop. I am truly blessed! I'm so thankful to know that I am a child of God and that He loves and cares enough about me to give me all these wonderful things that I truly don't deserve.

Flashback Friday

Today it's all about family. And we're not flashing back very far - just a little more than a month ago. I LOVE MY FAMILY!! Each of my kids is so special and so unique. I am so blessed and consider myself the luckiest woman on the planet!! Nothing in this world could make me happier than the four little bees buzzing around our house, and the man who glues us all together. It just doesn't get any better than this!

I LOVE YOU Jared, Emily, Josh, Rachel and Caleb! You are all my heroes.

5 Dollar Foot Long!

You know that unforgettable and highly annoying song on the Subway ads for their 5 dollar foot longs? We were doing some errands earlier today when the song came on the radio. Emily and Josh picked right up on it and started singing their own version, with harmony and everything. I was laughing so hard my cheeks hurt! Emily understands harmony a little more, so she was trying to get Josh to just stay on 1 note for the whole song. He did a great job until he got to the very last note, and then he changed his pitch to match Emily. She kept saying, "No!! You need to stay on this note, like this," and then she'd sing it for him. So Josh would do his part again, perfect until the last note, and the whole cycle started over. Jared and I could hardly keep our composure - it was seriously a music teacher's worst nightmare! But so cute at the same time.
So thank you Subway. I hate your ads, but they've helped to create a memory that will make me smile whenever I hear them.
Oh, and please accept my sincere apology if the song is in your head the rest of the day!

Baptism Day

Emily was baptized on Saturday, November 1, 2008. What a special day! All the milestones in life just keep getting better and better. Here is a picture of Emily in her beautiful dress after the services. Doesn't she look so perfect?!?!

Emily was baptized and confirmed by Jared, and it was in the very same building where he was baptized! That made the day even more special. We had lots of visitors - Grandma and Grandpa Ripplinger, Grandma Larsen, Uncle Eric, Aunt Stacie, Uncle James and Aunt Mindi, Uncle Jake and Aunt Darcy, and all the cousins, even brand new baby Brady. Emily said of her baptism, "I am happy and feel good inside that I got baptized." We are so happy for her too. The journey officially begins!

Here is a picture of our cute family.

Families are one of the best parts of the gospel. We are so thankful for ours, and so thankful that Emily made the decision to follow the Savior.

Now...notice Rachel in the picture above, wearing the same dress as Emily in the previous post. Unbelievable!!

Double Take!

Can you identify the children in this picture??

The answer is, of course, Emily and Joshua. Emily was 2 and Josh was about 3 months. I had to do a double take myself - almost unbelievable!! I think we've got the mold down! I will post current pictures in the coming days as proof. I think you'll be completely shocked too!

More Scrapbook Pages

I warned you about my addiction to digital scrapbooking! Here are a few more of my recent pages. It's better than being forced to sit and watch someone's forever-long slideshow isn't it?!?!

Happy 8th Birthday Emily!

Today is Emily's 8th birthday! So this post is dedicated to her.

Emily was born on a cold Friday afternoon. She was a big baby - 9 pounds! She was so cute and chubby, with beautiful red hair and a very healthy set of lungs. She was, and continues to be, perfect in every way!

Some things you may not know about Emily:

Her favorite color is green.

Her favorite dinner is cheese enchiladas.

Her favorite breakfast is 9 grain cracked cereal.

She is one of the most thoughtful people I know.

She skipped kindergarten because she is so smart.

She loves to read, and she could spend hours doing just that.

She is very persistent.

She pays attention to detail.

She loves animals.

She is a very responsible helper.

She had pneumonia when she was 5 and stayed in the hospital for 3 days.

She wants to be friends with everyone, and tries to make everyone happy.

We love you very much, Emily, and hope you have had a wonderful 8th birthday. You really light up our lives and you are such a blessing to our family!

Flashback Friday - Sisters

We always get comments on how much our girls look like each other. So, I thought I'd put it out there for everyone to vote on. These are pictures of Emily and Rachel at about 6 months of age. What do you think??

Flashback Friday

My friend does "Flashback Friday" on her blog each week. I think it's fun to see her flashbacks, so I thought it would be fun to do here.

For this week, we're flying back to Easter 2003. Emily was about 2 1/2 and Josh was around 8 months old. My, how things change and how time flies!! Now my 2 little munchkins are not so little, and I am lucky enough to have 2 more little munchkins to follow in their footsteps.

Friday Fun

I have recently discovered the fun and depth of digital scrapbooking. Let me just say - It's awesome! I don't need an entire area to keep my stuff, don't have to spend as much time getting things out and putting things away as I do working, and so far I haven't spent a dime, with the exception of my software, Photoshop Elements. There are so many talented and generous designers who post their papers, embellishments, etc... ALL FOR FREE!! I am soooo HOOKED!

I've been hard at work lately, and thought I'd share a few of my favorites. They're just too much fun to keep to myself!

Here's Emily all summed up!

caption: "This picture tells it all - you just love

to read. You read on the couch, in the car, on

the stairs, in bed and even in a laundry basket!

Where will we find you next??"

This is the best part of Josh, so sweet!

Rachel has discovered her devious side!

caption: "You are intensely fascinated with the plants

I keep on the table. I have such a hard time keeping

you out of them! You always make such a mess, and

sometimes you even have a taste! I managed to catch

you in the act one day and couldn't resist taking a few

pictures. What a face! You are really good at getting

that look of mischief!"

And Caleb is just adorable!

I wish I had more time to spend on this project, because I am YEARS behind. I vow to get caught up before Rachel starts kindergarten. Yes, it's that bad!!

Send me a message if you would like page credits!

The Whole Enchilada!

I saw these questions on someone else's blog recently and thought it would be fun to see what my kids (well, the ones who can speak in sentences!) had to say. Here goes - these are all direct quotes!

What is something Mom always says to you?
E - Go clean your room up
J - No

What makes Mom happy?
E - Seeing me happy
J - Being good (not sure if he meant me being good or him, but both work!)

What makes Mom sad?
E - Seeing me throw a tantrum
J - Being mean

How does Mom make you laugh?
E - Tickling me
J - Being funny

What was Mom like as a child?
E - You never went on time out and you were good all the time
J - I don't know!

How old is Mom?
E - 32
J - Let's see...32!

How tall is Mom?
E - I don't know...5 feet?
J - I don't know. Do you know how tall you are?

What is Mom's favorite thing to do?
E - Sleep or rest
J - Play with ME!

What does Mom do when you're not around?
E - Play with Rachel
J - Be on the computer doing stuff

If Mom became famous what would it be?
E - Someone who's famous at reading
J - You would sing (now that's scary!)

What is Mom not very good at?
E - Shooting baskets with diapers into the garbage can
J - Swimming

What does Mom do for her job?
E - Make dinner
J - Making your bed

What is Mom's favorite food?
E - Indian food
J - Pasta
(both right, but pasta just inches out Indian)

What makes you proud of Mom?
E - When you don't give me too much jobs
J - When you make my bed

If Mom was a cartoon character who would she be?
E - Maya and Miguel's mom - you kind of look like her
J - A strawberry and I would be Arthur and eat you!

What do you and Mom do together?
E - Play games
J - Play Chutes and Ladders

How are you and Mom the same?
E - We both do that trick with our feet (a wierd toe thing)
J - We have ears, eyes, mouths, etc... (He went on naming every body part he could think of!)

How are you and Mom different?
E - You're taller, have green eyes, and brown hair
J - You're a girl

How do you know Mom loves you?
E - You take care of me
J - Play games with me

Hooray!

I am so excited - we FINALLY got someone to commit to hanging and finishing the sheetrock in our basement!! After what seems like weeks of delay, our project may soon find the end of the road! We gave ourselves a Halloween deadline for a couple of reasons. First, Emily will be baptized on Nov. 1st, and we're anticipating having more people in our house than the upstairs can comfortably hold. Now, some may say that's a silly reason to finish the basement. Maybe by itself that would be silly. But couple that with the fact that Caleb is rapidly outgrowing the bassinet, and we need more room!!! When all is said and done, Josh will be in the basement bedroom, and Rachel and Caleb will share the room that Josh and Rachel currently share. I can't wait for more liveable space!

A gymnastics future??

We've always been amazed at how flexible Josh is, but we thought by now he'd surely have outgrown flexibility. Not so!! Even the doctor commented on how flexible he is. Perhaps he'll be one of the next olympic gymnasts?!?!

Shades

Jared recently gave Rachel a pair of old sunglasses to play with. She promptly put them to good use! How would it be?? If only a pair of sunglasses was all we needed to be entertained!

Summer '08 Top Ten

We are all amazed how quickly the summer went! As much as we love some down time, it's SOOOO good to be back to a routine. Here is a recap of our summer, listed as they happened.

1: Caleb Edward Ripplinger joined our family on Friday, June 6. If you missed his birth announcement, you can find it here:
http://www.scrapblog.com/viewer/viewer.aspx?sbid=278748&invitationToken=FTzBlEqN
Caleb is our most different baby - dark hair and skinny!

2: Jared was put in as the 1st counselor in our ward's new bishopric on July 13. Needless to say, Sundays are never dull for us!

3: Rachel learned to walk! Always a huge milestone. She definitely took her time (she was about 14 months old) but no one (especially mom) seemed to mind. She is one cutie-patootie!

4: Emily and Josh completed their 3rd and 4th sessions of swimming lessons. They have become quite the fish! We're so proud of how quickly they've grown their gills!

5: Josh turned 6 years old - WOW!! Isn't it amazing how quickly the months and years pass??!! It seems like just yesterday that we were watching him learn to smile, crawl, and walk. Now he goes to 1st grade and rides a bike and can do so many other fun things!

6: We took a trip to the Hogle Zoo. Despite being drenched by the rain for the first hour we were there (of all the days to rain!) we had a great time. Emily and Josh loved all the animals, Caleb slept the whole time, and Rachel...well, let's just say she was a little overwhelmed by all the fun. Maybe next year she'll enjoy it more!

7: Emily, Josh, Mom and Dad took a trip to Lagoon! Amazingly enough, the kids were tall enough to go on all but 3 rides. They even went on Colossus - 2 times!!! However, they passed on the chance to ride Wicked - can't say as I blame them! Maybe next time we go. The favorite ride seemed to be the bumper cars. Once we finished our turn, we got right back in line for another go at it. We probably had close to 10 rounds!! So much fun!

8: We took a trip to Bear Lake with Jared's family. The best thing about Bear Lake is how shallow the water is. We didn't feel like we had to be right there the whole time the kids were swimming. Even Rachel had a great time splashing in the water. It must have been a little cold though - Josh couldn't get rid of his blue lips! It will be hard to forget about getting our van stuck in the sand! Thank goodness Grandpa Ripplinger has 4-wheel-drive and was able to pull us out. Mental note: stay away from the sand in a van!

9: Emily donated 11 inches of hair to Locks of Love. She went a full year without getting a hair cut, and her hair was still as beautiful and perfect as ever! Check out the before and after shots in the slideshow. Way to go Emily - we're so proud of you for being so thoughtful! Isn't she just the cutest thing??!!

10: We made it through summer and got back to school! I am definitely the luckiest mom on the planet, because I have the best kids in the world. I would not have made it through this summer without the help of my two best helpers, Emily and Josh. Thanks for all your hard work this year - I love you and am so thankful for you! Josh is in first grade, Emily is in third grade and will be baptized in just a couple of months.