The Fisher Family

Happy Birthday Lilah!!

2011-10-16T08:57:00.013-04:00

Our Sweet Lilah is One!!!

For Lilah's birthday this year, we went with one of her favorite songs Five Little Ducks!!

She was really not so sure about all the singing and candles and such...

and the tears proved it!

But not to worry, cake was on the way!!!!

And, boy, does cake solve a multitude of problems!! :)

Fun friends

Gifts time!
Elephant from Elise

Giraffe from Aarlayn

Just can't be any cuter :)

So thankful for this little one in our life!!

Braids

2011-04-26T10:15:00.005-04:00

Aaralyn and Elise. My sweeties.

I put Elise is Braids for the first time (she wanted to be like her big sis) and had to photograph them (super quick too...before they fell out of her silky-smooth hair!!) I love all these looks and precious expressions.

:)

My blue-eyed cutie!!

2011-04-20T17:13:00.003-04:00

Although these are SEVERAL weeks old...I wanted to share them. Lilah still loves her feet and holds them quite often. I tell you what...she is a cutie!! (please note the double chin. So. Stinkin. Cute.)

A Picture a Day 2...

2010-12-17T17:19:00.004-05:00

December 6: Too good and too funny not to share (at least we tried!)

December 7th: Fun with Play Dough and cookie cutters

December 8th: My never ending battles

December 9th: Stamp-Mania

December 10th: Little Lilah love

A picture a day...

2010-12-15T20:51:00.005-05:00

December 1: Our Advent Calendar

December 2: With Friends at Boston Commons Tree Lighting

December 3: Getting the Christmas Tree

December 4: Daddy reading the Christmas Story from the Advent Calendar

December 5: Our new winter reality

Aaralyn

2010-12-12T21:54:00.005-05:00

My sweet Aaralyn.

She is 3 1/2 now. Has a sense for the dramatic (she leads the drama department in our house) Her very favorite color is purple..and she will tell you EVERY time she sees something purple.

And when I say she is a sweetie, I mean it.

She is kind and considerate and genuinely concerned about those around her.
I have to be careful what she sees and is exposed to for she takes it all so seriously.

She is also my little encourager.

Last week I got her up from her "not-nap" and she asked me what I was doing. I told her I was doing laundry. She the gasped and gave me a hug and in her most appreciative, dramatic voice (have I mentioned she is dramatic?) she said, "Oh, Mommy! Thank you for cleaning all of our clothes!!" and then after seeing her purple dress (have I mentioned she loves purple?) exclaims, "Ah!! My purple dress is clean! Thank you, Mommy!"

Nothing like that for a Momma ears!!

She is also funny and likes to laugh.

She loves her sister Elise and her friends.
Alanna and Aaralyn get along so very well. It is cute to watch!

She loves, loves, loves her baby sister. I would guess she gives her 50 kisses a day. She ALWAYS wants to help out and is very sweet to her. Whenever Lilah cries, Aaralyn is the first by her side (and does a great job of soothing her too!) She is incredibly gentle with her and never seems to be bothered by any screaming. I knew she loved babies, but I never dreamed she would be so wonderful with her new sister. I am thinking (and praying!) that they will have a special bond all throughout their lives.

As I tell Aaralyn: "Lilah is soooo blessed to have a big sister like you!"

Elise

2010-12-03T09:30:00.006-05:00

Elise turned 2 on October 30th. Still can't believe a year ago we were celebrating her first birthday. So much has happened this year that it seems so long ago, but yet somehow it seems like yesterday too. Strange how that works.

We call Elise our Little Stinker for she keeps us on our toes. She is very funny and likes to make us laugh. There are many times I have to hold back laughter as we get on to her because she is so stinkin' cute...and she knows it!! She is a little copy cat and does whatever Aaralyn does. It is pretty cute, but it gets her into trouble sometimes. She speaks very well for her age and is quite expressive when she talks. (really that means she is pretty dramatic) She loves, loves, loves to sing and makes up nonsense songs all the time...which she sings at one volume...LOUD. She is getting quite proficient at aggravating her sister, and seems to know all the right buttons to push. She loves her though and does not like to be without her. And they make great playmates...one of the many great things about having them so close in age. She is still a momma's girl and loves to snuggle up in my lap. I cannot imagine our lives without our little Leesie!!

Here are some pictures of her birthday party:

Sister love :)

She is sweet as sugar!

Oooooo...candles!!

She did a great job blowing them out...I was surprised!

Alanna and Nora enjoying the fun

Cutie Cole

Elise LOOOOOOVED her cupcakes!

Opening her present from her sister first :)

The girls are really into Strawberry Shortcake. Like REALLY into them.
So we got Elise a remote controlled Strawberry Shortcake car. Super cute.

After presents, the girls got together to color in the new Strawberry Shortcake books

Lilah made an appearance for a bit, only 2 weeks old

A few of the wonderful guests that came to the party

I love the face of my friend Hope :)

And finally we got together for a family pic

So thankful for all who came to celebrate, but especially MiMi and Pappy who made their visit to meet the new baby coincide with Elise's birthday. I am very glad we were able to have such special family at her party!

Lilah Joy!!

2010-11-17T12:40:00.004-05:00

I have to get this blog jump-started again and no better way than with a precious little baby!!

Lilah Joy Fisher is here!! Born on October 14th. We are so excited about this perfect little life that has joined our family. Here are some picture of the big day!

The first time I saw her. I am sooo in love.

7lbs 15oz 20.5in long

Wonderful GiGi there for it all :)

Donny was very proud of his little bundle.

Aaralyn and Elise met her and were very cute with her.
(that is until she started crying. for some reason, I didn't think to tell them that babies cried. that took a bit to get over. glad we are over that now!!)

Like Aaralyn, Lilah had jaundice. She went on this nifty bed that had the light under her and she wore a suit that kept the light in. Unfortunately, she had to stay and extra night in the hospital until her levels went down. That meant I had to sleep in a waiting room, which wasn't exactly fun. Although I was pretty emotional about the whole thing (especially at first) we made it though without a scratch...and it turned out better than I had imagined.

Her precious outfit she came home in
(look at that sweet face!!!)

My three girls :)

Aaralyn LOVES LOVES LOVES her littlest sister. It is completely and utterly precious. But more on that later.

Elise is super sweet with her too!

We are very blessed to have her in our life. She is growing fast so stay tuned for more soon...I promise!!!!

Thanksgiving!

2009-11-29T21:36:00.006-05:00

Thanksgiving festivities...what fun! Nothing says it better than pictures so here we go...

Popa and Aarayln on the guitar

Elise in on the music too!

Hayride

Aaralyn counting the stars

Oh...the food! The GOOOOOD food!

And of course...the fried turkey!

and desserts...yumm!

Wagon rides...

Aaralyn, Elise, Hannah and Caleb

a family shot....wow, we got one!!

putting up Christmas decorations at Grandma's house

Marlana and Kimberly

Caleb hammering in the nativity :)

And to wrap it up...Dad shooting a gun

So, as you can see, we had a great time!!

Happy Birthday to...

2009-11-26T08:00:00.001-05:00

DONNY!!

Yes, Donny has officially gotten another year older and here are the pics to prove it!

The cake for birthday lunch.
Yes, my friends. That is a LOT of candles!!

Girls very excited to have a bit!

We had a party for Donny at Dog et Al, a great hot dog place in Tallahassee.
Donny got the Big Foot Dog. Wow.

Conrad, Jessica, Angel, Raj, Vishan, and Johnny

Perfect timing for a visit from Donny's friend Steven and his family Ruth and Mason!

Kelsey and Susan

Dave and Katie

Aaron

Elizabeth and Mel having a blast, as usual :)

the ever elusive Chris

sweet Lexi

Funny Aaralyn enjoying her hot dog

Elise and her peas :)

It was a good day!

Happy Birthday to...

2009-11-25T13:39:00.006-05:00

ELISE!!!

Wow! What a year! Here we are at Elise's First Birthday and I am shocked!

Elise has been such a joy this past year. We are so blessed to have her in our lives and apart of our family. I am so thankful for this smiley, happy little one. She has stolen our hearts in so many ways!

I am looking forward to this next year with our little girl and I know it will be even better than the last!

Here are some pictures from her party. Enjoy!

yummy cupcake!

First bite

sooo good!

Aaralyn is a fan!
Present time!

Gift from her big sister!

Thanks for everything!

SCTNow

2009-10-21T09:17:00.006-04:00

On the 27th of September, our family was proud to be apart of a walk for STOP Child Trafficking Now. In a nutshell, here is what SCTNow is...

The STOP Child Trafficking Now global campaign targets the source of child trafficking: predators who drive the sex industry everywhere in the world, including in your local community. SCTNow has partnered with specially trained elite operatives familiar with what it takes to infiltrate, investigate and bring to justice the predators victimizing children worldwide. Never before in history has there been a system in place in which every concerned parent and citizen around the world can come together to support and fund highly qualified former government agents to track down and build cases against child predators! It's time we take control of this problem and stop them!

FSU ENCM was the group to bring this very important cause to Tallahassee and we were so proud of our students as they spearheaded this walk.

Here are some pics from that day:

Elisabeth at the registration table

Our very own Alyssa taking the donations!

Donny and our girls about to take off in the stroller

Miss Lexie!

Dena and her emotional Spoken Word about child sex slavery. Fabulous!

Donny speaking appreciation to all for coming

Walk to the Capital building
over 150 people walked with us!

BIG thank you to Susan and Amber for doing such a great job!

September starts!

2009-10-14T14:55:00.004-04:00

Aaralyn started "school" again at the beginning of the month. Actually, she is a part of a Mother's Morning Out program at our church. She goes twice a week from 9-1230. She plays with kids her age, learns colors, numbers and other sorts of kiddie knowledge, has lunch and ABSOLUTELY LOVES IT! Not to mention, I get the morning off (well, not exactly off...I still have Little Bit around!) I know it is good for Aaralyn to learn to socialize with other kids and I am so thankful to be able to have her involved.

So here she is...

She was SUPER excited!

Elise's face says: "you're leaving me to go where?!?"
:)

In other news, the wonderful folks at Rivertown Community Church know how to take care of people! They are one of the many folks that support us as missionaries. They recently found out that we were in need of a couch, so they provided one for us! Not only that, but I got to pick it out and everything! I LOVE it and am super humbled, once again, by the over-and-beyond giving by this church.

So here was our couch before in it's sad state...

yes...the middle was unusable

And here is our NEW couch...

The girls were as excited as I was!
...well, not really. I was SUPER excited!!

We have gotten LOTS of wonderful use out of it this past month...and lots of ministry has happened on those seats already!! Thank you again, RCC!

Standing, Sleeping, Standing

2009-10-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

Standing: Guess who's standing? Yep...it's official! I turned around one day and she had stood up! Wow was I suprised! I got these pictures later that day...it seems that as soon as she figured it out, she didn't want to stop.

Sleeping: Donny woke up with the girls one morning and when I came out to the living room, this is what I saw. I love this picture!
Standing: These are Aaralyn's "friends." She loves to stand them up and have them "talk" to each other. She will reenact things she has seen them do on TV and have them give hugs and kisses. I love it when she develops her imagination...especially when she is doing it on her own!!

Well, that finishes August! September coming soon...

Might need a spoon...

2009-10-12T08:00:00.000-04:00

Sat down with the girls in their room with my camera and started snapping...I just want to eat them up!!

Play-Doh, Bubbles and Pinwheels

2009-10-10T08:00:00.001-04:00

In case you've forgotten, Play-Doh is FUN!! Especially when you can enjoy it with a cute kid!

Our creations :)

She has so much fun!

Bubbles are probably the BEST THING EVER...well, at least in Aaralyn's world.

And she has a thing for pinwheels...she actually whistles when she blows. It is very cute!

She's my cutie and we love her!

Pretty sad

2009-10-08T08:00:00.005-04:00

It's pretty sad how few pictures I got of our trip to North Carolina. Not sure how that happened...

We were able to take a GREAT vacation with MiMi, Pappy and Aunt Ish. We went up to the Mountain House and filled our days with great food joints, lots of neat stores, nightly hand and foot games, a HUGE puzzle or two, and basically had lots of fun with each other.
I know that here are more pictures taken, and I hope I can get my hands on them!
For now, here are pictures of us at Deep Creek.

The water was COLD and Aaralyn did not want to get in...
she was clinging to Donny and we were all laughing at how funny it was!

I really can't blame her, it was FREEZING!

But once we told her there were rocks in the creek...

she needed no more convincing!

My pretty baby

2009-10-06T08:00:00.001-04:00

On to August!

2009-10-04T08:00:00.004-04:00

On a visit to Marianna, we had some very special visitors. My father's cousin, Suzie and her daughter, Katie, came over to see the girls. Katie is so sweet and great with the girls.

Elise was especially taken with Katie

Needless to say, we had lots of laughs!

I am so thankful for the friendship my mom and Suzie share!!

We hope to see you all soon!!

Still in July...

2009-10-03T14:06:00.003-04:00

Although we had planned on taking the girls to Magic Kingdom, those plans had to change and instead we took them to Downtown Disney.
It was a fun morning! I think that it is a great morning trip for little ones. There were lots of Disney characters to look at and talk about. Good food to eat. Hands on fun to keep little ones busy. And you can do it all by lunch time (more importantly...by nap time!!!) Not to mention it is free!

Aaralyn loves her Mr. Potato Head and this one was HUGE!!!!

She even got to build her own in the store.

My cutie-pa-tudie Elise

Isn't she sweet?!?

The carousel was a BIG hit! She LOVED it and wanted to keep riding!

Pooh Bear!

Elise took a little nap

I brought the swim suit for the water fountain

She had fun touching the water but never got quite brave enough
to get all the way in. She was cute to watch for sure!

It was a great day and I am so glad we went!

Eating Peas

2009-09-13T16:00:00.001-04:00

Here is a video from the dinner in the last post. Although it is about 2 min long, it is a glimpse into our family...Elise smiling, Ashley laughing, Mike eating, Aaralyn singing about peas, Donny joking...it's just a classic Fisher dinner!

July, here we come!!

2009-09-13T13:26:00.004-04:00

Let's start with the Fourth of July. My family came over to Tallahassee to come with us to see the Fireworks at Southwood. We ate some yummy dinner at our place and then headed over find a spot to play and watch the show.

I love Aaralyn's face here. It shows a preview for what was to come...
"We are going to see what?!?!"

Elise was ready as usual!

Playing with Popa at the playground

Aunt Marley and Miss Karina having fun too!

Waiting for the fireworks

Me and my girls!

I do have to say, I am impressed with Southwoods' fireworks. They put on a good show with fun music (even if it is a bit random!) and definitely worth the price...FREE!

Aaralyn, however wasn't quite as impressed. This is what we did the whole time.
"All done fireworks! All done fireworks!!"

Elise, as expected, didn't seem to be bothered!

Here are some cute pictures of Elise starting finger foods. We gave her some peas and this is what happened...

Although I don't think she actually put any in her mouth that night, it didn't take her long to learn. She LOVES to feed herself now!

More on the way!!

June #2

2009-09-12T08:00:00.001-04:00

The will start this blog in Marianna.

GiGi, Aaralyn, Elise and I in the pool.
Although Aaralyn has always loved the water, it was on this trip that Aaralyn went from wanting to be held to wanting to swim on her own! Currently she is even swiming a bit without her swimmies!

Eating lunch with Grandma and Popa

Grandma Shores

Also on this trip we went to the beach in Panama City. It was a PERFECT beach day and we could not have asked for prettier, calmer water for Aaralyn to play in.

Popa and Aaralyn

Renting these chairs was a great idea. Not having to carry anything down (we had enough to tote with the girls and all their stuff!!) made it worth every penny!

Not sure who had more fun, Aaralyn or Aunt Marley!

Aaralyn would get a Cheeto, take a bite, put it back in the bag and then pick out another one! She could have been in a Cheetos commercial!!

Elise took a nap with Popa

It was a great time...just wish we could have stayed longer!

Aaralyn loves puzzles. I mean LOVES them. But possibly more than that, she LOVES to wear her sunglasses, anywhere, anytime. So what could possibly be better than doing a puzzle while wearing sunglasses?!?

I did it!

Cutie Elise

Wow. It is crazy how much she has changed since this picture was taken!
Stay tuned to see the transormation!

July is next!

The worst part about blogging....

2009-09-11T09:05:00.004-04:00

The worst part about blogging is playing catch up!! I have been so far behind that I haven't wanted to take on the task of going through the many, many pictures and deciding which ones to share and posting them and describing them... and then...fun, new things would happen and I would think, "oh! I really should blog about this!" and then I would remember how far behind I am and...well, I have just been overwhelmed by the thought of it all!!

So here's what I'm going to do. Two posts from each month until I get to September. I'll try my best to give a good highlight of each month and not feel guilty about not documenting EVERYTHING we have done over the past 3+ months!

So to start...here's June!

We will begin with a trip to Lakeland.

Aaralyn is playing with Nolan and Caleb.

Elise showing off her sitting skills!

Aaralyn really liked playing with Toby...
even if there was a glass door between them

Granny and Elise

Grammie and Elise

This is a picture of Ashley and the girls. For those of you who don't know, Ashley lived with us this past year. She has become such a part of our family. She is such a sweet, loyal friend. We have been through a lot together over the past year and she is near and dear to my heart...not to mention the girls love her! We were spending some time with her before she moved to Atlanta to start a new chapter of her life. We could not be more proud and excited about who she is, who she is with (her fiancee, Mike, is awesome!!) and where she is headed!

Ashley remembers this, I'm sure. But Aaralyn is copying Ashley's smiley face right here.
It was a classic, cute moment!

The bedtime routine is one of my personal favorites. And more often than not, Donny gets to join in the festivities.

Daddy and Aaralyn

The tickling begins...

and the girls love it!!

Stay tuned...more to come!

Go Get Aunt Marley...

2009-06-08T08:00:00.001-04:00

The girls and I went with my parents up to North Carolina to go visit my sister and to help her pack and come home for the summer. It was a nice trip...and so good to see where Marlana has been living.

The weather was soooo nice, if not a bit chilly. I loved it!

Wake Forest is a beautiful little town that is full of cute stores. While we were window shopping, my dad took the girls and visited all the fire hydrants. Aaralyn is a bit obsessed with them. She especially likes to shake the chain and say, "Oh, hi, hydrant!" It is very cute.

While the girls were taking a nap, we went to one of Marlana's favorites, the Tea Room. We wore hats and had delicious tea.

Isn't my momma pretty?

Marlana and her friend, Amelia.

We had cookies...

scones...

and tea. I got Chocolate Mint Tea. Unbelievably good!

If you know Aaralyn, no playground goes unnoticed. And this one had HUGE slides:

You may not be able to tell, but it was a tall slide that was quite steep. Aaralyn went really fast...and she loved it. This was the first time she went down, and her face shows it all!

Elise was just as happy as can be in her carrier.

Papa and his granddaughters

Although the ride was SUPER long (13+ hours), the girls handled it very well. Glad to have Marlana back home for the summer. We hope to visit lots before she goes back in the Fall.

Memorial Day

2009-06-06T14:14:00.002-04:00

Memorial Day, we went to Marianna for some YUMMY ribs!

Thanks, Dad, for cooking them. They were delicious!

Aaralyn played on the tricycle...which she loved

I think Donny had the most fun, though. He got to bend over and push ;)

It was great seeing Uncle Will and Aunt Cheri...and of course Marlana and Rana, too!

Aaralyn loves the swing...and Papa loves Aaralyn.

Wish I had more pictures of everyone. These are all that seemed to be taken :(
I will say this, the food was DELICIOUS but the company was even better. So glad we were able to go!

Mother's Day

2009-06-01T08:00:00.001-04:00

Mother's Day was spent in Marianna. We had some delicious food (of course!) and I got pampered a little and was able to have fun with my beautiful daughters.
(sorry the pictures are over-exposed, my camera was on the wrong setting when the pictures were taken. you can still enjoy!!)

In Aunt Renee's pool having LOTS of fun!

Elise's first time in the pool

Isn't she beautiful?

Aaralyn jumping in the pool. She is getting more confident in the water.

Love me some Aaralyn!

Elise got to hang out with Uncle Lenny. She was so content in his arms. I think she stayed with him for over an hour!

What does the Lamb say??

2009-05-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

Some time has past...

2009-05-27T22:45:00.003-04:00

Elise is now sitting up!! Although she has been doing this for quite a while (in fact, she's an old pro now!!) I wanted to show you the first time. Actually, she surprised us. Donny just happened to sit her up and let go of her to see how she would do and...

We were not expecting that!!

Aren't I cute?

Nice catch, Daddy

The love is evident

2009-04-27T08:00:00.001-04:00

So, I saw Elise's head the other day, and noticed that there was something dark on the top.

I was confused until I remembered that we had taken Aaralyn to the bathroom recently.

You may remember that a while back, I mentioned that we were potty training Aaralyn. Part of the training is that we give her M&Ms for using the potty.

You got it yet?

Yep. That's right. A big, chocolaty, M&M kiss right on top of Elise's head.

Cute, huh?

First Foods

2009-04-25T21:14:00.005-04:00

This week marks a new chapter in the Fisher household. Elise started solid foods! Although it is neat that Elise is big enough to be eating more than milk, I know that this is the beginning of something that will ever end. You can't turn back from here! :) In case you are one of those that don't believe it happened unless it was captured on camera (I'm one of those) here is our documentation...

What's going on?

Daddy, are you sure I can do this?

Kisses of encouragement

Kisses from Sissy

Here it comes!!!

Whoa! What was that?!?

Mommy's so happy :)

Do I have to keep eating this?

Whew!

Potty Dance!

2009-04-05T08:00:00.000-04:00

We started potty training this weekend and I came across this video from Huggies. At first I was a little disturbed, but Aaralyn seems to like it and whatever helps, I'm game for!

I thought you all might gets some enjoyment from it...

Also, there is an ecard you can send to Aaralyn, if you want to get in on the encouragement and fun!!

Roll over, Roll over!!

2009-04-04T13:11:00.003-04:00

Elise is now 5 months old and has become mobile!! (well, kinda!) She started rolling over last week, and although we missed videoing the first roll over, we did get the 4th! So here she is!

Note: Aaralyn is whining because she is DYING to get in the video. She's a little camera hog! :) And, please note what is happening to Elise while Aaralyn is saying good-bye! Very typical, very funny!

Nothing's more fun than water!

2009-03-26T08:00:00.001-04:00

When we were visiting Marianna about a week and a half ago, we went with the family to the park for a Sunday Picnic. There was great food and lots of sunshine.

Of course, when it's hot, nothing's more fun than water!

The fun begins!

She LOVED it!!

And everyone enjoyed watching her!!

She was dirty, and that diaper was FULL!

Little Elise getting lots of love!

Hodge Podge

2009-03-25T08:00:00.006-04:00

Since it has been a while, here is a hodge podge of lots of funness...

One of Aaralyn's new favorite things to do is stamp.

This heart stamp is her favorite!

Aaralyn and Sophia haven't gotten to play together in a while. We were so glad to have Sophie and her Mom come over for a playdate. It is really neat to see our kids playing and interacting together.

My, how they have grown!!

During "naptime," Aaralyn decided to read ALL of her books at once and reorganize them. Funny thing is, I never heard her while she was doing this. She's starting to get sneaky!!

I painted Aaralyn's fingernails...and she loved it! I wasn't sure if she would sit still long enough, but she thought it was fun...and so did I!!

Finally, this little mess! You may think that is yogurt on her face. But nope, that's sour cream. She was using it as a dip for her burritos, then decided that it would be better to lick off of her finger, which then ended up all over her face. If you know my obsession with sour cream, you know this proves she is a girl after my own heart!! Very cute!!

Happy Birthday, Sweetheart!!

2009-03-24T10:55:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was Aaralyn's 2nd birthday!! I am so proud to be her Momma. She is such a precious little girl, full of personality and joy. She has a cute sense of humor and always keeps us laughing. She has a compassionate heart and is always concerned about others around her. She NEVER meets a stranger and is super friendly. It is so neat to see how she is growing and learning and I am always amazed with her. Thank you, Aaralyn for being so wonderful!!

We had a little party on Saturday for her with our family and a few of her friends. It was lots of fun and we had a great time.

Aaralyn and Isaiah on the swings

Adien having fun too!

Enjoying the twisty slide

Playing with Grandma Branning

Amy and Eli

Getting help opening gifts from friends

We had such a good time!

Yea!!

Thanks, everyone, for all your love the past two years. Aaralyn loves you all!!

Thumbs!!

2009-02-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

Elise has become a thumbsucker!! Since she WILL NOT take a pacifier, I welcome it!! Plus, I think it is super cute. She mostly sucks her thumb while she is falling asleep, so it has been a bit hard to catch on camera. But I succeeded the other day. She is so precious. Enjoy!!

Gotta love those eyes!!

That's my Man!

2009-02-21T20:35:00.003-05:00

You may be unaware, but Donny started taking Kenpo at the first of the year. He has really been enjoying it. Today we went to his first belt test. He is now a yellow belt!!

Donny's class

He did some pretty impressive stuff!
I am suprised at how much he as already learned!

Not only does he look good, he did a GREAT job!

Donny with Sensei Jack and Sensei Conrad

His class adorning their new yellow belts!

I am so proud of you, Babe!

Valentine Festivities

2009-02-14T23:04:00.009-05:00

Chick-fil-a (one of my favorites!) had "Breakfast with a Princess" for Valentines Day. The girls and I met Amy and her boys there and enjoyed the free breakfast (well, the kids got to eat free...still a good deal for me!!) It was a lot of fun!

Princess Aaralyn

Yummy Chicken Minis!

Prince Aiden

Prince Eli

Cute tables set up for the kiddos!

Aaralyn and the Princess. They had crowns for the kids to wear...as you can see, Aaralyn held her head very still so she wouldn't drop hers. Because, as everyone knows, losing an accessory would be a terrible thing!!

I think she was taken with the princess!

Where was Elise?
In the arms of Elizabeth, of course!!
Thanks, Friend, for joining the fun!!

Aaralyn won the first door prize.
(yes!! There were Door Prizes! Isn't Chick-fil-a the best!?!)

A kiss for the cow

My two beautiful Princesses!!

Thanks, Chick-fil-a, for starting our Valentines Day off with lots of fun! Let's do this every Saturday!!

After nap, we went to the mall for some cookies. (In case you were wondering, Donny was out of town this weekend, so we had a girls weekend!) The cookies were super yummy and it was great getting to do something special with them.

peanut butter cookie...GREAT!

Sweet, Sweet, Elise.

She is one funny kid!

I am truly blessed to have such wonderful daughters to love on this special day! Love you, my Sweeties!

Two of a Kind

2009-02-14T08:00:00.001-05:00

Aaralyn had a Valentine's Day Party at MMO this week. I think I was more excited than she was...she didn't even know what was going on :) Here she is with the Valentines she gave her friends. Enjoy!

Happy Valentines Day!

My Precious Little Ones

2009-02-13T08:00:00.001-05:00

In looking back at pictures, I realized that, since the hospital, I had NO pictures of me and my girls. So Donny agreed to take some for me.

Sometimes Aaralyn's "hugs" can been a little violent!

Thanks, Donny, for taking some great pictures!

Friends

2009-02-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

More and more everyday, I am thankful for our friends. We are so blessed to live in a place where we can "do life" with those who love us. Not only Donny and I, but our kids as well. I think it is easy to take things like this for granted.
The other day, we went over to have a playdate with Amy and her boys. What fun! Aiden and Eli are sooooo funny and Aaralyn loves to play with them. Aiden and Aaralyn are buddies, for sure. We lined the kids up and got a picture. Who knows, this might come very handy in the future!! (haha!)

Thanks, Amy, for being a great friend!!

Sharing means Caring

2009-02-10T17:18:00.002-05:00

As you remember from a previous post, at the beginning of the year, we moved Aaralyn into a "Big Girl Bed." Aaralyn has been doing so well in her bed. Elise has moved into a good sleeping schedule, going to bed at the same time Aaralyn does. So we have started transitioning the girls into the same room. We had one false start about a week and a half ago when Elise started waking up at 5am, so we had to back up and fix that first. Now that she is sleeping til 7 (or later!!) we tried again. So far, so good. I don't know what it is exactly, but at night Elise sleeps better in her bassinet in our room than she does in the crib in her room (although nap times, she sleeps in her crib just fine. Kinda weird.) Hopefully, she will get over her night waking and sleep just as well in her room as she does in ours.
I am very excited that our girls are getting to share a room. I know that this will only enhance the "sister experience" as they grow older. I was so blessed to have a great relationship with my sister and I pray our girls will have the same connection as I do with Marlana.
Here is where it starts. All love. And I am so excited about their future!!

Bath Time

2009-02-01T14:08:00.003-05:00

Thanks to the idea from my friend, Hope, we have started to give the girls a bath at the same time. It is super efficient and they love it!! Aaralyn thinks it is so fun to have her Sissy in the bath with her and Elise loves to watch Aaralyn play.
I am still learning how to get everything prepared before I throw them in the tub, but am glad to get the bathing done at the same time.

Stay tuned for more "firsts!"

Sweet as Pie

2009-01-29T07:38:00.003-05:00

Our little Elise has to be one of the sweetest babies ever. She is always (well, almost always) happy and content and she smiles all the time. Took some pictures of her the other day wanted to share them with you. Enjoy!

Oh, the joys!

2009-01-24T08:00:00.003-05:00

Aaralyn has started this thing (again) where she likes to put her finger up her nose. (we already fought this battle one time...) Lately, I feel like I am always telling her "Not up your nose, Aaralyn." and she promptly takes her finger out.

Well, the other night, the girls and I were nearing the end of dinner and Elise was ready to go to bed. So i left Aaralyn to finish her supper while I went to put Elise down. When I returned, Aaralyn had her finger up her nose saying "Not in you nose, Not in your nose!" to which I replied, "That's right, Aaralyn. Get your finger out of your nose."
So I go switch the laundry out, when I get back, Aaralyn has her finger in her nose again and says, "not in your nose!" and I reply, "that's right. Not in your nose." She repeats this a couple of times and I am getting a little fed up. "Aaralyn, get your finger out of your nose right now! All done."
Then she says "It's stuck."

Uhh Ohhh...

I'm truly dreading what I will find as I hurry over to her chair.

Yep. I found it. A WHOLE cheerio stuck up her nose. Thankfully, it didn't take long to pull it out. I just laughed and laughed.
I think I feel like a real mom now!!

Sad part is...I don't think she learned her lesson. She didn't seem to notice.

Ark Animals

2009-01-23T08:00:00.004-05:00

Very carefully, Aaralyn lines up all of her Ark Animals.

She really is serious about it.

Then...with one swoop...

she knocks them all down.

Only Noah survives.

Aaralyn is quite pleased.

:)

My Sister

2009-01-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

My sister, Marlana, is starting classes today at Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest, NC. She is pursuing her Masters in Women's Studies. I could not be more proud.

I have always seen the potential that she has and I know that this season in her life will be a fruitful one. She is going to bloom and grow like never before. God is going to use her in very special ways.

It was really sad to see her move so far away, but I know that she is doing what God has for her and there's no other place I'd rather her be!

Miss you, Marley! See you soon!

Most Amazing

2009-01-21T09:18:00.005-05:00

Just getting over the WORST COLD EVER!!! and thought I would update.

This weekend, my hubby and I celebrated our 5th Anniversary!! How crazy is that?!?! I have loved the past five years. They have been filled with so much love. I have been blessed to have such an amazing man as my husband. He is sweet, sensitive, a WONDERFUL father and spiritual leader. He keeps me grounded, looks great on a tractor, makes me laugh all the time, believes I am beautiful, and loves me no matter what.
I am so thankful to have him in my life. He is the Most Amazing Husband Ever!!

To celebrate, I surprised Donny with a lunch picnic.

Wraps, grapes, chips and dip, and hot chocolate...yummm!

Aren't we cute!!

And then Donny took me to the Melting Pot for dinner. Wow! was it good!!

I love you, Baby! Can't wait for the next 5 years!!

P.S. He's a really smart guy and has a lot of great things to say. You should check out his thoughts!

Applesauce and Pigtails

2009-01-14T08:00:00.001-05:00

So, when you dump apple sauce on yourself, what happens?

your mom takes a picture, of course!!

what a mess...

but what a cutie!

I got Aaralyn's hair in pigtails for the first time and, of course, got the camera out.

Gotta love it!

So I think you are caught up. For now!

Angela and the Park

2009-01-13T08:00:00.001-05:00

Angela came and visited us last weekend and we decided to take a trip to the park.

All the favorites were visited...

the slide.

the swing.

the see-saw.

the play area.

the swing. again.

Elise took a nap.

a short nap.

Thanks, Aunt Ish, for the great visit. Come visit again soon. We love you!

Back Home

2009-01-12T08:00:00.001-05:00

When we arrived back home, we started on a new adventure...

Aaralyn has now moved to a Big Girl Bed! Her first night I snuck in and got some pictures.

She has adjusted so well and we have had no problems!! Halleujah!

This girl LOVES her some "neckas" - She is an accessory queen!

Aaralyn and Elise are getting along so well now. I feel like we have just recently gotten to the point where Aaralyn accepts her little sister and isn't affected by her every noise. It is cute to watch them together!

Look at those baby blues!

Her first lego tower.

Really, she did it herself!!

This one, her Daddy helped her build and she is looking for more!

She didn't want to stop!

Sleeping babies are the cutest...

More Catch-up!

2009-01-11T08:00:00.002-05:00

We're not done yet!!

Here are some random pictures from the rest of our time in Marianna.

Aunt Marley showing Aaralyn how to play "Play-Dough!"

Marlana and I had MUCH more fun than Aaralyn did. I forgot how much fun it is!!

Good memories!

Elise is smiling...and is so cute!

Bathtime in the sink!

Fun glasses that Aaralyn loved to wear!

Rana finally getting to hold Elise

My cousin Kristi

Grill time! Some of the best steaks! Uncle D needs to open a restaurant!

Uncle Lenny supplied the steaks....they we SO GOOD! (I can't say that enough!)
Too bad Donny missed it. He traveled to Cincinnati for a wedding on the 27th so he was gone right after Christmas. We missed him, but family gatherings like this were a great distraction!

All of Uncle Lenny and Aunt Georgie's granddaughters slept in the same room, like a big slumber party on the floor. Aaralyn jumped in on the fun!

Suzanne, Rana, Aaralyn, Elizabeth, and Mira. This picture just shows so much of their personalities. One of my favorites.

The making of the gingerbread house

Each of the girls were able to "ice" a side...Elizabeth's turn.

Silly and sweet all in one!

They had to hold the sides together for 15 seconds...everyone had a hand in it!

Finished product! Yumm!

The girls were so proud! Thanks, Marlana, for heading up the project.

And finally, Aaralyn had so much playing outside with the "big ball" at my parents house.

Still more to come!

Christmas Sampling

2009-01-10T07:45:00.005-05:00

We will start with Christmas Eve. It is "TRADITION" (in the grandest of singing voices for all you "Fiddler on the Roof" fans) for us all to get together at Grandma's house, eat (of course) and sing Christmas carols. It is one of my favorite times.

This is my Uncle Lenny who was home for the holidays. He has been in Iraq this year. It was so great to have him back! (He's with his youngest granddaughter Mira, who is SO SWEET!)

Amanda and her two little ones, Caleb and Hannah, along with their Granny, my Aunt Renee

Trey, Kimberly and Luke, singing (yes, we pass out music sheets...this is serious, people!!)

Aaralyn LOVED the music...It was so fun to see her enjoy this tradition this year!

My Dad and Mom singing a duet. It was so wonderful to hear them sing together. I haven't heard my Mom sing in years and it blessed my soul.

We do all, if for no other reason, for her. My beautiful Grandma. I love her.

When all was said and done, it was late. Aaralyn was tired. Very tired.

On to Christmas morning.

Marlana making cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning.

Aaralyn checking out the Christmas Goodies.

Breakfast of Champions...or sleepy little girls eating on the floor while opening presents

Elise chilling with her Papa

First gift..."hip-a-pos-sis!"

Aaralyn's oh-so-fun "Negos!"

Donny getting new car speakers!

Elise is such a sweetie. Here she is taking a (too short) nap.

At Grandma Branning's house for more fun!

Our friend, Chris Tavalare, came over from Tallahassee to join us. Thanks, Chris. We had fun!

Grandma and her great-grandkids. She loves them so much, and they love her too!!

Christmas was so wonderful. We are so blessed to have such a great family. Thank you, everyone, for all your love!

More to come...

Christmas in Lakeland

2009-01-09T08:00:00.002-05:00

We went down to Lakeland to celebrate the holidays with Donny's family before Christmas. We had a wonderful time seeing everyone!

Grammie made a new blanket for Aaralyn. Animals on one side and letters on the other. She loves to play "find the letters." She'll say "where's H?" then find it and say "there!!" It is really cute!

Grammie and Papa Fisher

She loved wearing Papa's hat!!

Elise taking a nap in MiMi's arms. (I think MiMi was the happiest of the two!!)

Aaralyn was always available to help open presents...here she is offering her services to Pappy.

Aunt Ish opening her new hair stuff for her AMAZING hair!

Donny and his new camera!!

This beautiful woman lights up with a baby in her arms!!

Granny and the girls all in red.

Playtime

2009-01-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

Aaralyn and Daddy playing ball. She really likes it as these next pictures show:

She is such a funny kid!!

Aaralyn is really starting to show a love for her Sissy. It is lots of fun to watch!

Daddy Kisses

Catch Up

2009-01-06T21:19:00.004-05:00

So long!!!
Here are a several post to recap what's been happening around here.

Let's start with the girls Christmas Pictures:

They are so beautiful, don't you think?!?!

More posts to come!

Question of the Day...

2008-11-19T21:43:00.007-05:00

First question most people ask me is "Does Elise look like Aaralyn?"

Aaralyn at week and a half old:

Elise at one week old:

Same outfit. Same chair.

What do you think?

My thoughts...well, just ask me!!

Big Thank You!!

2008-11-14T15:44:00.005-05:00

Yesterday was my first morning alone with the girls. (here we are during lunch) It went surprisingly well!! Aaralyn was good and shared Mommy with Elise with little complaints. By 12:30, both kids had eaten and were taking naps and I was cleaning the kitchen. I have to admit, I was ready to crash, but I was proud of myself!

But that is not the point of this post.
I wanted to send a HUGE thank you to my family for all the help they have been the past two weeks!! My mom and sister were here for a while helping me (and Donny) make the transition to two kids and then Donny's mom came to offer her services. I can't tell you how wonderful it was to have them here! They pitched in so much, washing dishes, doing laundry, playing with Aaralyn (which took up the biggest part of their efforts, I'm sure!) and all the countless other things they did! They helped more than I could have imagined and I am very thankful for them!!

Here are some pictures of them in action:

Great way to wake up Aunt Marley

But who wouldn't want to wake up to a face like that?!?

Taking a nap with GiGi

Having fun with MiMi

Thank you so much for all you have done! You are all wonderful!!

As a special note...
I wanted to send an extra special "thank you!" to Katie. Your gifts were so sweet!!

Love you!!

Elise Cailyn

2008-11-02T14:05:00.009-05:00

So.. our little Elise is here!! Whoo Hoo!!

She was born Thursday, October 30th... weighing in at 9 lbs and topping the charts at 21.5 inches long. We are so blessed with this precious little one!

getting excited

maybe not that excited

meeting Elise

Never washing this shirt

Isn't she beautiful?

Is that all?... I'm freaking hungry!

Aint she gorgeous?

Aaralyn meets Elise.

My two sweeties.

The Pumpkin on October 31st.

I make this look good.

More pictures to follow soon!

A little love.

2008-10-27T12:35:00.004-04:00

Still waiting on the new baby. We are officially in extra innings now as Janna has passed her due date. So as we continue to wait, we thought we'd post a little singing from last night. Aaralyn has really taken to singing. Sometimes with us, sometimes all by herself. It is crazy how quickly she is learning words now. So fun.

Here is some post dinner song:

Next video will have baby 2 in it... we hope. :-)

The Library

2008-10-21T18:23:00.005-04:00

So Amy has introduced us to Baby Time at the Main Library on Tuesday mornings. We have really enjoyed going...Aaralyn LOVES the songs and the movements that we do.

This week, Aaralyn's Gigi and Aunt Marley got to come and enjoy the festivities.

(Singing with "Aunt La-lee")

(Ms. Mary- the teacher)

("close your eyes")

(singing "two little blackbirds")

(Isaiah, Aaralyn, and Aiden who have become quite good friends)

(MY library friends- Amy and Kelley)

Greek Festival

2008-10-19T21:30:00.001-04:00

On Saturday, we met some friends at the Greek Festival here in Tallahassee. Basically, it is Greek food mania with some Greek dancing/entertainment thrown in. The food was good...apparently not great, according to Amy and Kelly who grew up going to AMAZING Greek festivals in their hometown of Tarpon Springs. But I didn't know any better, so I thought it was great!

The best part was the fun that all the kids had while we were there. It was fun watching them play...
Isaiah being, as usual, super funny!

Aaralyn littlest friends, Eli and Caroline

Eli (looking just like his Daddy)

Playing with DaDa

Aaralyn, Isaiah, and Aiden...being the silly kids that they are :)

Holding hands (how cute!!) while we headed to the "dance party" after dinner.

While they played music (Greek music, of course!), they allowed the kids to get up on stage and dance. Aaralyn LOVED it. She really liked being with all the other kids and dancing to the music.

Isaiah and Aiden decided to lay down...it was funny.

Getting the three dancers in one picture...kinda hard to manage. This is the best one I got!

After the kids danced, they had "Greek" performers dance for everyone. (I don't think Aiden approved...)

It was a fun evening...something everyone enjoyed. Good food, great friends and cute kids. What more could you want in an evening?

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-18T20:47:00.007-04:00

Yesterday, we went and visited a Pumpkin Patch here in Tallahassee. It was very fun and Aaralyn had a great time running around and being outside with the "punkins" - as she says.
She went around hugging all the pumpkins- big and small. It was so very cute! I call this series of pictures "Hugging of the Pumpkins."
big ones...

bigger ones...

even the "warty' ones...

the tiny ones too...yes, she is trying to bend down and give it a hug!

Ashley was with us and we got a picture of the three of us! That never happens, because I am usually behind the camera!!

Now on to the "Carving of the Pumpkin" series...
This is the first in our Fisher history! (actually, only the second time I had EVER carved a pumpkin!)
teaching Aaralyn how to get the seeds out.

reaching down deep...her arm almost wasn't long enough!

we got something...

"Eeeeds!" I think she liked it!

Ashley is our in-home artist, so she did the honors of drawing the design.

We all took a swing at the actual carving...well, everyone but Aaralyn! Ashley carved the eyes...

Donny did the mouth...

And I did the nose. It was great fun!

Our beautiful...well, VERY CUTE...pumpkin!

I think this will become a family tradition!!

Stay tuned for today's adventure...the Tallahassee Greek Festival...coming soon!

Slide!!

2008-10-13T22:16:00.008-04:00

We went for a walk today down to the mailbox at our apartment complex and made a detour to the little play area. There we discovered that Aaralyn loves to slide and that she loves to do it by herself. If you remember on a previous post of her at the park, she was pretty unsure of the slide. Now, apparently, she isn't.
I only had my phone with me (hence the poor quality) so here are two short videos of her having a great time!

(note: I apologize for being SO LOUD on the video...if I had only known... So turn down your volume a little and consider yourself warned!!)

Diaper Shower

2008-10-07T22:09:00.006-04:00

On Saturday, my great friend, Amy, hosted a baby shower for me at the Cake Shop here in Tallahassee. Everyone blessed us with diapers and wipes (which are a great gift!!!!) It was a special time to hang out with some wonderful women and eat some great cupcakes!!

Fun Presents!

Red Velvet Cupcake! Yummmmmy!!

Cute chocolates.

Stephanie, Christina and Amy...having a good time, of course!

Grace and Bella...my beautiful Korean friends.

Dena, Kelsey, and Lexi

My beautiful sister and sister-in-law, Angela and Marlana.

Renee

Susan!!

Alyssa and Elizabeth

Thank you, Amy, for a WONDERFUL shower! I had a GREAT time!!

Some ABC's... caught on video.

2008-10-06T14:02:00.004-04:00

This was from a couple weeks ago. We hope you enjoy!

Hi, Sissy!

2008-10-02T10:38:00.001-04:00

We are getting prepared for our new little arrival. Technically, she is due to arrive in 3 weeks. We are praying that she comes sooner...any time now would be GREAT! I wanted to get some pictures taken of Aaralyn and me before it was too late. So Donny took some for us on Saturday. Aaralyn calls my belly "Sissy" (hope we don't confuse her too much!) and gives sweet hugs and kisses.
Sweet kiss.
Hi, Sissy!
Hugs.
Mmmm-waaaa!

Drool on my shoulder...

2008-09-23T08:00:00.000-04:00

So, as of late, I have been noticing how big my little girl is getting. She is no longer the baby that we brought home from the hospital 18 months ago today. We are so close to having another little one join us in our crazy, busy life...I want to make sure that I don't miss the moments that are given to us now. Aaralyn is getting older, and I know that when the new little one gets here, she will seem even older than she does now. I am sad to see this time in our family pass. But at the same time, I could not be more excited about Elise's arrival and all the wonderful changes that will occur in this new season.
But for now...in the few short days left before my little baby becomes my little girl...I am relishing in the times I get to put her to bed... holding her close for our night-night hug, rocking her, praying for her, getting drool on my shoulder, laying her to bed.
It won't be long before these things will be a thing of the past. I will miss this...

Family Day at the Park

2008-09-21T08:00:00.000-04:00

Friday, we went to Tom Brown Park and enjoyed the really great playground. We had been before on a Saturday, but there were so many kids there, it was hard to really let Aaralyn play. So going on a Friday morning was a great idea. We practically had the place to ourselves. It was great!
We, of course, started on the swings, Aaralyn's favorite!
She and Donny had fun making faces at each other.

Then on to the jungle gym area that is full of fun things, like the mirror, to play with.

We headed over the the slide, which she was excited about in theory, but once she got close, she wasn't so sure.

She made it down, but not too thrilled about it. On to something else...

...like this climbing thing that Aaralyn kept calling a slide. I think she thought she was supposed to go down it...she liked hanging on it, but didn't quite understand that she was supposed to climb up.

So, here we are trying the next slide. This time her DaDa was on the receiving end. Things went MUCH better this time.

So the funniest part of this is my face. It was pretty difficult for me to get down to help Aaralyn get on the slide. I had no idea how funny I looked.

"Ok, Momma. I'm ready!"

"Here we go!!"

As Aaralyn says, "Yea! Yea!"

"ooossssi-ck" (aka music)

Peek-a-Boo, DaDa!

Then, we rounded out the day with a trip to the see-saw. Donny got on one end, and we got on the other.

Aaralyn calls it, "saw-soo, saw-soo." She LOVED it.

It was a great morning. I'm glad we were able to go.

My Girl loves her bath!!

2008-09-19T19:59:00.003-04:00

This was our little cutie tonight. She really loves her bath. Like, REALLY LOVES her bath!! Tonight she tried to climb into the bathtub.

So Cute.

Labor Day

2008-09-01T21:30:00.003-04:00

As a family tradition, lots of Donny's family and family-friends get together in Daytona for a reunion each year. This was Aaralyn's first year and her first time at the beach (well, first time as a walking interactive kid...)

Here is her first walk to the water

Whoa...that's cold!!

Ok, this little girl was FEARLESS and would run all the way to Europe if she could!

She is loving this...

This marks the last trip before Baby Girl arrives. We are glad we were able to get away one last time, but are looking forward to getting ready for her arrival. Only 8 more weeks!!!

Dallas Trip

2008-08-07T11:21:00.010-04:00

So here are some pictures of our trip to Dallas.

First, we have Aaralyn on her first swing ride.

Yes, I said her first...I was surprised when I put her in and realized that she had never been in a swing before! She loved it and didn’t want to get out. We had several rides during the week.

This is my Uncle Will on his new tractor. He was quite proud!

Aunt Cheri and Grandma with Aaralyn

Visited an area of Fort Worth called the Stockyards and saw the daily “running of the steer”

Aaralyn and Grandma watching

Aaralyn playing Aunt Cheri’s piano...she liked making music!

We had a great time the week we were there. I am really appreciative for family and the time we get to spend with them!!

I know, I know...

2008-07-30T10:38:00.007-04:00

It's been a while! In my defense, I have been out of the computer loop for a LONG time. We just joined Donny in Lakeland as he has been away with work and stuff for 3 weeks now (taking the computer with him). And before that, we had a rough apartment experience that resulted in a HUGE moving fiasco that took up an additional 2 weeks+ of our lives!

So being without my husband for 3 weeks was tough...mostly because I became a single mom! SO currently, my wonderful man has taken Aaralyn for a bit (gone to Discount Auto Parts and Wal-Mart for whatever you need to change oil in the cars) and given me a little time to myself. (hence, this blog! Yea!!) He is such a great guy and I love him lots. When we arrived in Lakeland on Saturday, he had these waiting on me.

What a surprise!

So, although we were without Donny, Aaralyn and I had our own little adventure. We went to Dallas with my grandmother to visit my uncle and aunt. What a great time! We were there for a week and enjoyed lots of antique shopping, good food and nightly domino games! (yea for Mexican Train!)
I currently don't have the means to download all the pics that I took, but when I do, you will surely get a sampling of all the fun!
Until then...

Summer Vacation!!

2008-06-29T21:06:00.006-04:00

We just got back from a vacation in North Carolina. What a great trip! My parents went with us (which, by the way, is a GREAT way to vacation when you have a toddler...bring the grandparents! Thanks GiGi and PaPa!!!)
Here are some pics of the trip:

Aaralyn taking a bath on the porch of the cabin. She LOVED IT!!

Wearing PaPa's hat

Enjoying some bluegrass music at the Bryson City train depot

At Deep Creek

She played in the FREZZING cold water for hours!

Our Silly Little Girl!

2008-06-04T18:45:00.005-04:00

Aaralyn has been giving us the silliest faces lately, so I had to capture some of them on camera. She is being such a cutie-pie...really keeping us on our toes! We are so blessed to have such a delightful daughter.

Aaralyn Performs

2008-05-08T19:19:00.007-04:00

Aaralyn started walking this week! It happened on Tuesday and she already acts like a pro. In fact, she gets frustrated when she sits down and can't get back on her feet. We took tons of video of it, but we've lost our cord to import the video to our computer. So here are a couple videos shots from the computer itself instead.

First, two minutes of baby talk.

Second, a little baby walking followed by a close up of Aaralyn and the most beautiful pregnant lady you have ever seen.

pretty girl

2008-04-25T22:58:00.003-04:00

"baa-ber" (aka flower)

"kook" (look...whenever you say it, instead of looking where you are pointing, she always looks up!)

Here she is playing peek-a-boo...this is the part when she "hides"...so cute!

Good Days, Sunshine!

2008-04-23T14:10:00.003-04:00

We visited the pool at our complex for Aaralyn’s first swim. Although the weather was perfect, the water was FREEZING!! We were beginning the think that maybe we should just go home, but from Aaralyn’s first toe in, she LOVED IT! Donny and I were the ones reluctant to get in!

Isn't she a cutie!!

#2

2008-04-20T19:40:00.001-04:00

We are excited to announce that we are expecting a baby! #2 is on the way, arriving sometime around October 24th. We are all doing well, finishing up the first trimester (and looking forward to the end of morning sickness!!!) Here’s a recent picture of Janna’s growing belly...

Aaralyn's Birthday

2008-04-12T22:56:00.004-04:00

We are late in updating...so we have a bit of catching up to do!
Aaralyn is now 1! We had her birthday at a park in town. It was so much fun, with lots of family and friends there to help us celebrate!

Thanks to all who came...you are so special to us!
Stay tuned for several new posts coming soon...

Cutie Booty

2008-02-01T20:56:00.001-05:00

Here are some recent pictures of Aaralyn.

2008-01-27T16:14:00.000-05:00

Things have been keeping us busy lately. So we thought we'd update you all with a video of what baby girl is up to now.

Stay Tuned

2008-01-20T19:20:00.000-05:00

Hello World!

Sorry it has been so long. The Fishers have been crazy busy. Major posts coming soon!

Merry Christmas!!

2007-12-25T20:06:00.000-05:00

We are so blessed to have such a wonderful family and to have our precious little girl. She is the best gift this year...our little angel. God bless you this Christmas!

Suprise!

2007-11-20T22:42:00.000-05:00

i hope Daddy likes it...

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

I think it's too early!

Hope you had a great day, Sweetheart!

Aaralyn surprised us when she was playing with my water cup (yes...I was using it during "happy hour" to keep her happy before dinner) and she starting drinking from it! Wasn't expecting that...

2007-11-04T15:24:00.000-05:00

Saturday's Outing

2007-10-08T05:14:00.000-04:00

We are having such a great time!! Scotland is a beautiful country and our time with the Mabrys has been wonderful!!
We visited a botanic garden on Saturday. It was BEAUTIFUL!! The leaves are starting to change to their fall colors and the flowers were pretty. Here are some pictures...

Here is the cutest baby in Scotland...

Alanna calls Aaralyn "Baby Air-mim" SO CUTE!

Donny leaves tomorrow morning to head back to the States. We are glad we are able to stay an extra week...but he will be missed!