Project 365-Week 2

This week has been a crazy week!

Monday, I got a call from Farrah's KDO saying that she was complaining of her ear hurting. So after I took her to the doctor she had a left ear infection. That evening we were at some friends house and before we left I had given Farrah her medicine thinking she would just eat there but she didn't. So while we were there Farrah started getting sick to her stomach and actually got sick there. The rest of the night she sat with her vomit bucket....it was the most pitiful thing I've ever seen!





Farrah has learned how to carry Roo around...poor Roo!!



We LOVE Japanese food!!



The other day I was reading this blog about lying to your children (making promises and not keeping your promises.) We were at the mall the other day and passed this little carousel. Farrah had asked to ride it and I told her she could on our way out. So we were leaving and we were suppose to meet some family for lunch and we were running late and Farrah looks at me and said "Mommy, the carousel." I wanted to tell her never mind and we were running late but I stopped and let her ride....it was only two minutes and she was so happy. It was worth being late to bless my little girl!



This girl LOVES her Oreos!!

Project 365-Week 1

First week of January has been pretty slow but I've really enjoyed it!

I went to a gender reveal party for some friends of ours. They are pregnant with their second baby and they had a party to tell us if they were having a boy or girl and it's a girl!!! So happy for Josh, Paige, Selah and baby girl Allen.



Farrah has discovered her little step stool and I think this stool will be the death of me and her daddy!! Farrah is onto everything with this stool. She can reach things that we weren't worried about and turn things on that she has never done before. I think everyday we say we are going to throw the stools away. We try to hide these things but the little toot finds them! And she is so proud of herself when she does....haha!! One thing Farrah is saying right now is "Mom, if it's ok with you...."





Farrah got this doll from Uncle Jody and Aunt Beth for Christmas and Farrah loves it. This doll freaks us all out but Farrah thinks she's the greatest thing ever. Annika is scared to death of it which cracks me up! Farrah has started chasing Annika around the house with this doll and Annika runs and screams. Farrah thinks its a game and it is quite funny to watch Farrah torment Annika with it...haha!






We made it to Science Spectrum and had so much fun! They just updated the toddler section and it was so much better! There were a ton of kids and Farrah had a blast!






Farrah has been a wild sleeper here lately! When we go and check on her before we go to bed, we usually find her hanging off her bed. They funny part is that she has no idea!

Goodbye 2011....Hello 2012!

This past year has been quite a year! It's been hard but great at the same time. James and I were talking about 2011 the other day and I think we are both happy for this year to be over with.

This year I've had three surgery's. One surgery for fertility reasons and two different shoulder surgery's. Our fertility surgery seems like it was so long ago that it's hard to believe it was even this year. After surgery we had three rounds of fertility treatments with no success. It was a rough year with this but James and I learned so much about each other and ourselves. We finally figured why we've had trouble having children of our own and that in itself was refreshing. We really have no control of this and it was such a blessing to finally understand why.

In August, I had my right shoulder operated on and did rehab and in October, I turned around and had surgery on the left shoulder. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone..haha!! I've had to learn to slow down and to ask for help which is very hard for me to do.

Farrah has grown a ton this year. Farrah is talking more and more everyday. Her vocabulary is surprising! Everyone she talks to thinks she's about four and she's only two. She has grown so tall, so tall that all her pants are a little short...haha! She has taught me so much this year. I love that I can learn so much from someone so little!

This has been a year of learning for me which has been hard. I'm trying to learn to be comfortable with who I am. It's hard for me because I'm such a people pleaser. I've been this way my whole life. I've always gone above and beyond for other people no matter the cost to myself. I hate to disappoint people and saying no is real hard for me. This year, I've discovered that not everyone else is that same way. I've had to put my family first and just say no, and I'm so glad I have. The three of us have become so much closer as a family and I wouldn't trade that for anything.

I'm looking forward for 2012. I'm excited to see what it has in store for my family. I know change is in the air and that excites me! Happy New Year from the Fortner's!!!

Christmas 2011

We had a wonderful Christmas this year!! We are truly blessed and loved spending time with our families.

Christmas Eve we went to James' parents house and had a blast. I love seeing Farrah old enough to play with her cousins. She has grown and changed so much this year and she is so much fun! This year we decided to make it easier on ourselves and have a dinner that was easy to make and clean up. I'm pretty sure all us girls LOVED this...haha!

Every year Quinn and I pass out all the presents. We've done this for years and I love having this tradition with Quinn.




Farrah had a great time opening gifts. She kept saying "For me?!?!"



Christmas day we had Christmas just the three of us. We woke up early so we could open presents before church but then I realized we forgot to leave milk and cookies out for Santa. Ooops! This is the first year that we've actually done "Santa" and we totally forgot...haha! So, I'm running to the kitchen pouring a glass of milk and eating half a cookie so Farrah will see that Santa had been there. I promise we will do better next year...haha!!



Farrah's big Santa gift is still in the garage and when it gets warmer outside James will have fun putting together her trampoline!



This year, James was my hardest one to shop for! He had no idea what he wanted and I had no clue. I did get to surprise him which was fun! A couple of months ago he mentioned wanting a shot gun shell reloader so I found one and that's what he got. He was really surprised and very excited.



After presents we headed outside so Farrah could play in the snow. I LOVED having a white Christmas! Farrah loved every minute of playing in the snow and we had fun watching her.



We celebrated Christmas with my family on Monday. It was nice being able to spread Christmas out this year. We weren't running from one family to the other family.



Every year my Meme makes every great grandchild a blanket and we love these blankets! I just love that she still gives homemade gifts!!



We had a great Christmas and really enjoyed out families. We are truly blessed!

Project 365

This week in photos....

I promise I did take a photo everyday this week. With Christmas I want to have a post with just that so here it goes.

We had a wonderful white Christmas!!



Farrah's new trick in the tub!



Farrah looking for sparkles. This girl and her sparkles!!



Farrah has discovered dress up and this just makes me smile. I remember spending hours in my mom's closet dressing in all her clothes and having a blast. I know this time is coming and I love having a daughter!!

Week in photos

I'm a little behind in our daily photos so this will be short and sweet. I really want to remember this week so here it goes!

Farrah has really wanted to help me with daily chores so I thought this would be a great opportunity to teach her. This week she is learning to make her own bed. I must say she does really well for a two year old. She has also learned how to set the table with plates(paper) and forks. She gets so excited! She is also learning how to take her plate to the trash when she is finished.



Farrah had pajama day at her KDO. She wasn't sure what to think about this. We were leaving for KDO and she said "Mommy, I need clothes on for school not PJ's!"




Farrah has been very interested in taking pictures so here is her take on pictures...haha!!





I had a first for me. I LOVE peanut brittle and have always wanted to make it so I found a recipe and just did it. I was so glad that I did! It was so good and now I can't stop eating this stuff....haha!! I will give some advise, it takes two people to make this stuff. It goes buy so fast and when it's ready, its ready!






And lastly, who can resist a picture of a sleeping child? I know I can't!!

Christmas Fun!!

This weekend has been so fun!! I can't believe this will be Farrah's third Christmas. Her first Christmas was so fun because we had a baby and this year will be just as fun. I've always loved the saying that says "Live your life through your child's eyes." I love watching life through Farrah! She takes everything in and it's so innocent and new.

On Wednesday, we make cookies and decorated them. I will be honest and say that it started out a nightmare but ended in so much fun. I made the cookies and when I was trying to roll the dough out it was just a big mess. It was so sticky that it was just not going to work. I brought James in on the cookie making and he was even better then me...haha. Let's just say we ended up just throwing it in the trash and I went to the store and bought the already made dough and rolled it out. It was much better!!!

After we got all the cookies cut out we baked them and I do have one question....How in the world do you bake cookies so that they will keep their shape? My snowmen looked like big blobs and my Santa hat looked like I don't know what! Oh well, we still decorated the cookies after we figured out the shapes..haha!







On Thursday we took the kids to look at Christmas light at the Vintage and around town. Farrah loved the Vintage Winter Wonderland! It has a big Santa sleigh and she was so excited to sit in Santa' sleigh. Her, Lucas and Annika ran wild through all the lit trees that were set to music. They played and danced and were just crazy.







Farrah is really noticing the Christmas lights everywhere. It felt like we went all over Lubbock to show her the lights. James was being "funny" and pointing at all the lights for example, He would point at the Waterburger sign and street lights and tell Farrah they were Christmas lights...so wrong!!!! Farrah was not ready to go home but after two hours of looking at lights it was time to stop.

On Saturday we took Farrah to see Santa. We are teaching Farrah the real reason about Christmas which is Jesus, but I don't see any harm it having some Christmas fun as well. The first two years of seeing Santa, Farrah was not impressed so we weren't sure what to expect this year. We took her to Holland Gardens to show her all the decorations and Santa. She LOVED all the trees and decorations. She also did pretty good with Santa. On a side note, mommy was NOT impressed with this Santa! He was s rude to me that it totally turned me off and so I let James finish Santa with Farrah. We did get a picture with Santa so it was all ok in the end.

Year one



Year two



This year