It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

As is true with everyone around this time, we are definitely getting in the Christmas spirit as we get closer and closer to the Big Day! Aly is in a little 1-year-old class a couple mornings a week, and they had their last day, along with a little Christmas party, on Monday. That evening, the preschool had a Christmas program, with the 1-year-olds shaking jingle bells on the front row. The first picture is from the party, and the second picture is from the program. Aly is standing with her best buddy, Lizzy Pardue, and showing off the sweatshirts they made for the big night. Aly loved her's so much, we made sure to have it cleaned and ready to wear again the next day!

Accessorize, accessorize, accessorize!

Aly is very much into dressing up right now, and loves to accessorize, even if that just means a colander from the kitchen! As a way to keep her little sister included, she likes to make sure that Caroline always has a pacifier in her mouth, and loves it when she is also decked out in 'shades'. Caroline is now rolling over both ways, and (as you can see from the last picture!) about ready to be out of her infant seat!

Life, as we know it

Well, with so many friends and family all over the place, I thought that creating a blog might be the easiest and fastest way to update those we love about what's going on in our world. The funny thing is that I feel like all of the blogs that I have read start off this same way, with almost this same "explanation" as to why it has been started! Hopefully, I can keep up with it. (Listening to Chad's basketball games over the internet is a great way to make myself sit down at the computer and READ blogs...we'll see if it's also a good time to UPDATE ours!)
With that said, here we go...

Just to catch everyone up with what has been going on for the past month and a half... it's BASKETBALL SEASON! As you know, Chad has started in his first year as head coach. We started playing at the beginning of November, and have played 13 games (and an exhibition game). We just finished our last game before Christmas break, and were able to leave with a record of 9-4. It's been a great season so far, and I have to say that I am so proud of Chad and of the guys on the team; for the past two seasons, the team hasn't been able to win more than 6 games in the entire year, so I think that we are off to a great start!

Caroline just turned 4 months old last week, and it's amazing how much easier life has suddenly gotten. She and Aly are on the same schedule (more or less) finally, so we are able to spend some fun time all together--life is finally feeling normal! Aly will be 2 in February, and just amazes us with the things that she does and says everyday; it is an awesome thing to be able to watch a child's mind develop right in front of you! She's always loved reading, but now she's really gotten into 'reading' aloud on her own, which has given me a great chance to spend a little extra time with Caroline. Aly loves being a big sister, and likes to 'help' with Caroline all she can. Caroline is just a happy little girl--she loves to smile and watch what is going on around her! She is so patient, as she's constantly poked and prodded by her big sister! How blessed we are to have these little angels in our lives!

The pictures I've attached have no captions, because I don't know how to do that yet! The first is of the four of us after Chad's very first game (and win!) as head coach. The next is one of the girls (22 months and 4 months), and the last is of the girls with Uncle Chris and Aunt Cortney (and baby Ben on the way!) during their Thanksgiving visit.