Happy Birthday to my Nana & Papa

This weekend I did something crazy. Well, for me it's crazy. I drove up to Seattle with Madeline & Marcus to celebrate my grandparents 90th & 91st birthdays. There was a family party, and I just decided to go for it! The other kids had swimming class, and were battling colds.

 

The crazy part was I went there and back in one day (no overnight). It was going pretty well until the drive home when I started coming down with some illness. Still recovering as I type, but I am BEYOND thankful to have made the trip and see so many of my relatives. Especially glad to have introduced Marcus to my grandparents. I might just have had angel wings carrying me home that night! So so so glad we made the trip.

 

There's my fave cousin Lesley and her little girl Eva June :)

 

 

 

The following pics are in our pj's, as we decided to get ready for bed before hopping in the car.

 

 

Maddie/Maddy lost her first tooth

My big girl Madeline lost her first tooth! Woop Woop! Oh, and she has decided to change the spelling of her nickname.

Old: Maddie
New: Maddy

Big girl indeed :)

 

Girls Trip (plus 1) to Chicago

My dear college friend Lanie is battling stage 4 cancer. People from around the world are praying for her healing and encouragement during this very difficult time. A few of us from college decided to make a trip out there to see her. So, despite all the odds (I have four children including a nursing infant, being the primary ones, har har), I was able to go with Val and Lindsay on this super special trip. My hubby blessed the effort, and took off work to man the home front. The nursing babylove came along for the ride, of course :)

 

Once again, I was a delinquent picture-taker, since I spent most of my free hands with Marcus... But thankfully Lindsay took tons of cute ones, which I shall share here :) I love the city of Chicago, it is beautiful and the people are way friendlier than the Northwest. I never knew we were all so grumpy, until I observed my inner monologue questioning everyone's motive for speaking to me. Ha. We had such a good time, sightseeing, eating, sleeping, talking, praying... I know the weekend wore out my dear Lanie, but I pray that our time together was a blessing to her. I sure love that girl.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marcus, 6 months old

I've decided that 6 months old is my favorite baby age. So adorable and fun to be with. Even the higher maintenance Marcus is still such a joy and filled with sweetness and pure fun. So easy to make them laugh!! I love him.

 

 

 

 

Happy 7th Birthday Marin!

My little darling is turning seven. That number sounds old to me! And I sound old repeating myself at every single birthday :)

Marin just lights up my life. Our family would not be the same without her. Her birthday food choices: Trix for breakfast and mussels for dinner. We celebrated with 12 little friends from school (yipes, 12, i must be crazy!) at our house... Snowflake themed party (I made her cake this year) for a bunch of 5-7 year old girls (plus two younger brothers)...

Marin planned the entire thing, even hand-wrote/decorated each invitation with our address & instructions for each girl to come with a costume on :) Oh yes, the girl sure knows what she wants... After indulging in all white/blue foods, Marin opened her presents and then while the sugar high was truly at an all time high (!!!), they all piled outside to play in the cold sunshine. I was scrambling to find boots and coats for all these tiny girls who were stomping around out there in tu-tu's and fairy wings :) I love these girls are so tough and just GO FOR IT! They were basically begging me to go outside and run around in the frigid cold, and who am I to say no to good old fashioned fun.

WILD and fun for my big girl. She loved every minute! Definitely an extrovert, this girl gets her tank filled from social situations such as this. I love being able to help create these special moments for her! Happy Birthday to my BEST GIRL!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Merry Christmas 2012

Wow what a difference a year makes! Christmas 2011 was defined for me by staring at my sheets while I was sick in bed pregnant with my precious fourth-born, Marcus. Truly, it has crossed my mind nearly a hundred times this season that I am so thankful to be in a new place this year. In fact, it has ALSO crossed my mind how many people I know that are in difficult seasons right now. I am so thankful that we never stay in one place forever, and there is always hope of a new day ahead. Thanking and praising God this Christmas season for health, family, love.

Now on to silly fun :) You know the matching jammies, matching Christmas outfits and matching fun ~ these things are always going to part of the Corrigan tradition! Oh and Marcus had his first bite of solid food on Christmas morning... He was more than ready :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PS. I finally got some pictures of NYE weekend with the Corrigan side too! Loved our time with family and especially welcoming Alyssa into the family (she and Brian are getting married in May in Dallas). She is wonderful. And they are wonderful together. If you ask me, that's God's goodness RIGHT THERE!