From darling Maddy to....Michael Darling?

Maddy had her audition for the musical put on by the Oregon City Children's Theatre of Peter Pan this last weekend. She has been talking about this audition for about three months! She has been practicing and practicing!

The audition was postponed for about two weeks and Maddy was on pins and needles ever since. She kept telling me she was super nervous and I really wasn't sure how she was going to handle the situation. Anyway the audition went on for a few hours and she got cast as......MICHAEL! The littlest of the darling family. She was SOOO excited! She actually gets a speaking role and the best part is that she gets to fly, she is so excited! They are going to have the main roles fly around on cables and she gets to do that. It was funny though because the director asked if she would be willing to cut her hair or if she needed a wig. I think we are going to opt for a wig!

I know my kids are definitely not shy and everyone is always saying that I should get them into drama some how. But I still have to say I was shocked that she actually got cast as a pretty big part! I kept telling her that she would probably be cast as a lost boy or something because I didn't want to get her hopes up, but she actually got a part! I can't even explain how excited she is! The performances are at the end of February so if you want to come mark your calendar! We are so proud and excited for you Maddy!And I am thinking that maybe I need to sign Josey up for snow boarding lessons?! She has no fear. And that end comment is, "Did you see that jump?"

Merry Christmas 2008

The mess that is Christmas!

We threatened the older girls this year by telling them that they under no circumstances were to wake us up until Lilly was awake. We told them to gather whatever they wanted the night before so that in the morning they would have something to entertain themselves with in the morning. So we were able to sleep in until about 7:30 which was nice since I heard Maddy wake up around 5. Santa was good to the girls this year. They must have been very good girls! They each had a a bed tent waiting that came with a pillow, a push light, and a sleep mask. Their stockings and a few treasures also waited inside. Maddy had a Hannah Montana bean bag and some cool new boots and a couple of webkinz. Josey had a new fish tank and new baby doll and a couple of webkinz. And Lilly had the Barbie Island Princess doll that sings (that she has literally wanted for MONTHS) and a broom. The girls loved putting all their presents in their own tents after they opened them.

One of Maddy's most prized presents were these......

She practiced and practiced on the kitchen floor ALL day and I think she has finally got it down.

Josey, my organized one, took all her new things and organized them in her tent on her bed. She had them all set up around the bed and asked if she could sleep with them.

Here she is with some of her new clothes on. And her new fish tank.

Lilly loves her tent too. She is still in a crib so we just put it on top of the crib even though it technically is supposed to fit over a twin bed.

Lilly got some dress up stuff and this is what she looked like all morning. If you look close you will see the beginning of her make over with her make-up. Don't worry it gets worse.

She had fun playing with her new princesses and her nice daddy played with her.

Here she is looking like a mess but having lots of fun.

Oh Lilly in all her glory. She loves make-up and loved looking at herself in the mirror. The funniest part was that we went to a baptism later that day and tried to get the make-up off with my make-up remover and it just didn't want to come off. She looked like she had some weird rash all over her face.

Santa was so nice this year and actually brought us a Wii! We have had lots of fun. The girls couldn't figure out how Grandpa Reber and Susan knew Santa was going to get us a Wii because they sent us a couple of games. I had to explain to them the secret that all parents know......which is how to contact Santa when you need to. I told them I would pass down the phone number when they become mommies.

Santa was so nice and brought us a Wii this year! We have been having so much fun! The girls couldn't figure out how Grandpa and Susan knew that Santa was going to get us a Wii because they sent us some Christmas presents that turned out to be Wii games! I had to tell them the secret that all parents know......how to contact Santa! I told them when they become mommies I will pass on the number.

Later that night we were able to join some friends for a fun low key Christmas dinner (which we were lucky to eat somewhere else because I literally messed up every thing I was supposed to bring). It was nice to be with friends when we don't have any family close enough. We had a wonderful Christmas. Both Dustin and I commented how great we felt this year about our children really being excited about 90 percent of their gifts and really seeming to be appreciative. We hope everyone else had a great Christmas!

Christmas Eve

Well we started a tradition.....okay we only did it once.....last year. But we WANTED to start the tradition of driving over to the coast on Christmas Eve and spending it at the beach. We had SUCH a wonderful time last year and we were so looking forward to it this year. Until the storm hit, and our plans went out the window. So we spent the day hanging out. I actually can't remember if we did anything in particular. I did set a fancy table and make some delicious clam chowder (since we couldn't get any at Joe's). And of course our usual Christmas Eve festivities. Dustin spent some time putting together a fun nativity play for us to act out and as you can see we had lots of fun. Maddy as one of the wise men. Equipped with Frankincense and Myrrh.

Josey as one of the shepherds complete with sheep surrounding her.

Lilly was.....baby Jesus. But she was more interested in being the horse caretaker. The girls thought that was pretty funny.

Dustin and I were Mary and Joseph but we didn't get any pictures of that. And Dustin gave such a beautiful testimony of Jesus that really brought the the spirit of Christmas into our home. Of course though Josey's eyes couldn't help but dart from her dad's face to the presents under the tree. And in 5 seconds flat after we were done she was at the base of the tree looking for her presents!

And here they are ready for bed in their Christmas jammies (is there anyone that DOESN'T do this tradition?) The girls were pretty cooperative going to bed. In fact Josey was asking me ALL DAY if it was bed time yet. And when I would tell her that it was only 10:oo in the morning she ask if she could go to bed yet. They were pretty excited. Lilly unfortunately though thought that Santa was going to come THAT night. And she was pretty disappointed to have to go to bed. I think she thought she was going to miss Santa.

Seriously stir crazy

I know I know. I have posted everyday for like the last week. We have had so much snow, I am going crazy. For those that know me well they know that I don't particularly like to be home much. I love home but I NEED to get out of the house at least once a day or else I just get crazy. So after not really leaving the house for almost 4 days, except to be out in the yard for a little bit I really really really want to just scream! I wanted to try and do some grocery shopping today as the snow seems to have let up a little bit but I don't have a snow shovel and can't dig out my driveway! Anyway here once again are a few more pictures of the last few days as I have nothing else to do but clean (which is happening a lot less than you would expect) and take pictures.



Here is our brownie night from grandma. Lilly really liked stirring the bowl. She really concentrated hard.


Here are Josey's antlers. I need to make sure they haven't fused to her head she has worn these almost every day for the last couple of weeks. She loves them.

I told Dustin that he had to help make the brownies since they were from his mom and I would take the pictures. Doesn't he look so comfortable?

Making silly faces. Dustin is so proud of this face. He tries to make it every occasion he can.Here is Dustins "skillz" at mixing brownies.

And here is the girls new sleeping arrangements. They went from bunk beds to their own rooms to sharing a room to sharing a bed, all their ideas. They begged and begged to share a room again after splitting them up when we moved here. So I finally moved them back together and then they begged an begged to push their beds together. So this is how they have been sleeping for the last couple of months and they love it! Don't they look comfortable?

We are buried!

So here is the difference between yesterday and today.....

It has snowed ALL day! At this particular moment in time it has finally stopped but the weather prediction is still more snow throughout the week. We have been having so much fun! I LOVE IT!

Daddy rigged this fun sled for us and the girls had a ball.

This was Josey belly flopping into the snow. She thought it was so fun. I think she could live outside. That is all she wants to do. She warms up for five minutes and it back out in the snow again.

This is what is under that top layer of snow, big chunks of ice.

More snow angels.

We noticed today that our trampoline net has broken. If you look close enough you will see that there is nothing holding it up but ice and cold. It is frozen in this position.

Here are the trees I blogged about yesterday. It was a little dark in the pictures but here you can tell what happened to them.

The girls took their candy jar out with them and wanted to see how long it would take to fill it up. It seriously only took like less than five minutes to fill that whole thing.

Winter Update

It's STILL SNOWING! It has been crazy weather today. It has alternated between snow and sleet and freezing rain, making for a very interesting landscape outside. We have never seen weather like this before. The nice fluffy snow of yesterday is now a fluffy facade that is actually ice chunks. We woke up to this, this morning (I know it's dark). Our trees in our backyard have completely deflated. I know you can't tell well but these are tall trees and they have just bent under the pressure of the ice. Every branch is encapsulated with ice. And it continues to snow.

I guess we shouldn't have left that little folding chair out.

Here are our baby icicles that the girls love.

And when the power started to flicker not too long ago we decided to pull out all out flashlights and candles and such just in case. Well Dustin remembered that he had left one of the flashlights in the car. So he headed out to try and get it out. This is what the car looked like.

It is literally covered in like a half inch of ice, and then covered with snow on top of that.

He kept trying and trying to get the door open by chipping away at the ice. Finally he realized......it was locked! Just thought that was funny.

He decided that he would try and clean it off a little before it got any worse. And this is what it looked like after he chipped away a big chunk of ice.

A hole so big he could fit his hand in it!Luckily we have a gas fire place so if it is just the power that goes out we should hopefully be able to keep warm all snuggled up together in front of this.

I know it has been cold it seems everywhere we have loved ones. I hope everyone else is keeping warm as well!