Our November 2015


We had a November to remember! We were busy with birthdays (Kara and Kerigan), gymnastics, Ryan's flag football, Thanksgiving and crazy weather. We would wear shorts one day and then the next...snow!


This is what the kids are up to this month:
  • Sis turned two! And with turning two...came attiTWOde. So the time out corner has been frequented more...but we love a girl with spirit.
  • Kerigan has decided that she's ready to start potty training. I was going to wait until the summer. But she's ready. 
  • Briggs is loving Scout videos right now. His favorite is the phonics farm version. It's on youtube and netflix. win/win. He makes motions to all the songs.
  • Briggs is now a teenager, apparently. He has all of a sudden developed an adventurous and independent spirit. It's okay...but my timid little boy is growing up.
  • Kerigan's vocabulary is exploding. Some of her words I still have to interpret for others but she's a gabster now. 
  • She still loves to sing. She got a little karaoke machine for her birthday and she never puts it down. 
  • Briggs came with us the day after Thanksgiving to attend Kerigan's and Kinsie's first movie at the the theatre...The Good Dinosaur. The girls did really well, actually. 


Some of the Indy(ish) Vargas crew at Thanksgiving

Here is our November video. Love you all!

Friday Favorites: Dainty Days Edition

It's my favorite day of the week! Today I'm sharing some fun favorites and even sticking a hair selfie in there. #yikes


Last Friday, Ryan took me to the IU game. This is a huge deal when you're married to a Purdue fan. After the W, we walked down towards campus, grabbed a Starby and visited the Sample Gates. Ryan, IU & Starbucks. So much happy in this picture.


I am so bad at selfies its not even funny. Is there a class for them? But I was attempting to see what my hair looked like after I followed The Dainty Days video on how to do a dutch braid. She has a youtube channel for all kinds of hair tutorials. I am still dealing with regrowth after nursing for 20 months and I'm not ready to cut my hair. (I think I'm going through a hippie hair phase.) So I braid my hair... a lot. So Ashley (the braid fairy) has been a life saver. 



On Sunday, we had a Dance & Twirl birthday party for Kerigan. And Briggs had to deal with tutus wherever he went. #babysisterproblems

I'll post party details soon, but in the meantime, I wanted to share with you how happy I was with Shoobee Loo Music. Michelle came to our house and danced and sang with all the kids from ages 3 months to 4 years..for an hour! If you're in the Indy area, please consider Shoobee Loo Music to sing with your kiddos (especially if you have winter birthdays like us) Kerigan gets so happy when I show her the videos from the dance party. It's definitely one of our favorites this week!


And that's it for now! Stay warm this weekend :-)

Dance and Twirl Birthday Party


When I asked the baby what kind of birthday party she wanted to have, all she gave me was "tutu." So I ran with it. There are three truths we know about Kerigan: 
1. She loves tutus & toe-pointing 2. She loves purple 3. She loves to party. 
And that is how our "dance and twirl" party was born. 

When you search Pinterest, you don't get a ton (or any) results when you type in "purple tutu party" so a lot of this is just purely Kerigan-inspired. The dessert table decor was found mostly at Hobby Lobby. I would keep my eye on sales...especially tulle. The cake...from our fave, Confectioneiress

photo courtesy of: @confectioneiress on instagram

Her invitation was on display at the dessert table as well. We couldn't be happier with lalunadesigns. When I pitched my vision to other designers-they seemed too busy for me. But at Lalunadesigns-she listened and delivered. She also provided matching water bottle labels and thank you cards.





Party favors included: tutus for the girls and ties for the boys 

Our sweet birthday girl posing for pictures


For entertainment, we hired Shoobee loo out of Indianapolis. Friends, if you EVER need an hour of entertainment for 0 to 5-year-olds...please consider Michelle at Shoobee Loo. She made the party and our birthday girl couldn't have loved the music and dancing more. 


Kerigan has a pig on her head...

I love this photo...of all the tutus and the "happy".

The best we could get of (almost) the whole crew. Sixteen kids from 3 months to 4 years. I consider this a win.

Singing happy birthday to our little lady

Blowing out her candles!

She recruited some help...such sweet friends :)

I love the friends and all the purpleness

Don't ever mess with a birthday girl in a tutu

What a precious party! We will treasure the memories forever. 
Happy Birthday, Kerigan Kay!

See Kerigan's first birthday party:

Kerigan Kay is Two Today


Kerigan Kay is two today! We have a whole day of fun planned for this little girl. On Sunday, we celebrated with friends at her Dance & Twirl tutu party and today we're soaking in the day of family and fun. Since the day she was born, she has been our precious little jewel. 


Hi Sweet Girl!

This year has been so much fun watching you develop into such a sweet little spirit with a huge personality! Our love for you is insurmountable. We consider you one of our greatest treasures. It's an honor to be your mommy and daddy. The love your big brother has for his baby girl (and you for him) is so special that strangers come up to me to comment on it. You are probably the most loyal little girl to ever grace this world. You are happy to meet and greet new friends and people but you're not willing to sacrifice time away from your brother, daddy (and especially) mommy. 

You have a love for music, singing and art. You have picked up the perfect balance of mommy's creative side and daddy's sense of humor. (You are well aware of sarcasm and have mastered it quite well.) You are our little Pippa who still wears 12 and 18 month old clothes but you don't let it get in your way. You have superhuman strength with the dramatics that will make everyone stop in their place. You can hold your own in anything. 

You are always ready for the next party and are never afraid to grab Briggs by the hands and dance in public. You are a free spirit who definitely marches to your own beat but somehow you convince others that your beat is the best beat. If I'd let you, you would wear a tutu and cowboy boots every day. You definitely know what you want. And at times, its difficult to redirect you. But you don't give up on things...or people for that matter. Your nurturing instinct is already shining through. You love your friends and family and are always concerned for them. 

You make an impact wherever you go. One look at your big, sparkling brown eyes and people fall in love. Your smile lights up the room and your giggle is everything good in this world. You are determined, sweet, SO smart, strong & mighty, encouraging, passionate, bubbly, friendly, sassy, fun, adventurous and beautiful. You are the loveliest gift from God (tied up in a little bow). We fall in love with you more and more every day. These two years have been filled with nothing but love and amazement for you. We love you, Kerigan Kay. 

With all my love,
Mommy





Two-year-old Measurements:

Height: 33 inches (25%)
Weight: 23 lbs 3 oz (5%)

#pipsqueak

tutu photos by Loree Alayne Photography

Happy Two, Pippa!

See Kerigan's others birthdays:

Happy Birthday, Kara Leigh


We have lots of birthday celebrating this week between family and friends. But today, today is Kara's day.

Twenty-seven years ago today, I walked into Methodist hospital with my grandparents and cousins to meet my baby. Everyone else thought she would be a boy. But I knew. God made me a sister. And there she was. A beautiful dark haired, dark skin, 8 lb 6 oz beauty. (And the only time in her life she was above average in height and weight)

From day one, my natural instinct was to protect her. And whether it's invited or not, I'm still protecting her (poor girl). Despite being raised the same way and in the same home, God created us beautifully different. Her strengths are my weaknesses and my strengths are her weaknesses. No one has every challenged me, supported me, frustrated me, encouraged me, forgiven me, softened me or impressed me more than this beautiful soul. Her convictions are one of her spiritual gifts and humility makes her the most beautiful creature ive ever known. 

What a gift our God brought us on November 16, 1988. Because of you, Kara Leigh, I'm a better friend, woman and Christian. Thank you for loving my babies as your own and for loving me despite my flaws. You are my best friend and you deserve all the wishes in the world today.

Love, Tita

Friday Favorites: Game Changer Edition

Yay Fri! I'm looking forward to a "mommy day" (as Briggs calls them) as we prep for Kerigan's bday party! As we've been preparing for her party, I've discovered some awesome faves this week:

Thanks to Kroger, my life is forever changed. Remember when I said I miserably failed at grocery shopping? Kroger has recently launched online shopping at 12 Indy locations. DREAMS COME TRUE. I can meal plan and shop from my computer (after babies have gone to bed) then reserve a time to pick up the next day. Once you arrive, they bring out your groceries and load up your car for you. You never go inside! Guys! I can't even describe how great this is for moms with small kids. My whole outlook on life has changed :-) Better shopper. Better meals. Better mom. Game changer. Thank you, Kroger!


School pictures. We got them back this week and....Ahhh! Stop the madness. Funny, cute, awkward shy...treasures for life :-)


Today marks the season opener for IU Men's Basketball!!!! We're just a little excited over here. 
#hoohoohoo #candystripesfordays #ryaniscringingsomewhere #handsomehoosier


And as always, check out more favorites at Caffeinated Chaos

Happy Friday! Go Hoosiers!

Circus Day


Our little boy's preschool class celebrated the end of their colors unit with a Circus Day! Briggs has been on a circus kick because of Madagascar anyways, so when he found out about the big day, he did a happy dance.  They all got to dress up as someone from the circus. Then they held a parade first thing in the morning for all the parents :-)
We couldn't be prouder of our little zebra!

Here comes the parade! "The circus is in town!"

Kerigan's class waiting for the circus to come through.

Our joyful boy

The circus crew

Hey zebra!


Love for his daddy! #twins

This boy <3

Have a great week, everyone!