Our January 2016


Winter finally decided to arrive in January. Boo. But we made the most of it! Sledding, snowmen, warm cocoa, blanket forts and cozy fires describe our month.  We celebrated a lot birthdays and did a lot of dancing (er...Kerigan did a lot of dancing.) We topped off the month with a trip to Aurora to visit Uncle Lancey for the MS Awareness basketball game. He took Briggs to the locker room and all the players signed a jersey for him. He loves to hang out with his uncle!

Briggs stayed up until midnight on NYE for the first time!

Kerigan helping mommy shop. 

We love birthdays (because it comes with cake)

We surprised Briggy with a Disney on Ice show for his real birthday. The girls are cray.

This is what the kids have been up to this month: 

  • Kerigan is a dancing a singing fool. Thats all she wants to do. 
  • She's crazy about the Five Little Monkeys and Family Finger Song
  • Briggs is still obsessed with Bingo.
  • He is such a gentleman. He tells Kerigan and I how beautiful we look out of the blue 
  • They are in a great groove right now. They truly love and care about each other. They play so well together and understand each other. Not a lot of bickering as of now (Praise the Lord)
  • We are getting creative with indoor games. In the basement we have played putt-putt, gone camping, hosted tea parties, built sky scrapers, created Small World, had picnics and more....cold weather calls for imaginations.
  • They both love preschool and adore their friends. They were so happy to go back after Christmas break. We are so blessed to be a part of the school and have such wonderful teachers. 
  • We finished off the month with a trip to Aurora, IL. Pops, Papa and Yaya all came too. And of course, we went to Pizza Hut with the whole Aurora Basketball crew after game. We love Lance's Aurora family. 


Here is our video that sums up our January:

Hope y'all had a great January! We are ready for the month of love <3

Briggs is four.


Today that baby, that precious boy...is four. That's practically kindergarten. No more toddler. Not even a tiny bit. No baby chunk. Are you crying yet? Because I'm sobbing. 

He has been SO excited for his birthday. About six times a day, he asks me to name everyone's birthday in order. "First it will be Pops' birthday, then Nana, then Yaya, then Jesus, then Lola, then Daddy then.....Briggy!" Which is then followed by the signature giant Briggy grin. 

Briggs thinks like an engineer. He loves organization, math, science and figuring out how things work. But he also has a compassionate side too. He LOVES animals. He has a "Spend, Save, and Give" jar for when he earns coins by helping around the house. When I asked him who he wanted to donate his "Give" coins to, he told me without hesitation that he wanted to give it to the animals so he can save them. All of them. That's our boy. 

nine months.

one year.

two years.

three years.

four.

Our boy, Briggs...

  • loves Bingo. I mean, is obsessed. He will play five boards at once. Thankfully, we have a DVD that will name off the spaces so I don't have to ;-)
  • is crazy about his girls. Kinsie and Kerigan will always have a protector. He's gentle and kind. And patient (most of the time) 
  • he is starting to say meaningful and impromptu prayers. Nothing is sweeter than hearing your baby pray. Nothing. 
  • still loves rhinos and always will. Still loves yellow (and always will)
  • asks a ton of questions about heaven. He is always so curious and craves to learn more about Jesus
  • is such a family man. He loves rattling off facts about his extended family. He knows everyone's favorite colors, where they work, about how old they are, what they love...etc
  • finally likes his dog, Lola. I mean he's always tolerated her. But I catch him giving her kisses out of the corner of my eye.
  • loves to have boy time with daddy. 
  • he loves to sing. He can already carry a tune better than Ryan ;-)
  • is a healthy eater and loves to learn what foods will make him strong.
  • is an avid teeth-brusher & flosser. I once told him that if we don't brush our teeth every day...they turn brown. And that's all it took. 
  • is a sensitive soul.
  • he loves to know the plan for the day when he wakes up, then he narrates his day throughout. 
  • he's always up for an adventure. 
  • he loves Mickey still. He calls him on Kerigan's "phone" quite frequently
  • popcorn. Papa has created a monster out of this kid. #popcornislife
  • he's still shy around new people and even at school but he told me he "wants to work on it" Bless his heart. 
For his birthday tonight, he requested chicken and pizza. So we're taking him to Napolese downtown and then surprising him with a Disney on Ice show!! Eeee! I can't wait to see his face, that handsome, sweet, four-year-old face.

Briggs, you light up our world. Happy Birthday!

A Yellow Rhino Birthday


Yellow and rhinos. That's all he asked for. For his fourth birthday bash, we rented out a Jump and play facility so that he and all his friends could just have fun. And of course, we didn't forget the yellow rhinos :)

The invites made on pic monkey.

Admiring his special cupcakes

Line em up! Look at the sea of yellow. He's so happy.

Let the fun begin!




Happy birthday to you...


Love these sweet friends!


Happy Birthday, Briggy boy. You are so special to us!

Daddy's Birthday


Happy Birthday to our favorite guy! God knew what He was doing when He chose you for us <3
In your thirty-one years you have accomplished so much. But my favorite has been the life you've created with me. You are my soul.

Thank you for being who you are. These kids are crazy about their daddy. (Even the two-year-old is obsessed)


We love you, Daddy! Happy Birthday!