tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36843718033675123042024-03-14T02:44:59.033-07:00Crofts Family BlogRachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01702696409797108959noreply@blogger.comBlogger154125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684371803367512304.post-76131359766849107522011-08-06T20:26:00.000-07:002011-08-06T20:27:02.620-07:00WE HAVE A NEW FAMILY BLOG!!We have created a new family blog- take a peek at <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.croftsfamilyblog.com/">croftsfamilyblog.com</a>. We will be updating it more often...promise. :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2yQwpIwDx_CPu8FYhYror8oDxRViKyqsS9SOhwTfzEIM2tcCrdC58KmoLZe60pt2K7XcxpQ3MzeJPQ4gfbcWVitTpPwCiH2tdigsf-Jl_jjYQxzMb4kVlAL3y1rqGL9SIMoGbIcaKRgo/s1600/photo.PNG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2yQwpIwDx_CPu8FYhYror8oDxRViKyqsS9SOhwTfzEIM2tcCrdC58KmoLZe60pt2K7XcxpQ3MzeJPQ4gfbcWVitTpPwCiH2tdigsf-Jl_jjYQxzMb4kVlAL3y1rqGL9SIMoGbIcaKRgo/s400/photo.PNG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637663636516832594" border="0" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01702696409797108959noreply@blogger.com134tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684371803367512304.post-2782172204287460492011-01-07T13:38:00.001-08:002011-01-07T13:41:33.788-08:00Little Lady Turns Two!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8TjWKwr2knjF1puSevI8A9iqKMI8L3VwpBmhtSmjGtpabHHbMU4HQrzRdyER8WjLJc1SZN6AqQHSxiSJtFja9OMhZwqM-9kS203YBqVR0i-5-Rv2hNLFSHQKQJnp29_1PYE_Y6oEphw/s1600/Photo01071532.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8TjWKwr2knjF1puSevI8A9iqKMI8L3VwpBmhtSmjGtpabHHbMU4HQrzRdyER8WjLJc1SZN6AqQHSxiSJtFja9OMhZwqM-9kS203YBqVR0i-5-Rv2hNLFSHQKQJnp29_1PYE_Y6oEphw/s400/Photo01071532.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559561720518515874" /></a>Lauren here, with her gift from Aunt Rebecca, could not be happier. The Terrible Two's have not hit yet...we are crossing our fingers that they never appear.<div> </div><div>We sure love this little one...she is the happiest and most easy-going 2-year-old we know! Happy Birthday Lauren!</div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01702696409797108959noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684371803367512304.post-24120393963850224072010-12-10T11:25:00.000-08:002010-12-10T11:54:03.390-08:00It's the Most Wonderful {Busiest} Time of the Year!<form id="223" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"></form><br /><div><form id="223" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="11.23.10_Girls_01.jpg" src="http://briancrofts.com/blog/11.23.10_Girls_01.jpg" width="684" height="455" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></form><form id="224" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="11.23.10_Girls_02.jpg" src="http://briancrofts.com/blog/11.23.10_Girls_02.jpg" width="684" height="456" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></form><form id="229" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="11.23.10_Girls_07.jpg" src="http://briancrofts.com/blog/11.23.10_Girls_07.jpg" width="684" height="455" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></form><form id="225" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="11.23.10_Girls_03.jpg" src="http://briancrofts.com/blog/11.23.10_Girls_03.jpg" width="684" height="455" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></form><form id="226" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="11.23.10_Girls_04.jpg" src="http://briancrofts.com/blog/11.23.10_Girls_04.jpg" width="684" height="441" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></form><form id="228" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="11.23.10_Girls_06.jpg" src="http://briancrofts.com/blog/11.23.10_Girls_06.jpg" width="684" height="455" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></form><form id="230" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="11.23.10_Girls_08.jpg" src="http://briancrofts.com/blog/11.23.10_Girls_08.jpg" width="684" height="455" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></form><form id="231" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="11.23.10_Girls_09.jpg" src="http://briancrofts.com/blog/11.23.10_Girls_09.jpg" width="684" height="402" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></form></div>Brian took some pics of the girls a couple of weeks ago- we were having beautiful weather and the leaves had just fallen...it was perfect. If I was really on top of things, these would be my Christmas cards. <div>Life is so busy right now...getting ready for Christmas parties, Christmas shopping, school breaks (someone has to fill those hours that school used to take up, or <i>every</i> hour is drama hour at our house), getting presents shipped off, and remembering why we celebrate this season. If there is one thing that I know and that certainly keeps life in perspective at this crazy time, it is that my Savior lives, He was born in a lowly stable, lived a perfect life, and died so that our lives <i>today</i> may be made better. I'm grateful for that knowledge and for the awesome responsibility I have to be a mother- <i>it is and always will be my greatest accomplishment</i>. </div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b><a href="http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?autoplay=true&index=2&locale=0&sourceId=324bfaf90a495210VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=bd163ca6e9aa3210VgnVCM1000003a94610aRCRD">Click here for a great Christmas message!</a></b></span></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01702696409797108959noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684371803367512304.post-64870203110063822492010-11-23T20:06:00.000-08:002010-11-23T20:39:22.857-08:00Soccer Is Over?No, not really. We are moving the game indoors! Both Kate and Taylor had such fun outdoor seasons...they loved playing and I loved watching. Kate has improved so much- its really exciting to watch her use her moves...she is turning into a great player. Because this was Taylor's first season, her games are more fun-ny to watch...8 little girls running around in a large group. Taylor would get so frustrated if she couldn't hear me cheering for her, so I would have to yell at the top of my lungs whenever she was in...crazy soccer mom. Speaking of soccer mom- our women's indoor team just started back up. Three games every week between us and I'm looking forward to all of it. <br /><form id="209" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><br /></form><img alt="soccer_01.jpg" src="http://briancrofts.com/blog/soccer_01.jpg" width="684" height="455" class="mt-image-none" style="" /><form id="210" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="soccer_02.jpg" src="http://briancrofts.com/blog/soccer_02.jpg" width="684" height="455" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></form> <div><form id="222" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="soccer_14.jpg" src="http://briancrofts.com/blog/soccer_14.jpg" width="684" height="339" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></form></div><form id="213" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="soccer_05.jpg" src="http://briancrofts.com/blog/soccer_05.jpg" width="684" height="439" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></form><form id="214" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="soccer_06.jpg" src="http://briancrofts.com/blog/soccer_06.jpg" width="684" height="455" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></form><form id="215" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="soccer_07.jpg" src="http://briancrofts.com/blog/soccer_07.jpg" width="684" height="455" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></form><form id="216" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="soccer_08.jpg" src="http://briancrofts.com/blog/soccer_08.jpg" width="684" height="455" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></form><form id="217" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="soccer_09.jpg" src="http://briancrofts.com/blog/soccer_09.jpg" width="684" height="455" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></form><form id="218" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="soccer_10.jpg" src="http://briancrofts.com/blog/soccer_10.jpg" width="684" height="384" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></form><form id="219" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="soccer_11.jpg" src="http://briancrofts.com/blog/soccer_11.jpg" width="684" height="455" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></form><form id="220" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="soccer_12.jpg" src="http://briancrofts.com/blog/soccer_12.jpg" width="684" height="455" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></form><form id="221" class="mt-enclosure mt-enclosure-image" style="display: inline;"><img alt="soccer_13.jpg" src="http://briancrofts.com/blog/soccer_13.jpg" width="684" height="443" class="mt-image-none" style="" /></form>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01702696409797108959noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684371803367512304.post-84575854250342995222010-11-01T20:52:00.000-07:002010-11-02T20:04:58.944-07:00Happy Halloween '10<div>Alright, now I have time to write. Brian posted the pictures and now I get to tell you all about them. :) </div><div><br /></div><div>Taylor dressed up 4 different times for different events, Kate and Lauren three. Each time there was a different costume used and all of them came from our very own dress-up box. I don't know if that speaks to how deep our costume box reaches, or how lazy I am. Most of them were/have been used at least three times. Ah, the perks of having three girls.</div><div><br /></div><div>These pictures were taken at Nana and Papa's ward trunk-or-treat. For the record, Kate and Taylor think that the trunk of a car is actually called a trunker because of these "trunker treats"- you get <i>treats</i> from all of the <i>trunkers. </i></div><div><br /></div><div>Lauren was a lamb. Well, dressed as one at least. Obviously, she has the personality of a little lion these days- those terrible two's are looming nearer! Can't wait. Taylor was a soccer-playing unicorn. That was a last-minute "soccer" add when I arrived late after Kate's soccer game and realized that Brian had forgotten to bring shoes (<i>shoes?!) </i>for Taylor so she got to wear Kate's cleats. Kate, after dressing up for the 80's last week at school, decided she loved it so much that she wanted a re-peat. Is it sad that most of her outfit came from her own closet of everyday clothes? Hmmm.</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/halloween_crofts2010_01.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 750px; height: 484px;" src="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/halloween_crofts2010_01.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/halloween_crofts2010_02.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 750px; height: 484px;" src="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/halloween_crofts2010_02.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/halloween_crofts2010_03.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 750px; height: 484px;" src="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/halloween_crofts2010_03.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/halloween_crofts2010_04.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 750px; height: 484px;" src="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/halloween_crofts2010_04.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01702696409797108959noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684371803367512304.post-6718026729804885292010-08-05T13:06:00.000-07:002010-08-05T13:07:02.733-07:00Sea World Trippin'<img src="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/sea_world_03.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/sea_world_02.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/sea_world_04.jpg" /><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">To see more pictures, click here: </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.briancrofts.com/sessions/sanantonio_2010/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">San Antonio</span></a><br /><br />We took a quick trip to San Antonio last week with the Dardanos. We stayed at a really fun resort with a lazy river, slides, and a sandy beach. The kids had SO much fun. On Wednesday, we took our posse over to Sea World for the better half of the day- the weather was a little ominous (sprinkling with a few downpours mixed in) so we weren't too optimistic. But, it turned out to be a perfect day with temps near 75 degrees (in Texas, in July...I know, crazy.) It was my first time going to Sea World as well as the girls' first time. We loved the shows- Shamu and her three whale friends did not disappoint. We were soaking wet after it was all over, despite sitting about 12 rows up. We got to pet the dolphins and see alot of other sea creatures (obviously I don't remember what they were or I would write it out). Very fun.<br /><br />We even stopped at the <a href="http://www.primeoutlets.com/locations/san-marcos.aspx">San Marcos</a> outlets on the way home (AKA the 3rd best shopping place in the world!!) and made out with our three children still in one piece and a new bed from Restoration Hardware. Check, check.<br /><br />Good trips + Good friends = Priceless.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01702696409797108959noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684371803367512304.post-36373536762179868982010-04-14T17:57:00.000-07:002010-04-14T19:42:48.369-07:00Spring is Here ...I know I'm a lame poster lately and we've been so busy and had seriously so much happen in the last couple of months. I wish blogging was easier- no wait, I wish the days didn't pass so quickly so I had time (energy) to record whats been going on. <div><br /></div><div>Anyhow, we've had a fun couple of weeks so I'll just start there. On Easter morning, we took the girls out on a morning Easter egg hunt in their pretty dresses. They loved chasing the eggs around and Daddy loved chasing <i>them</i> around with a camera...</div><div><br /></div><div>Last weekend, we drove to Brenham, Texas for the Bluebonnet Festival. We stayed at a hotel in the teeny little town, which happened to be Kate and Taylor's favorite part- they were up until 10 PM watching Shrek...whats not to love? The bluebonnets were so gorgeous and driving through the country was beautiful. So glad that we took this last-minute trip.</div><div><br /><img src="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/spring_01.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/spring_02.jpg" /><br /><br />To see more pictures, click here: <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://briancrofts.com/blog/2010/04/a-walk-in-the-park.html">briancrofts.com/blog</a><br /><br /><img src="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/spring_06.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/spring_07.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/spring_09.jpg" /><br /><br />To see more pictures, click here: <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.briancrofts.com/blog/">briancrofts.com/blog</a><br /><br /><img src="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/spring_05.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/spring_04.jpg" /><br /><br />To see more pictures, click here: <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" href="http://www.briancrofts.com/sessions/easter/">Sessions | Easter Egg Hunt '10</a><br /><br /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01702696409797108959noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684371803367512304.post-23798709130557690692010-03-23T19:48:00.001-07:002010-03-23T19:58:54.184-07:00You KNOW better, you DO better...<a href="http://www.oprah.com/questionaire/ipledge.html?id=4"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ2uruh-Ozd9T3hB_TV9UClS7U7EHXAYJV3beMbNgdhNShRe_UP49MdPH_R5knHWIjQZkblAcKfUdDORqEjwZlXiv837LzmD7RQ_OQJtNQV-d8D29AXbYd7hQeAxnN1OXQysr_M4Zz9sM/s1600-h/nophone-header-631x86.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 55px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ2uruh-Ozd9T3hB_TV9UClS7U7EHXAYJV3beMbNgdhNShRe_UP49MdPH_R5knHWIjQZkblAcKfUdDORqEjwZlXiv837LzmD7RQ_OQJtNQV-d8D29AXbYd7hQeAxnN1OXQysr_M4Zz9sM/s400/nophone-header-631x86.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452028655436742242" border="0" /></a><br />Bear with me while I step on a soapbox for a minute...I watched Oprah today- it was on using cell phones while driving. This show was a total eye-opener... I <span style="font-style: italic;">cannot</span> help but post this. If you have the time, please watch <a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/Watch-the-Full-Hour-Americas-New-Deadly-Obsession-Video"><span style="font-weight: bold;">THIS</span></a>. Its very well-done and <span style="font-style: italic;">definitely</span> worth your time.<br /><br />Then, take the pledge <span style="font-weight: bold;"><a style="color: rgb(102, 0, 204);" href="http://www.oprah.com/questionaire/ipledge.html?id=4">here</a>.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"></span>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01702696409797108959noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684371803367512304.post-71172727137943770022010-03-03T19:29:00.000-08:002010-03-03T19:37:09.447-08:00Give, Give, Giveaway...<a href="http://peachtreecooking.blogspot.com"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDqNR1JHB_eWERvLOjQdjjozO1qgit08XFnnUuKq0nVum3EX5YQZWmktwo6g3SfyJHTVAZYklZV5aoBbcMo2avOCS16c6SSRDsETksyjfNP9AimtvitE7TfAefYBY49AMz3t8oSHz_RIQ/s1600-h/ptc-logo.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 48px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDqNR1JHB_eWERvLOjQdjjozO1qgit08XFnnUuKq0nVum3EX5YQZWmktwo6g3SfyJHTVAZYklZV5aoBbcMo2avOCS16c6SSRDsETksyjfNP9AimtvitE7TfAefYBY49AMz3t8oSHz_RIQ/s400/ptc-logo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444617272884218146" border="0" /></a></a>If you are interested in the easiest giveaway in the blogosphere...click <span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);font-size:130%;" ><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://peachtreecooking.blogspot.com/">here.</a></span><span style="color: rgb(153, 51, 153);"> </span>The girls in my family- there are 9 of us- started a cooking blog a few months ago where we share what we are cooking for our families, pretty much real-time. So, these recipes are tried-and-true and absolutely delicious. If you're struggling with what to cook for your family, check it out. Easy, peazy stuff. Whats better than that is that right now my sister is giving away a Demarle Silpat- very cool. Go check it out...for both reasons.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01702696409797108959noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684371803367512304.post-66589052621102766472010-02-07T20:03:00.000-08:002010-02-07T20:20:50.873-08:00The 100th Day...<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/kate100.jpg" /></div><br /><br />Isn't that the cutest/ugliest shirt you've ever seen? :) We love our Kate and this past week in school, they celebrated the 100th day of school- it was a holiday of sorts. The students were asked to decorate a t-shirt with 100 items and we (Kate) chose an assortment of craft pieces that we had around the house...add a glue gun to the mix and this is what you get. She got up Wednesday with Christmas-morning-excitement, <span style="font-style:italic;">barely</span> swallowed a few bites of cereal, and was off for the day. <br /><br />She wore the shirt again today, after we got home from church. And, yes, I've explained to her the importance of <span style="font-style:italic;">not getting the shirt dirty</span>- there is no way that thing would make it through the wash intact.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01702696409797108959noreply@blogger.com38tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684371803367512304.post-3325740962022698562010-01-18T16:46:00.000-08:002010-01-18T17:31:12.179-08:00Lauren is One ...<img src="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/Lauren_02.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/Lauren_03.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/Lauren_04.jpg" /><br /><br /><br /><img src="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/Lauren_01.jpg" /><br /><br />Our sweet little lady turned one on January 5th. And, she earned herself about 3 teeth during the week of her birthday. That morning we got Lauren's favorite for breakfast- doughnut holes. Obviously, she devoured them. She might be a petite little one, but she can hang with the best in a doughnut-hole-eating-contest, usually topping off around six. Impressive, I know.<br /><br />That night we had pizza and cake with our family here at home. We tried to get her to dig into the huge piece of cake we put in front of her, but like her sisters at this age, her affinity for frosting hasn't developed quite yet- we'll give it another six months. <br /><br />We sure love our little Lauren...she's started to super-crawl (crawling at a quicker pace than most people are able to walk) and standing up on her own, all the time. She even takes a few steps by herself here and there. But, she falls down when she starts to mimick everyone's congratulatory applause. We'll have to keep working on that. But, for now, I'm content with her staying a baby and quite possibly never growing up...please? This year has gone by <span style="font-style:italic;">way</span> too fast.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01702696409797108959noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684371803367512304.post-56980038180575603232010-01-04T18:55:00.000-08:002010-01-04T18:56:42.998-08:00Christmas 2009!<img src="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/christmas09_02.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/christmas09_03.jpg" /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/christmas09_04.jpg" /></div><img src="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/christmas09_05.jpg" /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://www.briancrofts.com/rachel/christmas09_06.jpg" /></div><br /><br />To see more pictures, click <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.briancrofts.com/sessions/christmas09/">HERE</a>.<br /><br />Where to start...we had such a <span style="font-style: italic;">busy, fun, awesome</span> Christmas here.<br /><br />Brian's sister, Nicole, and her family were in town from California so we all spent almost every night together during the week of Christmas. On Wednesday, Santa paid us a visit at Nana and Papa's and he even brought each of the kids a small gift...pre-Christmas spoiler! :) They all sat on his lap and told the big man what they wanted. It was really cute- the kids were so excited...except for Lauren, who gave her sweet little lungs a nice workout after being placed on Santa's knee. <br /><br />I worked with the girls a little during the week to learn an easy (silly) dance to Feliz Navidad and Jingle Bells, which they wanted to perform for everyone that night so we sort of had an impromptu talent show before the night ended. It was really cute and the girls loved having all of the attention for a minute. Later, Brian and I (but mostly Brian!) spent 5 1/2 hours putting together the Ikea furniture we got for the girls craft room, their gift from Santa (see last picture). <br /><br />On Christmas Eve we woke up to snow! It was so exciting because that just doesn't happen here. It was magical- a real "white Christmas". That night, the cousins re-enacted the Nativity story and sang some Christmas songs and then each of them received a pair of new pajamas for Christmas. We came back to our home later and the girls decorated sugar cookies for Santa, watched a Christmas movie, and ate popcorn and cookies. They stayed up way too late! Brian and I then wrapped their gifts and set everything up for the next morning. The kids woke up around 7:30 AM and were so excited to see if Santa had come. We took them upstairs first after leaving a note downstairs explaining that their gift was too big to fit under the tree (from Santa, of course!). They didn't really get it at first...Kate saw the craft room and said "Oh, my gosh its a new...kitchen?". So funny. Afterwards, they were so excited to open their presents...every gift they opened, they would say, "Its just what I wanted". Halfway through the gifts, they got all decked out in their snow gear and went outside to play in the snow. The all-time favorite gift might be their LeapFrog train (which was given to <span style="font-style: italic;">Lauren</span>, mind you) which they spend no less than 6 of their waking hours on during the day. Lauren kept getting into the kids paint and biting/chewing/licking it- hence the green paint all over her face in the picture. Brian and I laughed so hard when we saw her covered in paint because she was acting all nonchalant and had no idea that she had been goobed. We ate dinner as a big family that night at the Crofts. <br /><br />What a perfect Christmas...why can't it just last longer?? :)Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01702696409797108959noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684371803367512304.post-48557297168414852002009-12-16T18:36:00.000-08:002009-12-16T19:34:46.732-08:00Happy Holidays From the Crofts<img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/001.jpg"><br />We wanted to get Christmas cards out this year. But, it looks like its not going to happen...we'll try again next year :) For now, here's what we pic'd out...We hope you all have a very Merry Christmas! Love, The CroftsRachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01702696409797108959noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684371803367512304.post-55438240242608417222009-12-16T13:00:00.000-08:002009-12-16T14:06:27.870-08:00Thanksgiving '09We spent Thanksgiving at my parent's house in Atlanta this year. And, yes, we did drive. (I know, <a href="http://boondoggleblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/cabin-hopping-2009.html">I must be crazy</a>). But, it was worth it. We left <span style="font-style:italic;">early</span> Saturday morning and drove the 17 hours to Florida to stay at my parent's beach house near St. Augustine. We got there around 12 AM, which obviously means we spent the entire day in the car. We just relaxed on Sunday and mentally prepared ourselves for the trip we had planned to Disney World on Monday. <br /><br />Disney World (see last picture) was SOOOO much fun. Kate and Taylor were in heaven the entire day. The park was ridiculously packed, but we still managed to ride a ton of rides and see all of the parades. Brian even took the girls on Splash Mountain after someone handed him their three fast passes, which helped avoid an 80-minute wait time. You might hear a different story from Kate and Taylor now (they claim it was their "favorite ride"), but they were so terrified. We even squeezed in a princess dinner at 1900 Park Fare where we dined with Cinderella, Prince Charming, the wicked stepmother and her two wicked step daughters. You can't go to Disney World without seeing the fireworks show at the end of the night, so we stuck it out until 10 PM to watch that...again, totally worth it. You could not fake their level of excitement. It might have been my favorite part of the day as well- totally magical. <br /><br />On Wednesday morning, we drove seven hours to south Atlanta, where my parents live. We played some serious volleyball on Thursday morning and then had a delicious Thanksgiving dinner later that day. Most of these pictures are from Friday morning, when my Dad organized a surprisingly willing group of volunteers into raking part of his 52-acre spread. Because I have already gone above and beyond my quota of hours worked on Hickory Hill, I went on a run instead. My family always has a good time together and this was no exception, so I'm glad we were able to be there for the festivities. <br /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/01-5.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/02-4.jpg" /><br /><br />To see more pictures from Atlanta, click <a href="http://www.briancrofts.com/sessions/thanksgiving/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">HERE</span></a>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/45062397.jpg" /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01702696409797108959noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684371803367512304.post-28902077257828856462009-11-10T21:52:00.000-08:002009-11-12T08:05:23.433-08:00Lauren ... Growing up too fast!<img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/01-3.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/04-750.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/03-750.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/02-750.jpg" /><br /><br />Lauren is 10 months old! It really does seem like just yesterday that she was born...I cannot believe how much faster time flies with each additional child. We could not enjoy Lauren anymore though...she is the happiest, most content child- always ready with a smile and a cuddle. Sometimes I wish I could just take a little nibble out of her cute cheeks- they're so irresistable to me.<br /><br />While I am definitely Lauren's favorite person (I better be! :)), Taylor is her best friend and her #1 mode of transportation. At any given moment of Lauren's awake time, you will find her being carried to and fro around our house by none other than Taylor. Lauren will even attempt to pronounce her name, although it only goes as far as "Tay", but we're counting it anyway. They both get equally excited to see each other after naps- jumping up and down and screaming. So cute.<br /><br />P.S.- We just loaded the last of our Spain pictures/stories <a href="http://boondoggleblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/our-trip-to-spain.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">HERE</span></a> so if you're not sick of hearing about it yet, check out our day in Toledo and Cordoba/Madrid.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01702696409797108959noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684371803367512304.post-72757795020836040752009-11-08T20:47:00.000-08:002009-11-12T07:58:33.673-08:00Our Trip to SpainWe are finally getting caught up on our blog! I wanted to start by writing a little bit about our recent trip to Spain. Keep checking back as we'll be adding more pictures (we still haven't put up any from our day in Madrid) and more posts about what we've been up to since we got home. These pictures are just a taste of what Brian was able to get, so if you want to see more, please visit <a href="http://www.briancrofts.com/sessions/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">this</span></a> link. (Disclaimer: I did not <span style="font-style: italic;">choose</span> to be front and center on some of these pictures and as you can see, I am more than happy to put on a cute smile at the beginning of our trip, but as the days progress, you'll notice less smiles and more crusties, and therefore less pictures of me!)<br /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/21.jpg" /><br />Day One: Toledo. After flying a 9.5 hour <span style="font-style: italic;">red-eye</span> flight, we arrived in Madrid, rented a car, and drove straight to Toledo, about 2 hours away. This was a great first impression of Spain. It was literally a city set on a hill, if you will. We drove up to Toledo and walked from the bottom of the hill to the top, exploring as we went. It was so cool to see all of the outdoor cafes, city courtyards, shops, and beautiful buildings. This was a huge city once you got inside- and like most Spanish cities we saw, a very easy place to get lost. If you look closely at the first picture, this is taken from the bottom of the hill and its looking up at the main government building in Toledo...it looks so far away, right? I thought so too. But, you could walk there in what seemed like minutes. We loved it here, almost as much as the Alhambra. Such a gorgeous and amazing city.<br /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/01.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/02.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/03.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/04.jpg" /><br />Day Two- Granada. Definitely my favorite part of the entire trip. Here's how the day started...we drove in late the night before to Granada and stayed at the Hotel Saray in the business district. We got up early in the morning, went to church, and then set out to find the Alhambra. We walked right up and bought tickets for a tour that started two hours later. Later we learned that people wait months to get tickets so we felt really lucky to have been able to get in that day. The Alhambra and Generalife gardens made the long flight and endless driving all over Spain entirely worth it. You cannot grasp how beautiful (and massive) this place is with words, or even pictures for that matter. Even spending the entire day walking the grounds, you can barely take it all in. The landscaping, history, buildings, and sights were nothing short of breathtaking. I literally could have stared at the view (from St. Nicolas) all day long. Amazing. Some of the pictures are looking down from the Alhambra into the old city Granada, which is so charming and beautiful. After leaving, we drove to the St. Nicolas viewpoint in the Albayzin to watch the sunset over the Alhambra. Gorgeous. While the Albayzin is considered a more dangerous part of the city, I found it totally gorgeous and very quaint.<br /><br />If you ever have the opportunity to visit Spain, do not miss this.<br /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/05.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/06.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/07.jpg" /><br />Day Three- Ronda, the White Hill Town. We drove from Granada to Marbella, where our hotel for the week was located. The next morning we decided that we would drive two and a half hours through the mountains to Ronda. Most Spanish cities are made up of very old whitewashed homes so as you approach a mountain city, it's white homes are a beautiful contrast to the lush green mountains surrounding them (hence, White Hill Towns). Ronda was incredible- the New Bridge separates old Ronda from new Ronda. Homes, shops, and restaurants are perched along the cliff that separates these two parts of the city, now connected by the famous bridge. Brian and I walked the long hike down the cliff to get a great view and pictures of the bridge. We walked all over the city, ate gelato at an outdoor cafe overlooking the cobblestone city streets, saw the oldest bullring in Spain, and ate lunch at another outdoor cafe in the city center. We loved this charming city- everything about it was what you imagine about Spain...beautiful white homes with fancy wooden doors and beautiful inner courtyards, outdoor cafes, Spanish shops, a rich history, and old city charm. Ronda was time well-spent.<br /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/08.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/09.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/10.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/11.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/12.jpg" /><br />Day Four: Gibraltar. Not only is Gibraltar a rock, but its also a city on the Spanish coast that belongs to Britain. After spending three days in Spain, it was interesting to drive into Gibraltar and literally feel like you were in England- the architecture, streets, language, money, people, and even the weather were all very British. It was such a downer that the weather was overcast because you need to go to the top of the rock when you can see all around you. You cannot imagine how huge this rock is- its bigger than any picture can make it appear. We walked through the public gardens at the bottom of the rock and through the city, where we ate a traditional, and quite unpleasant, English lunch while we were waiting and hoping for the weather to clear up. No such luck. So, we decided to just ride the lift up anyway and check this site off our list. It was worth it. You could literally feel high how up you were- and it almost made it more creepy that you didn't know where the edge was and how far down you were looking. The Rock is as famous for its monkeys as it is for its height. The monkeys are believed to have been transported over from Morocco, a short ferry ride from Gibraltar. While they may appear docile at first, if they spy any food or even a plastic bag, they will jump on you and get it. We saw many tourists with monkeys on their backs. Brian even had a small plastic bag all crumpled up into a teeny pocket on his bag and a monkey saw it and grabbed it right out from under him. Crazy. After seeing the Rock, we drove over to the beach and I sat on the sand while Brian took more pictures.<br /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/13.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/14.png" /><br />Day Five: Malaga and Antequera. While Malaga may not be on most must-see lists, it was one of my favorite cities that we walked through. Every building was a different color- and I'm not talking shades of brown. Blue, Yellow, Red, Orange- every color of the rainbow. We walked through Malaga's Alcazaba and then past the city's cathedral and into the city square right off of the church. Sitting at an outdoor cafe and taking this in was my favorite part of the day- we were surrounded by buildings on every side- all of them were so old and colorful and amazing. Walking through the cities in Spain is unlike anything else I've ever done.<br /><br />We then drove to the town of Antequera. What is interesting about Spain is not only does every city seem like its been there forever, but every little city is like a big city. No one commutes- you live where you work. Antequera was the perfect example of this. It appeared to be a small town on the map, but once you got inside, it was a big and sprawling city. We had our first experience with tapas here. First off, I have to say that the food in Spain was a major disappointment, in my opinion. Everything seemed to be preserved in vinegar, it was hard to find fresh fruits and vegetables at the restaurants, and the flavors and spices were not making my palate happy. Our tapas that day was the prime example. You see pig legs hanging from almost every grocery store and restaurant in Spain- skin, hair and hoof still attached. So, when you eat tapas, you eat ham and that ham comes straight from those vinegar-preserved pig legs. The smell and the taste were far less than satisfying. To make matters worse, Brian and I were walking <span style="font-style: italic;">all day long</span> most days so when we would sit down to eat, we were starving. What a letdown! We stuck to the Italian restaurants as much as possible.<br /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/15.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/16.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/17.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/18.jpg" /><br />Day Six: Sevilla. Sevilla has a romantic history as the capitol and center of Spanish history, but as the Guadalquivir river dried up, so did the city's usefulness. Much of its size and history remain, but its lost its rich reputation. We did not hear great things about Sevilla up to this point of our trip. Most Spanish cities are immaculate- well-kept and extremely clean. Sevilla was the exception. Despite what we heard, both Brian and I really enjoyed our time here. There is so much to do in Sevilla. We toured the cathedral, the largest in Spain, and the Alcazar, the Moorish palace that still stands next to the famous church. We also saw the gorgeous Plaza de Espana and tried in vain to find the Flamenco Museum, which was so buried in the middle of a maze-like residential district that even locals didn't know where it was. But, I was glad we got lost here because we were able to get a really great taste of real life in Sevilla and the huge cultural role that flamenco plays. We walked by dress shops that had the most ornate and gorgeous flamenco dresses I've ever seen. As the sun set, we walked to Sevilla's bull ring for a tour. It was very interesting to see the inside of the ring and to learn a little more about the sport. I would have loved to have seen an actual bullfight, but they are only on Sundays this time of year, which we learned too late. We walked all over the city of Sevilla, until our feet hurt, probably logging at least 10 miles on our poor little hooves. Time for a day of rest!<br /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/19.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/20.jpg" /><br />Day Seven: Hotel R&R and Peurto Banus in Marbella. We spent most of the day getting some much-needed R&R at our hotel and then went out at night to see the famous port here in Marbella. This port is in no tourist book and so most don't even know it exists. After walking along the port and eating dinner overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, I must say that if you don't experience Banus, you are missing out! This is a stop for the filthy rich, and it shows. Every major designer that you've ever heard of had a store right here on the port. These stores were flanked by countless gourmet restaurants and gelato shops. These establishments must serve the owners of the incredible multi-million dollar yachts that were lucky enough to get a parking spot here. Wow- we saw some crazy boatage, and a little dingy too (as pictured). We ate at a delicious Italian restaurant that was literally sitting on the sea. We watched the sunset over the Mediterranean while we drank our $10 Diet Coke and ate our favorite meal of the trip. Perfect.<br /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/24.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/23.jpg" /><br />Our rental car, a little Fiat, broke down on the way home from Sevilla. We traded it out in Marbella for this...Yes, thats a BMW. Upgrade!<br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/22.jpg" /><br />Proof that Brian did actually come on the trip with me...don't you love the guy in the background...wonder what he's thinking?<br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/25.jpg" /><br /><br />Day 8-9: Cordoba & Madrid. On our way back to Madrid, we stopped in the city of Cordoba, famous for the Mezquita. We only spent a couple of hours here, but we were able to see this amazing mosque/cathedral. The architecture was incredibly interesting inside, given that it started out as one of the biggest Islamic mosques of its time (circa 8th century) and is now sporting a huge Catholic cathedral literally in the middle of the mosque. The Catholics decided that the mosque was too beautiful to destroy, so they just built right in the middle of it. The top pictures are of the cathedral, obviously. We also stopped on the outside of the Alcazaba (Moorish palace) here and I thought it was so authentic...because of the red sand and palm trees all around it, as you looked at it, you could almost imagine the African Islams still living and walking around there. <br /><br />After Cordoba, we drove the remaining 4 hours to Madrid and checked into the Hotel Intur Palacio San Martin right in old Madrid. We quickly got out to explore the beautiful city. We walked through the incredible and old Plaza Mayor, a local fish/farmer's market (more pig legs!), through the city streets, and eventually over to the Prado to see some of the most famous paintings ever completed. Since neither Brian nor I are huge museum people, we quickly went through this. Then, we walked across the street to Parque del Retiro- this was amazing. Because it was a Sunday, everyone in the city was out. There was a lake with rowers, street performers, vendors, and tons of families out. We spent a good hour here, waiting for the sun to set. After leaving, we went back to the Plaza Mayor to eat our last Spanish dinner. The next morning we flew home! <br /><br />I loved Spain, but I really missed my kids and could barely stand the 11 hour flight (plus two additional hours on the tarmac) to get home to see them. It was all I could do not to run to them after we landed in Dallas. <br /><br />I only had three casualties on the whole trip- my Sonicare toothbrush, my CHI, and my bangs (they were fried crispy on day one from my CHI). And, yes, I did have a converter. Word to the wise: Do not bring anything electrical on a European trip that you're not willing to lose.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01702696409797108959noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684371803367512304.post-9632407761011023512009-11-09T21:00:00.000-08:002009-11-10T06:43:27.548-08:00Halloween '09<img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/02-2.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/03-2.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/04-2.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/05-2.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/06-2.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/07-2.jpg" /><br />Kate and Taylor were both Madeline this year for Halloween. They've loved watching those movies and reading the books. They even knew some of the Madeline vernacular like saying "Poo poo" when you're not scared of something...and trust me, they use that one whenever possible. <br /><br />Taylor had a costume parade at her preschool on Wednesday, we had our ward trunk-or-treat on Friday, and then we went to Nana & Papa's ward trunk-or-treat on Saturday night after which we met up with some good friends and went trick or treating in our neighborhood. The girls got a TON of candy and I might have even heard Brian giving them tips on how to get as much loot as possible (ie- if someone leaves a bowl of candy on their doorstep there are no rules as to how much you can take). <br /><br />I froze all of the chocolate as suggested by my sister, <a href="http://christianandrebecca.blogspot.com">Rebecca</a>. So, we made candy-covered chocolate cookies this past weekend with that and then in a momentary feat of self-control, I threw the remaining candy away. I know, I know...I'm crazy. Or that's what I've been thinking every day around 4 pm since.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01702696409797108959noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684371803367512304.post-8679730511342683332009-11-09T19:03:00.000-08:002009-11-09T19:21:45.823-08:00At the Pumpkin PatchA few days before Halloween, we took the family to the Big Orange Pumpkin Farm. The weather was great and the girls had so much fun. They rode the barrel ride, fed the goats, <span style="font-style:italic;">watched</span> Mom feed the cows, rode the hayride, and picked out their very own pumpkin from the patch. The hayride was especially eventful due to the tractor getting stuck in the knee-deep mud. I love FALL! <br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/01-1.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/02-1.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/03-1.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/04-1.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/05-1.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/06-1.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/07-1.jpg" />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01702696409797108959noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684371803367512304.post-68368929336609003542009-09-28T17:22:00.001-07:002009-09-28T17:57:17.524-07:00Daily updates from Spain :)Brian will be doing daily posts (now that we have the internet) about our days in Spain. You can find his blog <a style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;" href="http://www.briancrofts.com/blog/">here</a>.<br /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/rachel-blog.jpg" />Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01702696409797108959noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684371803367512304.post-32759717760402269302009-09-25T07:36:00.000-07:002009-09-25T07:44:25.349-07:00One Word...Espana!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNG7ZiBAbINeqf-Uohn4yfOzdenvMhJwQg5JtSrSbHj9OTXG-hnYcYoutXfxotMlKMtUuEIjcuo6MYJOtvf3f8EdByamBUJ-9_uyc-qiXsJWIhfPXcrsEqugIcavJ6IcYITP-vz91lJSo/s1600-h/Spain02.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 292px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNG7ZiBAbINeqf-Uohn4yfOzdenvMhJwQg5JtSrSbHj9OTXG-hnYcYoutXfxotMlKMtUuEIjcuo6MYJOtvf3f8EdByamBUJ-9_uyc-qiXsJWIhfPXcrsEqugIcavJ6IcYITP-vz91lJSo/s400/Spain02.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385415313208518914" /></a><br /><br />Brian and I leave later today for a 9 day trip to Spain! We fly into Madrid, drive and stay our first night in Granada, and then stay 7 days in Marbella. <br /><br />Don't worry, I won't be spending any time on a <a href="http://boondoggleblog.blogspot.com/2008_09_01_archive.html"><span style="font-weight:bold;">scooter</span></a>...Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01702696409797108959noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684371803367512304.post-6298171784020453722009-09-18T19:15:00.000-07:002009-09-18T20:35:03.219-07:00Happy B-Day Taylor!<img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/taylor-b-day_002.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/taylor-b-day_003.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/taylor-b-day_001.jpg" /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/taylor-b-day_004.jpg" /><br /> <br /><br />We celebrated Taylor's birthday today! Both Kate and Taylor <span style="font-style: italic;">love</span> doing crafts so Taylor and I decided on a "Crafts and Cupcakes" theme. When her party guests arrived, they painted and decorated their own bird house, then they each got messy while they slathered (or just ate) frosting on their own cupcakes. Pizza was served for lunch, followed by a cupcake "cake" and ice cream!<br /><br />Taylor lives for birthday parties and she has been counting down the days until she turns four for quite some time now. In fact, she jumped out of bed at 6:45 AM this morning and said, "Is it morning yet?" when Brian went to wake Kate up for school...perky. Then, at 7:38 AM she says, "Mom, how much longer until my birthday party starts?" and I told her it was still 3 1/2 hours away. She waited about 3 seconds and then said, "Has it been 3 1/2 hours yet?" No, not yet.<br /><br />Here are some pictures from our little shin-dig. We Love You Taylor-PO! Happy FOUR!<br /><br />Wanna see last year's party? Go from this to<span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);font-size:130%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><a style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 0, 0); font-family: verdana;" href="http://boondoggleblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/blog-post_21.html">this</a></span>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01702696409797108959noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684371803367512304.post-15581324801963990062009-08-30T19:08:00.000-07:002009-08-30T20:53:06.213-07:00Lake House Fun ...<img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/LakeHouse_003-750.jpg" /><br />Thanks to Mauricio for driving us around the Lake all day ...<br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/LakeHouse_002-750.jpg"><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/LakeHouse_001-750.jpg"><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/LakeHouse_004-750.jpg"><br />Two hot mamas, two sweet babies, and three cute booties...<br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/LakeHouse_006-750.jpg"><br /><br />We had such a good time last weekend at Lake Cypress Springs with the <a href="http://dardanodosage.blogspot.com">Dardanos</a> and <a href="http://ammonandbeckysullivan.blogspot.com/">Sullivans</a>. We went boating right when we got there, stayed up late playing games and talking, and then got up early the next morning and went boating and swimming all day! We always have a ton of fun when we get together and this was no exception. <br /><br />Kate and Taylor <span style="font-style:italic;">loved</span> spending all day on the boat and in the water- I think it was a first for them. Kate went tubing with Brian, and mom and dad both wake-boarded (and we might have walked like our great-grandparents the next two days because of it :) ). Such a good time. Brian and Kate also swam the distance of the lake between the lake house and the opposite shore...come to think of it, I don't think Kate stopped the entire day and a half- she was like a kid in a candy store the whole weekend. <br /><br />Thanks to the Dardanos for the invite and we can't wait to do it again...please?Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01702696409797108959noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684371803367512304.post-71558290830369497342009-08-24T18:54:00.000-07:002009-08-24T19:44:41.702-07:00Kindergarten Kate ...<div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/Kate_kindergarden.jpg" /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Where do I even begin? I have been asking myself all day long where the time has gone and how in the world I ended up with a child in kindergarten already. It seems like yesterday we were at the hospital with Kate, begging time to pass because of her crazy medical situation. Now, we cannot understand how it passed so quickly. It didn't hit me until I got home a couple of hours later and I realized how different your life becomes once you send a child to school. I know it sounds dramatic, but its so true.<br /><br />Kate was so excited to get up this morning- even though it was 1 1/2 hours earlier than normal. Brian woke her up and I made some pancakes to get her going. Then, she picked out what she wanted to wear, helped me pack up her bags, and we all loaded into the car to drop her off. I took her inside and to her classroom. I could tell that it hit her then and she looked at me and said, "Mom, I'm really going to miss you today". Melt my heart, please.<br /><br />I really could <span style="font-style: italic;">not </span>wait until she got home so Taylor and I sat and waited by the window for her bus to come and it ended up being about 15 minutes late. When the bus finally arrived, she ran off and over to me, yelled my name, and gave me a hug. So cute.<br /><br />I tried to grill her about everything she did but all I could get was that her favorite part of the day was sitting by Andrew on the bus. The worst part? Waiting too long for her teacher to pick them up after P.E...<br /><br />Taylor and I made some "kindergarten cupcakes" for Kate and we ate those after dinner and then Brian gave each of the girls a father's blessing for the new school year. I'm looking forward to tomorrow...maybe I'll get a few more details!!<br /></div></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01702696409797108959noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684371803367512304.post-59508764013392964582009-08-21T21:51:00.000-07:002009-08-22T08:02:53.978-07:00Sweet Lauren Mae ...<img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/Lauren_001-1.png"><br /><br />Brian's parents had Kate and Taylor over for a spend-the-night tonight. So, we were home with little Lauren- who has become the most wiggly child <span style="font-style:italic;">ever</span>. We took her out to dinner with us and she didn't stop moving for one second...she does not. sit. still. These pictures were taken after I fed her her last feeding- around 11 pm. She doesn't need this feeding anymore, but sometimes I just love waking her up because she's half asleep, eats great, and is so sweet and cuddly. She usually will fall asleep in my arms afterwards and there is nothing I enjoy more than holding a sleeping baby.<br /><br />We had a very busy week this week. Kate is getting ready to start Kindergarten on Monday so we went school shopping. I took all three kids to the mall (brave, I know) and tried to find some non-wintery things...hello, its still 100 degrees every day in Texas. I would find something that was cute, hold it up, and ask Kate if she liked it and would wear it. Of course, she said she liked everything and would wear it all. My kids play favorites with their clothes- usually asking to wear the same 3 outfits over and over. <br /><br />We had a Meet-the-Teacher night on Thursday and Kate was so excited to meet her new Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Coffey. In fact, she went right up to her and said, "Hi, my name is Kate Crofts, its nice to meet you". Fearless. She is so ready and <span style="font-style:italic;">beyond thrilled</span> to start school. I might be more excited than she is...she's going to do great.<br /><br />Taylor is starting preschool one week after Kate starts. She claims to be excited, but I'm not buying it. She is a momma's girl through-and-through and I know she's going to have a hard time in the beginning. She's become quite the mischevious one lately...I'm not quite sure how to handle that yet. <br /><br />So, it will be just Lauren and I at home after school starts- at least two days a week. Wow, how nice will that be?Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01702696409797108959noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3684371803367512304.post-85190871155630214842009-08-16T16:45:00.000-07:002009-08-16T16:47:54.602-07:00to africa & back in 24 hours ...The girls and I, with my dad, got in the motor home Friday evening and headed south of Ft. Worth (not quite Africa) to a wildlife preserve known as <a href="http://www.fossilrim.com/">Fossil Rim</a>. It ended up being a very cool place–although the main attraction (giraffes) just sniffed–no pictures eating from our hands. The Rim is recommended.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br />--Brian</span><br /><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/fossil-rim_004.jpg"><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/fossil-rim_006.jpg"><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/fossil-rim_005.jpg"><br /><img src="http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg112/brian_crofts/fossil-rim_003.jpg">Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01702696409797108959noreply@blogger.com4