Portraits are back....

The portraits are back... I am more pleased than I thought I would be, head swaps and all. Thats good because there is no way I could do it again, atleast not till next year! Some scanned better than others, sorry!

Sydney, Lindsey, Hailey & Jacob (head swaps and all)

Jacob

Lindsey

Hailey (she was impossible!)

Sydney (anyone who knows Sydney knows why this angelic expression is priceless!)

We were not able to get pics of the girls posing, but I told her to take these action shots while they playing "ring around the rosie". I think I love them more than the posed one, because it captures something real, something they do all the time. They do have a special relationship!

Jam Face

Rushing out the door for church this is how I found Sydney, then I saw the Jam she was eating! I was so mad, in her dry clean only dress! Then I looked at her smile and just began laughing, she looked so funny!

Fireman

Yesterday afternoon Jacob asked me, "Mom can I use the broom for my firehose"? Isn't he a cutie? He is the most kind hearted, mellow, happy child, what a blessing to have him around! He is constantly watching after the babies and they adore him, and he is my snuggler. Yesterday he had a friend over for a playdate after preschool. When I picked him up he immediately wanted to know if I would serve his friend his lunch first, before him because his friend was the leader in preschool and was suppossed to get his snack first, somehow that didn't happen and Jacob felt bad for him. His friend piped in that he would need it first too, but how many four year olds do you know who are like that? Jacob is often doing nice things for others, making sure the twins play fair with one another, and worries if they are crying. I am one lucky mom!

First week of December, almost over...

This week has been so much better. Everyone has been recovering and doing well. It's still been busy but without all those deadlines I am content being a little behind. Still have more decorating, some shopping, cards, calendars, scrapbooking to do... but it will somehow get done.

Here are a few pics from the holiday party we ran out from when Sydney got sick (pics courtesy of Grandpa). This party is given by some close friends parents that Alan grew up with. They have all his highschool friends (who have all stayed in touch) and their children- santa comes for a visit, hands out presents. It's a real treat! When the tradition began a few years ago there were a few older kids, and tons of newborn babies! Two sets of newborn twins and many other single ones. Well all those kids were two this year and there were tons of little ones running around, too fun! In total there were three sets of twins! The kids outnumbered the adults a lot. The Taylor's who host the party were close to Alan growing up, and have been so good to us. They offered their condo downtown near the hospital when the twins were born so early. For a month they allowed me to stay there and come back and forth so could be close the babies and recover, it was amazing! I honestly have no idea how I would have gotten through our NICU stay without them!

Sydney (top) Hailey (bottom) before we left..

The twins with all the toys

Jacob with Santa

Lindsey with Santa

Brian, Alan and Craig

Jacob and his cousin (with all the others)

Snow Day

It's been quite a week! I guess I am grateful for it to be over. We had portraits, two holiday parties, ski/snowboarding lessons and a lot of other crazy junk. I am exhausted. Last night at our last holiday party one of the twins threw up, and then went on to scream hysterically (we left immediately). Luckily Grandma and Grandpa could stay with the older two who were waiting to see the special guest, Santa. Anyway Sydney screamed non stop the whole way home, and it was a long drive. We were started to really worry. When we got home she settled down and seemed to recover, but she was still sick. Then, this morning my Alan woke up sick and throwing up (again). I have a sore shoulder so its been hard managing the twins alone, and two older kids who can't seem to stop fighting! What a weekend! These week has to get better. I did get two Christmas things up, finally but I am no where close to being done with decorating!

Anyway here are few pics from the ski/snowboarding lessons. Lindsey had lessons last year and just skied with Alan, but these were Jacob's first times on a snowboard. He loved it although did tell me he was disapointed there were no jumps, LOL!

Jacob's first snowboard lessons(age 4)

Sweet nothings...

Today while the girls were suppossed to be napping I walked by the door to grab a towel (I shower whenever I can) and I heard them chattering. What I heard was so sweet I had to share, I can't be sure who said what since they both call each other Hailey right now (thats another post... but they do know how to respond to their own name). Anyway here is what thier conversation sounded like:
"Lailey I Wuve you"
"Bye see ya I wuve you"!
Then I heard kisses be blown (music of their musical toys in the background).
I ran down and fired up the video cam to record the monitor but I heard nothing else. Maybe next time.

Getting Portraits- a representation of my life

Any of you Mom's who have portraits taken know how dreaded this is... so here goes I am sure some of you can relate!

Yesterday was the dreaded day I had portraits scheduled. I woke the kids up from naps and got all four of them dressed and pretty. We were actually leaving the house on time.. whoa. Opps back up both babies were magically stinky, back inside to change (not easy in all thier fancy clothing), now we are running late! Never fails. We arrive and she tells me we are lucky because the people after us cancelled. Sounds fine because I have done this before and even though it was a year ago I know things won't be easy. The photographer is thrilled when she sees the twins and tells me how much fun it will be. I warn her, she grins and says it will be fine. She pulls down a background I don't like, I tell her I don't like that one and she explains, "just humor me we will use the other on all the rest" I was like... you don't understand you might only get one photo! She loves the girls dress coats and tells me we will take some with them on and off and I again think to myself no way we will be lucky to get just one. Fast forward ... twins won't sit down at all for a photo, won't smile, and keep running to me. She wants to move on its been 45 minutes and there isn't more time. She's really sorry. The only pics she got are with the background I hate! Anyway, the older kids are fighting and my mom is trying to calm them down. Lindsey locks Jacob in the bathroom with the light off and tells him he is going to another planet, one disaster after another.... result a few decent pictures and a exhausted family. We had to pay extra to swap heads out and other digital miracles. So hopefully I will like the end result, for all that trouble I sure hope so! Maybe next year Sydney and Hailey will be easier for the pictures (they are great for me at home), I have to have hope!

You have to love the Christmas season. I know its a magical time of year... but so far this week is full of stress and busy stuff. We have several holiday parties, preparation has overtaken my days. On a good note my house is sparkling clean and that alone makes me feel like a happy person!

Happy first day of December. If you get a family photo cherish it, sweat, blood, and tears went into them!

Visiting Santa

I can't believe I posted I was grateful that the girls couldn't climb out of their cribs... because yesterday Sydney fell out. She was obviously trying to climb out and fell. Hailey was screaming "fall, fall, fall " and was quite upset. She really hurt herself so I hope she doesn't try it again soon. So far so good.

We took the kids to see Santa on Saturday I knew the twins would likely be very afraid of him but I never dreamed it would be this bad. The girls were almost impossible to hold and were doing everything in their power to run away. So once they got the picture (crying and all) we took them as far away as possible. It wasn't till we got near the car that Lindsey and Jacob told us crying that they didn't even get to tell Santa what they wanted! Oh dear, I can't believe we forgot that! I guess we will have to take them back, without the twins. I don't think they could take seeing him again. Anyway here are the few digital shots we got. You can see how upset the girls were.

The girls in the comfort of home, happy!

It suppossed to snow today, I have seen some flurries, its pretty when you have no where to go.

Everyday things I am grateful for.....

Today and almost everyday here are a few things I am grateful for....

- the Internet
-TIVO (yes I am addicted)
-A clean house (which its not right now)
-pictures (I love taking them and looking at them)
-online shopping (no big crowds)
-A new car
-Good friends (I hope you know who you are)
-Four beautiful children
-Sales and coupons (I know how to find them too)
-Mac Makeup (love my sisters discount)
-Sisters and Mom's
-Hardworking husband, great father!
-Naptime
-Costco (love that place)
-digital cameras
-Grandparents (we have amazing grandparents)
-The christmas season
-excitement in my children (wish I could bottle that).
-Paper plates and Cups
-Lysol wipes (use them everyday)
-Gymboree and Ebay
-Miracles (the big and the small ones)
-Motrin/ Advil
-Healthy kids (atleast right now)
-Nice people
-strollers and carts with buckles (seriously very important)
-girls night out
-date nights
-getting my hair done
-packages in the mail (love that)
-cell phones
-light up shoes (they make my kids VERY happy)
-twins who cannot get out of their cribs yet....
-A new car (had to say that one twice because I am really grateful today)

I could go on and on and on... these are just a few of the everyday things I am grateful for... Yesterday I asked Jacob what he was grateful for and he said, "Jesus and Heavenly Father, because they give us everything else" So in the words of a child I think he summed it up best. I owe everything to them, they did give us everything!

I will post pics later, got some cute ones yesterday. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with a yummy dinner. Thankfully I was recovered enough from the stomach bug (yes it got me too) to enjoy it! I did venture out at 6am to get a down comforter at Macys, who knew everyone else had the same idea (you all did didn't you)? I did get the last comforter, lucky me! Now I am too tired to do anything else today. Atleast I have a warm blankie to sleep with.

Tuesday

Let's see... we got a new car, what a relief. We are very happy with that and its much nicer than what we had.

All the kids have had some stomach bug the last few days, its not violent but not good either. Hopefully everyone will be well for Thanksgiving. I will post some Thanksgiving pictures later and what we are thankful for this year.

The Kids are all getting quite excited for Christmas, no snow outside right now.

San Francisco Pictures

San Francisco

Jacob and Alan

Hailey (L) Sydney(R)

Lindsey

Things have been busy this week at the Reese home. My car has been in the shop since Tuesday night, and we will probably buy a new one. Not the best news around the holidays. Other than that everyone is healthy, happy and well. It's pretty tough never getting out of the house these days so hopefully we get a car soon. But most important everyone is healthy!

Vacation post

Hailey was terrified of the sand, after an hour, she finally tested it out.
Sydney helping Hailey get the sand off her feet.Lovey girls....HaileySydneyLindsey

Jacob

Ok... we have been home from our vacation for almost a month but I finally got the disk so I can post some of my favorite pics. Hope you enjoy them. I also added a slide show which has even more, you can speed it up by clicking the + or - symbols. I will post more tommorow, these are all the my favorite beach pics. Santa Cruz, California ( near where Alan and I grew up).

Weekend

We don't have a lot of trees so one could say that living downwind has some drawbacks. This is the pile of leaves that blew from our neighbors yard. Lindsey and Jacob helped Alan clean up the leaves on saturday. Jacob always loves to help Alan do yardwork. It's really his favorite thing! We will have to remind him of that when he is a teenager.


Below are some shots of the girls after church on Sunday. They were having a grand time running around outside with each other.

Anyway, all is well on home front, except some sleepless nights
from a frightened child. Lindsey is waking with a lot of night fears. She is really worrying about tornados, yes you read that right, tornados inUtah! She hears the wind blowing and she is terrified that they are coming. I have explained to her how rare a tornado is here but it isn't working so far. Let's hope for no wind and better sleep tonight for everyone.

Lindsey

I would be amiss if I did not post something about Lindsey. Yesterday was her parent/teacher conference. It went great. Her teacher raved about Lindsey and her success in school. She is friendly and all the kids like her. She is such a good girl. She gets herself up and ready for school, feeds herself and Jacob breakfast, and when she arrives home from school she willingly sits down and completes her homework. She loves reading and is becoming a great reader. A few weeks ago while we were on vacation we were riding home from San Francisco when her Grandpa was telling all the kids, " Grandpa loves Lindsey, Grandpa loves Jacob etc... " She corrected him and said, " Grandpa why are you talking in third person". We all had such a laugh! Last night she went out on a "date" with her Grandpa to a play and dinner. She loved getting dressed all fancy and loved the corsage she got too. She came home just beaming from all the attention. Lindsey is one lucky kid, and we are all lucky to know her

Lindsey and Jacob at church after their Primary Program (September 2006)

Do you hear that sound?

That sound is me sighing for relief, the twins are finally feeling almost 100% again! Obviously the "binkie" pictures were taken after they were better too. Each day they have slowly improved but today they are better and finally eating again! They are back to their usual antics and getting into plenty of mischief together. The kids all were suppossed to get flu shots today but I cancelled it for today, I just wanted to enjoy of few days without illness if possible. Not to mention the girls deserved a break too. The other night Alan informs me (I was out) that they filled the toilet with toys and such, where was he you ask? Well only grabbing something for a minute. Things I have learned with the twins, if a cabinet is unlocked they will find it, if the bathroom (any of the 3) is open they will get into it... so before I get them up I make sure all the cabinets, doors and gates are properly placed. LOL! Picture above documents thier love for read licorice. Sydney found a box in the trash (it was hard) and she grabbed two pieces and immediately found her sister to share. How many two year olds do you know that do that? Not many I am sure.

Binkies, what are they for?

Ok let's read these directions, good there is pictures...
















Ok let's try them out.

Still sick....

Please keep the girls in your prayers. They are still quite sick. They are so incredibly miserable. This virus causes canker sores all over their mouth/hands poor Sydney has it on her finger that she sucks. They are not sleeping, eating, hardly drinking and they are doing a lot of crying. They look so pale and miserable. I have called the doctor again.

On a good note ( the only one I can think of right now). Lindsey's school invited the parent/parents to meet their child or children for lunch today I told Lindsey I couldn't come but thanks to her Daddy I could, Alan came home for lunch so I could go. I called the school to tell her I was coming but I was a little late (had to get her a lunch at last minute) anyway I found her crying alone in the hall thinking I had not come. She calmed down and ate lunch and then we went to her bookfair (the real reason they have this is to get the parents to spend $). It felt great to get away even if it was only 45 minutes at an elementry school, lol. I havn't had much of a break since the girls have been sick. It's so hard seeing them so miserable and I have nothing I can do. All the recommended remedies are impossible on a two year old, they won't use mouth wash, or spray they won't even keep the motrin in. Hopefully they turn the corner tommorow and Jacob and Lindsey stay well too.

Anyway its nap time around here, hopefully they get some good sleep.

Halloween

Lindsey, Sydney, Hailey, Jacob



























Lisa and Laura














The gang!
















Dad's and kids hunting for candy!
















Hailey(L) Sydney (R) They loved Candy. Syndey just ate through the wrappers, more like a mouse than a kitty. I found tons of wrappers in her mouth and half easten sucked on candy!

Halloween and Update

Halloween was wonderful this year. The kids were thrilled with the whole "haunting" season and wearing costumes was a hit. Lindsey was Cinderella (from Disneyland) , Jacob was Wolverine, and the twins were Black kitties. Sydney loved being a kitty and cried and cried when I took it off. I will post some halloween photos. It's now Saturday and all the kids except Lindsey have some virus that causes canker sores all over the mouth and tongue and hands and feet. It is unbelievably painful and miserable. Sydney seems the worst and I am sure the rest are not far behind her. I hate illness time because with four kids it seems like torture to get through it with all of them. Other than that life is pretty normal, which means busy around here.