Best Wishes

Well, I am off to bed. Hopefully all ya'll feel fully updated... at least for a day or two. LOL Just kidding.

As I close my computer on this early December 31, 2008 morning, I want to close with a note to you. We wish you all love and peace for the coming year. May the Lord bless you and your families and may you find love in all that you do. Remember to live each day and don't forget to appreciate each and every moment with the ones you love!

Happy New Year!

Always,
Jenn

 

Christmas 2008

 

 

 

Just a few pictures from Christmas morning. :-) (Note that Grace is sharing in the Christmas spirit with Gus... literally... a candy cane.) :-)

Oh Tannenbaum

 

Merry Christmas from our home to yours!

With love and blessings!
The Bryants

Christmas Eve

 

 

 

The year Tyler turned one, I knew I wanted to start a new tradition in addition to the best one of opening new pajamas ... I LOVE Christmas, the whole thing... and I have always loved Christmas... mostly because I have the best memories growing up... so why not create new memories, new traditions, along with the old.

So each year, we open a present... one that mommy and daddy pick out, read a few Christmas books, but most importantly The Night Before Christmas, set out the cookies, milk and carrots and head to bed.

Family

I Corinthians 13:4-8
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking.
It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.


Thomas Jefferson:
The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family.



Thomas Moore:
Family life is full of major and minor crises -- the ups and downs of health, success and failure in career, marriage, and divorce -- and all kinds of characters. It is tied to places and events and histories. With all of these felt details, life etches itself into memory and personality. It's difficult to imagine anything more nourishing to the soul.


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To our family... thank you! I think I Corinthians, Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Moore said it best, the happiest moments of my life have been with my family... Family life, good or bad and all that lies between makes us who are are and nourishes us completely... Love never fails.

We couldn't make it a day without your love and support, without your care and concern, without your friendship and compassion. We love you more than anything and we are so very grateful for your love and so very grateful that you are touch our lives everyday!

We love you!

We thank you!

Friends

What a blessing it is to have friends. Whether they are here forever or just for a short time, they bless us with their love. Some friends are more than friends... they become your family. You can fight, make up, argue about dumb shit, laugh, cry... they will always be there... no matter how far away they are or how long it's been since you've talked... they become part of your family.

We could not have made it through this year without you. We love you! You are part of our family and we will love you forever! Thank you for all that you give us!!

All the protection you need... apparently.

 

When the babies are asleep, it's my time with Tyler. Some days we cuddle and watch a movie, some days we do crafts, some days we just play. Well we were making paper crafts for Christmas, and she got up from the table to get something from the junk drawer... (don't pretend like you don't know what that is... we all have one.. or at least have had one some time in our lives. LOL) I didn't think much of it... there's tape, sissors, pens.. you name it.. so I figured she needed something. Well I hear the scotch tape... but she had her back to me...

Mama: "Tyler what are you doing with the tape?"
Tyler: says nothing
Mama: "Babe... what are you doing?"
Tyler: says nothing, but turns around

For a minute I panic... is she ok... what is that on her face... forgetting the tape for just a minute.. then realizing what she has done...

Mama: "Dude, what are you doing??"
Tyler: "Protecting my nose from the stink!"

She is the funniest girl I know.

Apple Jack's Preschool Winter Performance

 

 

 

 

Tyler has been attending Apple Jack's Preschool since August and ABSOLUTELY LOVES IT! My good friend Stacey runs it from her home and it's perfect, expecially for the first year of preschool! On the 18th of December, they did a Winter Performance for the families and friends of the kids. It was just too cute!! Tyler was given the special task of reciting a few sentences... ("Dear Santa, we have been bery (as she pronounced it) good this year. All we want for Christmas is....) she did GREAT! They sang some songs, told everyone what they wanted for Christmas and had some hot cocoa and special Christmas treats to end the perfect evening. I was so proud... of course I cried. LOL

Grace Alexandra

 

 

 

I love this girl... she has smiles for days... and just like her older sister, she has the cheeks too. As Papa Curt says, she has the cheeks so she can store all those smiles. :-) She is very adventerous... not much is going to stop this girl. If she wants it she goes for it... and if she doesn't get it... well that's another story for another day. Unless she's not feeling good or has just woken from a nap, she'll be the first to give you a smile and a "HI!!" (as long as she recognizes you) Unlike Lexie, Grace warms up to people very quickly... infact she seems to want to be the first at a lot of things... always wanting to take the next step toward the next adventure. :-) Except when it comes to food... don't try any sneeky stuff with her... you'll be wearing it for sure! She's loud and so much like her older sister... they could easly pass for identical twins if Tyler were a bit younger! I love being her Mama! It's what I was meant to do! She brings me joy every day!!

Lexie Elise

 

 

 

 

One look at her and my heart can't help but melt. She is my little one... the one who was supposed to be "so much bigger than twin baby B" but ended up being the littlest munchkin. She is an absolute riot and I just LOVE watching her! She is very inquisitive... always observing, taking EVERYTHING in. At first sight, she'll be shy... she'll wait to see if she can trust you... and be sure not to move in too quickly... she runs on her own time.. but once she's comfortable, she'll give you her heart. My baby Lexie...growing so fast! My heart is so full of love for you!

Our Growing Girl

 
 
 
 

Just a few pictures of Tyler. She is such an amazing little girl and I am at awe everytime I look at her. I love her spirit, I love her adventurous personality. It's very humbling to know that the Lord has given us this little miracle... that we have been chosen to raise her, guide her, love her unconditionally! We have truly been blessed!

Fall Leaves

 
 
 

We have one tree that loses its leaves... a little bartlet pear tree... poor thing, it's a wonder it even survived this year. It did produce fruit... or maybe I should say rocks. I am hopeful for next years bounty.

At anyrate, we had just enough leaves to rake and two sleeping babies so I took advantage of a warm November day to snap some shots of my girl. :-) Happy Fall!

Daddy's New Ride

 
 
 

Tony is so excited... and so is Tyler, about the new ride... A Harley Davidson Sportster. I must admit, although I was a bit scared the first time we went on a ride, I had a blast too! And of course because Arizona is dry as dirt and hot as hell... it's practically perfect all year around.

Settin' Up the Tree

 
 
 
 

Setting up the tree at Grandma Penny and Papa Cal's house! We had a BLAST!

1... 2... 3... GO!

 
 
 

I have known from the begining that our daughter would and always will be more than happy to provide me as many grey hairs as I would like... and that her father will encourage any daredevil act just so she isn't "too girly". :-) On this particular night, she decided to take it up a step.... literally!

APS Lights Parade

 
 
 
 

This year Mom, Dad and I (Tony was out of town, so he had to miss the fun this time) took the girls to the annual APS Lights Parade in downtown Phoenix. It was the first time we had gone and we had a BLAST! We went with a few of my dearest friends from MOMS Club! It was super. Everyone had an awesome time... we will most definately make this a family tradition!