For anyone out there who hasn't heard....

www.theduffdialogue.blogspot.com

is our new home!

Hop on over and check it out! There are some PRECIOUS pictures of my new nephew!

I don't know which end is up?!?

Hello All!

There is SO much going on with our lives lately! For those of you who haven't heard, or live under a rock, or something like that...I'M GETTING MARRIED IN 9 DAYS! I am absolutely marrying the love of my life; my best friend, who compliments my personality in so many ways. He is calm where I am not, laid back where I can be OCD, compassionate in ways that touch my heart, but black and white when I tend to be too grey. He is wonderful and I can't wait to be his wife! I will officially be Mrs. Jill Duff on November 21st. Anna Claire is SO excited and loves Brad and Shelby(his sweet daughter) so much! With that said, this is probably the last post of JUST US GIRLS. I will be launching our family blog very soon, so watch out for that! On our way out, in anticipation, I leave you with the newest musical video of Anna Claire...."I saw Mommy kissing Santa Clause."

Much Love,

From JUST US GIRLS

Anna Claire Sings AGAIN!

I hope you enjoyed the last video, Meet Me in St. Louis. I did ask her to sing it for me and she added vibrato in for a great effect! I will post her "normal" version soon. But THIS video, she did not know I was filming. You see I purchased a little Flip camera and now she thinks I am just taking pictures of her. It is great! I think I might have a composer on my hands.

Enjoy an original by Anna Claire!

Anna Claire Sings - My 1st Blogger Video :)

Happy 4th Birthday Anna Claire!

Four years ago at this time I was getting ready to meet the love of my life.

I never knew what that really meant until I held her in my arms.

I had been through so much, it wasn't an easy time for me, but when I held her and looked into her eyes I knew that God was giving me my strength through her. She was my purpose.

She was my everything. I am not professing to be a perfect Mom, but I do know that I give her everything I've got...I delight in everything she says and does...

I learn from her everyday. She is strong and sweet...outgoing,

yet a Mama's girl...

funny, but also deep in thought...she will sing like no one is listening and laugh over the silliest of things...her vocabulary is amazing, she doesn't forget anything, she is bright and just truly a delight!

Most of all when I didn't feel like loving, or felt like no one loved me, I had her...my sweetest girl...who gave the greatest gift to me day after day.

She still gives me joy every day and I cannot believe the time has gone by so fast! People say that all the time! I never listened, but it is so true. Even though this toddler stage is over and there is a new chapter ahead...I can't wait! I am exited to see what she will do next. I am proud that I get to be there each step of the way!

MAY 11, 2009 - Today you are FOUR!

Anna Claire,

You make Mommy so proud! I cannot believe you are four. I enjoy everyday we have together and I cannot wait for this next year to see what else you can do! Your love for life and your family amaze me. Your knowledge of the Bible and interest in Jesus warm my heart. Your smile can light up a room and your humor can make me laugh every time! I am blessed to be your Mommy and to call you my daughter. Happy 4th birthday sweetheart! Thank you for the best four years of my life. Love,

Mommy

New Funny sayings...

1.) Brushing Anna Claire's teeth and she began to sing

WOMANIZER...WOMANIZER...YOU'RE A WOMANIZER BABY!

Oh no! Not Brittany Spears!

Me: Anna Claire where did you hear that?

Anna Claire: Katlyn sang it to me today at school because it is on her Mom's IPod!

"Oh be careful little ears what you hear!"


2.) I have been battling Anna Claire lately on not speaking baby talk. Last night she asked me to read her a book in a very babyish voice. I asked her to stop. She did it again and this was our conversation...

Me: Anna Claire I told you not to do it again.

A.C.: Oh Mommy! That wasn't baby talk, that was Chinese!

Clever Anna Claire...very clever.

Excuse my lack of pictures. I now have a sinus infection and full blown bronchitis. OH how I love the Texas spring!

I hope you are all doing well!

Just to hold you over...

I know...I know! It has been WAY too long! I am working on a re-cap post of the last couple of months that is LONG, so be ready! Until then here is a new picture of Anna Claire and how big she is getting. She is so beautiful, spunky and seriously makes me laugh everyday!

She will be four in May!!! I cannot believe it is true :)

A couple of new funny conversations...

A.C. (angry because she is having to obey and go to bed): Mommy, you quit salamandering me and obey! I DO NOT WANT TO GO TO BED!

***She learned the word salamander at the zoo last week. Wrong context, but funny!

A.C.: I am so tired of having to teach the three A's in my class. It is so hard! I have a lot of work to do and they don't listen. OH, BLESS THE LORD!

I need a little humor...

It has been a hard few days. I have been dealing with several sad things dealing with people I love so much. That is, I think, the hardest part about being a Christian...loving God in the middle of the sad times. I want to ask "Why, Lord?" I know that everything God does is for a purpose and that he uses all things for good, but it doesn't take away the fact that it is hard. My sweet friend lost her Grandfather this morning, and yes, VERY HARD, but he lived a full and happy life, he is no longer in any pain, and is able to see his wife again and sit at the feet of his savior. My two friends that have lost sweet unborn babies, that is harder to deal with. Tonight I was looking at my Anna Claire while I was rocking her to sleep (I know I just can't stop) and I thanked God for my gift, in her. And I cried out to the Lord to please comfort my friends, show them your presence and let them know that in the midst of their pain you are still on your throne and love them.

What do you say?

How do you help them?

I am just at a loss...

On a much lighter opposite note, I know I need to update my blog SO bad, but I am creating one for a friend and working SO hard to make it just right, so soon I promise!

Her few new things that she said right when I needed a little humor...

1.) Me: How was your day with your friends Anna Claire?

A.C.: Great! We were all VERY, VERY drunk! (I am ashamed that I laughed a little. I really don't know where she got that! We had a conversation about why that isn't nice...)

2.) Me: Flicking on and off the lights...
A.C. Mommy you stop that! You are wasting LIGHTRICITY!!!

3.) Anna Claire was doing a little monologue for me, Brad, Mom and Dad. She named her characters Azul and Mariella and then says...
You are all such hoochies! (I know where this one came from...her favorite Judy Garland song "Meet Me in St. Louis" you should hear her sing it!)

I'll be back soon with more pictures and updates. Please pray for my friends...

TUTU Cute :)

My friend from work, Janna, has this precious princess and she is turing one!

I gladly made her a ladybug tutu and wanted to share how it turned out!

Need one? I will make you one! It helps a lot that the model is absolutely PRECIOUS!

Thank you Janna and

Happy 1st Birthday - Julia Claire!

Please pray...

Please pray for my sweetest, forever friend Becca!

We Cry Out

Father of life seated on Your throne of grace

It's only by Your mercy we are saved,

Lord You have said if we call upon your name

We and our families will be saved

So we cry out Your name

El Shaddai, God of Grace, Lord most high, Jesus Christ,

We rely on Your Grace Adonai, crowned in praise Lord most high, Jesus Christ

My Daughter...SO Patriotic!

Back in the spring Anna Claire had watched enough T.V. with my Dad during the campaigning to hear Barack Obama's name over and over. She had asked a couple of people then, "Are you voting for "Rock-O-Mama?" Fast forward to last night and here is the conversation that unfolded during the Inauguration...

Nana: Anna Claire that man is our new President of the United States.

A.C.: What's his name?

Nana: Barack Obama

A.C.: Nooooo Nana! His human name?

Nana: (through much laughter) That is his human name

A.C.: No way! What is his human name?

Nana: Anna Claire my name is Trish, Mommy's name is Jill, your name is Anna Claire and his name is Barack.

A.C.: What does that mean!?!

We were cracking up! But despite this funny exchange I did enjoy watching all of the festivities on T.V., including Aretha Franklin's obnoxious hat! It was neat to experience as our nation came together for one purpose. Despite my political platform or preference, Barack Obama is our new president and I was in awe of watching the hope in the face of the African American culture as barriers were finally broken. What a beautiful night!

Vocabulary 101

Anna Claire has a great vocabulary for a three year old, I mean in the way of knowing A LOT of words (not just a bragging Mom, I promise!).

However, she doesn't typically use them in the right context...

At school: "Mrs. Jamie, **** isn't EXPEDITING her mittens. That means she isn't matching up her letters right!" At home when dictating a birthday card message for one of my friends... "Happy Birthday, I like coloring on your phone I appreciate that. You are such a PERSONALITY and I know that."

WHAT?!?

And today...this actually did make sense...

Mrs. Karen (her teacher): Anna Claire, I like your shoes, they look like Dorothy. (they were ruby red)

Anna Claire: They are NOT like Dorothy's because she wears socks. My Mommy says I cannot wear socks with these kind because it will APPEAR DORKY.

YIKES! I guess maybe I did say that. Bad Mommy!!!

Laughter Lives...

This post is part of "Laughter Lives! Tuesday" on the

Riggs Family Blog.

Check our their blog to read everyone else's

"Laughter Lives!" posts.

Anna Claire is getting really good at telling adults "NO". She sometimes decides to be sweet and says "NO THANKS", but at any rate we are working on it. We have been practicing appropriate responses to adults such as "Sure!", "I'd love to!", "Yes, Ma'am", etc. Last night I asked her to do different things like "pick up your shoes" or "don't throw your coat down" and her response wasn't "NO", but "WHY?". I explained to her that saying "WHY?" to an adult when they ask you something is just as rude as saying "NO". She had done it like five times, so I told her "Anna Claire, if you say "WHY?" again when Mommy asks you to do something I will put you in time out." A few minutes passed and I asked her to put her shoes on so we could meet my Mom for dinner and she said..."WHY?". All I did was look at her, you know in that way that your Moms looked at you growing up, and she responded with this...

"I wasn't saying the word "WHY?",

I was practicing my letters...

Y, Z, A, B, C."

and flashed me a HUGE sweet smile."

Oh, my, my...I am in for it folks! I need to remember this sweet smile when she is lying to me at fifteen.

More Christmas Bloggin' Coming Soon!

Since I NEVER got around to it BEFORE Christmas...

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! - From JUST US GIRLS

&

This was the MAJOR REASON that our Christmas was AWESOME.

Look who was home!!!

Anna Claire's Humor

I have to publish these as posts (from my side bar) or I will forget them...

Our conversation at the Fall Festival on Halloween...

Me: Anna Claire, do you want to try the bungee jumping?

A.C.: NO!

Me: I know it looks a little scary, but it will be fun and like jumping on a trampoline.

A.C.: Okay, whoa! But not with THAT guy!

I was laughing SO hard. :)

Thankful...

This is my favorite picture from Thanksgiving.

I know I am behind! I am SO thankful for her.

I will give thanks to the LORD according to His righteousness And will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High. - Psalms 7:17

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

The Christmas season is in full swing and I am about half way through with my shopping! Even though I started early, I am NOT as together as I would like to be this year, but I am working on it, right? I had every intention of posting a few Thanksgiving pics and Anna Claire's Santa picture by now, but I haven't made it to that either!

So...I decided to post a few odds n' ends...

1.) What are your kids asking for from SANTA? Anna Claire is asking for...

Bitty Baby Twins: the girl with "yellow" hair and the boy with brown, a double stroller and bunk-beds for them to sleep in.

Santa is apparently feeling generous this year!

2.) Do you think I can use the song "Santa Clause is Coming to town" as a discipline tool year round? It is REALLY working for me right now!

3.) Where did this precious baby go? Actually, I am LOVING age three! She is keeping me in stitches, daily!

3.) I have been very busy with school as usual, but I have taken time to reflect what this season really means to us as Christians. If it weren't for Christ's birth, there would be no such thing as salvation - WOW. I am so very grateful for this amazing, free gift that we have been given. If you haven't heard this sweet song by Faith Hill, I highly recommend listening to it(but I am a fan of hers). Anyway, I am downloading it tonight! More than anything I love the words, they are such a sweet reflection as to the gift we have been given.

Tis the Season'!

A Baby Changes Everything

By: Faith Hill

Teenage girl, much too young, Unprepared for what’s to come

A baby changes everything Not a ring on her hand, All her dreams and all her plans

A baby changes everything, A baby changes everything

The man she loves, she’s never touched

How will she keep his trust

A baby changes everything, A baby changes everything

And she cries, oh, she cries, Oh

She has to leave, go far away

Heaven knows she can’t stay

A baby changes everything She can feel it’s coming soon, There’s no place, there’s no room

A baby changes everything, A baby changes everything And she cries ………….And she cries …..Oh she cries ….

Shepherds all (Shepherds all) gather ’round (they gather ’round)

Up above the star shines down

A baby changes everything Choir of angels say, Glory to the newborn king

A baby changes everything, A baby changes everything

Everything, everything, everything

Hallelujah (Hallelujah)Hallelujah (Hallelujah)

Hallelujah (Hallelujah)Hallelujah (Hallelujah)

My whole life is turned around, I was lost and now I’m found

A baby changes everything, A baby changes everything

New Conversations...

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We did! Way too much food, but that is what it is all about, right? I have SO much to be thankful for and have a couple of fun pictures to post later, but for now here are two new conversations I had with Anna Claire over the weekend. #1 A.C. - (at Grapevine Mills Mall) Mommy, why are there so many shepherds at this place?! Me - Who are you talking about? A.C. - You know all the people with towels and cloffs (cloths) on their heads! (You know the people from India? :) ) WOW! We need to have a discussion about different cultures... #2 Tons and TONS of birds were flying overhead due to the drop in temperature... A.C. - What is their hurry? Me - Who, the birds? A.C. - Yes! They must have a meeting they are late for! I guess I might say I am running late a little too much! HMMMM... Have a great Monday!

Fall is almost over!

It has been a great fall so far! I am having lots of fun with my girl, which is always great! She started her 3 year old preschool year like a champ and LOVES her new teachers, Mrs. Jamie and Mrs. Karen. They are so creative and everything a mother would want! As far as my school year goes, it has been great so far - challenging, but great! I moved to a third grade team with a lot of fantastic teachers on it! Our school also got a new principal who is AMAZING! We have been blessed by her leadership and for this I am so grateful.

In early October we attended our family reunion and got some quality time with lots of relatives, but were especially excited to see Uncle Matt and Aunt Lindsey!

Then we made our yearly visit to the local pumpkin patch and of course Anna Claire had a blast! It was the first COLD day this fall and she was shivering!!!

She pulled a wagon full of pumpkins...

...played with her dear friends...

...and posed for some forced fall-ish shots! :)

My Mom and I also took her to a Halloween pet costume contest at Pet Smart.

It was a bit ridiculous of course, but Anna Claire was in heaven.

Then we stopped by for some Halloween gear at Party City and I got a super shot of

Nana and Anna Claire!

Here is my precious Kitty all ready for a night of Halloween fun!!!

Daddy stopped by...

Posing with Mommy...

Then we attended the Fall Festival at our church as always and I was SO proud of my usually very leery and cautious "Claire-bear"! She tried the bungee jumping and jumped like a champ!

Here she is with the cutest ladybug (Ruby)

Here she is with our cousins...Dorothy(Saylor) and Island Barbie (Sutton)

...and then we wrapped up the night with a little trick-or-treating! It was so fun!

Check out "festive" Stella!!!

HAPPY FALL YA'LL!!!