Dinner Guests

Now...I totally realize that in writing the stories of our crazy lives, we are very likely to not be invited to dinner ever again. I get that, and my cousin Sarah kindly pointed that out too! (have to give you a hard time Sarah!) However, we will know that if we ever ARE invited to some one's house again for dinner and they read this blog, then they really do want us over because they have been officially warned what we are capable of! Of course I am saying all of this jokingly. I really do think we are really fun girls to be around, but I do admit that it is never dull around us, so you really never know what you will get....
My cousin's boyfriend came to Christmas at my aunt Jan's house and when he went home, his family asked him how it went....he simply replied, "Well the police were called and showed up." (or something like that)....He did go ahead and told them the whole story, but that was a pretty funny answer I think! Anyway....there I go rambling on and on again....back to the story Trinity....ok...
So we went to our aunt Deborah's for dinner. (this is aunt Jan's and my dad's sister) My cousin Sarah didn't make it on Christmas day, so we went for a couple of hours and visited and the girls got to play with the cousins. I have pictures to post later. The girls love playing with the cousins, and they all get along so well. They were all playing various things....everything going so smoothly. It was time to eat, so we got all of the kids' plates filled and got them all seated in the garden room, then we adults sat down at the dining room table. (Sometimes I still can't believe I actually get to sit at the adult table....I still think of myself at the kid table, but that is neither here nor there.) Soooo.....we began eating, and I got up once or twice, just to check to make sure nothing crazy was going on at the kids' table...all was well. I sat down and started eating my food when a bunch of the kids flooded the room while warning us that there was a food fight.
Are. You. Kidding. Me????
And I'm sure you could just guess which girl was not running in warning us......yep, that's cause she was in the room and the initiator of the food fight. I really just wanted to crawl under the table, but I figured that really wouldn't solve anything at all.
I walked into the garden room, not knowing what I would find, but luckily, all I found was a little piece of the tamale casserole on the table....thanks to the big girls and their great warnings, the food fight was very short lived and resulted only in a little water spilt and a little casserole on the table. MUCH better than I was expecting! Although, I will tell you that I have secretly always wanted to have a food fight...it really sounds like fun to me. Did you ever see the peter pan type movie called Hook? There was that scene where they had a food fight and all of that colorful food got everywhere....yeah....I think that would be TONS of fun. BUT, I am so very thankful that we did not duplicate that scene, but I do think it would be a lot of fun!

The Cutest Monkey EVER!!!

We finally got to go to Bethany and Jarrod's for Christmas...and that was on New year's day. We had such a good time, and the girls got a basketball goal! A REAL basketball goal. They thought it was a basketball goal that goes inside for babies when they first opened it, so they gave a rather unenthusiastic but polite response. It was later that they realized it is a REAL goal and they have been so excited about it! Can't wait to put it up! Autumn and I got fun gifts too, and nephew B had fun with Chuck the talking dumptruck that we got him. He is such a talker...he has talked since he was just a few months old really....only we can understand most of it now. He was always so funny becuase he would talk and know exactly what he was saying and expect you to know too....now we can. That is fun! His friends got him this sock monkey hat. Before I actually saw the hat, just heard about it from Bethany, I knew we had to get his picture, so we took about 20 or so minutes and got some great pics. H was the only one who wanted to go outside in the cold to watch the pics, so she was the only one in them.
B loves his cousins....or as he says...his girls. He really loves them...they have always catered to him, and the older he gets, the more they play together. They have a great connection!
I LOVE this one!!!!

This guy has so much to his personality....he is just SO much fun! Have I told you how much I love him????

I think he looks just like his momma in this one!

Through her eyes

Get ready ladies and gentlemen for a very funny story. Can you guess which sister this is about??? Give up? Little miss A. So here it goes.
I was in the bathroom in the condo we were staying in while out of town. It was the morning that we were leaving, so I was packing everything up while talking on the phone to my aunt. A came in repeatedly saying my name, wanting my attention. I motioned for her to wait just a minute while I finished the conversation on the phone. From her demeanor, I could tell she had done something wrong and I could tell she was very sorry about it. It wasn't the I've-done-something-wrong-and-got-caught look. It was the I've-done-something-wrong-and-I'm-sorry look. I got off the phone and looked at the very serious girl and she immediately started to apologize.
A: I'm sorry. I'm really sorry Trinity. I just didn't know....I'm sorry.
I am thinking, "Oh great...she called 9-1-1 a few days ago, what has she done now."
Me: What? What did you do? Did you do something? WHAT???
A: I'm sorry! (at this point she was almost crying. She was working really hard to pull it together.)
She paused for a minute and the longer she went, the more panicked I got.
A: You know a long time ago when we went to the store with those glasses....I didn't know.
Me: What? You didn't know what? Did you steal glasses?
A: I thought they were sunglasses!
Me: So you thought it was ok to steal sunglasses? Did you take sunglasses from the store?
A: No, I didn't steal them. I didn't know they were glasses....I thought they were sunglasses and I didn't know! You said we could try on sunglasses and I thought they were sunglasses and I didn't know!
She was pretty worried and troubled about this....and THAT'S when I figured out what was going on. Rewind to the night before....
I was in the bathroom and had just finished up bathing all four girls and we were getting all four wet heads dry. It was A's turn to get her hair dried, and of course she just comes with a lot of questions. Honestly, I sometimes tune out the questions and answer with "uh-huh" or "oh yeah" or whatever. On this night, she asked about my glasses.
A: Are those your glasses?
Me: Yes A, you know they are mine.
A: Why do you wear them?
I didn't even answer that one...come on!
A: I know! You can't see! Can you see at all without them?
Me: Not very good.
A: I can't put them on right?
Me: Right.
A: What will happen if I put them on?
Me: They will hurt your eyes.
A: Will they hurt them really bad?
Me: yeah (sometimes it is just easier to say yes)
A: REALLY?
Me: Yes.
A: So if I put them on it will hurt my eyes?
Me: Yes, A. (I was a little irritated by all of the questions) I told you that. Please don't ask me again!
Shortly after the conversation, they went to bed.

Fast forward again........
I was getting it....no telling how long ago, we went to the Dollar Tree and I let them try on sunglasses. Apparently, A tried on reading glasses too, and ever since then she has been very worried that she was going to go blind from putting on those glasses. And when she asked me about putting on my glasses, I was just trying to tell her to not mess with my glasses. I guess she stayed up for a very long time that night thinking about how that ruined her vision! All I could think of was the scene from the movie "A Christmas Story" where the boy thinks he is going to go blind from eating soap.
When I put the pieces together, all I could do is laugh....big surprise huh? I laughed so hard that tears came out. A walked away and kind of mumbled to herself, "Well I can see purple spots popping up and I can't see very well."
I laughed SO hard, and THEN I went and got her and explained that we shouldn't play with glasses, but it isn't going to ruin her vision right away. So I got my glasses and put them on her so she could see that it would be hard to see out of them and might give her a headache, but it wasn't going to immediately make her blind. She covered her eyes and wouldn't let me put them on! Again.....I laughed SO hard! Finally, she let me put them on and she was surprised that she could see a little, but then decided she didn't like looking through them.
Oh man, if I could just see what was in her mind..............priceless!

The little cutie

Just in case I haven't said it lately...I love my NEPHEW!!! He is just the cutest, sweetest, funniest guy EVER!!! And he loves his TT (that's me!) He talks nonstop and already says the funniest things. I love him and just had to show these pictures! Enjoy!

Oh yeah...love his mom and dad too!

A Christmas to remember

This has been a little bit of a different Christmas this year. The plan WAS that we would go to our friend Becky's house on Monday, after we got back from a friend's wedding (5 hour trip), then go to Bethany's house on Tuesday, spend the night, go to my aunt Nancy's house on Wednesday, come back home then go to my aunt Jan's on Christmas day. Well, plans were abruptly changed while we were on our way back from the wedding. H got sick. The stomach bug. Yep...the stomach bug on a 5 hour trip...let's just stay that it was a pretty miserable trip for her to be throwing up in the car...well that part was miserable for us all, but poor girl. She did not even complain. Well, that was the beginning of it. The next few days was filled with 5 out of 6 of us getting the stomach bug. That meant that we missed Christmas at Becky and Bethany's, and I missed Christmas at aunt Nancy's. I was so so sad to miss it and yes, I felt sorry for myself the whole day. Had a little pity party in the midst of the stomach bug...all by myself!

So, we had a great, stomach bug free Christmas eve. We took pictures outside (see previous post), opened presents, opened stockings and told the story of Jesus' birth. It was great, and I will post in more detail about that later. What I really wanted to post about is today....Christmas at aunt Jan's. I was so excited to see everyone and get together and eat and just enjoy the family. We made the hour long trip to aunt Jan's without any problems. Bethany and cousin Sarah couldn't be there today and cousin Macy wasn't there yet, but everyone else was there and we had a great welcome as we walked in. Everyone went separate ways as we came in...we all hugged different people, the girls went immediately to play and watch t.v., and Autumn and I were captivated right away by my grandma's new gift....a digital frame. We stood there and watched the old and new photos and laughed and remembered different memories. We were having a great time! Aunt Jan and the others were in the kitchen getting food ready....girls were quiet and all was well........wait......girls are quiet??? HMMM..........so I thought I better go check on them.
I went upstairs and found M and H in the little room watching Tom and Jerry. Then I went to the next room and found S and A playing....looks good. Better look again.

They were playing with this cute little phone and with their new dolls. I actually forgot that this was a real phone until A said, "Umm...we are just hanging it up like this." That didn't sound right. Then I remembered that this tiny little pink phone was real and really worked and called people. So, I told them to please not mess with the phone, that it really works, then I unplugged the phone, just in case they didn't listen to me. I left the room feeling proud of myself for thinking to unplug the phone.

I thought I better tell aunt Jan that i unplugged the phone, just in case I forget to plug it back in. So, I went downstairs to the kitchen and told her what had happened and I started to walk away. That's when she said, "Oh...you don't think THAT is who called 911 do you?"

What??? I had no idea that just seconds before, they got a call that multiple calls to 911 had been made from their number.

OH......MY.......GOODNESS!!!!!!

THE GIRLS CALLED 911 ON THAT LITTLE PINK PHONE!!!!!

So I went up and asked the girls......sure enough, they did. I couldn't quit laughing about it, only because I laugh in awkward situations. I laugh at the MOST inappropriate times really. I actually felt sick to my stomach, and not from the stomach bug. Don't they fine people for this? Oh great...Merry Christmas aunt Jan...here is your fine because my darling criminals called 911 multiple times!

We were all figuring out what had happened, when there was a knock at the door. We all kind of hoped that it was our cousin Macy, but when we looked out the window there was a police car, and Macy does not drive a police car!

My uncle Mike opened the door and immediately starts explaining to the poor nice police officer that had to work Christmas day that we figured out that the two girls had made the dial. He started apologizing and the nice officer was just glad everyone was ok and that it was just a "mistake".

Well, when I talked to the two girls to figure everything out, A first said that she didn't know the phone was real, then said she was just calling to tell them Merry Christmas! I did laugh when she said that!

The officer wished us a Merry Christmas and was about to leave when aunt Jan and I asked him to please talk to the girls and let them know how serious this was. Aunt Jan told him to play bad cop for a minute and he said, "But it is Christmas!" And I told him to please do not be nice to them. They really needed to realize the seriousness of the situation!

I really didn't think the nice and smiling man would be able to pull it together for the girls, but as soon as I brought them out, he did NOT smile. He did a great job at letting them know that 9-1-1 is always there to call for emergencies, but it is NOT to just call for no reason!

Oh, and when the girls came out, they immediately said "sorwy" to him. A kind of cried, but pulled it together. She was kind of crying, and in her raspy little voice and big brown eyes she looked up at him and said, "We just wanted to call and wish you a Merry Christmas." I thought he was going to crack up then, but he did good.

He did, however, thank her for wishing them a Merry Christmas, but told her not to call to do so! I had to turn my head and laugh at that part (again....my laughing at inappropriate times).
We apologized again and again to the poor man and he went on his way. Only moments later, he was back. OH GREAT!!!!!! What now? Uncle Mike went out and talked to the officer again, and came back with COLORING books....9-1-1 coloring books. He told Mike that he thought the kids would enjoy them and learn from them. Well, I think they already know HOW to call 911, we just need to work on WHEN to call 911!!!! I just couldn't give them a color book...then they might just call 911 to get a color book!

Needless to say, the girls realized that it was quite the mistake to make that phone call! It actually didn't seem to bother S much at all...she said sorry and went on. A, however, doesn't get over things quite so easily. Whether she just can't get past it, or was enjoying the attention for it, she just couldn't get past it. We ate, and I finally went to her and told her that it was over and she just HAD to get over it. About 5 minutes later, she came to me at the table and whispered in my ear, "I need a little help getting over it." I laughed and loved on her and we had a good rest of the day.

All throughout the day, one of us would just laugh or bring up "the incident". I'm pretty sure that we will talk about that phone call every Christmas from here on out!!!

A Christmas to remember for sure!!!

Christmas eve pictures

W had a pretty relaxing Christmas Eve. We slept in, watched movies, headed to town to run some errands and eat lunch with gift certificates, then went back home. That's when I got the bright idea to take pictures with those cute hats! Yeah....great idea...no coats in the freezing cold. However, the girls really did not complain...I am so thankful that they are pretty cooperative with my crazy ideas for photographing them.
Then I decided it would be fun to get all of us...well great idea if I remembered how to do the self timer! It took a long time to figure that out, and of course I had to wait til we were all outside to figure it out! We had a good time though! And I got new editing software, so I am having a good time figuring that out....notice the TrinityTinsleyPhotography watermark on these first two. I am just trying things out and figuring out what I like. I am really having a blast!

It's almost midnight, but I will post the "out takes" from trying to get all 8 of us in the picture! And...making his debut on the blog......Hudson the dog! We got Hudson in July after Coby died in June. I guess you can probably tell from the fact that I haven't posted pictures of him that I like Coby a lot better. He is a really sweet dog, but he has separation anxiety and pees in the house if you don't let him out every 2 hours! Are you kidding? An 80 lb. dog can't hold it? Anyway, he is growing on me.

Musical

I thought I would share some pictures from the musical we had at our church. All of the girls were in the program, and they had a whole fan club, which made all 6 of us feel very special! H, Becky and B....Bethany came too, but didn't seem to make it in any pictures!

Aunt Jan always has fun with them!

Aunt Connie was so kind to play with A and keep her entertained (or be entertained)....and A was in rare form!

M and Emily....Aunt Deborah came, but didn't seem to make in the pics.

Grandma!

Becky

Aunt Connie and Uncle Scott!

H sang in a trio to "Tell Me the Story of Jesus" with her good friends. They did so good and it was just the sweetest thing! H walked up with a smile and confidence to sing...I was SO proud of her!

M sang the song "Miracle" with her two good friends. The did an awesome job! The song talked about how before time began, God had planned to send his son Jesus to the earth to die for our sins. Right before the song, M gave a testimony:

"Before time began, God had a plan for my life. Before time began he knew which family I would be born into. He knew the hard things I would go through there. Before time began, he had a family picked out to be my forever family (that was Trinity and Autumn). Before time began, God knew he would send Jesus to die for MY sin. It was a miracle!!!"

I am so so so proud of ALL of these kids! They worked so hard and they are just so sweet! I LOVE them!!!