A sight for sore eyes

I'm not sure I slept a wink from the time Rosie sent me the email that she was coming to see me, until the time that they left. Really. I was ecstatic! She wanted to help me "pass the time" while Brad was working so hard. It worked! We had the greatest time making hair bows, watching movies, eating chocolate cake, talking - you know, all those things that girls do. I was way too busy to remember to take pictures. Brad took these the night they got there, and I really think they are two of my very favorite pictures - not for quality, but for content :). I just rolled on the floor laughing when I saw this one of Claire trying out Michael's birthday present. Like father, like daughter...

The girls spent so much time snuggled into this couch. Claire kept trying to get Kate and Olivia to close their eyes :)

We tried to talk Jessica into coming with her two sweet little girls. It would have been a crazy time with 7 kids 3 and under, but it would have been just like a big 'ol slumber party. Here's hoping they'll do it again soon!!!

Welcome back, Spring!

We've really missed you. We love your fresh smelling air, beautiful flowers, & fun dresses. We're so excited for sidewalk chalk, picnics on the back patio, and swings and slides. Please don't let us down this time. Please be here to stay.

Some monkey shots for your weekend enjoyment

Two of my favorite things

1.)  Getting sweet kisses from my baby, sometimes because I ask for them, and sometimes just because she is in a good mood and wants to give them.

2.) Hearing my two "big" girls talk on the phone to each other (Kathryn bragging to Olivia about how she didn't have to take a nap, then Olivia bragging back about how she got to watch Snow White, then literally shivering when she told her about the "bad tween" (queen ;) )

11 Months

As cliche as it sounds, I have to ask: Where did the time go?!?!? I was at my cousin's house last night, talking to a friend and she asked, "Wasn't she just born yesterday?" Really, in so many ways it seems like yesterday. She took her first two little baby steps just two days before her 11 month birthday - it won't be long now!

She definitely has her own ideas about how things should be done, and is really starting to show it. Some days I wonder why my sweet little baby has to turn into an independent little girl, but of course, it's all part of the growing up process, and I wouldn't change it for the world.

When she's not playing with her sisters, she is clinging to Mommy, and is very much a "Mama's girl". Her new favorite word is "Uh-uh!" for uh-oh - she drops things just so she can say it (and I drop things so I can hear it =). I never could have guessed what a joy she would be. I guess the Lord knows best ;)!

"Behold, children are a gift of the Lord,
The fruit of the womb is a reward."
Psalm 127:3

Fingerprint Friday

There is a song by Steven Curtis Chapman that says:

I can see the fingerprints of God

When I look at you

I can see the fingerprints of God

And I know its true

You're a masterpiece

That all creation quietly applauds

And you're covered with the fingerprints of God

The heavens declare the glory of God;

And the firmament shows His handiwork.

Psalm 19:1 (NKJV)

As I was waiting the long hours for Brad to get home from work last night, I put in Miss Potter - One of my favorite movies (right now, at least :) . Brad came home about half-way into it, and neither of us could stop talking about how beautiful the country is where the movie was filmed. God's country. God's creation. His Fingerprints are all over it! It wasn't Photoshopped, it isn't 'just in the movie', it is real country. Today is the first day of Spring, and it is a gorgeous day outside. The trees are just starting to bud, the tulips are about 6" out of the ground, and the buttercups have just opened their blossoms. This is a day to rejoice in God's creation. Give Him thanks for every good thing.

Where do you see God's fingerprints? Here's how to join in.

Blog with your interpretation of God's fingerprints. Be sure to link back to PamperingBeki so others can find the entire list of participants!

Thanks, Beki, for helping me remember to look for God's fingerprints!

Silo Fife

This is my nephew, Silas Parker. He is more affectionately known as "Silo". He is a year and a half, and just a ball of fun. Being the youngest of four he has to work pretty hard to not be left out of anything. As soon as you get the words, "Does anybody want..." out of your mouth, Silas already has his hand high up in the air and is saying "I do. I do. I do. I do." I think he makes just about the cutest policeman I've ever seen.

One of those winters

In case we hadn't fulfilled the number of requirements for sicknesses this winter, we decided to pick up one last stomach bug before spring hit. Livie got it worst of all. She was s-i-c-k for 10 whole days. I won't go into details, but let's just say she was one step away from the emergency room.

At the first spark of improvement I cloroxed the house, bathed the girls and had everyone ready to go when Brad got home from work - I was determined to get out of the house and get some fresh air. We may have jumped the gun just a little... we got to the restaurant and Livie said her tummy hurt. Yikes. Brad says she's just hungry. Our food comes, we all start eating, and Livie loses it - all over herself. Poor thing. I've had it the last couple of days, but thankfully had a milder version than the girls.

Livie quarantined (from Maggie, who loves her sister, and just couldn't stay away :)

Maggie's first (and probably last ;) bottle... how sweet is this?!?

Just one more month until busy season is over! Well, for another year, at least ;). We're so ready for things to get back to normal around here. The weather has been so beautiful lately that it has made the girls and me so eager for spring. They've been out riding their tricycles, and playing in the yard and on the swing set every chance they get.

I'm off to catch up on housework. I took a sick day yesterday and the house is really showing it!

It always ends in tears

Good thing half the fun is in getting there...

"Tweet Me Nice"

... and don't laugh at me because I only have one front tooth!

Here's what we've been up to

This past week was a whirlwind of fun with friends and family (and lots of travel). Brad's parents headed our way to pick up the girls and me, since we are down to one car. My parents came over and the six of us (and the kiddos) had a Mexican feast for Valentine's Day. Brad's mom made some cupcakes that resembled a box of chocolates in a heart shaped box that were absolutely adorable. That is what you see #1 munching on and #2 drooling over (yes, she had one too, but I'm sure hers was gone and she was wishing she had eaten it slower ;).

Since Monday was President's Day, Brad's dad had the day off work, so we all piled in the car Monday morning (minus Brad) and took off for the week in Tennessee. Pheobe traveled with us.

I left my big girls at Gramma and Grampa's house on Tuesday and headed to see my bestest friend in Murfreesboro - just Maggie and me. We met up with the Wilson's for supper and basically just had a really great time. It was so good to get to see them again.

Maggie: "What are you doing? Get your finger away from my mouth! It stinks!"

Michael: "Oh, come on! Let me just see how many teeth you have now!"

Maggie: "Okay, but just for a second or I'll bite your finger off."

We took Wednesday off and enjoyed relaxing at Gramma's. Well, I enjoyed relaxing while Gramma babysat ;). On Thursday we headed to Chattanooga. Brad's mom has a friend there that she has been wanting to go see, so the girls and I dropped her off to meet her friend then we drove on another 30 minutes to see some of our best friends!

While there, our presence was graced with the fairest princesses in the land. (Notice how especially lovely my girls are - Kate gracefully holding her dress up to her knees, and Livie pulling hers down to show off her wife beater.)

The room was FILLED with sweet little girls... (and Michael ;). Here is Sadie sporting two new teeth.There was even time for cupcake decorating.

And a little time for rest - but no naps.

Then it was time to say goodbye. Too soon. But it was a really, really fun trip. Jessica, Rosie, and I had the greatest time catching up and wishing and dreaming we lived closer to each other.

Somehow I got home without a single picture of the girls with Gramma and Grampa. Brad's mom works so hard when we are there, cooking and taking care of the kids, that I know she is absolutely worn out by the time we leave, but these girls are absolutely crazy about her. They are always pretending they are going to Gramma and Grampa and Pheobe's house and diligently pray every night for them. Every time we get on the "big road" or see cows they want to know if we're headed back out to the country ;).

Here's the big girl I brought home with me. She sprouted two new teeth while we were gone, and learned a couple new words. She is clearly obsessed with dogs and when she sees one she points and says, "Dodo!" It's pretty cute, if I can say so ;). She has also started saying her version of "thank you". If you don't believe me, I have some witnesses. She is standing alone and acts like she's going to take a step, then drops to her knees and starts crawling. She'll take off before too long!

It's hard for me to see pictures of my own girls without thinking of this sweet family who lost their beautiful baby girl to cancer just a couple of weeks ago. I've been following their story and have just been beyond heart broken for them. Say a prayer for them today that God would give them an extra measure of strength and courage and the ability to make it through this extremely difficult situation.

I have so much catch up work to do - not so much with the house as with the girls and discipline ;) - and a stamping class to teach later this week, so I decided to take the week off of the computer and focus my efforts on more important things. I'll hopefully be back to reading and commenting by the beginning of next week.

(this break may or may not have anything to do with the fact that I finally got my hands on a copy of Twilight last week thanks to you and in a roundabout way you too ;)

So thankful for friends

Playdates are so much fun - especially when they include cute kids like this...

Isn't he precious? He is so happy and contented.

Alaina and I have been friends since high school, we were in each other's weddings, and now she has three boys almost exactly the ages of my three girls. They are such handsome boys and the girls loved having them over, and the four "big kids" played together so well. Alaina and I finally got to catch up a little bit, and return a couple of each other's things that we've been holding on to for - oh, a year or so ;). It was a great start to our week!

Rice Krispies on steroids

Resist the urge to buy Jumbo Multi-Grain Krispies even if they are only $0.66 a box after sale and coupons. I haven't tried them as a cereal, but as a Jumbo Multi-Grain Krispie Treat, they're downright scary. I can't speak for the kids, however, who were fighting over who got to lick the spoon, until #1 ended it with: "Mom, tell Livie I get to lick the spoon 'cause I'm the oldest."

Rejoice with me

After two months of very tedious searching, I found it. Where?

Well, in here, of course! Why did I randomly decide to clean out this terribly unorganized box of ribbon today? It was on my to-do list, and it seemed like a pretty harmless task, so I did it. And what do you know? I found a treasure!

I called Kathryn in right away to show her what I had found, since she knew what I had lost and how special it was to me. She was so excited at first, then furrowed her brow and said, "Mom, I'm so sorry. If I had said, 'Did you look in the ribbon box?' a long time ago, you would have found it." Bless her heart!

To answer the obvious questions, we're calling to get it insured today, and going to have it sized as soon as we find a jeweler. If anyone in the Indy area knows a jeweler that you trust - really trust, let us know!

All my ducks in a row

You've probably been wondering "why pictures of sandwiches and grills? where are the babies???" Well, we've been sort of out of commission lately with all three kiddos sick with bad fevers and coughs (then throwing up from coughing so hard). Did I post about this before? Ah yes! Two weeks ago - and yes, it's just now over (that is, if Brad and I are lucky enough to escape it). After three trips to the doctor, and a chorus of coughs, I think it's safe to say we're all on the mend. So we're slowly transitioning from watching movies, being rocked, eating snacks in the living room, and drinking Sprite for breakfast, back to the "norm". I was pretty sure Olivia was better when she came running to me yesterday holding her stomach saying, "Mom, my stomach hurts. I think I need to watch a movie." ;)

Because life is too short to only grill in the Good 'Ol Summertime...