7 Little Things That Make Me Disproportionatly Happy!

Heather at Want What You Have posted this and I love it!

We all need to think of these things especially when we get in the habit of thinking of the things that bother us, which, ahem...would never be me!

1. When My husband really really smiles, which is rarely caught on camera cause those are always posed. But this smile comes with an awesome laugh that anyone who knows him would recognize. In fact it has happened that someone heard him the next aisle over in a grocery store and came looking for him. It is the best and no matter how I am feeling it evokes at least a smile, if not a full laugh!

This is K when we were dating and is the closest I could find to the real thing!

2. When I use my creative juices to make something! I love making things, whether it's an outfit for one of my girls or decorative letters or something educational like -- I love it! I feel so accomplished and like I have done something useful and beautiful which is the best feeling ever!

This is the easter dresses I made for the girls out of womens skirts. One was a quarter at a garage sale then I found the matching one at goodwill for like 4.00 which is more than I normally pay but it matched! I was so pleased with how they turned oit!

3. Baby kisses. I love having a baby that I can kiss all over! I love love love baby kisses! And now she is getting big enough to give me baby kisses by grabbing my hair on either side of my face and pulling me toward her and usually my nose ends up somewhere close to her mouth and she just laughs...oh makes me want to wake her up just so I can get some!!! Well. Almost...

This is actually "A".

4. "O"s antics. Although these antics can sometimes drive me up the wall... most of the time they provide great laugh therapy which I need! There is nothing like seeing her look sideways out of her big blue eyes because she knows she is doing something that will make me laugh.

5. Serious conversations with "A". I love discovering how deep she thinks.
Whether it about how she will marry daddy when she grows up so she never has to leave our family, or the eggs that are inside her that will grow to be babies someday (yes I told her that casually one day when she asked how babies get inside...we even looked up pics! How did I know how wonderful she would think that was!) or whether it is about the house in heaven that Jesus is preparing for us: "Will it have pictures on the wall too? Will we need a fridge? Will we drive cars? Will there be a grocery store?" These moments of quiet conversations with her are like medicine for my sometimes weary mommy soul!

6. Finding bargains! I have to agree with Heather on this one! I LOVE finding bargains! I love when we find something we have been wanting at a garage sale for chump change!

Little things like a barbie watch that "A" had been asking for everytime we walked past the watch section at walmart: Garage sale for a quarter.

Nice Tommy Hillfiger shirts for "K" to wear to work: garage sale for fifty cents.

Ceramic Hair straightener I had been longing for: $19.99 with a $10 off coupon to be used on my next shopping trip to Walgreens. (and it works well, I tried it as soon as I got home!) YIPEE!!

7.The family routines we have made.

-Like sittting outside on a blanket in the cool evening while "K" plays his gutair and sings worship songs. We really do this and I love it!

-Like "A" asking every night at dinner, "What was your favorite part of today?" And we all answer in a particular order too!

-Like the silly songs we have made up for almost every routine or phrase we have to say repeatedly:

"Its Night night time, Night night time..."

"The only thing that goes in your mouth is food and drink..."

Well I was singing them as I typed but it doesnt translate well....

Can You Tell Who's Who?

Obviously the Date on the last one might give it away!

But the first one is Olivia, the second is Julia and the third is Annelise!

Don't we make cute babies!!!

A's Birthday... I know. I am late!!

Well, "A" is now 5 years old and I just can not believe it!! She is so big and has been so excited for her birthday to come AND she is thrilled that it is close to Christmas. She loves the story of Baby Jesus and Mary and Joseph. She loves to be Mary with a baby in her tummy and to rock baby Jesus. She could play the nativity all day long. SO, she asked to have a Nativity Birthday! So our guests were invited to come dressed as their favorite Nativity Character. Of course sinse no boys were able to attend we had a bunch of Marys with their own baby Jesus's!

We read the christmas story which most of the girls knew by heart and I think they were frankly a little bored.

Kevin took the children on "donkey rides" in the wagon with a donkey head taped on!

Then we followed the star (little hints written on stars that led them thru the house and into the Kitchen) to the Baby Jesus cake.It was very low key and I was so glad! Although Annelise told me "Mommy, We never acted out the Nativity story!!" I told her it was 'cause we had all Mary's!

Annelise is my Beautiful, Intuitive, High Needs, High Empathy Daughter who I am so proud to parent! Happy Birthday My First Born!!!Thank you Lord for entrusting her to me!

Our Fun Day

So going on a vacation isn't an option this summer, but we've had some Fun Days, and yesterday was one! We started off the day with a trip to I-HOP, mmm and I had way more than my pregnant belly should hold, but it was good! And the girls felt like it was such a treat!

Then we headed to Waco for a trip to the Children's Museum. Every Wed this summer they visit a different continent. Last time we went it was Africa and they had African Dancers. Annelise was gyrating for weeks! And now won't stop asking when we are going to Africa!

But this time we visited the continent of Australia. the first activity was playing The Moco the Gecko game. Geckos are called Mokos in Australia and they eat bugs (that's what the girls are doing here!)

They were able to see a Cocktail live (they are native to Australia) and Annelise wasn't even scared. They were totally in awe!

The most fun to me was seeing the Didgeridoo played. He had a slide show of all the beautiful faces of the Native Aborigine people. He talked a lot about how they were one with nature and honestly, my first reaction was that he was a little out in left field. But as he continued talking, I listen to him speaking about how all of nature has a rhythm and we just have to listen, because all of nature was created by the great mysteries. And although it all sounds a little new age, the truth is, our God is a mystery. He is unbelievably personal, and yet such a mystery. AND He did create all of earth to glorify him, if the rocks can cry out, then maybe all of creation does have a rhythm. Anyway, just my thoughts on the Didgeridoo dude. No pic of him cause we didn't have good seats to see, but we could hear and it was awesome!

We did some fun crafts then headed home for naps! It was our fun little day!

And for all of you who I am so sorry didn't know we were expecting, I had Kevin take a preggo pic of me this evening. So yeah, just a little pregnant! Please know that there were way too many of you than I'd like to admit that didn't know we were pregnant. After our loss last fall, I think we were just more reserved on sharing the news, and then it got to be so normal for us, we forgot we hadn't made any big announcement!

Well this is it for now!

Thank You Meemaw!

Thank you Meemaw for the Dora shirts! They were a hit just as you guessed! I know you'd rather see them in person, but here's the next best thing!
And now the model pose!

Fun Day With Cousin Bailey

And Papa Fred, Gran Ann, and Aunt Camille (oh and we can't forget our new little nephew, though he spent most time in the stroller!!) although there is not as much proof of them being there! Aunt Camille and Bailey live only an hour or so away, but unfortunately we don't take advantage of that as often as we should. But earlier this summer (sinse I'm playing catch up here)while the grandparents were visiting we went to a little place called Kiddie Acres. It is all miniature rides that take up a morning and was perfect fun for these stair step cousins! First came the boat ride...
Then it was time for the Ferris Wheel. Thank you Aunt Camille for riding in that little wobbly looking contraption!!! My preggo body would've done it in I'm sure!!
Next came the train ride. Oh goodness Olivia was experiencing heaven on earth!! A 'real' ChooChoo!! This time it was Kevin who squeezed in...isn't he cute! And thank you Kiddie Acres for not charging the adults!

And then the Merry Go Round, Annelise's Favorite! And the airplanes, that was my favorite! It was so cute to see them with the propellers blowing their hair, I loved it!

The car rides were fun, but its what came next...Oh Yes!! Pony Rides!! My girls were sooo sooo excited!! Olivia helps Daddy go feed the horses often so she was thrilled, and Annelise was soo brave and just giggled the whole time. It was so fun!! Thank you Aunt Camille for suggesting such a fun day, and thanks Gran Ann and Papa Fred for making such a fun day possible (even though there is no evidence of your presence in the pics!!)