Last day of preschool

Thursday was Emma's last day of preschool for the year. She has loved it so much and I know she will miss her friends and teachers this summer

Showing Mama which seat is hers in the classroom

Giving hugs to her friend Kelsi

Up on the stage during the program. The 2's led everyone in the Pledge of Allegience and sang their ABC's

Having lunch during their party after the program



Emma with Ms. Becky. I am so blessed Emma was in her class. Ms. Becky is so kind and loving to the kids and Emma adores her

Next year both girls will be going two days a week. It is nice to give me time to run errands and do things around the house but I am really looking forward to having both girls home with me everyday this summer. We are getting in lots of quality family time before Kevin has to deploy in the Fall

Busy Week

There has been a lot going on this week!

On Friday, Kevin got home from a two week training at Ft. Rucker. We missed him sooo much while he was gone. I figured a date night was in order and wanted to do something different. I told him on Saturday that a sitter would be coming at 6 and he couldn't know any of the details of our date :) I had planned for us to do Great Date #1 of The Great Date Experiment. I don't want to spoil any details but it is a faith-based exercise for married couples and consists of a series of 6 dates. The dates are geared to be really funny, a little cheesy, and help you grow in your relationship. At the start of the date you print out your "instructions" and it tells you step by step what you are to do, where you are to go, and what you are to talk about on your date. We had SO much fun and will definitely be doing Date #2!



On Monday, we all went and ate supper at Joe and Jill's house. Joe and Kevin's mom was in town visiting and we all had a great time together. Emma and Hannah love digging out all of Auntie Jill's plastic utensils and "cooking" with her. They spent a long time lying in the kitchen floor eating brocolli :)

On Wednesday, we had a surprise birthday dinner in Nashville for our friend Lori. We ate at Pie in the Sky and had a cake from Publix. It was all so yummy and so fun. I love spending time with my girlfriends and am so glad we can bless each other. Yay to Karen for thinking up this great idea! (Lori is the brunette, front-left)

But...the best news of the week....

Joe and Jill's twin baby boys were born on Tuesday night!!!!! It was a little earlier that expected but Mama and both boys, Carter Joel and Owen Thomas, are doing fantastic! I haven't snapped very many great pictures yet (I was too busy staring at them and holding them!) but they are just precious and perfect in every way! I am so excited to have nephews and can not wait to watch these guys grow up. Auntie Mandy loves you!!!

Sweet Carter, 7 lb 3 oz

Mama and Owen, 5 lb 12 oz

They call me Mommy

I can't believe that I am so blessed to have two precious girls to call me Mommy.

Welcome Emma Elizabeth! After bedrest, 2 hospitalizations and rising blood pressures the doctor said she needed to come a little early, at 37 weeks. My induction did not go well and our 1st sweetheart was born by emergency c-section on 9/19/07. 5lb 14oz 19.5 "

When Emma was just 6 months old we decided to try for another :) Hannah Sue was scheduled to be born on Jan 27 but rising blood pressures again led us to a c-section on 1/22/09. 6lb 9oz 22"

Our first picture as a family of 4


Today, my sweet Hannah is almost 16 months old. She is fiesty and brave, cuddly and sweet. She loves following after big sister and is a total Mama's girl

My precious Emma is almost 3! She is funny and polite, smart and beautiful. She makes us so proud and is a wonderful big sister. Although she is a Daddy's girl, she lights up my life

Happy Mother's Day!!

Hand-Me-Down

I like to think of myself as a deal-finder and fairly saavy with my shopping. This is especially true with things we buy for the girls (okay, minus their outrageous crib and dresser...). Since I was pregnant with Emma I have been a fan of buying used things. Almost all of my maternity clothes were either borrowed or bought off of Ebay. I also bought huge lots of baby clothes, shoes and supplies from Ebay and resale shops. I have always figured that a lot of baby gear is used for such a short time that you can find "used" stuff that is like new.


Kevin and I got into a discussion related to this the other day. We started listing off all the used items that have been given to us from people we know. The list is HUGE. I had never taken the time to pause and realize just how blessed and lucky we have been with so many essential items being handed off to us from friends and family that could have sold them and made a buck back. This list does not even include all the wonderful NEW things people have bought and given to us, which is also very long.


I wanted to document it here so that I can look back on it often and remind myself how truly blessed and loved we are. Also, it really leads me to want to hand these items down to others who could use them instead of consigning them. Pay it forward, right?

Exersaucer that both girls played in

Eddie Bauer wodden booster seat

Bath towels. EVERY SINGLE bath towel both our girls have ever used are hand-me-downs

Graco high chair. Both of our girls used this chair.

Bath tub- both of our girls used this as well

Over-the-door jumper. Possibly Emma's favorite thing ever

The list doesn't even include the massive amount of clothes, shoes and bibs from multiple people, boxes and boxes of toys, coats, baby blankets, diapers that were found in a closet :) etc.

It is very humbling to read through this list in my mind.

It soon will be my turn.

Great day for a picnic

We ate al fresco today.

The girls have both become quite fond of having picnics. We have done a bunch over the last year. Kevin and I always crack up because we will usually bring 3 small bags of chips and they will all end up on Emma's lap because she hoards them :)

Today it was just me and my girls and no chips but it was still heavenly. What is it that makes eating turkey and cheese on a blanket outside so much better than having it at the table? Is it that fresh air can boost our appetite? Or maybe all the running and sliding and swinging expends are energy? Or maybe just the glory of doing something "special" and different. Sitting in the open air with those we love and enjoying all God's beauty. It is peaceful on that blanket in the shade with birds and the wind providing the ambience.

I think we'll do it again tomorrow.

Simple Pleasures

The warmer weather means we have been spending lots of time outside. Emma loves to play in the grass and rocks. She will pick leaves off bushes, flowers, trees, etc and carry them around in her pockets. Hannah is fairly convinced that dirt is tastey. Walks through the neighborhood in the stroller have become a lot more interesting because we will let Emma get out and walk beside us. She will try to wander through neighbors' yards, play with their yard ornaments, attempt to pick their flowers, etc. She is exercising a lot of independence these days and frequently needs reminding to stay by the stroller, stay by the sidewalk, hold a hand when crossing the street and so on. She's getting it.

Hannah is content to practice her new walking skills. Outside terrain presents a challenge so she is still mostly crawling when out and isn't sure what to think of the grass or concrete under her hands. A lot of the time she just finds a comfy spot and will sit and just watch what is happening. She smiles when the sun is in her eyes and loves feeling the breeze. But the temptation of whatever big Sissy is doing usually takes over and then she's off.

Coming out of hibernation

So....




It's been a while.





Going on 8 months, actually.




I've been working up the motivation to do a post for months now. I've been obsessing over how to explain why I've been absent, how to fill in for ALL the events and exciting things that have happened, how to post all the cute pictures I've taken, etc. I think I've resolved to not do much of the above but rather pick up where we are now and go forward with lots of fun documenting :)




Our family has really been going through a transformation. Some days, I think our lives today have very little resemblance to the way they looked when I did my last post. God has been faithful in doing a mighty work within us. It has been hard, it has been painful, but it has been glorious and amazing. I will just leave it at saying I love my life right now and feel so blessed to stand beside Kevin as his wife and to spend my days mothering Emma and Hannah.




Tune in soon for updates and photos of what we're up to. I've miss y'all :)