April Snapshots

Three sweet sisters

my favorite place to be

All dressed and ready for the Preschool Dance

Little buddies

The first graders!

Juliet's favorite spot of the night...hanging with Mrs. B

Dancing with daddy

Ella and her teacher, Mrs. Keel

Her jam came on! Get it, girl!

Sweet baby love 💙

Girlfriend loves spaghetti!

Without family nearby, friends become family too! So thankful for friends who take care of our girls when we need help! (and send pictures!)

In his last weeks at the police academy, Uncle Cory took advantage of his free time and being just down the road from us. He stopped by for some spontaneous visits and the girls were so excited. Look at this welcome committee complete with a celebratory sign.

Juliet is always at the front door with shoes in hand or nearby ready to go somewhere. On this morning, she was watching her daddy take her sisters to school and was sad that she couldn't go with them!

Visiting Ella's classroom to celebrate Easter with ice cream sundaes, lots of songs about Jesus and a bunch of cute 4 year olds!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA8-KQEccx4

The month of April was full of challenges for our family. I got sick and we started navigating some unknown health issues. The girls were so sweet to spend time with me however they could, but it made me sad that that meant lots of time on the couch with a walk thrown in here or there. There is nothing that makes you long for health and normalcy more than being completely wiped out unexpectedly. As much as I don't want to remember the hard (and you can see the hard in my face in these pics), it's important to remember what God has done as we move forward from here. It's not easy being in the trenches, but I look forward to seeing how God has intended this for good. His plan is greater than anything I could plan for myself.

This one never gets old! Ella had us cracking up as she made it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4ir1nRVnI0

Abby, Ella and Joe enjoyed a special joint birthday gift from Aunt Cyncy at an afternoon production of the Sound of Music! The girls have loved the movie for years which made the live performance extra exciting for them!

All dressed up and looking lovely for the theatre 😍

Loving every hint of spring...

You guys....she is seven! 😜

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb-pQQ4o3jw

Abby appreciates a before and after pic just like her mommy. When I asked her to organize the shoes, she insisted on documenting her progress.

She organizes like a champ!

First summer ice cream!

Easter 2017

The days leading up to Easter were harder than most years for our family. The challenges we faced in the unknowns of my sickness really simplified the season for us and reminded us what Easter was truly about. We may not have put all of our decorations out and we may have realized last minute that we almost forgot to dye the eggs. The tablecloth color and centerpiece just didn't seem to matter as much this year, but we talked a lot about Jesus, how much we need him and how thankful we are for the life He has given us because He laid down his own. Some years we roll into Easter celebrating on a mountaintop. Some years, like this one, we were celebrating from a tired place in the valley. But, it was a celebration and we were thankful for all of it! 

Easter morning we kept traditions alive with the hunt for baskets

sweet sisters on their way into church

our family 

Someone was not feeling this photo shoot.

my sweet babies 💙

The gang arrived!

Juliet loved the Easter egg hunt this year.

"I found one Daddy!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_tgDMOzUxw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1AWnocHQV8

Brothers

the guys

my love (photo credit: Abby Em)

Ollie hanging with Casey

The original four

Ella had lots to talk to Casey about in her clubhouse.

Thank you Jesus! Happy Easter! 

Friday at the Farm

Ella's class had a field trip to the farm to see the new baby sheep that were born this Spring. All of the kids were excited, but a couple of the girls (Ella included) wanted nothing to do with going in the muddy area where the sheep were. Ella wanted to stay outside of the "stinky barn" and enjoy the sun with her friends!

I was so proud of Ella when she went right into the chicken coop and helped get some fresh eggs. You won't find me hanging with the chickens! 💜

Cheers! Popsicles for the win!

These cuties have become such good friends this year. Ella had a great 4 year old class and teacher!

Juliet Grace: 18-20 months

Our spunky and sweet little firecracker- 

Oh how you make us laugh! You give the best open mouth kisses, the biggest hugs and still keep us wondering with that "look" of yours. :) Once you started walking, you haven't stopped. We always talk about how you are the first girl in our family who has refused to sit down and play with toys. You are always on the go. You wake up in the morning and bring us your shoes. If we bring home groceries, you unload every bag and then carry the items around the house. You walk laps through the living room and kitchen. You like to find bags, fill them and carry them around with you. Of course, I can't forget the fact that you love to dump out the tampon drawer every time you are in the bathroom, leaving a big trail for us to clean up daily. 

You love to dance and have made it especially difficult for us to sit and watch your sisters dance classes because you spend the whole time trying to bust out of the waiting room to join the class. AND if a Trolls song comes on...forget it. You break it down right where you are! Like at Preschool Dance Night when your song came on, there was no stopping you! Go Girl!

Favorite songs include: the entire Troll soundtrack, Better When I'm Dancing by Meghan Trainor, the Kidz Bop version of PriceTag, Ready or Not by Britt Nichole and Gold by Britt Nichole

You stayed awake and danced through your sisters' entire dance recital. It's almost your turn!

Your laugh is the best! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6o19OvoK-ew

In the last few months, you started saying a few more words. You say Mama, Dada, Abby (baba), Ella and Ollie. You've mastered NO with a trademark Juliet head shake that everyone knows. Mainly because it's your answer for everything and for everyone who wants to come remotely close to you. If it's isn't Mommy, Daddy or your sisters, you have no interest in being touched or held by anyone else. After a field trip to the farm with Ella's class, you started "baa-ing" like a sheep. Then, Abby taught you to make the horse sound with your lips (so cute!) and that a cow says moo. Just yesterday, you learned the word cracker!

You like reading books. Your favorite TV shows/characters are Elmo (Sesame Street) and Daniel Tiger. You've even started bringing us the remote and pointing it at the TV when you want to watch something.

I think you are our pickiest baby by far when it comes to food. You have decided which foods you like and which foods you have absolutely no interest in. The only vegetables we have successfully gotten you to eat and enjoy are tomatoes and sweet potatoes.Every now and then you surprise us.  So, it was a huge victory when I made a green shake full of veggies last month and you kept asking for more.  You love fruits, especially bananas and berries, and could eat yogurt for days. Other favorites include peanut butter or creamcheese toast, ham, turkey, pasta and mac and cheese.

Whether it is crayons and coloring books or my pen and notebook, you love to color and scribble!

Our time outside together has been extra fun as you've started exploring every thing on foot. You love your slide, little house and car. As for the swing, you want nothing to do with that motion and won't even let us put you in it this summer. You love going on long walks in the stroller and even strolling around the neighborhood by foot.

Juliet enjoyed her very first solo date going out to eat with her daddy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3JAPbXVChY

Just two little sisters taking over dance class. Brinley and Juliet are best buds!

You started walking in March!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luk_NfvuHCk 

You loves your shoes. Not long after you wake up every morning, you bring us a pair of shoes and let us know you are ready to head out on an adventure. And new shoes....she's not even two and her eyes light up at the sight! She will sit right down and hand you her foot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHq-ZGtikYQ

We love you so much, Julie B! You make our family complete. I love being your mommy!