family fun day

About a week and a half ago, Marineland had it's "Family Fun Day," and despite some looming rain clouds, we drove down and enjoyed a couple of hours of watching the dolphins and eating free food! The girls loved seeing the dolphins up close and still talk about going to Marineland.  Although sometimes Esther says things like, "I better hold on to my paci (baby doll, ball, whatever she's holding) because the dolphins might eat it!" :)

mother's day

Okay, I promise this is my last post from May!  We ended up being in Birmingham for Mother's Day and had fun spending it with Woody's family.  Michael cooked a delicious meal for all the mother's on Saturday night and so on Sunday after church we headed over to the Purple Onion to enjoy eating outside.

That afternoon our family went to the Aldridge Botanical Gardens... the weather was beautiful and it was so relaxing walking around the lake and enjoying God's beautiful creation.  

And lastly, one of our last afternoons in town, some sweet, longtime friends stopped by for a short visit.  It was so great to see these gals and hard to believe that Hannah was around Chloe's age when I started babysitting her almost 13 years ago!  

more may

Here's the next installment of our time away from home...

Arden and Esther with the boys... sweet friends and fun times in the backyard.

Action shot on the slip n slide... the boys were really good at this... A and E... let's just say they need a lot more practice!

One Saturday morning we walked over to SU and saw the new basketball arena... very impressive.  Gone are the days of good ole' Bashinsky.

Sweet Esther and a shot of the booboo on her lip (it actually looks pretty decent in this pic)...she got thrown off the top of the cozy coupe... yes, you read that right.

bubble fun on Nonie and Dagan's deck

blow those bubbles, sister!

some water time in Kai's pool!

Great Grandmom and Chloe

Filling chipmunk holes in the front yard with Dagan... this became a part of the after dinner routine...serious business.

april/may

You're about to be bombarded with pictures from our time away from home...

Harrison caught this 8 lb. bass while we were in Georgia!

Chloe with Nonie and G.G., both wrapped around her little fingers. :)

Dream cakes...you know I can't resist a cupcake shop!!

we love Homewood day... Woody had to work, but Kay (Nonie) and I took the girls because we do love Homewood! :)

I couldn't believe how much Arden loved this huge slide!

Esther liked it okay, but was done after 2 trips down.

This is a shot taken before the never ending swing started...my smile wasn't so big when we got off!

Arden loved it though... I guess I'm getting too old!

coloring fun with cousin Kai

Arden became the puzzle queen, taking after her Great Granddad.  He gave her this 100 piece puzzle to work and she did it!!  I don't know if you can tell by the picture, but the pieces were tiny.  It took her quite awhile, but she stayed with it and had so much patience to see it to completion.  I wanted to help her so badly, but she would say, "Mommy, please don't stand behind me.  Please don't help me, I can do it myself."  And she did.  (And now she's on a puzzle kick.  A friend gave her some more age appropriate 100 piece puzzles and we've added to the collection since we've been home.  She has put these puzzles together 2-3 times daily since we've been home!)

Our strong Chloe...I think she's trying to be like Mowgli.

And there are a few more pics to come, but for now, I need some sleep! :)

it's good to be home

After being gone for quite some time, we are all home again!  I posted back in March that Woody's work took us up to Alabama for a few weeks.  What I didn't tell you was that when the girls and I left to come home, Woody stayed.  He managed a job that ended up taking 10 weeks and his only visit home during that time was over Easter weekend.  The girls and I managed by God's grace to get through this time by coming home and trying to stay in our regular routine, having family visit (thanks G.G., Nonie and the Deals!) and also spending some time up in Georgia with my family.  Towards the end of the job, we went back up to Alabama,  and this time when we came home, we brought Woody back too!  It honestly was really hard to be apart from him and to be the sole parent to our three little ones.  (I have an even greater respect for single moms and military families having gone through this short period!)  Not having Daddy around was a big adjustment for Arden and Esther.  It mostly showed in their behavior and attitude which ranged from times of testing me and defiance to emotional breakdowns of sobbing and needing me to hold and comfort them, especially at night when it was time for bed (which is NOT normal).  I was challenged and stretched and exhausted most of the time, but the Lord used it for his glory and because of it I'm stronger.  My relationships with the girls are stronger too.  Along with this, the Lord taught me so much from overcoming fears to trusting his plans for our family.  By His grace I went from having a hard heart to being at peace with our circumstances; finding joy in each new situation.  The Lord used this time to draw me close and also strengthen mine and Woody's relationship.  
And now, we're a family again!  It is hard to express how nice it is to be home again and in our normal rhythm of life.  I'm thankful for all that we learned, but Lord willing, we will not have to be apart for any great length any time soon!

life is about to change

an apple a day

Yesterday Arden asked if she could eat an apple, a whole apple, not cut up, since she's a big girl.  This was only the second time I've let her eat it this way.  I left her in the kitchen eating the apple and I guess I got a little preoccupied with Chloe because when I came back in she was so proud that she'd finished the apple... "Look Mommy, my apple has 5 seeds!"  All that was left of the apple, literally, was the stem and the seeds, that was it.  Apparently I need to do a better job of explaining that we don't eat the apple core!!