9 years ago

9 years ago I got to marry my best friend.

It still amazed me that it has been 9 years ago, which means we've really been together like a lifetime as we started dating way back in 9th grade (makes me think of that tim mcgraw song...emma lou hayes etc). Oh dear i guess that's the ramblings of a crazy very pregnant lady.

Well I got some beautiful flowers and we got to spend the afternoon/evening together. We were hoping to go golfing which is something we typically do on our anniversary but the constant rain was a deterant. So we went to the movies and out to dinner and even stuffed ourselves to the max with dessert.

I'm lucky. He is the best! I know I may be biased but I really think he is! Well at least my best!

I couldn't imagine doing this life without him.

I got one shot of us as he always jokes about our life being fully documented. But I just don't want to ever forget that We matter to.

Love you D. Thanks for choosing me all those years ago!

Pajama Party in Honor of Ells

 Its a Pajama Party...in honor of Ells turning 4.

The decor...pretty simple as we had a pancake bar...(no pictures, boo hoo)

And fun little accessories mixed in with eggs scattered throughout our house. Like these little folded fans hanging from the ceiling.

Not going to lie but a pajama party is a bit difficult to decorate for but the attendees made the day a hit!

All the guests were asked to come dressed in pjs for a morning of pancakes and fun. And they did. Of course I failed to get one of all the kiddos but the grandmas were true sports and came in robes and jammies too. Even my grandpa sported some flannel pants.

It was a bit of an interesting morning as Ells was a a bit overwhelmed by the crowd and attention. Odd. In fact she stayed glued to either my mom or dad and wouldn't blow out her candles or open her eyes to eat her pancakes. Eventually she snapped out of it. But it made for some concentration on that and a lot less to details of the party and pictures of course.

glued to papa

her cakes made by daddy - the resident breakfast chef at our house

We had masks to color as Ells loves crafts

And it was a gorgeous morning so we played outside and flew a few kites too

Then she came alive, thankfully for presents.

Ells Birthday

Ells,

Your actual birthday looked a little like this...

Photo shoot with your brothers

Singing happy birthday...with candles in fruit (lame but Dad is to blame on that one)

Opening gifts from us and the boys

A ride to the park

Making and eating red velvet cupcakes

Then our first family movie - Rio 2 (minus terrible lighting and the fact Sage man roamed the place like a wild man we will not be taking him again for a very long time)

We hope you had a great day sweet pea. It was fun and special honoring you on your special day! 

Happy Easter

Our best...

Of course...I could add all the out takes but this one pretty much tells the story.

We spent the Easter celebrating with my family on Saturday minus my brother's family as they were home trying to get rid of the stinkin hand foot and mouth. Yuck!

We hunted eggs, played and enjoyed church the next morning.

always begging dad for candy. he knows the right person to get, uh?

Shaddy is quite the helper. The other two were a bit annoyed and didn't want the help he offered.

And then Sunday it was off to D's sister's. Lets just say we were a bit fried after all the festivities of the holiday. But they had a blast and the food was as always yummy.

one of about five breakdowns that day

Then it was home for nap but Shadd had left out some lettuce and carrots for the Easter Bunny so he was not at all tired when we got home, however everyone else was so he waited patiently until everyone (and I mean everyone) got up from naps. Our bunny ate the treats and left a note with specific instructions as to where the goodies were left. 

However, Ells wasn't too happy when Shadd pointed out where her goodies were hidden.  Breakdown #6 at least. Oh dear. 

But what a glorious holiday and we had fun leading up to as we were able to read about the passover celebration, palm sunday, and all the neat fulfillment of scripture in Jesus's death, burial and ressurection. The brutality of Jesus's death really hit home for Shadd this year and I could tell he was troubled that Jesus would pay the price of himself and his death to save Him and me and anyone else who believes in Him. Its a beautiful picture of what Jesus did in his sacrifice and something that needs to be celebrating every day not just this particular Easter or any other. He did it all for you with a willing and obedient heart and the gift of eternity is free, you just have to seek and pursue it!

Hope you had a wonderful Easter celebrating the real reason of the season.

"He is not here, for He is RISEN" Matthew 28:6

Mr. Sage

Got to spend a good portion of the day with this guy. Just us two. We went to Target and for the first time ever he just chatted and enjoyed riding in the cart. Oh if only it was like that all the other times I go. He was a bit bummed he didn't get to spend the day with dad like the other two so he got to go on a special trip to get mulch for the landscaping beds. He has talked about it ever since. When we drove by the mulch place later that day he cheered for mulch. Just a reminder its the little things like one on one attention once in a while that make their day and ours.

And lately he has been sporting some pretty sweet outfits. Here he has on pjs, a backpack and daddy's shoes. The other day after playing with Cousin S and Ells he came out with slippers, a small purse, necklace, bracelet and doll sunglasses. It was the quite the look, let me tell you! He definitely can embrace his feminine side.

Outside, finally

Spring is here. The days are getting longer and warmer. We have been enjoying our sandbox and playhouse a ton already this spring! 

And then we get a random snowfall like this...it was quickly melting and they were so bummed the driveway and sidewalk didn't need scooping so they spent a little time shoveling the deck. Burned some energy and was the perfect excuse for hot chocolate. 

big boy transition

not always so crazy but still hilarious that afternoon

Sage used to sleep like this...now he sleeps like this...

I mean. Wow. They look so grown up in that big bed. Its hard for me to swallow that the other two both moved almost six months earlier because well we needed that crib. But Sage being our best sleeper hands down, we were nervous. But the first night, he stayed in bed all night and he has come out a few times but for the most part he just stays put and then comes wandering out in the morning around 7am. Amazing. D and I ask ourselves all the time what we did differently in parenting him but we can't come up with anything really. He was our non-rocker but still as a baby the other two did fine and do fine now with an occasional visit to our floor once in a while. 

So its official he is a big boy sleeping in a big boy bed!