Best Buds

We got to hang out with our best buds, the Brunsons last night. We had such a great time, and were even able to talk and catch up. We have not had our 2 families together (including the dads) since November, so we were due for some good hang out time. Kendall took out her camera later in the evening and took a few pictures...She blogged about it today, so I thought I would put a link to her blog so you can see the pics...She is such a fun photographer! ALL my kids are sound asleep right now, still tired from last night...love it!

http://athomeinaustin-kc.blogspot.com/

Easter Cookies

They were funny...taking this quite seriously.

So proud of this little one

Love her dainty little hands.

He was concentrating so very hard, wanting them to be just right.

Tasting her art...what a face!

Our New Table

So, if you didn't know already, we've decided to homeschool Aiden in the Fall for Kindergarten. It was a shock to us...as we always said that we would NEVER homeschool. Well, God is funny that way...at least in my life. I can easily rattle off to you at least 10 things that I have said "never" about, that God later brought into my life. So I guess I shouldn't be surprised....but needless to say, I still am. At this point we are just doing kindergarten, and we'll re-assess every year. Our desire is to prepare our children to succeed in public school the best we can. That's our heart behind it, and what we feel that God is asking of us. It's a little bittersweet for me. I have dreamed of the day that my kids would start school. I have always wanted to be the Homeroom Mom, and to be up at the school all the time. But the reality is, I will still have 3 little girls at home with me. So for now, that's on hold. I AM looking forward to a little more time with Aiden, a little more flexibility, and the opportunity to build into him a little more before sending him off. So that's where our new table comes in. We are trying to get our playroom ready for a more practical area for schooling. So we got this fabulous table online at Walmart, via Site to Store shipping! It's the perfect size, and color (loving the black)...it's made for 3-8 year olds, which means we can use it for longer. For now though, we're using it for crafts, and for the occasional breakfast or lunch. The kids love sitting at it, and always want Evan to be included. That warms my heart.

Found Treasure

I had just finished pumping this morning, and put the treasure on the counter. I started loading the dishwasher, and this little munchkin went and scammed my "liquid gold"...little toot! And she looks pretty proud of herself too.

Funny Girl

She's starting to panic a little...thinking that she's stuck. Is it bad that I took a picture instead of helping her??

Whew...all is well again!

I couldn't find Grier the other day...she had been playing in her room, and then I stopped hearing her. So I went to check on her, and she was just hangin' out under her sister's bed. She makes me laugh. There is no room under there, but she still managed to get a few toys under there. I love her!

Chuck E Cheese

***Warning-Lots of pictures! :)

Showing off their tickets

Grier carried this flat basketball everywhere
Me and all my girls.

One of her many faces

Gracen wanted to "ride" this horse, by putting her token in and standing next to it, holding on to the reins. Can we say...cautious!

Dancing to "I like to Move it, Move it"

I LOVE this picture. Aiden and Ainsley are two peas in a pod...they are gettin' down.

Sweet Friends

Who's having more fun here?

Super Mom!! Kendall's playin a little ball, while she's got Addie in a sling! Go girl!

Well, this year instead of a big birthday party like last year, we decided just to take our best friends to Chuck E Cheese. We're only gonna do a big birthday party every other year. Every year just seems like too much. The kids didn't even care. They were looking forward to this day for a long time. Kendall and her girls met up with us last week on Blake's day off. It was a Wednesday, which equals peace and quiet at Chuck E Cheese. I LOVE going there during the week. Our kids love each other and always have such a great time together. It was a really fun day. Sorry about all the pictures...there were so many cute ones, I couldn't decide between all my favorites. Aren't Ainsley and Aiden funny dancing, and shaking their booties?! I mean, who taught these kids how to dance? There dads no doubt... :) Blake caught a great moment there.

Our First Tball Game

Go Aiden!

Run Aiden Run

Aiden with his good friend Tyler...precious!

Enjoying a post game snack

A wee bit bored



Well, we went to our first Tball game today, and it was SO much fun. Blake asked off today, so we actually got to have Daddy at the game, and for the WHOLE day. Aiden played great and really tried to do his best...I loved that. He was pretty funny...both times he was up to bat, he hit the ball and ran to 1st base, then to 2nd, and so on until he was home...the funny part was that he passed all his other teammates on their bases. He didn't get that you have to wait for the person in front of you to run to the next base...he was HAULING! I'm thinking track and field might be his thing. He loves to run, that's for sure.
It was the perfect day for me. First of all Blake took the day off, so he got to spend a Saturday with us...Wow! He made us all french toast this morning. We just had a relaxing, chilled out morning, then went to the game. Afterwards the kids came home and took naps, and Blake and I hung out and listened to a sermon online by Frances Chan...which I'll blog about later, b/c it was SOOO good. We made homemade pizza tonight, and had a picnic in the living room watching "Bolt"...it was so great. I can't wait for the day that Blake doesn't have to work on Saturdays. That is my idea of a perfect day with my family!

Pre-Game Photo Shoot

So stiff

Breaks into dance, once Gracen comes on the scene

She helped loosen him up

No idea why he's pointing at her.

She makes me laugh with all of her faces.

We took some pictures before Aiden's Tball game...before he was all red and sweaty, because it was HOT today. Aiden was so stiff taking pictures, and then Gracen walked out the front door and declared that she wanted to be in them too...and suddenly Aiden was relaxed and ready to take pictures. It's interesting to me how Aiden and Gracen bring out the best in each other, and give each other confidence...but in a blink of an eye, they can bring out the worst in each other...siblings.

My Guys

I walked out my front door today, and this is what I saw...my guys' shoes...and I just couldn't resist snapping a picture. I love them...the guys that is.

A Little Much

I'm thinking about buying this for Evan...what do you think???

http://www.babybangshairband.com/index2.php

Batter Up

Look at the focus and attention of my boy! (Notice the boys in the background :))

That smile is for Mommy!! I'm a lucky lady!

Check out that form!!

I'm not a proud mama am I?! Well, we entered the "world of sports"...finally. I have wanted to be a sports mom for as long as I can remember. I always wanted 4 sons...and I pictured Saturdays spent on the field or at a ball park. So needless to say, I am thrilled that the time has come to introduce Aiden to organized sports. Now, that I think about it, it's kinda strange that I'm so excited. I'm not sporty, nor do I understand most sports...but it just seems so "All American". Aiden is a pretty athletic kid...definitely gets that from his Dad....so he has picked up Tball pretty quickly, and LOVES it. And I LOVE that. I hated PE as a kid...so I'm glad that Aiden has a totally different attitude towards all things sporty.

Flashback

Announcing our pregnancy with Grier

Fall '07

Turning 1 & 2

A sweet moment...Spring '07 -turning 2 & 3

Moving to Austin...saying goodbye to our Dallas home

Simple Pleasures

Bath time

I'm not real sure what the point of this posting is...I was just feeling sentimental. Aiden and Gracen wanted to look at old pictures of themselves. They love that. Do your kids? Anyways, they wanted to see pictures of us in Dallas, and so we started scrolling through picture after picture...and I got sentimental. It was a sweet time for us. While we were there, it seemed so hard. Blake was so busy with school and all of his jobs. I was pretty much pregnant the entire time. We had very little money, and very little space for that matter. We lived in an old house that was about 1,000 square feet. I just couldn't wait until we graduated and "moved on" to something better. Well, now we have been "moved on" for almost 2 years now...and life still feels pretty much the same. It is actually busier now, with the kids getting older, and needing more from us...and of course we've added to our family as well. But you know, life was pretty simple. When you don't have much, life is pretty simple...and we were blessed. The last year of seminary God opened our eyes to see how blessed we were. We started keeping a list of the ways God had blessed us...and we were overwhelmed. It got to be really exciting. We would be doing something like yard work, laundry, or studying, and one of us would blurt out a blessing. It was constantly on our minds. It's amazing how your perspective changes when you look at your day this way. We are truly blessed people. We have so much to be thankful for. God has lavished us with many good things...a relationship with Him, a pretty great marriage, 4 healthy children, a roof over our heads, food, 2 running cars (one of which was a gift to us), a church we love and can openly worship at, good friends, supportive and loving family, health insurance, a working washer, dryer, and dish washer (seriously!)...our list goes on and on and gets much more specific. It doesn't matter what season of life I'm in or what I have or don't have...it's about living in the present (not dreaming about the future), making a choice about being content, and thankful for ALL that God has given me today. What are you thankful for?

Daddy and His Girls

Waiting for the doctor in the "Keep Austin Weird" Room
How fun is that?!

Getting Weighed-2 year check up

Totally unware she's about to get a couple of shots

Visiting Aiden at preschool




Because Blake works on Saturdays he has off on Wednesdays...which has its advantages...although hear me now: I would much rather have him home on Saturdays. Anyways, we get to tag team errands, and appts...etc. Grier went for her 2 year check up and I got to have Daddy as back up. Afterwards we headed up to Aiden's preschool that he goes to M/W. He has been asking us to come and hear him sing. So we loaded up the girls and made a day of it. Nothing warms my heart faster then to see my husband cuddling with his precious girls. It's just a cool contrast...his masculinity up against their daintiness.

Meal Idea

Box of pizza crusts

pizza just the way we like it

So in the snack bar of Sam's (probably Costco too) you can purchase a case of already made pizza crusts. They are $17.00 for 14 crusts. It comes out to be like $1.20/crust. They are frozen and have to stay frozen until you need one...so you have to have some freezer room. We recently bought an upright freezer for our garage...so this was one of my first purchases. It has been so fun and so easy. They are great for a fast, and inexpensive dinner. It's also a great way to get the family involved. Aiden helped me make this pizza. They take 5 minutes to defrost and about 10 minutes to bake. I made a BBQ Chicken pizza last week, and it was a hit. Just thought I'd pass the savings on to you...if you don't have a Sam's card, let me know and we can meet up there.