Sydnee Couldn't Wait

Saturday morning Sydnee woke up early than usual and wanted to play, so I sat on the floor of her room while she crawled and walked circles around me pulling out toys. She had a great time, laughing and bouncing around, until started to get upset. At first I thought she was hungry, so we headed into the kitchen, even though it was earlier than her normal breakfast time. Once I realized she didn't want to eat, I set her down and she took off. I followed her back towards her bedroom, then realized what she wanted when she passed her room and started to cry at Ava's door: she wanted her big sister to come and play! Her crying, of course, woke Ava up. They were so happy to see each other, and my heart melted. Yours did, too, I bet!

First Cookout of the Season

For my birthday I received a good sum of money from dear friends and family. I had finally decided on all the things I would get until I went grocery shopping with the girls: there, at the store, we passed by a grill and I immediately threw out my list of goodies.

On Wednesday, the weather had turned out so well, we not only grilled, we ate dinner out on the little patio.

The girls really enjoyed eating outside in the cool breeze while Toby hoped endlessly for a taste of the great-smelling chicken. We look forward to sharing the grill and backyard with any and all of you.

Birthday Mania!

In March we held an open house a week or so after we closed, which gave us huge motivation to get unpacked. We allowed guests to come and go throughout any of the rooms except they couldn't look in closets or the garage. (When can get one car in the garage; now the goal is to fit both).

The open house, though, was also to celebrate Ava's 2nd birthday. We had decided to alternate years with our kids... one year they celebrate with family, the next year they celebrate with friends. This one counted as a friends year, although we were pleased to have lots of family come. Ava loved having a houseful of people sing to her and she got to blow our her candles all by herself! She wore the tiara most of the day.

Todd turned 30 this year along with a friend, Tommy, from church. Lindsey and Kami (Tommy's wife) pulled together a joint celebration with a 70's theme. There was a costume contest and games such as everyone had something from 1977 taped to their back and they had to ask others questions to figure out what it was. For parting gifts, everyone received legitimate copies of Billboard's top 15 songs from 1977.

I didn't start feeling old until the other day when I had the oldies station on the radio in the car when they were playing the Top Five at Five... they were playing the top five songs from 1982!

Birthdays

Easter Snow

We knew it would get cold for Easter weekend, but did not expect three inches of snow. Lindsey had rarely seen "real" snow, that actually stuck and the girls have never seen it. We had to dig warmer coats out of the winter clothes to go outside. Ava quickly learned how to make snowballs and to through them for Toby to fetch and eat while I showed everyone how to make a snowman. We didn't get a picture of the snowman, which is okay since I hadn't built one in 15 years. It wasn't pretty... I had mowed the lawn the day before and the moisture made the ground muddy. It looked more like Moss Man or a Deranged Mutant Killer Snow Goon. We had lots of cold fingers and feet. Who knows when we'll get to see snow again.

April Snow

Family Portraits

The title of the post is actually misleading... in our soon-to-be 6 years of marriage, we have never taken family portraits in a studio. However, we have had friends that were either learning photography or were professional photographers.

Once the bluebonnets came out this spring, we wanted to have pictures. A friend from church wanted to take the pictures, so we went out with the girls in their Easter outfits and some new matching clothes for us. As usual, getting all four of us to look at the camera at once was adventurous. Perhaps we'll post some of the crazy pictures we have. Here are a few of the best.

Bluebonnets