Fort Morgan 2011

My entire family met in Fort Morgan for a week long vacation together. Needless to say we have had a lot of fun and the kids were beside each other that they got to spend an entire week together playing. These are some pictures that my sister-n-law Amy took with her amazing camera. I will be back to post more later but until then....

Happy Birthday Kate!

HAPPY 4th BIRTHDAY KATE!

We have been at the beach this whole week with my entire family. Now, if you ask Kate we have all come to the beach just to celebrate her birthday! Got to love four year olds!

Hard to believe Kate is turning 4. She keeps us on our toes and keeps up laughing constantly. She is fiercely independent and is determined not to have anyone help her ever. She loves her friends and doesn't meet many strangers. She is a great big sister and is a lot of help to me with Whit.

It makes me sad to think how fast four years have come and gone and I am sure she will be all grown up before we even know it. The Lord is going to keep me on my knees with this one as we are built from the same mold!

We love you Kate Brantley! Happy Birthday sweet girl!

Swimming

At the beginning of this summer Kate could swim under water pretty well. However, this past month she has learned how to swim, come up and take a breath, and go back under and swim some more. I was very impressed as I had heard that usually 4 years old is the youngest that can learn that skill. But let me tell you that since learning how to really swim all Kate wants to do is go to the pool and swim, swim, swim. Which don't get me wrong I am excited about but it is still early and having to watch her like a hawk and Whit is exhausting!!

Just the other day I was at the pool with Kate without Whit and I talked her into going off the diving board. Well that was a mistake because I have created a monster. She will jump off and swim to the side, over and over and over again! I think I treaded water for over 45 minutes the other day while she jumped off the diving board a million times (even though she can swim to the side I am still a little too scared not to be out in the deep end with her). Some bigger girls were jumping off doing spins and toe touches...and little miss Kate can't stand to not keep up with the big girls and before I knew it she was spinning off the diving board.

So looks like we officially have a little swimmer on our hands!

We need a new computer!

My computer won't load our blog which means I don't ever update the blog anymore unless I am on Jason's computer. Clearly I haven't tried to fix our computer either...think I am just holding out for a new one! I have lots of pictures to post but now blogger is being unkind and giving me trouble. So for now here are the kids playing in the hose the other day! And here is to hoping that it won't be another month before I get the rest of the pictures on here!

Loving Life and Los Angeles

LOVING LIFE...

Kate ran her first race! She was the fastest girl (if that really means anything at this age) and she did a great job!



We spend most of our time outside playing...in water!! It is sooo hot!

Some very dear friends of ours became parents to a precious baby girl! We can't get enough of baby Noelle and take every chance we can to love on her!


LOVING LOS ANGELES...

Then Kate and I hopped on an airplane and took off for Los Angeles leaving Jason and Whit at home.

To visit our dear friends the Glazes. Their little girl Graham was Kate's first real little friend and it makes me smile that they still love each other soooooo much even though we now live on opposite ends of the United States.

Can't forget about Noelle and Piper. I am so very grateful for this friendship!

We went hiking...

Put our toes in the Pacific Ocean...

Rode our first Ferris Wheel...

Rode bikes down the beach...
...and so much more that by the end of each day we were pooped!

Then just a week later Jason stayed home with the kids and let me go on a girls trip to the beach! The four of us have been friends for 20+ years. Needless to say we had an amazing time and enjoyed every second we were away. But I am pretty sure all our husbands were glad to see us come home...playing Mr. Mom they found was not as easy as it seems!

Happy First Birthday Whit!!!

Because of the storms that came through here we just now got back our internet (not complaining though). However, I missed posting this on Whit's birthday which was last Wednesday.

Whit has been such a joy and I can hardly believe an entire year has passed. I fee like the theme the Lord has had for my life since becoming a parent is that He will make something beautiful. Trusting Him to take my brokeness as a parent to make something beautiful in me and my children. I am thankful for how He has blessed my family and today I am thankful for my sweet baby boy who is ONE!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Easter Pictures for a GREAT Cause

An old friend of mine from high school and her husband are adopting a sweet little girl named Zoey from South Korea. To help raise money for the adoption, Lauren is taking pictures of kids this next weekend and she is using a REAL LIVE bunny. I think the pictures came out so cute! If you are interested in her taking your children's pictures I would encourage you to contact her. Its $30 minimum for 30 minutes but obviously all money goes to the adoption so you can always give more if you like!

Here is her information if you are interested!

Lauren Bush

laurenkb@gmail.com

612-3163

*Whit's Baptism pictures below in another post

Whit's Baptism

What a sweet time with family and friends. This is a time with both my children where 1. I am thankful that we have a God who loves us 2. parenting is not hopeless because we serve a big God 3. what in the world have we gotten ourself into with raising children??

Kate had no idea that this wasn't all about her. She called out from the stage to our neighbors she saw...she waved back to everyone when the congragation raised their hands...and she was most concerned that Whit got his outfit wet! But listen, it could have been way worse...at least she was cute about all of it.

Horses

The other week was so beautiful we basically did everything outside but sleep! Jason was in town most of the week as well so we took a lot of family walks in afternoon. There are three horses that live just about a mile from our house. Kate LOVES to go and feed the horses!

We even let our first child come along too! Lucy was in heaven, as she doesn't go on many walks anymore unfortunately.

Beach March 2011

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

We spent spring break at the beach this year. It has been a long time since we have been at the beach during a peak time so to see all that traffic and all those high school and college kids was pretty entertaining and a bit loud and obnoxious too. But nonetheless we had a blast! Jason was in Miami for work so Bry offered to wrangle kids with me and I so appreciated her!