Striking a Pose

This girl makes me laugh constantly! She can be sassy, and she can put on a grumpy face, cross those arms, and stomp her foot with the most personality than anyone else in our family, and I think it's safe to say that she has a pretty strong will, but she is just funny! She has a sweet heart, she does not like to be the center of attention,  she loves to cuddle, she loves to dance and make up songs and I just love her to pieces. Tonight as I was tucking her into bed, her bedtime cd was playing (which is a quiet cd of scripture put to music), and she quietly gasped. I asked her what happened and she said:
"Did you hear that? The music? It just sang that Bible verse we know. The one about Jesus and God loving the whole world?"
Oh this made me laugh. We have had this cd since she was two and it was as if she had just heard that song for the first time. It was John 3:16 and we had memorized it during Easter, but the expressions that come along with those cute things are just funny.

She has been into posing lately, so when the camera comes out she starts striking a pose. I love it and as I was looking through pictures the other night I came across so many of her little poses that I knew they deserved a post all to their own. I don't ever want to forget four year old Adalyn!

She has got the "hands on your hips" pose down!

                                              
                                          
On Saturday the girls had dance pictures, so when we got home I snapped a few more. Adalyn was acting so silly and doing all sorts of posing. When I was done taking them she wanted to look through them so she could see herself. Oh dear!

 This was one night while getting ready for bed. She kept saying " take a picture of me like this mommy".  Again, this is my little shy, doesn't like to be the center of attention girl!

Before the Heat...

We have been completely enjoying the beautiful weather outside for the last few weeks. The girls have been practically living outside, swinging, riding bikes, building who knows what with sticks and rocks and just being kids.  I know that brutal Texas summer is just around the corner. I'm already swatting mosquito's and we hear those mosquito trucks at night, so we are taking full advantage of the great outdoors and enjoying as much time as possible outside before we can't stand the heat! I'm still missing that San Diego year round perfect weather! But for now I will be thankful for the spring and all the beautiful days we have enjoyed and the ones ahead.

Last week we enjoyed some great family time. We went and fed the ducks and then played at the park. Such fun!

We have done tons of bike riding. The big girls are getting really good and comfortable on their bikes and I think we have Aubrey convinced that it's time to remove the training wheels. The big girls also joined Jeff on their first ride all the way to the park. They made it there, but not after a few tears according to Jeff. Adalyn got pretty scared of some of the hills but in the end she was brave after Daddy had to do some convincing and pushing! Avery still can't quite reach the peddles on her tricycle but hopefully she will be riding with her big sisters soon.

This past weekend Jeff decided to tie a jump rope to Avery's little cozy coupe car and pull the girls around. They all loved it and they were cracking up. I admit I had to turn away every now and then because I thought for sure the jump rope was going to break and they were going to go flying down the street. But they all survived!

Aubrey was trying to pull Adalyn with her bike. Jeff and I got a big laugh out of watching this.

Fun times with my children

This post is just a bunch of different things we have been up to, but all of it is about fun times with my children. I'm blessed to spend my days with these four. They bring me so much joy and I'm just thankful for them. Now, not every moment is complete joy. Actually some days it's really hard to find a moment of joy, but whenever I stop being overwhelmed and just focus my attention to these four gifts God once again reminds me all I have to be thankful for!

Adalyn and I enjoyed a mommy daughter shopping trip a couple of weeks ago. So much fun! I love having one on one time with my girls!

 She got to spend her money that she has saved, and this is what she purchased. She loves Doc McStuffins so now she dresses up like her often! What a cute gjrl.

 

Last week all four of the babes were sick with fevers and coughing. ALL AT THE SAME TIME! This is what happened the majority of the week, Happy to report a healthy home now!

Our caterpillars formed their chrysallis's and then emerged as butterflies. It's always fun letting them go and watching where they fly too. The girls love that part!

 One of the butterflies didn't want to fly away so we kind of forced it out at the net, but then it still wouldn't fly away. The girls spent the majority of the day watching the butterfly just sitting in our grass and then decided to build this butterfly home for the poor little guy. They were so cute!

This sweet boy turned 6 months old. Time just continues to fly and I know before we know it we will be celebrating his first birthday!

And he got to enjoy his first ride in a swing at the park. He was a fan!

Avery has become quite the little reader these days. She loves dressing up, dancing with her sisters too, and "reading" her books. She makes me smile!

This is her bow when she was done.

These two love each other so, and Aubrey really can make him giggle like nobody else can.

Happy Easter!

We really had a great Easter this year as a family! I do love Easter and try my hardest to keep our family's eyes focused on our Savior and the whole reason the holiday exists. They seem to get it for the most part. I can see the wheels turning, especially Aubrey. Our Bible verse was John 3:16 this week and hearing my sweet girls recite that verse from memory just melts my heart and is such a gift! But they were, of course, pretty excited about the egg hunts and their Easter baskets!

We started our morning with looking through their Easter baskets. This year they were filled with lots of neccesities, one book, and one teeny box of jelly beans. The big girls were very excited about their new dresses, flip flops and swimsuit. I can't imagine what they will be like as teenagers if they already love clothes this much!

For any of you who have little girls this is an excellent Christian childrens book series called the Princess Parables. My girls love them and we are trying to collect them all so they each got one in their basket. 

I wish I looked this beautiful first thing in the morning!

Then it was time for the egg hunt.

Then we got dressed and headed  to church.

Not only was it this sweet boy's first Easter, but he was also dedicated! He was prayed for by our church family, our family was prayed for and that just made Easter that much more special for us!

Our day didn't stop there! We had another quick Easter egg hunt after church...

And then we ended our day at our friends house. We have spent the last two Easters with Lance and the Olson family so we all decided to keep the tradition going. The girls love playing at their house and with their girls (they have three girls too. Landon just can't seem to catch a break). I mean they do have a slide inside there house, so what kid wouldn't love it!

 It really was a great Easter spent with my family and friends, and celebrating our risen Savior and His gift of salvation.