Swingin' Sisters

Gretchen wanted to be next to Bridgette for her first time swinging . . .

Here we go . . .

Yipeeee!!!!!!

Her snaggleteeth only add to her cuteness these days

Bowling, Birthdays, and Building

Some memories from February I wanted to post . . .

The kids earned enough marbles from their sticker charts and chose to go bowling as our family treat.  Good times were had by all.  Gretchen was more interested in the slide she was given to help roll the ball after the first few frames!

My birthday fell on a Tuesday, which is home group night, so we waited to do our family meal until the weekend.  After Ryan cooked up a delicious dinner, he and the kids threw together a birthday surprise dessert - mint chocolate chip milkshakes!  

Gretchen wanted to build a "tall tall tower" using all the big lego blocks.  Completion of the project prompted a photo shoot with the tower.

Ryan was in the states for a week of work training, which coincided with Rooke's mid-term break.  I spent a couple hours before Ryan left organizing loads of things for the kids and I to do that week.  In answer to my prayers, the big kids were the best of friends that week and played so peacefully together.  I interrupted their coloring session to take a photo commemorating their happy week together. 

Q-tip painting . . . how can the same two parents have such strikingly different children?!

She loves these window stickers from Grammy Deb (if you judge my dirty doors, you have to come clean them).

I cannot believe she turns one in ten days.  Maybe if I don't celebrate the day, she'll stop growing up at warp speed.

One of the activities we did each day was a lego challenge . . .  I probably had as much fun as they did.

And on a whim, I decided to give Bridgette her first hair "cut" while Ryan wasn't home to talk me out of it.  I only got the before shots.  Look at that HAIR!  I just trimmed a couple inches off the back so it looks less like a mullet. :)

You are my Sunshine

The girls and I had just arrived home from lunch with a sweet friend and her daughter.  I opened the door, asked Gretchen to put her shoes away, and whisked Bridgette upstairs for an overdue nap.  As I came down, I found Gretchen sprawled over the threshold of our door with markers in hand.  I stopped on the stairs to just watch.  And I gained insight into this precious little girl God has given us.  She loves the sunshine.  I've always said she was made for the beach, but I hadn't recognized before how special that is.  She needs the sunshine.  She puts herself where the sun is whenever it comes streaming in our windows.  I've felt the emotional affects of not having many sunny days in the past few months, but I bet she has too.  I'm glad she knew that coloring in the sunshine was just what we both needed.

B walking

She's been taking one or two steps here and there for the past week, but tonight I caught her really walking for the first time!!!  You'll hear on the video that I'm just a tad bit excited and proud of my baby.

February Phone Dump

My latest thrift store find for 75 cents!  I loved playing this as a kid.

So much cuteness packed into those two little eyes

"Take a picture of me being graceful." 

My name has officially changed.  I'm now Mum. 

Specials from Daddy on Valentine's Day 

Playing cards with Kaye K in Wales 

We're trying to look on the bright side: she has great creative potential. 

My cute parents looking through a book I made for their 35th anniversary 

I found this photo tucked away in the pages of the Bible I used in college.  Such great memories with these special friends!

Gretchen likes drawing our family . . .

Rooke is reading better each day!

Beaumaris

Our last morning started out with some coloring and gathering our stuff before heading out for one last explore.

We drove to Beaumaris, loaded up on a morning snack Big Daddy style, and headed to our last castle of the weekend.

A tough knight with his ladies-in-waiting inside the castle walls.

Guarding the castle!

This little beauty had fun crawling all over the grass.  She is such an easy baby.

And then we drove home.  It was such a great weekend, made better by the weather and the company of my parents.