Easter 2011

{the year with no cute pictures...}

So Easter was this weekend...what a beautiful spring day it was here!! Absolutely stunning...we had a beautiful morning at Church and then a great day together. Unfortunatly we do not have pictures that will forever capture the beautful times...becasuse someone...{eh hemm...Olivia} was being a stinker and we could not get any cute family pics.

Olivia walking to take pictures...yep...best one we took of her...*sigh*...

This was the best picture we could get of the two together...are you starting to see my point?

Yep, that was it...those are the best pictures we took this Easter...but that's okay. We know that pretty dresses and pictures are not what Easter is all about {I'm trying...}

Anyway, moving on...below are just some random pics from the past couple of days....enjoy!

Chef Olivia...the girls love to help me in the kitchen...so for Easter they both got aprons and hats.

Sophia looking at me just before she says "umm...Mommy...what is it that you are doing?"

As I was taking down the last of the girl stuff from the nursery.

Speaking of...the girls have been in "their" room for over a week...it was such and amazing and smooth transition {THANK YOU LORD} and I took several pictures which I will post soon!

P.S..In case some of you were wondering {I am}...we will be sharing Baby Boy's name soon...ohhh....exciting....!!!!

love and kisses....

1 Pirate + 1 cheerleader = Halloween 2010

For Sophia's pirate birthday Nana and Poppy gave her a wonderful pirate costume! So she was very, very excited to wear it for Halloween. Olivia was the super cutes USC cheerleader ever! She was still learning to walk at that point so it was fun to watch her try and take off after the candy, literally faster than her feet could carry her!

Olivia at Daddy's desk...helping him wrap thing up before the treating began!

The pirate mommy and her girls.

"I'm want more treats...let's go!!"

Sophia on the bounce house.

Well folks, I am almost caught up...I have a couple more big post from Christmas...but then I think we can stay in the present. Trust me there is enough there to keep us more than busy!!

In fact...I will start to post pictures of the girls new room....and the progress in the nursery!

love and kisses...

Robots?!?

{we are having a BOY!}

I admit, of all the things I have neglected posting about..this is the one I feel the worst about.

We are having a boy!! A precious little boy...me...with a son!! I still can not fully wrap my head around it. :)

I love my girls...LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my girls...so precious...so sweet and pretty and pink! They are such a joy and a blessing. I thought I wanted another one...not that I have any say...but if the Lord was to ask me what it was I wanted for my third child, I would have asked for another perfect pink little bundle. I am so glad that the Lord knows exactly what we want/need even when we don't!

Honestly, I never really thought I would have a boy...so I think I was nervous to even voice that I would want one {so silly}. But when Andrew and I went in for our ultra sound and we saw that we were having a boy {before the lady "officially" told us... you could tell..wink wink} I could not

contain the tears. Blessed beyond belief I think sums up what I was and still am thinking!!!

A boy...a little brother for my perfect little girls. A little replica of my favorite person in the whole entire world..MY HUBS!!!! How can one be more blessed than that!!!

We are less than 100 days from his due date...and what seems like years away from being ready for him. We do not have his room ready, we do not have any "boy" things, or much of anything that is not covered in princesses right now. But I did order him his first robot {see above} today. And we have more than enough love and kisses to go around!!

And that's a start right?!?

snakes, snails and puppy dog tails....

Easter Egg Hunt

{an up-to-date post}

It was time for our annual "friends and kids" Easter egg hunt! My two friends put this on every

year for all of our children and it is so much fun!! This year we painted flower pots and then did the hunting :) It was Olivia's first egg hunt and she loved it! Although I have to admit she enjoyed covering her pot and herself in paint more than anything.

As you can tell by her basket, Sophia is an old pro at finding eggs. :)

Painting on a beautiful spring day!

I have a couple more posts from over the past couple months...but I am trying...do I get and "A" for effort ;)

love and kisses....

The Pumpkin Patch 2010

{My attempt at cute Fall pictures}

Unlike last year we did not make a trip out to the "mega" pumpkin patches. You know, the ones with petting zoo's, corn mazes, hay slides, hay rides, food and lots of people. We stayed super local and visited the cute little patch about 3 blocks away. They had pumpkins and that's all we needed :)

They were bigger than she was and it was pretty cute.

"sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters"...sing with me now!!

Andrew's girls

Loaded up and ready to go!

Love and kisses!

ARGGGHHHH....Sophia be turning 3!!!

{The Pirate Party}

Yes, it is true...my sweet, girly, little Sophia wanted a "Pirate Dance Party" for her 3rd birthday. She really, really did...I am not sure how or why she came up with the idea...but that's what she wanted and I have to admit- it was a blast to plan and throw!

We turned our playground into the "Jolly Roger". We also had a sandbox to "dig fer buried treasure", a balance beam to "walk the plank", a pirate ring toss, and some eyes patches and swords for everyone to play with. Sophia said it was the "best birthday ever!!!" and that was enough for me :)

Captian Sophia and her favorite Pirate...arrggghhh...

Ready to party!

Here is some of the goodies and decorations.

And here are some of the other partying Pirates!!

Love and kisses matey....

Reality....

{busy and not always picture perfect!}

I will readily admit that I have been gone for way too long!! And I will admit that I really didn't think that anyone really cared. I see now that I have been selfish...I know that there are some dear family members who do love to check in on us...and watch the girls and us grow :) So to you {aunts, grandparents} I am very sorry for being gone. I promise I will do my best to make it up to you!!

Honestly, it is not that I haven't thought of blogging, there have been days when I sit down and attempt to start a post {there are so many things going on around here} but I get distracted, something comes up {someone pees on the floor..etc} and I never quite get it written and sent.

Okay...so it's been over six months since I posted last...and there is SOOO much to catch you all up on. I will try hit the major events!!

I will start with some biggies...

~Sophia Started Pre-School and Olivia turned 1~

{on the same day}

The Birthday Girl ready to take Sister to school!

Mommy and her girls! {rough Morning for mom...lots of tears}

Look! I am standing!

The "big girl" ready for her first day at school!!! She was so excited and did a great job!

Cute little backpack :)

Okay...I have started our comeback...I promise I will post more within the next day or so!!

Glad to be back....love and kisses!!

OUR NEWEST ADDITION....

Now that we cleared out some more play space in the back yard...we got the girls a swing-set!!

They love it {read: LOVE IT!} Sophia plays on it whenever she can, which is not all that much since N.C. has had a heat index of 110-114 the past couple weeks. But when it is not so blazing hot she is swinging, steering the ship, peering through the telescope into the woods, sliding, giggling climbing and having a great time!

Olivia loves to swing and is content to swing, hang out and smile sweetly at everyone! It has been a nice addition to our yard...and hopefully they will enjoy it for years to come :)

Hope you are well!!

love and kisses...

California Trip!

{a tad late...but worth the wait}

Alright...so technically we have been home for about 3 weeks...but it's summer and things are busy! Here are some pictures from the trip to L.A. We had such a wonderful time...I am ready to go back already!! Sophia had a blast swimming...she had her first swim lessons with Ms. Jennie. We went to my parents cabin, we shopped, we ate Mexican food like it was going out of style {no good Mexican food in N.C.}. We just played the trip away with family and friends. It was perfect!!

Sophia the swimmer!! Having a blast in Mimi and Grandpa's pool :)

Playing at the cabin!

Happy 4th of July!!

Shopping and playing with friends and family!

{more post to come...sooner than later :)}

xoxoxox

No Greater Joy.

{in my humble opinion}

This is a small part of a day in my life. We go to the park. The three of us, I pack up our snacks and water bottle in the double stroller. I put on my not so glamorous running shoes, and pull my not so stylish (and graying) hair into a pony tail, and we walk to the park. On the way there Olivia chews on whatever toy I handed her and tries to peek out from under her sun hat. Sophia and I talk about the beautiful sky and who created all of it, and why He created it and why we should be so so thankful for Him. We name the color of plants and houses. We sing songs...{only after I have regained my breath from pushing a double stroller up hill}.

When we get to the park we play and snack and snack and play. We really do have so much fun. And sometimes I look up at the sky and think about how in world I (an L.A. born and raised city girl), ended up in North Carolina. And I think about how the Lord knew from the creation of the earth all about me, and that this is exactly where I would be, right at that very moment. And I think about my sweet girls and how we moved from Los Angeles (so far from so many that I love and miss) so that I could be able to live this exact life. The life where I get to spend every day teaching, and training my sweet sweet girls.

Then I snap back into reality when I hear Sophia call me, or Olivia squeal...and I run off to tend to them and all that they need. They are not perfect girls, I am not a perfect mom...but it is a perfect life...for me...and I am so so thankful. And I pray that I will always remember to be.

love and kisses....xoxoxo