Brotherly Love

Levi: Mom, Bryce just tricked me!!! (he says this with a huge smile)
Me: He did. How did he trick you?
Levi: Bryce you tell her!
Bryce: Well, I told him that when he was really young I didn't live here.
Me: Why would you tell him that?
Bryce: I told him I wasn't really part of this family...that my real parents died when I was 2...and you and dad felt bad for me because I was an orphan...so you took me in and let me be your son too.
Me: Wow Bryce, what did Levi say when you told him that?
Bryce: He hugged me told me that he was so glad that I was his brother.
Levi: (smiling) Yeah, I just hugged him...I want him for my brother.
Bryce: Mom, why do you look like you are going to cry?
Me: Because it means so much to me that you boys love each other so much.

Birthday Girls Sleep Over

Siena slept over last night and the girls had so much fun. They swam with Tom...who was a shark trying to eat them! :) Then they put on their new PJs...made by Lisa Roberts...and went to bed. In the am they opened thier "bakery" and made all of us pancakes. They even set the table and used their dolls as center pieces! They are so precious!

Sweet Friends - Chloe and Siena

American Girl Store - Birthday Celebration

Here are some pics from our birthday celebration. We all had a fabulous time! We ate lunch in the cafe and then the girls spent some time shopping. Chloe got her doll a new dress and apron. Together we found a mommy daughter activity book. We are looking forward to doing some of the activities soon!

During lunch Carrie and I realized it was almost exactly one year ago that we were at the store with the girls. So, we decided to make this an annual trip...that is until the girls no longer want to go! Then we will just go together and talk about all the times we took our daughters there!

Loving Chloe Time

So this afternoon we are planning on going to LA to the American Girl Place for Chloe and Siena's birthday. Chloe and I have been looking forward to this all month. I treasure these girl days, when it is just the two of us. I know that she is growing up so fast and these moments I have with her are just that...moments...soon she will be on her own with her own children.

So she bounces in my room this am and asks me to staighten her hair for her. This something I don't do often for her because I don't want to ruin her hair...but today is a special today...so I agree to straighten it for her. We are looking into the bathroom mirror talking of how excited we are to have the day together....and then she says:

Chloe: Mom, I really liked the way Siena's mom did her hair a few days ago.
Me: Oh, how did Aunt Carrie do Siena's hair?
Chloe: It was so beautiful mom. She had the sides pulled back into a braid. And the hair on the back of her head was still down. It was so pretty! Can you do that mom?
Me: Well, I certainly would love to try.
I begin trying to do this hairstyle for her...I am struggling...my tongue is out of my mouth and the sweat beads are forming on my forehead. I am so not a hair mom...she can see that it isn't going to look anything like Siena's.
Chloe: Mom, let's not do it today.
Me: (with a sigh of relief) Are you sure honey? I would really like to try for you.
Chloe: Yeah, it's okay mom. You know sometimes I wish you were good at stuff like that...you know like Aunt Carrie and Mrs. Reynolds.
Me: I know honey, I wish I was too. I am sorry.
Chloe: Oh, it is okay mom. I still love you!
Me: I love you to honey...maybe we could try and find a class to go to that teaches you how to braid and do girly hair.
Chloe: Sure, if you want...but we don't have to...I love you.
It was as if she could sense my feelings of failure and wanted me to know she still loved me inspite of my inability to do hair dos!

I LOVE BEING CHLOE'S MOM!

How Well Do You Know Me???

I took this idea from Cathi's blog! Thanks Cathi.

JUST FOR FUN

Where did we meet?

Take a stab at my middle name.

Do I smoke?

Color of my eyes.

Do I have siblings?

What's my favorite type of music?

Am I shy or outgoing?

Am I a rebel or do I follow the rules?

Any special talents?

How many children do I have?

If I were stranded on a desert island, what would I bring?

Good Luck!

Tag your it...answer mine and I will attempt yours too!

Hanging with the SACA Mommies

Tonight we went to the Druckrey's home to hang out with parents from the school. It is so nice to have such great friends. We had a nice time chatting and hanging out with everyone. Well, actually the ladies did all lot of talking...I am not sure what the guys were doing outside!

Did anyone notice how I left when my husband said he was ready to go? I was really proud of myself for not chatting longer! I have come a long way! :) I found out later that he actually told Craig he was going to go start the leaving process...which Tom thought would take 45 mintues. Baby steps honey!

We feel so blessed to have our children in such a wonderful school and to be surrounded by amazing, godly friends.

Kids and Puppies

Breakfast for Dinner???

The kids and I made a non-traditional dinner tonight. We were all so hungry from biking/jogging around the regional park (3miles)that we had to make our favorite meal. Chocolate chip pancakes with strawberries and whip cream. We cranked up the music and had a little party in the kitchen! Unfortunately, daddy had to go back to work after our jog so he missed out on these yummy pancakes! But the kids made me promise to make them on Sunday before church...so daddy will get some after all! :)

My Thyroid

I haven't posted this yet because I am trying to be positive about it...thinking that if I don't write it...somehow that will make it better! Crazy I know! Anyway, here is the update. The cysts have not grown in the last three months! Yeah! However, now there is some tissue on the thyroid that is rough instead of smooth. This could mean the autoimmune issue has progressed quicker than we thought (my body is fighting aginst my thyroid)...HOWEVER, we don't know that for sure. I went to have some bloodwork done on Monday to have my antibodies checked. If they are low (pray they are), then I do nothing for one year. If they are high, then I go back to talk about beginning treatment for my thyroid.

So there you have it! I really feel good about it...and my doctor is so wonderful and calm! She always makes me feel so much better. It is in God's hands and I know He has a plan for my thyroid! Hee hee!

Lots of love to all of you! I should get my blood tests back this week...and I will post the results!

Fours

Here are my fours!

Four places I have worked:
1. Teacher at SACA! :)
2. Darden Restaurants Recruiter
3. Server at Red Lobster
4. Cook at Johnny's Pizza

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Cheesecake (but I try to never eat it)
2. Rustic Chicken Pasta
3. Anything Mexican
4. Sushi (can you believe how CA has changed me?)

Four of my favorite things to do:
1. Pray for family and friends
2. Hang out with Tom and the kids
3. Get my nails done with Chloe
4. Shop

Be Thankful

What a day today has been. My neighbor and I went for our early morning walk today at 6. We had been walking for about a mile when we noticed a car pulled off to the side. Inside we saw a mother and her child asleep. They had been there all night. It was so heartbreaking and we couldn't just leave them there. So we tapped on the window and offered to help them.

We were all able to give them some help. In the process we made some new friends. The story is too long to type, but I just wanted to say let's BE THANKFUL for what the Lord has given us. At times, I feel so overwhelmed and stressed out with life. But, the truth is we have so much. I have never known what it is like to be alone, hungry and cold. I pray I never know what that is like...and that my children will never know either.

Praise God today for all He has given to you!

Levi will be 4 on May 4th

Keep looking at our blog...in a few weeks you can see me turn 4!

Levi at 3

He doesn't look afraid of the water now! :)

Keep checking for his birthday picture!

Levi at 2 and a half

Oh how he loves the beach! At 2.5 he would not get near the water. Now he is loving the water.

Levi at 2

Here is one of Levi at two! He loved to play wtih swim trunks...especially if they were Bryce's.

Levi at 11 months

Can you believe this little one is going to be 4 in a couple of weeks?!? He is only 11 months old! Where did the time go?

The new puppies

We now have two sweet little additions to our family! Mady and Eli. Tom brought home the puppies on Easter as the kids presents. They were amazed and shocked...as you can see from the pictures! The kids are all enjoying them so much. They are a lot of work, but so worth it. We are finally all getting to sleep through the night. Mady kept us up a lot in the beginning, but now she is content sleeping in Chloe's room (on her bed, in her crate). Eli has been much easier to train. They both are doing great.

So I have finally figured this whole blog thing out! I can't believe how unbelievably easy it is to do! Anyway, Tom and I wanted to do one so all of our family and friends could check in on us! We miss you all so much!