Our silly girl...

 

Hannah and Daddy while at lunch with Mama and Luke.

 

This girl loves to dress up and accessorize, and the outfits are interesting when you add in your brother's accessories...super hero cape, safety glasses, pretend gun, and high heels.

 

Hannah adores Grandpa, and she had a great time visiting with him on Father's Day.

 

Our three fish...Hannah feels she needs to keep up with them in all they do, including swimming...

 

jumping off the diving board is her newest favorite!  The girl is fearless!  She tells us, "Don't catch me, I go under all by myself!  1, 2, 3...Here I go!!!"

 

Hannah has always been and continues to be a firecracker.  She keeps us on our toes all day and keeps us laughing, too.  Hannah has matured and grown so fast because she has to do all that her big brothers do.  She talks nonstop and so well!  She is a social butterfly, she talks to everyone she sees, everywhere we go.  This past week she went to VBS all week, well it was technically just childcare, but she went the same amount of time as the boys because I was teaching VBS.  She really enjoyed it, every day when I went to get her she'd say, "Hi Mama!  I had fun!!!"  Then she'd tell me all about what they did, and finish by telling her teachers, "Bye-bye, I have to go."

 

Her favorite activity is swimming, the girl is truly fearless in the water.  She loves to go under the water, and she thinks she can swim!  Luckily she is doing really well, she kicks well and is learning to use her arms a little more consistently.  She started taking her puddle jumper off, so we switched her to this vest thing, which she cannot get off alone.  It works well for her, and it forces her to practice her swimming in order to stay upright. 

 

Hannah is obsessed with the movie, Frozen...obsessed!  She even pretends to be the princesses.  One day last week I was walking away and this happened...
Hannah:  "Elsa, Elsa wait."
Mama:  "Am I Elsa?"
Hannah:  "Yes."
Mama:  "Are you Anna?"
Hannah:  "Yes.  Please don't shut me out again."

I just laughed and laughed, this girl is so silly and so fun!  I love her imagination and her understanding of the things around her is so impressive! 

 

Just this evening we were out to dinner and she was in a super silly mood.  She was very talkative, flirty with our waiter, which is quite normal.  Well, at one point he asked how old she was, so I answered for her, then she had to tell him, too.  He commented on how cute she was.  After he walked away Hannah said, "I be a pretty girl."  Oh. My. Gosh!  Where does she get this stuff!?!

 

One day after Carl had been gone for a few days we were getting ready for dinner, and it was a bit chaotic (which is normal), but as I was washing her hands she said, "Boys, you stressin' me out!"  I laughed so hard at that...apparently I had said that a few times that week.

 

She seems to be getting some people confused.  For example, she has her nephews Carson and Colton mixed up.  And our friend Mr. Henderson she refers to as Mr. Addy (his daughter is Addy).  After spending a day with our friends the Brooks, she later referred to their house as Ms. Titus' house.

 

Our Hannah has her crazy mood swings as all 2 year olds do, but she keeps us laughing more than that.  She is a sweet girl who loves her baby dolls, her brothers, and her dog.  Watching her grow into her own little person is so fun, and I'm so thankful for her joyful, sassy personality!

Kindergarten End of Year Fun

The start of kindergarten was such a roller coaster...it was exciting, it was scary, it was fun, and it was a hard transition.  Isaac was a champ through it all, he had times of struggle, but overall he was amazing throughout it all.  I cannot believe the year is over, I feel like we just started.  Isaac was blessed with an incredible teacher!  Mrs. Swiney was all that we prayed for in a teacher for Isaac.  She was a perfect blend of love, kindness, and discipline.  And she really took time to get to know Isaac and to develop a bond with him throughout the year.  He absolutely adores her, I mean truly, he loves her!  I am so thankful that The Lord provided Isaac with a wonderful start to his education journey.

 

 

Isaac's school ended the year with a Kindergarten graduation.  It was a special night.  Isaac got to dress up, and of course he had to wear a tie.  He looked so handsome.  I had to get a quick picture of he and his teacher before the big event.

 

The ceremony was so sweet.  Each child was called up by name and given certificates and awards.  Isaac received his kindergarten dimploma, the Physcial Fitness Award for sportsmanship in PE, and another which I can't remember.  oops.

 

Next, the entire class got up to sing songs, and oh they were so sweet!  I am so proud of Isaac, he was front and center (next to his sweet friend, Ella) and he did the motions to every song.  He sang some of the words, but I could tell he was nervous.  This was a huge improvement from last year when he would barely move when on performing on stage.  Isaac has grown so much over this year, he is so much more mature and confident in who he is now than he was a year ago.

 

Tante Soo Jin came to celebrate with us, so sweet!  And I absolutely love this picture of them!!!

 

FIELD DAY!!!

Isaac's entire class at the start of field day.

 

Field day was a blast!  They started out on these fun inflatable water slides...what could be better than that!?!

 

The kids were soaked throughout the entire day, but oh how much fun they had!!!  It was a sweet day of fun games with friends...what a wonderful way to end the year!

 

THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL

 

Isaac was a mix of emotions on this last day.  He is such a sweet hearted boy, and he loves with all his heart, so he is truly attached to his teacher, class, and school.  Finishing the year and heading into summer is exciting, but it's also sad to leave his friends and teacher knowing that things won't be the same.

 

The bus stop was a fun place!  The kids loved playing with the neighbors while we waited every morning.  Their favorite game was Ghost Ghost in the Graveyard.  I'm not sure why it's called that, but they sure laugh and have fun while they play.  What a blessing to have such sweet friends and neighbors.

 

Getting on the bus as a kindergartener, for the last time.

 

End of year party!!!

 

There are no words for how it felt to walk out of that class.  This year has meant more to us than I can explain...so thankful.

 

Oh these two are the sweetest of friends.  They helped each other in so many ways throughout the year, not always even knowing it.  Isaac told me a few times throughout the year that friends would ask him if he loved Ella.  Awe.  I am so incredibly grateful for their precious friendship.

 

I blinked, and he's 6!

I cannot believe that Isaac is 6...how did that happen?  I promise he was just born, I only blinked, and now he's 6!  It's so hard to watch my kids grow...on one hand I love watching them grow, blossom, learn, and watching their personalities develop, but on the other hand I realize how fast this time goes and how short my time with them under my roof really is. It's so hard, but it's also so amazing, and I am so thankful to be his mama because he's pretty incredible!

 

 

Isaac loves to be outside riding his bike or anything he can drive.  This year he got a new bike (his old one broke), and he's upgraded to a bike with hand brakes!  He things he's big stuff with those brakes.

 

 

In case you had any doubt, the boy still loves the color orange!!!  If he can choose the color to write or color with at school, he chooses orange.  His clothes are mostly orange, he picks orange candy over any other color.  He is obsessed!

 

Isaac is my tender hearted, kind, caring boy.  He loves to take care of Hannah whenever given the chance, he loves on her constantly (and thankfully she eats it up), he is always willing to help me if it involves Hannah in any way.  The boy does not like to see others hurt or sad, he wants to make everything right.  I pray that we can foster this sweet part of him, and that he uses it in a mighty way as he grows.

 

He adores Hannah, and often fights with Luke, but it's all an act.  He loves his brother just as much!  At their well check appointment they both had to get their blood pressure checked.  Isaac had his done first and I don't think he liked it.  When it was Luke's turn he immediately put his arm around him and talked him through it.  My heart melted, and I had to snap a picture of this sweet moment.

 

As I mentioned he prefers to be riding or driving at all times.  The dirt bike is his new passion...he becomes this focused, fierce boy when on it...it's a determination I don't see often in him.  Even though dirt bikes scare me so badly, I cannot say no to him when it comes to riding...how do you stand in the way of something they love so much?

 

Of course I had to get my annual questions answered by Isaac...

Favorite toy:  new bike ramp

Favorite thing to learn:  how to work on cars with daddy

Favorite snack:  cake (a boy after my own heart)

Favorite TV show:  Henry Hugglemonster (this surprised me, I would have guessed Paw Patrol or Transformers Rescue Bots)

Food I dislike:  broccoli

Favorite Color:  orange!

I love to go outside and...play on the dirt road

Favorite Song:  Chopping Ice song from Frozen

Favorite thing to do with mama and daddy:  play, play, play

Something everyone should know:  Jesus loves you!

Best Friend:  Ella and Taylor

Favorite thing to do with Luke:  swim and race on our bikes

Favorite thing to do with Hannah:  play with her

Favorite animal:  cat

When I grow up I want to be:  police officer

Something I want to learn while I'm 6:  how to swim strokes

Favorite school subject:  writing

Isaac is so special to us, he is a constant joy in our lives, and a great example for his little siblings.  I pray that this year brings many new blessings to him.

Mother's Day 2014

Mother's Day 2014 was a day to reflect on how blessed I am.  I have three amazing children, who I love more than I can express in words.  Being a mom is the hardest job I've ever had, I am usually completely worn out by the end of the day, but it's the BEST job I could ever ask for!  This year I was pampered by Isaac at school during Moms and Muffins, followed by a Mommy Makeover.  It had been a very hard week, so this pampering and love from my oldest boy was good for my soul.  He painted my nails, put lotion on my arms and legs, brushed my hair, and even gave me a back rub.  I love that he is a boy who isn't afraid to show his mama love, and that he is so tender hearted.   I was not able to attend the Mother's Day Tea at Luke's school, but he did make me a beautiful painting of a flower, and foam flower with his picture in a little cup (that is sitting on the mantle).  Luke's love for me warms my heart, and I pray that he always knows how much I love him!

 

Only The Lord knows the plans for our family, He has blessed us with these 3 sweeties, and for that I am forever grateful!

 

Our Mighty 4 year old!

Luke is 4!

Stats:  Weight - 28.5 lbs

Height - 37.25 inches

 

 

Good morning Birthday Boy!!!  Our sweet Luke is 4!!!

 

A few months ago Luke learned to ride his bicycle without training wheels, and since then he has been wanting to ride the dirt bike.  I am not ready to put him on the dirt bike yet, but I think this dirt bike bicycle is perfect for him!  He loved it...his very own dirt bike!

 

We celebrated on his birthday with cupcakes at school.  Hannah and I brought in cupcakes for his class, they were decorated with Planes rings!  It was so special to spend that time celebrating him with his sweet school friends.

 

Later that day we went to dinner at Chick Fil A with some friends.  It was a small thing, but meant so much to our boys.  We celebrated both of them, they were loved on and given sweet gifts.  Nothing much better than friends, cupcakes, and play time.

 

The day after Luke's birthday we had a birthday party for a friend.  I captured this shot of my boys, and I just love it!  These brothers fight sometimes, but they also have the best times together!  I love the way they compliment and challenge each other.  What a sweet thing it is to have a brother to share life with!

 

Luke is an amazing 4 year old!  He has a heart of gold, he loves animals (he tells me all the time while out that he misses his dog Tex), and he has the determination of someone twice his age.  Luke gives the best hugs, if you ever need to feel loved ask him for a hug.  I love the way he shows his love with sweet hugs.  He is two years younger than his brother, but he wants to do everything he does, and he will not let his age or size stand in the way of that.  Life is a race for Luke, he makes everything a competition, and sadly he does not handle it well if he loses.  I am praying that we can teach him to use this drive and passion to help him succeed as he grows. 

He is so active and loves to be outside swinging, swimming, biking, and driving.  He also knows his boundaries and is very careful.  For example, he is not ready to swim yet this summer, he's afraid, so he just plays happily and carefully by the pool or on the shelf.  He is a cautious boy, and I am thankful for that!  Luke loves to learn, he wants to learn.  He is always asking me the most inquisitive questions.  He has learned all of his letters and sounds, and has even started reading small words.  He does this all on his own, with no push from me...he wants to learn everything he can about everything around him. 

Luke has many friends, he plays with everyone, he is not very shy when it comes to kids.  He will just jump right in and play whatever his friend wants to do.  He has made some great friends at school and gymnastics.  I am thankful that he will play hard with anyone that is willing and ready to have fun!

Luke's biggest struggle is his size.  He is small, and he has realized that, and he does not like it.  He gets very upset if anyone refers to him as little, he yells and sometimes cries, he is not little.  He doesn't always understand that sometimes when people call him little they are referring to his age, not his size.  Hopefully, this is something he will be okay with soon.  He is small, but he is mighty!

 

I'm so thankful the Lord has trusted us with the job of parenting this amazing boy!  He challenges us, makes us laugh, and fills our lives with joy and love!

 

Luke's 4 year old questions:

Favorite toy:  new bike ramp

Favorite thing to learn:  counting

Favorite snack:  nilla wafers

Favorite TV show:  Paw Patrol

Food I disklike:  peanuts

Favorite color:  Red

Favorite Song:  I've Been Working on the Railroad

Favorite thing to do outside:  Play on the dirt road outside

Favorite thing to do with mama and daddy:  play games

Best Friend:  Jason (from school)

Favorite thing to do with Isaac:   play a game

Favorite thing to do with Hannah:  splash in the mud

Favorite animal:  tiger

When I grow up, I want to be:  a boat driver (usually he says a race car driver)

Birthday Trip to San Antonio

 

Both of our big boys have birthdays coming up, and this year we decided to take a family trip instead of a party.  One of us has been wanting to go to Sea World since she was a little girl, okay, maybe that's me.  So I decided the kids were at a good age for it, so let's go check it out!  I'm so glad we did because it turned out to be a great weekend!!!  We headed up on Thursday night, so we could hit the park on Friday in hopes of missing the weekend crowds.  It worked out perfectly, the park was not too busy, the weather was absolutely beautiful, and we had a blast!

 

 

Everyone anxiously waiting for the gates to open!!!  (Yes, it was a nice cool morning, so we started the day in long sleeves...in May!!!  It was fabulous!)

 

Our first stop, the Dolphins!!!  This was a giant pool filled with beautiful bottle nosed dolphins, they were hungry and ready to perform!  It was a great way to start the day, the dolphins were so close we could almost touch them!  They did some fun tricks, Hannah loved seeing them "clap."

 

Next, we went to a sea lion show, which was a comedy show with sea lions as some of the characters.  It was so cute and so funny!  Isaac really enjoyed this, and thought it was so cool that the ladies could understand the sea lions when they talked.  He also loved this giant walrus that came out at the end of the show!  He randomly asked before this show if we'd see walruses there, and we had no idea.  So he was thrilled when this guy came out.  The walrus did sit ups because he had eaten too many fish and gotten too big...Isaac laughed so hard at that!

 

My almost 6 year old!!!

 

Photo op!  After taking this picture Isaac told me they weren't allowed to climb on them, so I looked over and saw the sign...oops!  How do they expect kids not to climb on these cute statues!?!

 

The whole family waiting for the One Ocean (Shamu) show to start.  Luke did not look on purpose, he was boycotting this picture for some reason....such a stinker.

 

The One Ocean show was really neat, the whales are huge!!!  They had quite a few big ones, and even a couple of smaller babies.  It's incredible to see these guys jump out of the water!

 

He cannot be almost 4!!!  He really enjoyed the killer whales, but his favorite show came at the end, the Azul show.

 

Big Bird!!!  Isaac asked him if he could fly, when he said no Isaac looked at me and said, "He can't fly, he's just a man dressed in a costume, isn't he?"

 

Isaac rode the Shamu roller coaster with daddy, and he loved it!  They sat in the first car, so Isaac thinks they drove it.  Carl said he was nervous at first, but really enjoyed the second lap around the track.  That rollercoaster was his favorite part of the whole day!  While they did that I took Luke and Hannah on the carousel.  Luke was pretty nervous at first, wouldn't let me let go of him, but after going a few minutes he was very relaxed and having a blast!  He yelled in excitement, "This is the best ride EVER!!!"  Thankfully it was so quiet that we got to stay on and ride again, so Isaac and daddy joined us for our second ride.

 

I think Hannah's favorite part of the day was the Splash Pad!  They have an amazing kid area, which includes this huge splash pad.  The boys were freezing, Luke lasted about a minute, and Isaac toughened through it, but was not loving it...we had to drag Hannah out of there, the girl loves water!

 

We finished our day with the Azul show, which was really neat!  It included dolphins, beluga whales, parrots, and acrobats.  The boys loved seeing the acrobats doing their flips and dives, and of course the dolphins and whales were great, too!  It truly was a very impressive show!

 

Saturday started early for us, as Isaac fell out of his bed at 5:30, thankfully he wasn't hurt, but he did wake up his sister with the loud thud.  She was happy and stayed in her bed until 6:30, but she was quite talkative.  By 6:30 everyone was awake and hungry!  So we had to find something to do before heading home.  We found a train ride at the zoo that opened at 9:00, so we headed that way after some breakfast.  As you can see the boys were very excited about a train ride!  When the train pulled up, Hannah said, "No mama, I not ride on that train."  She was sure of that, but thankfully we were able to convince her otherwise and she did great!

 

So happy once the train started to move!

 

It was our lucky day, the train we rode on was the LUKEY train!!!!  My train loving boy got to ride on a train with his name!  He loved that!  The ride was really fun, the landscape was beautiful, we crossed the river, through trees, and even went through a tunnel.  The kids really enjoyed this ride, it was a great way to end our time in San Antonio!

 

Daddy and Hannah!!!

 

Me and my boys...love them!

 

Elmo was at Sea World, too!  Hannah has gotten really into watching Elmo lately so she was very excited to see him, but she would not go near him.  Silly girl!

 

My boys with the Lukey engine...Luke could not be any happier!

 

I am so thankful for this great time away.  We have not taken many trips as a family, it's just a hard season in life for that, but I'm so grateful that we did this!  It was a truly special couple of days...the kids were so excited to stay in a hotel (well Hannah was very nervous about that at first, but she loved getting to sleep in the same room as her brothers), they loved every minute of Sea World and really took it all in, and they were flexible and so fun through the whole trip.  I will treasure these memories forever...memories full of joy and love!

 

(Isaac is so observant and always curious about the people around him...maybe even a bit nosey.  This morning during our train ride he randomly said, "Most of the people in San Antonio speak Spanish.  Why is that?"  I love that he's always watching, thinking, and learning; never a dull moment with him.  I definitely had to giggle a little at this comment, and it's something I want to remember.)