Uncle Steven's Birthday

This post is a little late, but we celebrated Uncle Steven's birthday in March! We are thankful that he is part of our family! Happy Birthday, Steven!

Darkling Beetles

Last year we had a butterfly garden and the girls loved watching their metamorphosis, so this year we got Darkling Beetles (what was I thinking???). They were so excited to get them in the mail and we look at them everyday! They even hold them. Eeek! They are in a larvae state right now that looks a lot like a worm. Did I say Eeeeekkkk? Glad my girls like insects better than I do!

We got this cute beetle barn to put them in (the cutest part of the whole thing!).

Ben showing them the container with the beetles in it! You'd think it was Christmas morning at our house!

Pouring them into their new home!

And there they are in all their glory!

Can I say Eeekkk one more time?!?!

Easter Photos '11

Nikki James Photography took these sweet Easter photos of the girls! It was a bit rainy so their curls didn't hold up well, but I still think they're pretty cute!!

Grammy's Birthday

Happy Birthday, Grammy! We love you so much and truly appreciate all you do for us! We had fun celebrating YOU!

Grammy opening up a gift from Claire!

Claire spent weeks at pre-school making this "wood sculpture". We could never get her to say exactly what this is other than a "wood sculpture"! Haha! We're just saying it's abstract art!

She was so excited to give Grammy her work of art. We really did work hard on it!

Three generations!

Happy Birthday, Grammy!

Carriage Hill

We went to Carriage Hill Farm for a family outing recently. It was a bright, sunny day out and it seemed wrong to stay cooped up in the house! We had a great time exploring the beautiful farm. Ben even brought his fishing gear and he and the girls got to fish for the first time this year. It was a great day with my family!!!

My little fishergirls!

So sweet!

Grammy & Papa swinging with the girls!

This chicken sneaked up on Claire! Her face cracks me up!

Totally in love with my family!

Nothing better than skipping stones!

Happy Birthday Noah

Happy 6th Birthday to one of the sweetest little boys we know! We were able to celebrate with Noah at the Boonshoft Museum. It has been so fun sharing the crazy journey of motherhood with my friend Cynetta and watching our children grow up together. I am thankful for our sweet friendship and that of our kids as well! Looking forward to many more birthday celebrations together!

It's too bad Noah had to spend his birthday in jail!

Claire & Anna with the birthday boy!

One Year

Today, March 25th, marks the one year anniversary of the passing of my beloved Grandpa Stephens. As I sit here reflecting, so many memories are conjured up about my life with this man. I miss him terribly, but feel so thankful that I had so many years with him! I came up with a list of things that make me laugh, cry, smile and feel blessed on this anniversary...

• He had the BEST smile and laugh I have ever seen/heard. It was contagious!!! I loved how he sort of threw his head back when he laughed and turned red! I'll never forget that. He was so cute!
• He was probably the most competitive person I know. He took his card games and well... ANYTHING else he played very seriously, yet had the most fun at the same time!
• He was a kid at heart! Maybe that is why I always loved being around him!
• He antagonized me, but I always came back for more! I loved that he teased me. I can remember as a kid, he'd lock my head between his knees and I'd beg and cry for him to let me go. After my grandmother would command him to release me from his death grip, I'd run right back for him to do it again!
• I used to sit on his head when I was little. We have some of the funniest pictures of me and Scott sitting on top of his big, bald head! Who else does that?!?!?!
• He was an entrepreneur. He had no formal education, yet started his own business as a sales man and made a ridiculous amount of money in his lifetime. He gave a lot of it away, to missions and the church and he had FUN with it too!
• He was the most giving person, almost to a fault. He'd give you the shirt off of his back if that was all he had left in the world. I can remember him letting me and my brothers pick out a toy from his stock of selling merchandise every time we went over! We knew we could have pretty much whatever we wanted, even if he initially set limits! He was a pushover and LOVED spoiling his grandchildren.
• He helped to buy the first car for me and my brothers! The look on his face when he saw us in the car was priceless!
• He called me to just check in. I loved hearing his voice on the other end of the phone.
• He loved me unconditionally.
• He told me I was beautiful and touched my face softly just a couple weeks before he died. It was the most sincere compliment I think I have ever received.
• He loved and adored my girls and they reciprocated that affection and love. I will always remember the sweetness of their relationship.
• I'll never regret the time we spent with him. I am so thankful I made him a priority. You can ever get that time back. Of course, now I wish I had one more minute with him... one more hug and kiss, one more 'I love you and THANK you'.
• I am thankful I was by his side when he slipped into eternity.
• I am the most thankful knowing that he is spending eternity, whole and complete, in heaven with our Savior. I look forward to the day when I see him again. Thank you Grandpa for loving me for who I am, never wavering in your commitment to your Lord and family. You are missed and will never ever be forgotten!

Pinkalicious the Musical

Grammy invited us to go to see 'Pinkalicious' the musical last weekend put on by a local children's theatre. The girls really love their Pinkalicious books and were ecstatic to go see the play. They got to sit in the very front row and were completely enthralled with the production! It was really cute to witness their excitement!

Of course, when you go to see 'Pinkalicious', you have to wear as much pink as humanly possible!

My pinkeriffic girls!

Grammy loves her pink girls!

Waiting anxiously...

The musical was so cute!

They loved seeing the cast after the musical was over and getting their autographs!

Claire and Anna with Pinkalicious herself!

Grandma

I took the four little girls over to Grandma McDowell's house for our monthly lunch date! It was a fun (and loud) time and I know Grandma thoroughly enjoyed spending time with her little grandgirls!

Maple Syrup

Grammy & Papa took the girls to the Maple Syrup Festival recently. The girls were very interested in the process of making syrup. What a fun learning experience!

Grammy and the girls!

Listening to the steps taken to make maple syrup.

Boiling the sap to make maple syrup!

Claire taste testing maple syrups!

Tapping the maple tree for sap!