Serving Others

I want to start this summer off on the right foot. We've been working very hard on our budget and although we seem to keep having set backs, we continue to press on. I cannot believe how far we've come in such a short time. So now I'd like to start focusing on teaching my girls the value of a dollar. I'm going to be putting Taylor on a little budget. I've learned to separate the money into 3 categories... giving, saving, spending. I'll probably start next week when she is out of school. Something that Jason and I have discussed is getting Taylor to do something for others. Not for money, but for that awesome feeling you get when you give from the heart and expect nothing in return. We are looking for ideas on a place to volunteer or maybe earning money to be given to a charity of some sort. I would love to hear your ideas so I can decide on something soon. I really want my girls to have a sweet giving heart. There's been way too much complaining and ungratefulness over things that they just don't realize are blessings that so many people don't have the opportunity to enjoy. I want to to realize that things are really just things and it's what you have in your heart that really matters. I want people to see Jesus through my little girls.

Play Date

Camryn ringing the cow's bell.

Butterflies caught in a net.

Beutiful Butterflies

Getting her paint on.

Grace was very interested in how this was done.

Camryn being silly.

Waiting in a very long line to get their faces painted.

Cam n Daddy

Ladybug

Tay holding a flower while a strange lady
stares.

"shishin pole"

Pickin teeth:)

Grace

Friends


Today Taylor had a friend over for a play date. They were both so excited. When I picked them up from school Grace kept saying, "I've never been to your house before!". They were talking about their day at school when I heard Grace say, "I like Camryn. She's cute.". Taylor replied, "Yeah, she's cute but you don't want her. She bites.". Just to make sure everyone knows, Camryn bit Taylor one time about a year and a half ago. It's true, women never forget. When we got to the house they played play doh, ate brownies, got manicures and watched 101 Dalmations. Then we went to Chick fil a for a kids night. They had a blast getting balloon animals, facepaintings and jumping in the jump castle. Play dates are so much fun!! Especially when the visitor is as super sweet as Grace!

My sis and her 2 cuties.

My Chicken.

Cool Chick.

Libster

Something must have looked interesting.

Gracie

Look at those thighs:)

Camryn playing mommy.


Rock stars seem to run in the family.

Still can't believe this is the same little
girl who looked so tiny in the orphanage.

A couple of weeks ago my sister and her 2 girls came into town. We had a blast going to the beach, hanging out at the grandparents house and celebrating our grandma's 80th birthday. My girls had so much fun with their cousins. I wish I had taken more pics! I can't wait to meet my third niece...Keemberlie. Cindy is actually in Haiti right now getting ready to meet her for the first time. So exciting!

Camryn Cuttin A Rug

Servin it up- Spring Break Style

I think they're about the same size.

Cute!

Daddy really gets into it.

This is what kindergarten does to a shy child.

Action shot #1

Action shot #2

Camryn really really really enjoys everything we do.


Well, the second half of spring break looked a lot like the first half without the beach. We played more tennis, worked and played in the yard, went shopping and just enjoyed family time. Spring break made me realize how much fun we are going to have this summer.

Spring Break First Half

Taylor's teacher, Mrs Tilman, turning her world upside down.

There's really not enough stuff in her classroom:)

Cute Easter bag she made in school.

Being silly.

Toots' Easter egg hunt.

You can just tell she's the naughty one

Taylor and her friend Grace

Going on an egg hunt.

Sun must have been in her eyes.

Taylor and her bff Hannah.

Digging her personal potty hole in the sand.

Wind blown.

profile

Super models in the making.

Camryn didn't touch the water and preferred not
to walk on the sand. Makes for a difficult beach outing.




Taylor's last day of school included an Easter Egg hunt and a party. I love going to her class and seeing all the things she and her friends have been doing. The kids in her class are so sweet. I never leave that class without lots of hugs.

The next day was bitter sweet. We went to the "last ever Easter egg hunt" at Toot's house. She has always thrown the absolute best Easter Egg hunts EVER! The kids love them and come home with way more stuff than a mom should allow. Thank you Toots for all your hard work over the years and all the great Easter memories!

Saturday we were going to the egg hunt at church but decided we had been a bit overloaded so we just had a family day.

Easter was a beautiful day. We, of course, went to church and then had lunch with Jason's family. Would you believe I didn't even think about taking any pictures that day?! Oh well, I'll get pictures of them in their dresses one day. We ended the day playing tennis at the new park. Taylor got a raquet for Easter so we were teaching her how to play. We had the best time! I think we have a little tennis player on our hands. I can't wait to get out there again without the kids though. I LOVE playing tennis even though I have no clue what the rules are.

The rest of the week has been spent with friends, going to the beach, playing outside, blowing bubbles, playgrounds, working in the yard and shopping. I am LOVING spending time with both my girls. They are the very best!! I love spring break!!

Here We Go Again...

I've been pretty tired lately. Exhausted. Taking naps in the middle of the day and sleeping all night. That's not like me at all. I am always having trouble sleeping. I've gained a few pounds and have been wondering what in the world I'm doing differently to be gaining weight. Then I remembered I'm 32 and metabolism seems to slow down after 30. THEN I went to the dentist. I had a cavity. I didn't even know it was there. Thankfully they caught it early. The dentist jokingly said, "You better take a pregnancy test.". We laughed and I posted it on fb thinking my dentist is so whitty. Then friend after friend was telling me to take a test. I laughed some more. I thought "That's crazy. I'm not ready to have a baby yet!". Then I started to put a few things together. I'm tired, hungry, gaining weight, getting cavities...could it be? So I bought the trusted $1 pregnancy test from the Dollar store. Laughed as I waited on the results because I really did think people were just being silly. Then I realized it was POSITIVE!!! Positively april fools day. Did you really think I would give into peer pressure and take the test? You don't know me at all:)