Reagan's Dance Recital 2012

Reagan is the little love that stands up first, in pink, furthest to the left of the pink girls.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all the Mothers out there reading my blog!  I hope you have a wonderful day, whether it be pampering yourself, spending time with your own kids, mom or grandmas.  I especially want to say Happy Mother's Day to my mom, Jason's mom and Jason's grandma.  We are so thankful for each of your lives!  To my own mom, I'm especially thankful today....and I've been thinking about one of the best gifts you gave me, and that's to be a great hostess.  Any of you who know my mother know she is a great hostess.  She makes great meals...no one leaves hungry at our home!  I, too, love to host friends and family and have people together. 

This is my mom's first Mother's Day without her mom, my grandma Knox.  After my grandma died in December, I took a bunch of her jewelry, hoping I could make a jewelry tree with her pieces.  My sister in law so graciously took on the task for me and made this BEAUTIFUL jewelry tree for my mom for Mother's Day.  In it are many pins and pieces that bring back great memories....from church, the hospital guild, her trip to Egypt, my mom and grandma's trip to England together....I could go on and on.  It is such a great momento from a wonderful lady that we are missing this Mother's Day.

(We actually gave it to her last night, since I wasn't sure she would head back home before they left town...and I have a hard time waiting on surprises!!  She loved it...)

Enjoy this great day to remember what a blessing every Mother is to her children.
Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.  Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.  Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.              Proverbs 31:28-30

Reagan's Dance Recital

 Today was Reagan's Dance Recital.  I'm sure I'm a little biased, but she did such a good job.  She continues to do so well, remembering her steps, and shining her little light for Jesus!  I am currently uploading a video of her dance from the dress rehearsal.  We were so thankful both sets of grandparents were able to come watch her dance.  SO SO proud of you Reagan Joy!!

 w/Jason's parents

 w/my parents

A little May catch-up

 Well, we're a little out of order here, but you'll catch the drift....in this post, I have the pics of our beautiful new glass tile backsplash!  It took many weeks of hemming and hawing about what to choose, and I'm really happy with the results.  We had the tilers out last week, and were supposed to be done last Friday, only to run out of tile on the install date (boo!) and had to wait an extra week for the new tile to arrive!  The only thing left is to figure out what color outlet covers.  I'll admit, I'm ready to be done with the million decisions it seems we've had to make!  I'm SO pleased with the results!!

 Ruth and Bryce were having some great fun with this mullet wig from daddy's closet.

Glad to have the project completed...and love it to boot!! 

A little April catch up...

Well, I suppose I should catch up a little, since it's the last day of April!  Wow, where is the time going???  This weekend saw the start of Bryce's Little League.  He has been SO excited for his first game...counting down the days until he got to play.  The weather was TERRIBLE on Saturday, rainy (with some freezing rain), cold and windy.  Not so great for the fans or the players, but Bryce had a blast.  The girls and I stayed for his first 2 at bats, and he got hits off of a coach's pitch.  It is quite comical to watch the boys at this age (they are 4-6yr olds).  Bryce is the youngest boy on his team, but he's definetly not the smallest...and has a small clue of what to do.  Here he is playing 1st base!

 His loyal fans watching him....

 Pic taken before he had his team pics taken Wednesday night.  He is having fun and the next few weeks will be filled with us going to his games watching him play.  There are many laughs shared at the game, it's fun to watch the little boys try to figure it all out!!

 This is THE only pic I have of my sister's visit here last week, and it's of Ruth!  Very impressive, I know!  My parents and my sister and her kids came up to visit Sat-Wed.  My parents have bought a home up near us now, which is super super exciting news.  They closed on their new home in early April and this was their first time staying/visiting their new digs.  My sister and her kids stayed with us and we were busy busy busy!  On Tuesday, we went to the zoo, and it was a lovely day.  Not too busy at the zoo, pleasant weather, but cool enough where so many of the animals were out moving around.  Most times when we went somewhere all together, it took 2 cars just to get our 5 and my sister's 3 somewhere.  My sister and I even went out for Thai food one lunch with 4 kids and the 2 of us...and someone even complimented us on our kids' behaviors afterwards!  woohoo!  Thai is one of my favorite cusines to eat and Jason doesn't really like it, so I look forward to that meal when I'm with my sister.  We had a great visit...and I think I've finally recovered from all the busyness that went with it!!

March was such delightful weather and April has just been so rainy/cool.  I'm ready for some real spring temps, which I think this week will finally deliver!  We are stir crazy and ready to be out of doors!  Have a great great week!!

yesterday was 9 years....and tonight, we go away....

Happy Anniversary to my wonderful hubby and I!!! Yesterday we celebrated 9 years of marriage. It was a rather low key day....because we are celebrating tonight with a night away! woohoo! Jason's sister is here and around 5 p.m. we are taking off for I don't know where for dinner somewhere, a hotel somewhere....it really doesn't matter. We will be together and child free for a few hours. A few hours to refresh my soul!!! The kids are way excited for some Aunt Lou time!! Bryce has baseball practice tomorrow morning at 10:30, so it will be a quick getaway, but a getaway nonetheless!!

I'm so thankful for Jason and for the wonderful years we've had together. It truly does keep getting better and better! Love you Babe!!

another great trip to 'zona

We just returned home this afternoon from a great week in sunny, beautiful Arizona. The weather just never ceases to amaze me there, just so warm with hardly ever experiencing rain in all the years we've been going there (since I was a kid!). Really,there has been one time (one day!!) that I remember it raining and being cold.

This year was a bit of an adventure for our family, as Jason left on Monday for Phoenix, met up with my dad, his dad, and 2 other guys to head for Moab, Utah for 5 nights. Rather last minute, I booked tickets for me and the 3 kids into Phoenix to be with my mom for 7 nights, meeting up with Jason for the final 2 nights of his vacation. Yes, you read that correctly, I just conquered flying with 3 children ALL BY MYSELF!! Woohoo! Honestly, I couldn't be more proud of my precious children. Both times, they were so good and we had wonderful trips! On the way back, we had to wake them up at 4 am to catch the 6 am flight back from Arizona, and all 3 of them were awake, walking, PLEASANT, and carried their backpacks & coats to the gates. They were troopers!!

I don't have many pics of our trip because I had my hands full, but here's a few gems. The first full day, my mom and I took the kids to the Phoenix Zoo! A good ole' Cactus slide...

We spent more time in the pool this trip than any vacation I can remember. They had so much fun and Reagan was so insistent to learn how to swim before daddy rejoined us. She was doing a great job, and by the time daddy left, Bryce was in the shallow end without his swim ring diving under water. I can tell they are going to have a great time in the water this summer!!

Ruthie being her usual cute self....I can't tell you how much attention this child garnered at the pool. My aunt/uncle own a trailer in a park for the 55+ age, so when you have a toddler around laughing in the pool...she attracts some new friends!!

On our last day there, we took the kids down for the last hurrah at the pool. We put Ruthie down for her nap and I set to doing a puzzle that Reagan and I started out doing together. Well, the other two ended up doing this.....

Bryce climbed under the table and fell asleep....after about 20 min. he did manage to get into one of the chairs (still extremely uncomfortable!) and slept for 2 hrs. straight through dinner!!

We plum tuckered them out!! We are glad to be home and get back into the swing of things around here. We just love going to 'Zona!!!