My big girls

The girls went to Vacation Bible School last week, and they loved it. They memorised songs and movements and performed in front of the congregation on Sunday. It was the best feeling to see my daughters love the Lord, and sing out praise to Him. I always said I want to teach them about God, and hope they have a good relationship with Christ, but to see it...it's just amazing. I would take seeing them overjoyed to sing worship songs, and really overflowing with joy over diamonds, trips, Target shopping spree...anything.

It was a great week. Then, I made the mistake of watching a video about how the oil spill is affecting sea life in front of the girls. They immediately said they were off to wipe oil off dolphins and save them. The concern in their voices and their eagerness to help was inspiring. Instead I had them write letters. They asked me how to spell words, and wrote, "I love dolphins. Get the oil off them now". Haha. No please, just NOW! They are so smart and determined, and it's amazing to see them grow into big girls.

Brianna is obsessed with her dolls, Ulla, in particular. She has to feed them, change them, everything around the clock. Her dolls' names are Ulla, Grulla and Walla. It cracks me up that she made up the strangest (creative?) names, and Mikayla's babies are Addison, Carissa, and Alex. Very fitting of their personalities. They both have such big imaginations and are constantly pretending. This age does get rough as far as whining. Though, knowing how I was with my parents I think this may only be the beginning :). Overall though, they are the sweetest, loving girls...and I'm so blessed to be able to be their Mom.

Father's Day/Anniversary

Yesterday was Father's Day, and today Nelson and I celebrate 7 years of Marriage. I am so blessed to have him by my side, and to be our kids' father. He laughs with them, encourages them, would do anything for them and loves them so much. I love how we are a complete team with our kids.

Father's Day was a wonderful day to show Nels how much we love him. The kids were so so good. The girls woke up at 6:30, and I went out with them and they signed cards, and then the baby woke up around 7:15. I fed him his oatmeal and then we all got to work on Daddy's breakfast. Nelson wanted breakfast in bed at 8 (which is sleeping in in the house ;) ) and I made him an omelet, bacon and the girls toasted him a bagel and spread cream cheese on it. They were so excited to have a big girl job since usually knives are off limits. Brianna carried in his juice, Mikayla the bagel and I got the rest. Nelson ate, and opened his gifts. A "DAD" picture, garmin gps, and a slider maker for the grill. It was such a great morning, and it was only 8 am!! The kids were already dressed, hair done, and ready...Nelson and got ready and were out of the house by 9:15. We headed to Weeki Wachee. My parents are getting scuba certified, and they did a dive there. We had lunch with them before they headed to Crystal River. We spend a couple hours enjoying Weeki Wachee. I absolutely love watching my girls' eyes get big, and truly be enamored by something. Mikayla absolutely loved the mermaid show, and now is asking for lots of mermaid things for her birthday (which is months away ;) ). It was such a great day!! It was also wonderful seeing Nelson celebrate Father's Day with our babe. Joshua's first Father's Day with his Daddy.

Nelson and I got to celebrate our Anniversary on Friday. Today though we are grilling steaks and having a quiet night at home with our family :). The girls started VBS today, and loved it. I love seeing Christ grow in them. It's going to be a great week :).

Where's Joshua?

The girls were playing with their babies...including baby brother :)

Loving summer...

Nelson and I have decided to make the absolute most of this summer. (Which doesn't technically start until our anniversary on Monday...we got married on the first day of summer and longest day of the year :) ). Well, we've already started our summer fun!!

We've already kept the girls up past their bedtime to make the most of the day. We've been spontaneous. We've been carefree. We've been just absolutely loving our time together.

We're making a summer list. Writing down little to big things that we would like to see happen this summer. I am a list maker, and when I got this idea from a blog I read religiously I told Nels about it...and we started our own list :).

Nelson wants to make a Ft. Desoto trip and bring the girls to the caves there, he wants to bbq more (specifically pizza, fish and a dessert on the grill like he's seen on the food network). I want to do late night family swims, more movie nights with the girls, make smores.....and the list goes on and on....

It's going to be a great summer. This week is already looking to be a good one. Playdates on Wed. and Friday. Celebrating our anniversary Friday night...Sunday Father's Day...Monday our 7th Anniversary. Soon my birthday will be here! I love summer time!

Enjoying the summer with my loveys!

Pictures tell a story...

Joshua has started throwing tantrums when you take away something he wants, and immedietely stops when you give it back to him. Age appropriate? Yes. Fun? Not so much. Here Joshua grabbed the remote. I took it because he tries to eat it, and tears followed, pleading glances and then the sly "I won" face he gave me when I gave it back...

Boys are SO different from girls. It really is unbelievable. Everyone says boys are harder when younger and girls are harder when older, and it's SO true!!! He's not even mobile yet and he gives me a run for my money. Good thing he's a mama's boy, and totally has me wrapped around his finger or else this could be really rough on me :).

So much..

I feel like so much has been going on...but most is not really for a blog.

Big news: Joshua says Dada! I wasn't jealous until this weekend when he started rubbing Nelson as he says "dada". It's the sweetest thing ever, and does it almost every time Nelson picks him up. Now, I'm really anxious for mama. Tonight at dinner I swore he signed "more" too. He finished his sweet potatoes and kept putting his hands together. When ever he seems hungry still I always sign more and ask if he wants more. Well, tonight he put his hands together like 4 times, and I went and got more food and he squealed with joy and ate MORE! I'm not positive that he's signing it yet, but man, it sure seemed like it. Every day there's something new about him...totally LOVING this age. This was my favorite with the girls too.

Joshua had been sick since Friday and finally was getting better yesterday and today he ate like crazy and slept great...so I'm so happy to have my healthy boy back. He has a check-up on Thursday...hopefully he gets a clean bill of healthy. He's on antibiotics, but he has this awful cough that just won't go away still.

Anyway, girls are home for the summer...today was Day 1 and it was a long day! They are going to VBS for a week the end of June, and we are busy most of August. July is going to be a doozy ;). I have to just start a routine and make set plans for what we will do each day.

Our 7 year anniversary is coming up! Father's Day, MIL's 50th Birthday, and some birthdays this month will make it busy and fun for sure!