Idependance Day 2013

We got to celebrate the 4th with my family in Ohio. We took the kiddos to King's Island and had fun going on the big rides! We hardly spent any time in the kiddy area. They are just growing up so fast. We stayed with my brother and had a nice afternoon in their pool.

Happy 13th!

Just looking back at some pictures of this day 13 years ago! I posted some a few years ago here...

A fun little review of the last 13 years...

Too, two, SWEET!

Here are some out-takes candids I took the other day when I was trying to get a good pic of Anna for her "12 month" picture! I just love to watch these two together. Drew is the sweetest big brother! He is pretty attentive to her (when he isn't playing on his dads iPhone). He likes to help keep her entertained in the car and he LOVES to make her LAUGH! He's better at it than any of us. She just cracks up for Drew.

1st Cupcake Smash!

She didn't really SMASH it...she did EAT it!

ALL of it...

well, except for a clump of frosting stuck to her tray. Mmm buttercream!

My mom and I made fresh strawberry cupcakes with strawberry frosting...they were DELISH!

See for yourself...

Yep, they were a hit!

Happy Birthday!!

Here's just a quick peek of our newly crowned...

1 year old...

it's all I've had time to do since our basement flooded. We have been in the thick of it -doing the work ourselves & fitting it in around baseball games- then with the storms last night we had some water again. This time it was pouring in one of the windows. Thankfully Mike braved the downpour to investigate and he removed debris away from a drain spout and that seemed to solve the problem for now! I do see replacing lots of the cracked black drain pipes in our future this summer though. Augh! It never ends does it :) Opportunities to work on my attitude and response to difficulty are abundant.

Enough about that...enjoy this sweet little smile...

I plan to post more of her cupcake smash and pics of her and Drew just playing in the back yard later.

11 months

My goodness, am I really documenting another month? I've been looking back at how much her hair has grown, wow!  I snapped this pic outside at Trent's baseball game! I'm so thankful she just 'goes with it' and has a happy personality. She loves to say "hi" and loves the response she gets from strangers/friends even more. It's pretty funny for me too. People don't expect such a clear greeting from a "baby." We love hearing her chatter (yes, she LIKES to talk) though she has also learned she can screech. Fun times...No, really, I'm SO blessed!

10 months

A cheery pic...outside!! So glad for warmer weather and a bit of sunshine.

The boys played and played out there...

basketball

and

whiffle ball in the backyard with neighbor kids.

I was thankful for some quiet time to myself.

Yesterday, the 7th

we celebrated Emilie's 2 years AND Annalise's 10 months

Bittersweet.

We are reminded and thankful for ALL our kids

and

God's precious grace poured out.

She wasn't sure she liked the deck...she didn't want to touch it and she didn't crawl anywhere...so not like her...see...