Anabelle and Brady's Birthday Party

A week ago Sunday, we had a birthday party for the kids. It was a good time, and the weather was nice enough for everyone to be outside. This year was the first year that we had a pinata. The kids were so excited!

During the party, Anabelle ran into the door, so you will see in the fourth picture the big old goose egg that she got on her forehead. The bruise is finally starting to go away. YEAH!

Anabelle, Brady, and Anabelle's "boyfriend", Ashton.

Anabelle and her princess cake!

Brady and his construction cake!

Anabelle with her goose egg forehead :(

Present time!

Pinata time!

Hit it Anabelle!

Ally broke the pinata open

Baby Drake and Brady...cousins

Beautiful Weather for Memorial Day Weekend

The thermostat in the house is currently reading 80 degrees, and the heat isn't even on! It was such a nice weekend. It was one of the best Memorial Day Weekends weather wise that I can remember. I got a lot of planting done, Jason washed the Jeep, we cooked on the grill, and the kids played outside a lot. They even helped me plant our "flower garden."

Saturday, as I was watering the grass seed, the kids kept coming up to the hose and putting their hands in the water. I started spraying them with the hose, and they loved it! They ran away giggling, saying "do it again, do it again."

Here are some "after" pics:

Showcase 2008

Anabelle had her showcase on Saturday to show us just what she has been learning all year long. It was so much fun to watch. I got a little teary eyed just watching my baby girl take the "stage" and perform. At the end of the performance, all of the girls received a medal and a goody bag. It was a great time, and she performed so well. We are so proud of her.


Here are some pics:

We Bought Car #4

The gas prices are so crazy these days. Driving my SUV to work everyday was costing a fortune, so we decided to buy another car....making it car #4! Pretty crazy considering there are only two drivers! Our neighbors probably think we have about ten people living here. It is crazy, but each one serves a different purpose...really! The Jeep is our fun summer ride, the SUV is the family car, the new car is our gas saver/work car, and the truck is Jason's everyday ride and is handy for all of his hobbies like hunting, fishing, etc... I do like driving our new car though. It is much easier to park and to zoom in and out of traffic. But there are a few drawbacks...it does not have power locks or power windows and no cruise control. I didn't think they made cars like that anymore! It will just be something to get used to...no big deal.

Happy 3rd Birthday Brady!!

Rewind...three years ago...It was a Thursday night, May 19th, and I had my weekly prenatal visit. My due date was just a week away...May 28th. I was so excited that I was full term with my baby boy! Just a year ago, I gave birth to an eight week early preemie. The moment that I found out I was pregnant with Brady I just prayed that I would go full term.

At my doctor visit that Thursday evening, my doctor told me that when I do go into labor that it would be a nice, easy, fast delivery. I had been dialated between a three and four for the past couple of weeks and was still going to work everyday and carrying on like normal. I told the doctor that if I do go as fast as he thinks...I just may not make it to the hospital in time considering how fast I had Anabelle and that the hospital was 30-40 minutes away from home. Then, he said like it was no big thing..."So do you want to have the baby tomorrow?" I totally wasn't expecting that! I said, "Sure, I guess." He called the hospital and reserved my room for the next day.

As I left the doctor's office, I called Jason and told him that we were having our baby boy that very next day. He was kind of caught off guard. I could sense his nervousness on the phone. When I got home, I packed my bag, took some belly pictures, and tried to remain calm for the big day.

We arrived at the hospital that next day bright and early...Friday, May 20th, 2005. I got all settled in my bed. The doctor came in about 8:30 am and broke my water. He told us that he was going to go back to his office down the road and would come back in a few hours to check on me. Well, he was called back within the next hour because my baby wasn't waiting any longer. He made it back just in time to deliver Brady at 9:36 am...8 lbs 10 oz...twice the size as Anabelle! I was proud of myself for giving birth again without any epidurals or anything.

We were now a family of four.

I couldn't imagine life without Brady. He is sure to put a smile on anyone's face...no matter what kind of day they were having. He is just so darn lovable!

Brady,
Where has the time gone? It seems that just yesterday mommy and daddy welcomed you into our family, and now I could not imagine life without you. You have the best personality that I have EVER seen in a three year old! You are so laid back, easy going, free spirited, don't have a care in the world, funny, just CRAZY, outgoing, curious, loud, on your own timetable, class clown...the list just goes on and on!! There are not enough words to describe you. I am just glad that you are mine. You put a smile on my face MANY times a day just being your crazy little self!

The things you love in life....your family, animals, tractors, your blankies, watching movies, putting the dvd's into the dvd player all by yourself (and daddy having to take apart the tv to get the dvd's out of the inside of the tv), stirring your strawberry milk while counting to five, chugging your strawberry milk gone in 5 seconds and then just tossing your cup on the floor so mommy can pick it up later, mommy and daddy rubbing your belly, mommy rocking you, cuddling, riding your red bike, and pressing the buttons on any electronic gizmo that you can find trying to see how it works.

Mommy and daddy wish nothing but the best for you and love you VERY much! We hope that all of your wishes and dreams come true. You will always be our little man.

Happy Birthday to our little TB!!

One of my favorite baby pics of Brady in his "monkey" outfit

Brady just being his CRAZY little self! :)

Brady with one of his favorite things...a tractor. This is what mommy and daddy bought him for his birthday. He loves it!

HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY SWEETHEART!

WE LOVE YOU SOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!

LOVE MOMMY, DADDY, AND ANABELLE

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

Where The Wild Things Are

A few days ago as Anabelle and I were driving through town, we saw a deer in somebody's frontyard, which is really strange to be right in town! Anabelle said, "Look mommy...a deer." I said, "Yep, you're right!"

Then tonight, as we were in the kitchen, we saw a fox in our backyard! Our backyard is all fenced in so I don't know how the little rascal got in. Kind of freaky!

This is the best picture that I could get of it. You can probably see it if you blow up the picture. He is by the red teeter-totter.

Happy 4th Birthday Anabelle...Our Little Miracle!

Today...four years ago at 5:24am our little miracle was born...Anabelle Mae. Our two turned into three, and our marriage turned into a family. Life as we knew it was changed forever, and it was the best deal that we ever made.

It was a Saturday night around 11pm, and I was home alone. Jason had been working the midnight shift in Indiana. I felt some cramps coming on, and it felt like I had to go pee quite a bit and wasn't sure what was going on. I couldn't have been in labor. It was May 15th, and I wasn't due until July 12th. I ended up calling and waking up my mother-in-law at 1am. When she answered the phone, I said, "What are you doing?" Of course she was sleeping, but how else was I supposed to start off the conversation when I didn't know what the heck was going on??? I told her what had been going on, so her and my father-in-law rushed over, and I was on my way to the hospital all the while having contractions in the back seat.

Jason was called at work to let him know that I was being brought to the hospital....not knowing that he would very soon be a daddy. He immediately left work to get to the hospital. When I arrived at the hospital, I was trying to get through some of the paperwork since I had not called to pre-register. I was thinking this is ridiculous...here I am probably IN labor and trying to fill out some paperwork...couldn't this possibly wait???? I was put into a little room and a nurse had tested to see if my water had broke...sure enough, it did and I didn't even know it! Jason arrived at the hospital and I was so relieved to see him. I couldn't possibly have gone through all of this without him! Then, they put me into a labor and delivery room. I was already dialated pretty far long and they couldn't stop the contractions. It was too late for any kind epidural or anything. As they wheeled in the baby crib and told us that we were going to be having a baby shortly, I panicked. It was way too early...was she going to be okay??? My doctor arrived just in time. Then....our tiny little miracle was born....a baby girl weighing in at 4 lbs 7 ozs. The first month of her life was spent in the NICU. Everyday was an emotional roller coaster. She would take two steps forward and then take a step back. But, today she is a perfect healthy little girl that is just full of life!

We are so blessed to have her in our lives. She is now 4 totally going on 12! Just yesterday she told me that she was a woman.

Anabelle,
It seems just yesterday that you were born, crawling, walking, talking, and now you are in preschool. You make mommy and daddy so proud. You are such a little character that just says and does the darndest things. Many times I ask you "What?" just so that you will repeat yourself and I can hear what you just said again because it was just so darn cute.

The things in life that you love...your family, your "pink", princesses, dresses, school, your teachers, your friends at school especially your best friend "Lex", picking out your own clothes, changing MANY times a day, mommy holding you, mommy and daddy rubbing your belly,...the list just goes on and on.

You are your own little person now and are able to make alot of decisions on your own, which is hard for me because I am just so used to doing everything for you because you are and always will be my baby girl no matter how old you are.

Mommy and daddy wish nothing but the best for you and love you VERY much! We hope that all your wishes and dreams come true. You will always be our baby girl....our little miracle.

Happy Birthday Sweetheart!

One of my favorite baby pics of our sweet Belle...

Helping mommy make cupcakes for school last night....

This morning getting ready for school....can you tell her favorite color is pink??? :)

HOPE YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY SWEETHEART!

WE LOVE YOU SOOOOOOOOO MUCH!!!

LOVE MOMMY, DADDY & BRADY

XOXOXOXOXOXOXO

School Pictures

Today, when I picked the kids up from school, their school pictures that were taken about a month ago were in. I am always so excited to see them because it is such a surprise to me as to how they turn out. I send their picture clothes and a brush in a bag and just hope they turn out good.

Anabelle insisted on wearing her blue dress for her pictures, but I picked out Brady's clothes because he still lets me...so I am taking full advantage of it as long as I can! :) The pictures turned out so good! I was so happy with them. I gave them both a high five tonight for taking such great pictures. I just love how they take pictures together! Included in the pictures was a picture of Anabelle's preschool class. My babies are just getting so big! They both will be turning 3 and 4 within a week! I just can't believe how fast time flies!

Here is how they turned out:

Celebrity Commenter!

Last week when I got my Business Week magazine in the mail, I noticed that the man on the front cover looked familiar. Then I saw his name and that looked familiar too. I was trying to think of how I recognized this man, and then it came to me. He left a comment on my March 22nd "Happy Easter" blog. His name is Steve Ballmer, and he is s bigwig in the computer industry. Now is that cool or what??

Here is my magazine:

Now only if that thing really worked!!

Ahhhhh....The Wardrobe Changing Phase

For the past month or two, Anabelle has been in a wardrobe changing phase where she will change her outfit about 10 times a day...literally!! I can't tell anymore what is clean and what is dirty. Hopefully, with Brady being a boy...he won't go through this too! Gone are the days that I can pick out what she wants to wear.

Here is the aftermath of a change session:



Now, if I can only get her to clean this up!! :)

Trees in Full Bloom

With all of the nice weather that we have finally been having, the trees in our backyard have bloomed. They are so pretty! I can't wait for the rest of our plants and flowers to start blooming and to plant more!