The Schemer

Recently, one of Avery's teachers told me, "She is soo sweet but I can tell there is scheming behind those eyes." I laughed because the gig was up. I have known this for some time but to think that someone else had figured her out was funny, and a little scary.

Today, she drove the point home a couple of times. When I asked her to finish her broccoli, she said, "Mommy, I have a great plan. How about you go in your room, and when you come back, my broccoli will be all gone." This said with a straight face.

and...

When we were discussing what day of the week it was, she didn't want to admit that she didn't know what it was so she said, "How about you can guess first and then I'll tell you what day it is."

She just turned four. I'm bracing myself for fourteen....

Easter

The folks :)

Ravenne. We are hoping she grows out of her awkward stage soon :)

Avery girl looking for eggs.

Gage being pensive.

Camryn girl. She melts my heart.

Colton spent the day crawling around the flowers.

We spent this Easter at my mom and dad's house with my brothers, Tamara, and my nieces and nephews. Despite being a little chaotic, I love our get-togethers. I am so blessed to have parents who are healthy and able to enjoy all of their grandchildren...oh, those kids are precious. It was a great day to reflect on all these blessings, along with the ultimate gift of redemption in Christ and our hope of eternal life with Him.

Always behind the eight ball....

Avery and Emma on our hike

Camryn girl....isn't she adorable?

Bonnie B. with a cake ball :)

Christine and Siera making cake balls

My precious boy

Where did she get those lips?

More cake balls. I'm getting hungry...

Colton's new hiding place

Colton on our hike. He loved it! To have no gates, locks, etc. A dream come true!

Colton, Avery, Luke and Emma at our picnic.

We love to take the kids on a walk in their p.j.s before bedtime.

What she lives in when no one is looking :)

I wish I had more time to blog. My kids are getting bigger each day and I can't seem to make it stop or take enough pictures to put my heart at ease that I "captured" as much as I could. Somebody please make it stop! To satisfy myself for now, I'm going to post a whole bunch of random pictures rather than pretending it will get done any other way . Maybe I'll catch up this way?

Disneyland

Okay, we love Disneyland. Patrick probably loves it as much as Avery. When we walk into the park, I become the mother of three and it totally makes me smile. Thankfully, we have good friends who share in our appreciation.

GG

I cherish this picture!

These are GG's representative 49 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren!

My grandmother, known to most as "G.G.", went home to be with Jesus on March 2, 2009. Her memorial service was such a deserving tribute to the life she lived and the legacy she has left.

GG was a woman of Godly character. This was understood by all who knew her. After her death, I was able to peer through her belongings: her bible, her notes, her newspaper clippings, and prayer lists. This is when I became the most proud of my grandmother. Her bible was used, marked-up and written on. Prayer requests of loved ones and strangers, whom she had read about in newspaper clippings, were detailed in her prayer journal. What an amazing insight into her sweet soul. She has inspired me to more devoted to prayer and study. Someday, I hope my bible is as marked-up and tattered as hers.

She is the mother of my mother- the one who I look up to the most. Thank you GG for the blessing of my mother, and for instilling so much good into my precious aunts and uncle. I love and miss my GG.

Funny Girl

Banana Bread + Avery = happiness

Day 2: Griffith Observatory

As part of our 'lets visit L.A. like we were tourists and exhaust Kelly and our kids' week', we visited the Griffith Observatory. I think I finally found the only thing that is totally free in L.A.! I highly suggest it to everyone because you can go and leave whenever the kids get bored without any guilt of waste. Also, the views are unrivaled and the outdoor seating is perfect for lunch. Next time we go, we want to "hike" on the trails.

Snow Day

Patrick took this week "off" and has decided to act as camp counselor for the week. He cannot be stopped. I barely have the time or energy to write about it. I'll take it slow and start with Day One: The Snow.

Avery has been asking to see snow for some time. So, it was great timing weather-wise to actually make good on a promise and take her! Her first taste of the snow was exactly that-Patrick accidentally hit her in the face with a snowball before her feet ever hit the snow. Good going Dad. She had learned about being "bossy" at school that day and claimed that Daddy was very bossy for having done that. After a few tears shed, we had a great time playing in the snow/sludge.

After we left, Avery said, "I want to come back to the snow but not the cold kind." Funny girl.

Father - Daughter Dance

Avery and Patrick went to their first father daughter dance through Avery's school. Avery thought she was the princess of the ball. It was adorable. They danced, did the hokey-pokey and had cupcakes. A perfect night for a three-year-old!

Falling Shoulders

Avery and Patrick have a ritual before bedtime that Avery calls "falling shoulders." It is just one of her many simple pleasures in life.

Day at the "lake"

I took the kids to the "lake" (the psuedo lake in Bridgeport) the other day along with my mom, Brenda, Ethan and Grant. It was a total comedy of errors:

1. When we first got there, I was taking pictures of Cole and landed in duck droppings (p.s. it stains)
2. Avery accidentally kicked her brand new shoe into the lake
3. We all ate on the pier with two one year olds and no means of containment. I'm sure you can imagine.
4. We had berries for lunch. Need I say more?

Despite my kids and I being covered in all sorts of grime, we had a great time. It is really so pretty there.