"So cool" to be 9!

We celebrated Allie's bday with ice cream!  

Here's the "scoop" (sorry I can't help myself)...She invited a few of her favorite pals to go out to eat.

....and of course some other of her favorite peeps.

Then we headed to the house to make ice cream sundaes.

Chocolate with cherries please!

I got the ice cream balloon idea from pinterest (where else?).  If you ever decide to try it, don't skimp on helium balloons.  Mine were too small, and the paper weighted them down in no time.  

Cupcakes and cones!

Oh hey Abbott...where have you been hiding?

Oh the sugar rush...yikes!

...a good way to ride the sugar wave:)  This was the only calm part of the night! Girls + beads = smiles.

Allie has always been a piñata girl.  This is her one and only request.  

My favorite cone head!

These ice cream shooters were trouble! 

What a sweet party!  I hope they had fun because I sure did!

Nine will be fine..right?

According to ask.com a "tween" is defined as "a child between the ages of 9-12.  A tween is no longer a little child, but not quite a teenager."

Folks I'm not ok with Allie being lumped into this made up category.

I mean she's my first born baby.  (first birthday...no hair..mouth always going even if she had only a couple words)

She and I went through A LOT together that first year.  We shoveled snow, we made connecting flights, we made great friends:)

Such were the days where we sat around ALL DAY together and played....and sang...and read...and I took videos.  Baby girl you were just as dramatic then as you are now.  This video cracks me up now because you haven't changed a bit.  You can sing a little better:)

And I couldn't leave this one out of my jog down memory lane.  It's the greatest "allie file" I have.  The great ski jump..you had JUST turned SIX years old two weeks prior.  Mary Afton White would rather die than go that fast down a mountain on skis.  You are my bold and crazy crazy kid. 

Allison Brooke, you are 9 years old today.  Don't go tweeny on me kid.  I'm not ready for you to look at me like I just don't get it.  I know you will some day, but it's not going to be this year...right?  I will hang on to these days that you are so silly and chatty. 


I remember a night a few weeks ago.  You were walking down the aisle at church singing "I wanna hippopotamus for Christmas" with the rest of the kids...parade style.  You saw me, stepped out of line, and kissed me on the cheek without considering who would see you love on your mamma.  These days will pass, so I'm holding on.  Nine will be fine..right?


As much as I am serious, I am also kidding.  I have loved watching you grow every year, and I look forward to another year of laughs with you, my precious first born.  Thank you for keeping it crazy around here. Happy Happy Birthday to you my dear.  WE LOVE YOU MUCH!

100% Cotton

We spent the weekend with the fam to celebrate the HOGS! 

Yahoooooo...a winning season!  

It's never too soon to start a new year book!  I'm a scrapbooking nerd ya know.  Our 2011 yearbook will be on my porch TOMORROW!!!!!!! 

They are obviously looking at the wrong camera.  Oh well the whole picture makes me look like an outcast no matter which direction I'm looking.  Geesh...little people.

These boys...will make ya laugh.

Fun start

We had a fun start to the new year with my brother and his fam.  They were on a little vacay near us, so we met them and spent the day at a children's museum.  

Allie lying on the nail bed...Anna Kate was not so sure...or crazy:) 

I guess Mary has a lot of faith in big sis.

Hey Gracie!

Mary's green hand...

Mary was truly all "camera'd" out.  

Fun times! School starts back tomorrow.  Tomorrow morning should be peachy:)

2012

Well hello 2012;  you have finally arrived.  You have brought with you many unanswered questions, but we are so excited that you are here.  You will finally end the wait for our son across the world.  


Usually the first thing I hear on Garrett's monitor is banging on the floor (he sleeps above us) and shouting which includes, "Mommy I'm awake, come get me!"  We keep his room locked because he is a night time wonderer, and we don't want him falling down stairs or shouting at the top of the gated stairs, waking up his sisters.


Today, January 1, he quietly got out of bed and turned on his music player.  The song that played was, "Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world.  Red and yellow, black, and white, they are precious in his sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world."  


And the second time through, as the tears were forming in my eye balls, Garrett started singing the second verse.  Now, I've heard this song 100,000 times, but this morning it unraveled me.


Jesus, thank you for loving our little boy.  Thank you for giving us a new son.  Thank you that 2012 has finally arrived.  Prepare our hearts.  Prepare his too.   


Oh...I hear knocking from upstairs.  I'm coming son!!!

S'more Christmas pics

We spent Christmas Eve at the Lion's Den.  Do we look as stuffed as we were in this pic??  

No more dressing up in princess clothes..Geesh!

Allie was SOOO excited to give Mary a Christmas present.  She'd won $15 in October in an art contest.  For 2 months, she tried to decide what to buy.  When we went on our date in December, she said, "Mamma, we are going to the toy store!  I know exactly what Mary wants for Christmas."  Love it!

Cinnamon rolls!  

The kids and I headed back to Arkansas to see my crazy family.  Here are the 9..and Chubby makes 10!

 Can't go to Nana's and not make smores!  Guess we were still working on the Halloween marshmellows.

My twin bro and his wife.  Happy Bday Amber!

Two of the "triplets."  Garrett has two cousins born in the two months after he was born.  He and Abigail look so big!

You can imagine that football season gets a little "heated" in this family.

Mary and Anna Kate

Adam and Abbott...look alike? Much in this pic:)

We've had a wonderful couple of weeks FILLED to the top with family and friends.  That's one of my favorite things about Christmas for sure.  Can't believe the new year is about to arrive.  Our BIG new year awaits us!

Strong and Courageous

A friend  from Rochester lived out Deuteronomy 31:6, one of my favorite verses.

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

2 1/2 years ago, Laura was diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer.  She walked this journey with incredible faith and courage.  Following her journal posts the last 2 years has increased my faith and the faith of so  many others.  Laura passed away last week leaving a husband of 16 years and 3 beautiful children.  My heart aches for this family.  Laura is fully whole and restored, and through Christ her family will be carried, but please lift them up in the days and months to come.  





Laura Rider from Craig Peterson on Vimeo.