Papa and Niecey, play time, and pictures! :)

Last weekend, Papa and Niecey came to visit. We went to dinner Friday night with Uncle Spencer and Aunt Shannon (and of course i don't have any pictures of that!), and then we spent Saturday working! Saturday morning (for about four hours), Brandon and I cleaned out the garage. It was so funny because at least 6 different vehicles stopped at our house asking if we were having a garage sale! It ended up being lots of fun, as pretty much all of our neighbors came over, and the kids played while we visited and cleaned! Avaree was content to sit in her wagon (with Timber) and buckle and unbuckle herself, while Papa and Niecey were at Uncle Spencer and Aunt Shannon's house! :)

Papa, Niecey, Avaree and I went to play in the bluebonnets for a little bit. Of course, it was close to nap time, so we only stayed about 20 minutes, and the meltdown came soon after! :)

Niecey explaining something about nature! ;)

Pretty Niecey!

Speckles, the wonder dog! :)

After Ave woke up from her nap, she got a surprise!!! :) Papa and Niecey got her a Pinkalicious bike with training wheels!!! :) They didn't even know that Pinkalicious was one of her favorite books! I think her favorite part of the bike, though, is that there is a seat for Dora on the back! :) As you'll see in the pictures, she wasn't too sure about it at first, but she and Daddy have been having bike lessons in the evenings (pics of that later), so she has already gotten better! :)

Papa and Daddy putting Ave's bike together!

"My bi-cy-cle, Mommy! Look (she pronounces it "lurk"--ha!)!"

Thank you for the bike, Papa and Niecey! We are looking forward to many memories with it! :)

Soon after, she just wanted to get in the wagon! :)

Papa, Niecey, Speckles and Daddy held down the fort while Mommy went to take some pictures! Ginger asked me to take prom pictures for a young lady that one of her best friend's mentors at their church! I was MORE than happy to do it, and it turned out to be such a blessing. Ginger came with me, and we met up with Abby and Casey, Abby's Mom, and Marianne at the park! I came away so encouraged! Here are just a few of my favorites!!! :)

As I was taking and editing these pictures, I kept singing Casting Crown's "Slow Fade". I love the part when just the children are singing at the end: "Be careful little eyes what you see. Be careful little feet where you go. Be careful little mouth what you say...." Please pray for Abby and Casey, two teenagers that have a heart for the Lord in a world that is broken! I was so blessed to be able to take their pictures! :)

Happy Saturday to all! :)

 

Family, Finances and Fun!

So, this post is not really about finances, but it sort of is, and I needed the alliteration to work! :)
The weekend after Easter, Mom Mom and Pop Pop came to visit. They got to our house on Friday evening, and they left late Saturday night. We had a great time! (Mom, I'm so sorry that I don't have any pictures from my camera! I'll add them when I get some from your camera! We LOVE you!)

Mommy made monkey bread for breakfast Saturday morning, and we all sat at Avaree's table to eat! :)

Mommy and Daddy left right after breakfast to go car shopping. We had no intention of buying that day unless we got the perfect deal, and that is exactly what we got! B had a weather-related accident the day of the crazy tornadoes (Praise the Lord that everyone was safe through that crazy experience! I was totally fine with my group of students that I had moved downstairs until Pete Delkus (the weather man on Ch. 8) said that a tornado had touched down at Trinity Mills and the Tollway. That is just a mile or two from Avaree's school. All I could do was take care of other people's (big) children, and pray that someone else was taking care of mine! Then, I got the call from Brandon, and my heart dropped. I was never so happy than when I had both of my loves with me (and safe) that evening. Thank you, Jesus!) Anyway, B and I shared a car for a couple of weeks (which is hardest on Wednesday and Sundays, and I had to ask for rides and help several times--thank you Carrie and Ginger!), but the insurance eventually totaled out B's car. Even though we had enjoyed a few months without a car payment and didn't plan to buy anything any time soon, the Lord blessed us by the insurance giving us way more than we thought we would get for the Sonota! So, we got a Chevy Equinox. We did lots (and lots and lots) of research, test drove, and ultimately decided that this vehicle would be best for our family right now. It gets great gas mileage, and the monthly payments are less than my car payments were. (Thank you, Lord.) I don't do well with big purchases (and by big, I mean over 30 dollars, ha!), but Brandon was amazing. We have never bought a vehicle "together," but he was wonderful, and I got the exact price that I wanted to pay--and then it turned out being even less than that! :) However, I didn't want to spend any more time away from my baby (and knew I had a baby shower to go to in a couple of hours), so I was content to leave once I had signed the papers, and B drove the new car home a little while later!

Pulling in for the first time! We did some major cleaning last Saturday, and now both cars fit well in our tiny garage! :)

Avaree liked it so much that she didn't want to get out! :)

She still calls it "the new car", but she always asks to ride in "the white car." She has even asked me several times where "the blue car" is. At first, I just told her the blue car was at the doctor, and that seemed to pacify her. Now, I just try to change the subject or talk about the white car/new car. ha! :)

Mom Mom and Pop Pop kept Ave basically all day while we were car shopping, and while I went to the baby shower. (So, of course I don't have ANY pictures of Ave with Mom Mom and Pop Pop. But, she had a wonderful time with them --as usual!!)  It sure was nice to finally get to love on my girl that night though. I treasure our Saturdays, so it is hard when I don't get them. But, I know that it saved us future Saturdays at the car lot! :)

That night, we met up with Uncle Penser and Aunt Shannon for dinner! This is the only pic that I have--and it's from my phone! :(

Speaking of Uncle Spencer and Aunt Shannon, they kept Avaree on Monday night while Mommy and Daddy went to the Ranger game! Thanks, y'all! Every time we go on a walk now, Avaree asks, "Where Ranger, Mommy?" :)

The bottom right picture is Josh running the bases (via the big screen) after his home run!!! :)

Also, Brandon was gone to Washington D.C. (washing dc, as Ave says!) a couple of weeks ago, and I am finally remembering to post one of his pics from the trip! He and Mark had a wonderful planning trip, and there is no doubt that God is going to do big things with our youth this summer! Please be praying for Brandon, and all of the amazing people involved with this trip, as he coordinates, plans, and prays for this trip!

More to come! :)

Eggstravaganza and Easter Sunday

I know I'm super behind, but April has been a crazy whirlwind! Brandon had his three busiest weeks of the year all in a row--Palm Sunday, Easter, and Pre-Trip for the Summer Mission trip to Washington D.C. Not to mention we are trying to get our house ready to put on the market, I'm in testing season at school, I've been taking and editing more pictures, we were car researching and shopping, we've had company for three weekends in a row, and we have a busy little two year old and the normal tasks of life--whew!! :) All of these things are wonderful (and we wanted to do all of them), it is just a lot! :) Alas, I am looking forward to seeing what the Lord is going to do in our lives in the next few months. My heart is stirring, so that always means something is coming! :)

On the Saturday of Easter weekend, we worked around the house before going to church for the Eggstravaganza! It was Avaree's first time to really "hunt" Easter eggs! It was also very hot! :) We still had lots of fun though. Our church is so family oriented: it is such a blessing to us--and to the community!!

Pops and Daddy working on the yard! Thanks for letting us put dirt in your new truck, Pops! (and thank you for your help!!)

I painted Avaree's fingernails for the first time! We were both wearing purple dresses for Easter, so we both got purple nails! :) She was SO good!

Gigi dried them with the blow dryer! :)

Avaree LOVES our church staff. Not only does she love seeing them at church, but she talks about them at home, prays for them, and gets so excited when she knows she is going to see them! We didn't get pictures with everyone, but she did get to see several of her favorite people on Saturday. They are so sweet to her, and they make her feel so special (of course I think she makes them feel a little special too!). I'm so thankful for them. We spend a lot of time there, so I am so thankful that she really does have a church family too!

This is Avaree with "Mr. Stan." He is the youth associate at church, and his office is next door to Daddy's. He and his sweet wife, Julie, are expecting their first baby this summer (it's a BOY!).

Avaree wasn't too sure about the Easter Egg hunt at first. We had practiced with her at home, and B kept telling me to tell her to run to the middle (he was all about strategy, and I just wanted her to actually do it--so funny!). She was actually really funny. At first, she clung to me, and I helped her with the eggs, but then she spotted Pastor Jeff in the middle of all the kids, and she wanted to go show him her "purple egg." After he praised her, she was ready to start putting them in her basket, and Daddy was on the sidelines taking pictures. Thankfully, this was  preschool only egg hunt, but there were still lots of little ones and their parents scurrying around! :) Enjoy the pics!

So proud of her eggs!

Posing with Mommy!

Showing Gigi her basket!

Getting a high-five from Pops!

Getting some love from sweet "Mrs. Kellie!" She is our preschool pastor, and she calls Avaree "sugar bear." Avaree tells me "Avaree is sugar bear." :)

Daddy narrated the Pastor's bike race! Hilarious!

 Mr. Mark (our Worship Pastor), Mr. Jason (Our Pastor of all things--ha, really, he does so many things), and Mrs. Kellie (our Preschool Pastor) getting ready to race! :)

Mr. Mark, Mrs. Kim (Pastor of Missions and Mature Adults), and Pastor Jeff! :)

We were cracking up at Mark! :)

We love our Pastor! He's the best!

Avaree just adores this whole family! Mr. Todd, Mrs. Melissa, and Emma and Noah are just precious to us! Melissa always encourages me. After the Christmas season (when it felt liked Daddy lived at church and we did too), she wrote me the sweetest note. It is still on my fridge, and I read it all the time. I'm so thankful for women like her.

Mr. Todd (Avaree calls him Mr. Tall)! :)

 

Mr. Brandon (our youth pastor) and Avaree! :) Avaree loves to give him big hugs!!!

Avaree and Daddy! Of course, the balloon ("Ba-woon, Mommy. Ba-woon!") was the center of her attention at the time. :)

Avaree with Mrs. Ginger and Mr. Mark! :) I know she looks cranky (it was hot) and sleepy (she didn't get a full nap) in this picture, but if you only knew how much she adores Mr. Mark. She talks about him all the time! We love to get her to say her version of Mr. Mark's famous phrase: "Come on, somebody!" :)

An impromptu hug for Daddy! I'm pretty sure that made his day!

She's not shy. :) I wonder where she gets that from? (Hint: not from me!)

After the festivities were over, Gigi and Pops took us to Benihana's to celebrate Daddy's birthday. This is B's absolute favorite place to eat, and we usually go about once a year with his family! They sang Happy Birthday to him! :)

Then we stopped at Pops' favorite place (Braum's) on the way home. Avaree ate part of everyone's ice cream (including her own). She has pink ice cream, blue ice cream, white ice cream, and brown ice cream! :) She was sugared out! (Good thing she didn't get any Easter candy--ha!)

Enjoying ice crea with Gigi!

I'm pretty sure we have a future cheerleader or gymnast on our hands folks: look at that form! :)

My beautiful girl on Easter morning! I'm so proud of Avaree right now (well, that's a misnomer: i'm prouder of her every day!). I'm her sunday school teacher for the first hour on Sundays, so I always reinforce the lesson and ask her questions during the week. Please understand that we have had the same lesson for three weeks in a row (and really, is there a more important lesson for little ones?), so she has had lots of practice with these concepts. Since Easter, she can tell you that "Jesus came to save sinners." She knows that Mommy, Daddy, and Avaree are sinners, so Jesus came to save "us and everyone!" She also knows that Jesus had owies on his hands and feet (my kids always remember this one best!), and he was sooooooo strong (picture her with her arms in the air like poppeye!) that he could have gotten off the cross. But, "he loved us sooooo much" that he "died on the cross for our sins." But that isn't the end of the story. Avaree will tell you that Jesus "Did not stay dead." In (she's counting now) "1, 2, 3 days he came back to life" and "lives forever and ever and ever" (and she points to her heart). If that isn't the message of Easter, then I don't know what is. Jesus loves us. He died for us. He sent the Holy Spirit to live in our hearts forever. Amen!

Running to her classroom! :) I'm so glad that she loves to be at church. This past Sunday, we left for church at 8:15 am, and we got home from church at 8:25 pm. She even took a nap on the floor in Brandon's office. And, she never complained once. :) She is such a trooper!

Easter pictures with Gigi and Pops!

This is the best we got of the three of us!

Avaree got to come in to the worship service on Easter Sunday, and she was so excited! As soon as she saw Pastor Jeff come into the sanctuary, she ran over to him! (He gave her a sucker--of course--but more importantly, he always makes time to talk to her and make her feel special! I'm so thankful for that!

Daddy singing with two of his students, John Mark and Caleb (Both of these guys are incredible worship leaders too! They have their own band!). We were sitting on the second row, so Ave loved getting to watch Daddy sing!

We postponed giving Ave her Easter basket until Sunday afternoon, since Daddy had to leave so early for church. She had just woken up from her nap when we gave her the surprises! We told her it was a gift from Mommy and Daddy! I had already finished her Easter basket with items from the dollar aisle at Target, but then Daddy found this precious little Dora table/chairs (for a really awesome price) while we were out getting diapers one day. :)

This sleeply little one was sooooo excited--about everything!

Of course, her favorites were the Dora table, the princess crown, and the Dora book! :) (of course!)

Avaree makes Dora and Eebie Weebie sit in the chairs, and she bosses them around. :) It's so funny to watch!

Well, if you made it this far, you are a trooper! Thanks for loving our family. We have a crazy couple of  months coming up, and we would appreciate your prayers! :) We have six weeks of school left, and I cannot even tell you how ready I am to get so spend more time with my girl.

There are lots more posts to come! Love to all!