Birthday Party for Baby Jamie

You may know that my niece's name is Jamie, but it is also the name of Landry's favorite doll.  We must have Baby Jamie with us almost all the time, and we are very aware of Baby Jamie's feelings at all times. "Mommy, her feet are cold" "Mommy, Baby Jamie fell down and got a bruise on her head" "Mommy, baby Jamie wants to watch a movie"  "Mommy, baby Jamie wants to come to church with us" You get the point.  Well for the last week, she has been talking about Baby Jamie's Birthday Party.  "Baby Jamie is having a birthday party and we are going"  So I thought, what a great excuse to throw a party. Who needs an excuse to have a party anyway, right?  If fun and food are involved, I'm in!

So, Landry made some very special cupcakes.  Only pink icing with sprinkles would do.  She put on a very special princess party dress and dressed Baby Jamie in one as well.  We had some very special guests in attendance, Baby Mason and Eli.  And everyone got a "party hat" or, in Baby Jamie's case, a party headband.

 Our Guest of Honor, Baby Jamie

 Apparently our wild and crazy party was a little too much for Baby Mason to handle.  He fell asleep

Ah, everyday should be a party day ;)

Caterpillars Everywhere

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is one our very favorite books.  Who doesn't love that book, right?  I thought we'd do a little art/comprehensive activity to go along with the book.  I saw this super art project where they did balloon art to make a caterpillar, but I was fresh out of balloons.  What I did have was a nectarine, that was real close to being in the garbage anyway, so I sliced that puppy in half and let Landry go to town.  She did a great job of putting the segments together and drawing a sweet little face.  I, then, asked her to recall some of the foods the caterpillar ate and to draw them on her paper.  We got an apple and cheese on the paper, but right now Landry lacks a little confidence when it comes to writing.

After our special project we went outside and, what do you know, there was a caterpillar-looking-thingy in our yard.  I honestly have no clue what it was, but that day it was a caterpillar.  Landry loved watching it climb all over the grass, and you know I took a picture :)

Before we went to bed, to my surprise, I found a really big caterpillar lying on our living room floor.  My cute, creative kid had made herself into a caterpillar by covering herself with her bunnies.  Of course I had to carry the caterpillar, ever so carefully, to bed making sure we didn't lose any of her segments.  Oh, how I love that kid!

Playdough Masterpieces

Landry is sitting back, admiring her creation. Baby Mason is on the left and, Baby Jamie is on the right.  Landry said they were sitting in seats.  

The Big Cheese

His name is Eli.....

Friday Fun

Are you on Pinterest.com yet?  If you are not, go check it out right NOW.  You will either love me or hate me afterwards.  You can get the most wonderful ideas there, but it is wonderfully addicting and takes up a wee bit of your time ;)

Pinterest is where I found this idea and it was a huge hit with my kids.  I thought we'd do something to add a little excitement to bath time on Fridays.  Just throw some shaving cream in a muffin tin, add a few drops of food coloring, and give the kids some paint brushes.  It might get a little messy, but it washes right off (unlike those awful bathtub crayons, ugh).  Enjoy!

Wow!

A couple of days ago, I posted this.  Two days after our church fasted and prayed, this article came out.  God answers prayers in ways we would never even think of.  Please continue to pray for David Holbrook's healing and the healing of others with ALS.

Here is a picture of him and his beautiful daughters:

Independence......

IS MESSY!!!!

New "do" for two

We went into town with the the kids today.  They both came back with new hair cuts.

Here is Eli, before:

And Eli, after:

Here is Landry, before:

And Landry, after:

Looking sharp, wouldn't you say?!?!

Please Join Us in Prayer

I have a confession: I struggle at praying with expectancy.  I know God is all powerful, but I still pray with a hint, or sometimes massive amounts, of doubt in the back of my mind.  

Today I wish to let all those doubts go.  God is sovereign and all-powerful and can do the "impossible".

David, a wonderful and Godly man, has been diagnosed with ALS.  You can click the link to find out more about the disease.  Tonight, our church is coming together to lay hands on him, and begin a 24-hour fast to pray for his healing.  Please pray with us!  The word says: "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (James 5:16),  Moses appealed to God when He wanted to destroy the Israelites, and God spared them.  We don't know how God will choose to work in this situation, but we are praying with urgency and expectancy.  

One thing we do know, God will use this to glorify Himself.  He is Good!

This is a photo of David and his family praying at our alter at church.  This is a true picture of the faith this family possesses.

Bathtime Giggles

I've said it once, I'll say it a thousand times: My daughter is a drama queen.  She is.  There's no doubt about it.  And I have NO idea where she got it from. (wink, wink)  Her daddy swears it comes from me, but I have seen some pretty theatrical performances come from him as well. :P  Whomever she gets it from, she is who she is and we adore every ounce of her personality.

Seems lately at bath-time, boo boos and "skeeto" bites, magically appear on her body and suddenly start to cause her unbearable pain.  She kicks and screams because the water will just make them hurt more, and we spend the entire bath trying to calm a hysterical Landry.  

A couple of days ago, I decided to add some magic potion, a.k.a. bubble bath, to the bath water.  Amazing how well those things work to turn tears into cheers and screams into smiles.  50 cents well spent!

Bow Head

I told her she could clip a bow to her hat.  She thought it would be better to clip 20.  LOL

I think she could be the next Lady Gaga.

Fun with a.......chicken leg?

FACT: My son is Amazing!

Yes, I know he is my son and I am supposed to think that about him, but really everyone thinks he is amazing.  He's just so full of life and joy!  His smile is about the most handsome thing I have ever laid eyes on.  I pray everyday that as he grows his joy will continue to increase, and it will be because he knows and loves Jesus.

For now, he is finding joy in little things......like chicken legs. :P

"We Picked uh....uh....uh....."

That is what Landry ran in exclaiming to GiGi after she had helped PawPaw pick muscadines.  She knew they were round like berries, purple like plums, but the size left her head spinning.  My dad is quite the agriculturalist.  He's grows the meanest, greenest garden I've ever seen.  I am thankful because I benefit greatly :) The muscadines Landry helped him pick are going to make me some amazing jelly!  Three cheers for home-grown goodness!

"Whew!  Picking muscadines is hard work!  I must wipe the sweat from my brow."

And here are a few other pictures from our weekend at GiGi and PawPaws for free.....