My Cup Overflows...

Love to see our little ones playing....

And being "smarmed"... (I think she gets that from me...what do you think sisters???)

And wrestling...he loves rolling around with her and laughs and laughs...until he is over it and "Momma the Ref" has to step in...

Mother's Day has always been special, but even more so after we began this journey towards a family. My heart was so grateful that the Lord heard "my cries" for a family and answered them with these 2 sweet children. After 2 losses and 2 children each being born a month early I am humbled to be called a mother and ever so grateful to have these little people in my life....my cup overflows on a daily basis and I am grateful to be "living my dream."

"It's Mudder's Day!!!!"

My "Mudder's" Day started off with snuggle bc our little girl has her first cold in months and months! The bed was still out from Thomas' special sleepover so we got to enjoy a little Elmo in bed! Daddy made us breakfast. (Mike spoils me all the time...not just on holidays...I am so grateful!) Then I headed to church alone bc we didn't want anyone to catch her cold and I was teaching the Middle School Girls...Then after several hours of school for me we had a lovely cookout with my parents and sister! Everything was sooo tasty!

Happy (Grand)mother's Day MiMi! (Mallory cracks us up now with her "pained" smiles!

Mallory and MiMi planted some flowers for me on our back deck after dinner as Carter looked on. Throughout the day Mal would say, "It's Mudder's Day!!!!" What a special day!

He's 6!

We had Thomas over last night for his B-Day sleepover...a little late this year! He chose Mexican for dinner much to our surprise bc he is our go to pizza/spaghetti guy. When the menus came he said, "I think I will get spaghetti..." He took it so nicely that there was no spaghetti in his establishment of choice. He then settled for 3 tacos and plowed through them! We enjoyed our special time with just him and then met up with the rest of the crew for baseball today.

2/3 of the "girl cousins"...and 2/3 of the "boy cousins"....We wish you lived closer K, N, A, & E!

Thomas' game was at 10 and Abby had one at 12:30 so we broke for pizza between games. It was fun, but def toasty on the fields today...it was neat to get a glimpse of our future if our kids want to play sports...which we hope they will! :)

Stamp Out Hunger....TOMORROW!!!!

Tomorrow is Stamp Out Hunger Day!!! It's our nation's largest single day can drive!

All you have to do it put some can goods near your mailbox and the mailman will pick it up to take to the food banks in your area! What an easy way to help out others! Hope you can join in! (Thanks for posting this Courtney...I had no idea!)

http://www.helpstampouthunger.com/

And below is "my little helper"...love that girl! :)

Seis de Mayo

Carter got to try out the high chair today...we tried it a bit ago and he kept falling over, but he is ready now! You should see him go for a cheerio on the tray while sitting in it...it's hilarious! :)

I just can't help myself...it doesn't take much to get this guy "amped" up...he is a happy little guy most of the time!

And Mallory enjoyed craft time today...we had some leftovers from the conference and I let her "have at it" today...she was so serious and "got down to business" peeling the backs off the stickers...

Mallory enjoyed the novelty of her baby brother trying out his new chair that used to be hers...and played a little game of Hide-N-Seek with him...I love all his "arm flapping"...

We are on week 3 of being serious about trying lots of different recipes...But in honor of Cinco de Mayo we went out for Mexican tonight! Couldn't let the week go by without celebrating! We love us some Mexican food and have found a cute little restaurant a few mins from our house! :)!!!

"A Day Late and a Dollar Short"

Had a great morning with our Neighborhood Playgroup at Club Mom at the Mall...kids eat free and there is always entertainment. Mallory loved the music and seeing Clifford and The Red Robin...she is always so excited to see the characters, but so shy and only gives them high fives. She wanted to know where Santa was...Can you tell it's been a while since we went to the mall? :)
We also finally got our Resurrection Eggs...I'm so excited to do these for the next 12 nights at dinner time...I just never got to the mall before Easter...and they had some left and they were half price....I guess sometimes it pays to be "a day (in our case days and days) late and a dollar short!" :)

I tried to steer clear of the rides and was able to keep Mallory away from the ones near the food court, but relented when we were at the other end of the mall...a less kid traffic-y area...I'm such a germ-a-phobe!...but we lathered up in Purell after her ride...she still has no clue that if you put money in it moves!
Now I'm off to my "virtual classroom" during naptime...that's right! I'm back in school! Wish me luck! :)

Hidden Camera

Yesterday was all about trying to find "balance"...My squirrelyness caught up with me and I had 4 activities planned in the span of 4 hrs...What in the world?!?!! My friends were very gracious to me as I had to bow out of playgroup in order to get the rest of the stuff done...God is constantly trying to teach me to "slow down"...why can't I learn??? :) I'm glad He is so patient with me...and my friends and family are too! Hopefully one of these days I will find "balance"!!!

My parents have the cutest tape of my sister Susan singing "Hey Diddle Diddle" when she was Mallory's age...and I'm desperate to capture her "talking and singing on film," but she is wise to the ways of Momma....so I have to hide the camera these days...hopefully soon I'll catch her singing! :)

I almost trick her...but then she "melts"...

Then when the camera is hidden we get a bit more footage....I love her language and know it won't be long before she doesn't have her "own" language anymore...