Dear Lindsey -

It has been fun the past 5 months!  We loved having you over for breakfast in your jammies.  Getting dressed together and getting our hair done all at the same time.  We loved your willingness to clean and help out when needed and sometimes when we didn't need it.

We loved your silly laugh and how everyday needed to be a park day.  We loved singing Twinkle Twinkle to you each of us got a turn and you laughed and laughed each time.

We loved how much you enjoyed art time and how you let everyone know what was right and what was wrong.  Sometimes you were a little bossy but it just meant you knew how to hold your own in our house!

Some of our favorite things were...

Playing house with Bridget, playing baby with Bridget, causing trouble with Bridget and loving on Bridget.

Of course you can't forget the barefoot run to the mailbox...

 Lucas loved running on the nature walks and teaching you that your name starts with L just like his!

We liked that you were always up for anything - even a last minute trip to the Library!  You were such a great friend to each person in this house. Thank you Lindsey for coming over and playing, we know you will be a great big sister and we hope you will come over and play again soon!

Oh Lindsey what a fun little girl you are I will miss seeing you!

A Shag No More!

I have been growing out Lucas's hair out since the end of February.  Look at it....

He looked like an orphan.  It was time to take care of the Shaggies since my sista's wedding is next week.  I took him over to Natalie's and here is the end result!

Scarlett on the other hand has Lucas's crazy wavy hair and it was time to get rid of the tail she was growing...

Gross! So Natalie took care of that with a snip snip here and a snip snip there...

Beautiful! Nathan even got his hair cut today and I had my bangs trimmed. Poor Bridge didn't get anything done. But she got some extra cuddle time with Daddy AND some jelly beans. :)

Now we are ready to go to California!  The question now is...Is California ready for us?

A Conversation

California you never looked so good! This is what we woke up to this morning today May 12th...

3 inches of snow!

So I gave the kids oatmeal, because its a breakfast that you eat on a snowy day.

And Lucas asks me "In the lone and dreary world...do they eat oatmeal?"

I told him that I wasn't sure, and that we should ask Grandpa Witte. (the family scriptorian)

Lucas replied "Why?  Is he an expert on suffering?"

I couldn't help but laugh, and then Lucas said

"Mom laughing at me doesn't get me answers."

Who is this kid? I am beginning to realize that he is more like his father everyday.  He needs to know EVERYTHING right now!

8 Days

My kids have been counting how many days till we get to see Grandma and Grandpa Horn since it was 41 and now we are at 8.

We are very excited. Especially this boy...

Isn't it funny how much Lucas and Scarlett look alike?  CRAZY

Lucas expects a few things while we are there... this is the one thing he wants to do the most

After this is off the list all he wants to do is

So Grandma and Grandpa if you are reading this...we are super excited to see you!

Mudders Day - so far...

This year was my 5th Mothers Day!  I will never forget this year's Mother's Day because...

Nathan did -  forget it! Yep. That's right folks, it wasn't until we went to Church that it all became clear to him. 

I don't like this picture but I had to post it because Lucas's fly is totally down

I am not the type to drop hints or beg for certain things or even make lists of what I want or something I want to do...I leave it up to him because he is so great at our Anniversary who would think that Mother's Day would slip his mind?  Well, it did!

The kids each made a card for me in class at church.

Lucas's Card Read:

"I love you mom, Thank You for being good. I love you so much."

Bridget's Card Read:

"I love your pretty hair mom. And Cheese."

Nathan's forgetfulness has been fine though because he has been making up for it 

BIG time since we got home from church at 1pm.

Dishes CHECK.

Dessert CHECK.

Bathrooms CHECK.

Kid Duties CHECK.

I can't wait to see what he has planned for tomorrow since I am declaring tomorrow a Mother's Day Re-do!

LOL.

The best part of the weekend was hanging out with the Pearsons last night for dinner...we did fondue for the dessert.  I think we are going to become the Fondue Gurus because we take it everywhere we go! :) So if you are feeling like having fondue, invite us over! :)

Mackenzie, Rayden, Lucas and the Bridge!

I have to give Nathan a little leeway since this week was so hard and he has been on edge waiting to hear from a couple of future employers...he has been stressed to say the least!

So I can't wait to post what happens tomorrow.

A Pocketful of Sunshine

Sometimes when your life is full of trials and stress, like ours has been over the past 18 weeks you feel down and depressed. Sometimes you feel like there will never be light at the end, or that no good things will ever come...your children can change that feeling in just one snap.  Their innocence and brightness can change your mood or feeling in one instant.

This morning that is what happened. Our family had a really - I mean really hard day yesterday -  

and this morning with one of these....

it all didn't seem to matter.  The playfulness of my 14 month old made all of the worry just disappear for one short moment.  It didn't matter what happened yesterday or what might happen today for the short 15 minutes of laughter and silliness the only thing that mattered was that our family was going to be together forever.

How could you not love this face?

I guess as parents its our job to do the worrying so kids can be kids.

I am glad that we were blessed with 3 beautiful babies to keep the laughter going and the love all around us.

Because love is always in this house!

Woo-ing

Some things never change.  When I was pregnant with Lucas many many moons ago, my friend Kathy who was also my VT was pregnant with her 3rd.  She wasn't going to find out what she was having and I secretly hoped it was a boy so Lucas would have an instant friend.  Well, when Larke came out a girl, I was excited but worried that he would not have any friends that were boys.  After about 6 months Lucas became infactuated with Larke, licking her (at 6 months (she was 4 months))  It was cute how he would get excited to see her, his first time saying a friends name was "Laaak" and I was excited for them to be friends.

Well, we would exchange playdates and stuff through the years and Lucas and Larke always played so cute together. Here they are in 2008 

Here is my favorite picture of them...

Lucas had just turned 2 and Larke was almost 2. So cute.

On Sundays -  Lucas is too busy complimenting the girls on their dresses and shoes and even busier with Robert and Brother Pearson (his favorite part of church) that he doesn't get much Larke time in.  Sometimes he tells me how much he misses her at Lunch Group because she is "such a nice girl"

Well Kathy set up a play date for Larke to come over to the house.  Lucas brushed his teeth 2x and was so very excited for her to come over because she isn't "a regular."  They had so much fun playing Fireboy and Hatgirl.  They checked the pipes and played outside and giggled and played for 2 good hours. They also had fun looking for fireants and rolly polies! Lucas wanted her to stay for dinner but I told him that Larke's family would miss her, so he suggested that if he married her she would be in our family forever.  It was funny, I wouldn't mind being linked to Kathy forever! :)

Flash forward almost 2 years!

I am glad that Lucas makes friends so easily and is willing to play anything that the guest wants to play.

I feel so blessed to have great kids!

Thanks Larke for coming over.

You and Lucas make me laugh and I hope you continue to be good friends!