Our walks and our growth...

Lately the girls and I have been taking walks in the evening, enjoying the beauty of nature as we discover new places to see.  I love it because Ava is learning all the different plant names and points things out as we walk along.  It has only been the past few years that I started learning more about plants, trees and flowers so I am impressed with her ability to retain all of the information.  I guess my passion for nature is rubbing off on her.  

Sometimes if we are lucky, Daddy and Luke join us.  There is no way I could of convinced Luke to go out on a walk with me just a few months ago.  As his interests broaden from what used to be such a narrowly focused world he chose to live in, he is really beginning to get quite more confident, relaxed and comfortable in his own skin. It is fun to watch all of that unfold!

I have faith that Sydney will in time feel more comfortable to explore the world outside the confines of her stroller soon. Lately she has been exploring playgrounds more and increasing her larger motor skills.  Too bad she had the setback of her broken arm but I do believe that was a valuable lesson for her as well as Luke and Ava.  It's human nature for children to think they are protected in some sort of bubble where bad things just happen to others.  As her brain tries make sense of what happened so she does not create a dehabilitating fear of falling or heights, I let her retell the story in her own words as many times as she chooses.  We focus on the outcome and how everything will be ok.  Needless to say, she seems to be dealing with all of it rather well! 

Preschool picnic 2015

PThis was my 5th year at the Bothell Community Preschool picnic and it was a beautiful day for it at Cedar Grove Park. We found some cool things in the woods like a dead animal tail and stinging nettle. Luke almost got stuck on the chain link fence, hanging from his underwear.  

I can't believe Sydney will be in pre-k next year and that will be our last year at Bothell Community Preschool! 

Best friends!

Precious

Absolute sweetness sleeping in my bed!  And she lives to "snugs."  Someday I will miss this warmth in my bed!

Quite the eventful day

Sydney got her cast and we are at children's urgent care because Ava fell off her chair during dinner and fell on her face.  

Broken arm

Poor Syd broke her arm today when we were playing at Nadine's.  I was just about to grab her so we could go pick up Luke at school.  We heard her screaming and I walked into the room where she had fallen off the ladder up to the bunk bed.  She was yelling about her arm.  When the crating didn't stop, I knew it was not good.  I brought my crying poor baby up to school to get Luke and we hopped in the car to get an X-ray.  Turns out she has a buckle fracture on both bones in her forearm.  She was so brave and did such a great job telling me how to hold her and where it hurt.  There was no swelling or bruising at all! We are off to get a cast tomorrow morning! 

She was so excited to show the neighborhood friends her broken bones.  I am letting her enjoy the cute sling and the splint she has on it because I know it won't be too long she will be begging me to get her cast off!

Both Luke and Ava were so supportive and sweet all day.  They both cried tears for her as she was in agony on the way to get the X-ray.  We are so blessed that she did not fall on her head! I always tell the kids, fall anywhere but on your head if you can.  You can fix and arm or a leg but the brain can not be fixed so easily. 

How blessed am I?

Such a blessed Mommy to have a hubby that wakes up early to get me breakfast at Panera and spoils me with one of my favorite things... Plants and lots of new rose bushes from flowerworld and Molbaks.  Seeing those beautiful roses bud profusely in spring and summer reminds me of my own beautiful flowering children.  They truly are like flowers and they have bloomed like crazy this Spring! Luke and Ava feel comfortable and want to try school out so they can meet new people!  I think it is great and what God intended especially for Sydney and I.  the 2 of us can spend some extra time together on academics and having fun!  we can always go back to homeschool if needed!  It has been successful and it will be missed by me :). But I know I will still have plenty of time to spend them after school. 

As this Mother's Day draws to an end, I thank God for making me a Mommy, I thank him for My Mom and my mother-in-law.  They all have amazing qualities that aspire me to be who I am today.  

Fun in the villages

On Saturday, we made our way back to the Villages after we dropped Daddy at the airport and said our goodbyes to Paige, Chase, Auntie Jen and Uncle Chris.  

We have been riding around in the golf carts having a great time taking in the warm weather and beautiful scenery.  We stopped at one of the kids favorite spots to look at the snapping turtles, fish and if we are lucky enough... Gators.  No gators this time!  They are some ice cream and then we headed to the Polo Game which was really neat!  The kids each got a polo ball that rolled out of bounds. After that we experienced a very windy and heavy downpour while we were shopping for shoes for Sydney in Bealls. We were so lucky that we didn't get stuck in it!  

Tomorrow we are going back to Orlando to visit Sea World!  Luke will be excited because they are a couple scary rides. 

Craft Day at Marriott

Today we decided to make a craft so we could take home something special to remember our fun trip!  Chase made a turtle bank and Luke make a bear bank in honor of his favorite Disney Bear, Duffy!  Paige and Sydney painted a ceramic flip flop and Ava painted a wooden snake that slithers. 

Hollywood studios and Epcot 2015

I

A twirly dance with Minnie!

Rockin Rollercoaster...

Luke's favorite!  Duffy

Beautiful Epcot at night

Test ride

The girlies...

On Monday we hit Hollywood Studios and Wednesday we went to Epcot.  We lasted pretty much all day and went on most rides!  Luke and Chase rocked it out at the Rockin' Rollercoaster.  We also did the Tower of terror.  At Epcot the kids enjoyed getting a passport  stamp at all the countries and we were lucky enough to see the beautiful flower show.  They had flower topiaries of all the Disney characters. The kids got to pick out a brand new Disney pin as well as collect more smashed pennies!  What a fun day! 

Orlando vacation 2015: day one at the pool

A few days ago we wondering if we would be lucky enough to be able to go on our Orlando vacation. Ava and I got hit hard with a stomach bug on Wednesday night.  Luckily, no one else got it before Saturday and we were able to make our flights.  We arrives late Saturday night and woke early this morning in great anticipation to see our cousins and spend time with Nana Lass! 

The whole day was spent at the pool!  Luke took third place in a "hot potato" type contest and continued to earn special sand dollars while trying to hula and dance with strangers.  He was quite determined and his feelings of shyness were a thing of the past! 

Ava bonded with her big cousin Paige and Sydney was trying in every way conceivable to keep up with the 4 big kids!  Luke and Chase had a lot of fun on the big slide!  They all collapsed at bedtime, quite literally!  

Tomorrow we are headed to Hollywood Studios!  Praying the heavy downpours will hold off for a 5 days!  

Today on April 3rd, 2015...

I am going to start randomly doing this.. name the day and what happened.  Just because it is fun to look back to!  Life is precious day by day!

Sydney showed a ton of determination and perseverance... trying to do cartwheels to keep up with her friend Addie and sister Ava.  She is my little Yogi, the only child that can stay longer than 10 minutes to practice yoga moves.  She made up her mind later in the day that she wants to ride her bike without training wheels.  I pent an hour and a half with her outside, skipping our usual dinner time to try and teach her.  This girl does not give up trying and impressed with the determination she shows!

Ava played with her best friends Nicolas and Pea.  She worked hard on reading and played her favorite game Sims on the computer.  She expressed her interest of wanting to go to school next year!  I feel like she is ready and I am excited for her!  At bedtime, she was super emotional and sleepy and told me her biggest fear was that I was going to leave this world too early.  We were reading a book named "Incredible You" by Wayne Dyer.  She is my sentimental sweet girl who shows gratitude almost every moment.

Luke talked about Minecraft and Halo every second he could.  He rattled his sisters as usual and like always said, "I am just trying to make you laugh." He rode his bike, wanted to watch the cows poop by the next door farm, practiced his reading, and completely forgot to get his 2 hours of video gaming in for the first time ever.  When he realized it was bedtime and he didn't get to play, he was sad until I stopped his tears and told him how awesome it was that he was able to live in the moment and enjoy other activities.  He did agree!

Luke's 8th birthday

I can't believe my baby is 8!  His feet are almost as big as mine and it seems like he has grown 5 inches this year!  This has been the year of reading, Boy Scouts, and Minecraft.  Just about every word that comes out of his mouth is minecraft related! All of his buddies look up to him and his extensive knowledge of mods, servers, red stone and everything minecraft created!  He loves to tease his sissy's, and loves riding his bike up to school and the little church with the geocache.  Any inflexibility these days can be worked out with some tickles!  He loves to be tickled!  Luke created a secret  hand gesture with Ava where they say "yaya best buddies."  Of course, Sydney is included too :)

His favorite food is still spaghetti and meatballs and he still loves his sweets and inhaling his food!  I have never seen so many crumbs on the floor when someone eats!  His fruit of choice is strawberries and his veggie if choice is broccholi.  

He still carries around his 2 B's everyday and uses them to calm down.  That is , if they aren't lost!  He is not scared of anything anymore (except the thought of getting the stomach flu and puking) .... Sleeps in the dark, doesn't believe in monsters and be alone in any part if the house.  

For his birthday we enjoyed homemade Creeper donuts.  Luke used his birthday money to put towards a computer of his very own.  Steve and I surprised him with a Mac Mini!  This boy is not that interested in toys anymore... Instead he wants to learn how to create his own mods and minecraft server.  He had a sleepover minecraft party with his 5 closest buddies invited.  We had a egghunt and plenty of minecraft video gaming!  The boys fell asleep by 10:30 and Luke wasn't too tired the next day. 

Happy 8th birthday my amazing son!  Daddy and I are so impressed the little man you are becoming!  

StampyLongnose cake

Short that Elesha made!  Favorite gift he said!

Watching big hero 6! 

Next morning!

Before the egghunt!