Feeding the Ducks

A few weeks ago {yes, it's inevitable that I'm behind}, I took the girls to feed the ducks and have a picnic at the park. The weather was gorgeous, and I {bravely} brought my camera along.

When people comment on the little girls behavior {one being the mean one or one being the loud one or one pitching more fits or one being more laid back}, I've started to respond with only one thing: they are about as different as their hair. Because they are, and there are very few people {really just the people who live with them 24/7} that have any room to compare them, especially framing one of them in a negative light.

But feeding the ducks brought out their differences {of the day}. I never know who's going to be shy in situations and who's going to be shy with other people. I never know who's going to be more cautious and who's going to be daring.

Because it literally changes all.the.time!

As you may remember from this post, one was feeling a little more daring than the other that day...

And it carried right over into feeding the ducks.

Anne Perry would have attempted to walk on that water had I let her get that far. There wasn't a hissing goose or a jumping duck that deterred her!

Audrey Kate, on the other hand, stayed right about here. Can you see her wrapped securely between my legs with Addie's hand sweetly resting on her head?

Addie was being so brave, but a duck (or goose) came up behind her and nipped at her hand...

...and she came undone!

So I led my little ducks back to the car, and we headed to the park for picnic!

This little one continued to be less adventurous and tended to sit or crawl on the playground rather than run around.

But this little one {quite determinedly} went head on into things.

I love how different our little girls can be. I love how similar they can be. I love who each of them is individually...and how perfectly wonderful they are all together!

Perfectly wonderful...not perfect! ;)

Happy Monday (or Tuesday as it is now!)!

Playing in the Park

We have had some gorgeous weather recently.

Then it rained and got all chilly again.

And Addie developed a double ear infection (one in each ear) and a fever and pink eye

Anne Perry developed an ear infection and fever and pink eye

And Audrey Kate developed upwards of 102 degree fever...

and strep!!!!

But before all the snotty-fever-sickness started, we spent some awesome time outside.

We often times put the babies in the wagon and just go for a walk.

We have a little park down at the end of our street.

Otherwise known as {the triangle park}

Because, you guessed it, it has 3 sides!

It has a few benches, a little fountain and some beautiful trees.

And plenty of space to kick/throw around a soccer ball!

She actually wanted me to take her picture! I was thrilled! She even smiled and posed for me!

The little girls had fun watching their big sister and Daddy play around...

Now I must put a disclaimer on this next picture.

To me, it looks like she's actually kicking/kneeing the ball.

And while I do believe her gross motor skills are more her size appropriate than her age appropriate, she does not in fact have the coordination to knee a soccer ball!

I'm pretty sure I don't either.

But it looks like she does here...and I was pretty impressed with the picture at least!

What I love the most about these pictures though is that Addie is smiling.

Smiling because the weather is gor-geous.

Smiling because she's playing soccer with her daddy.

Smiling because she's joyful and happy and loved.

Smiling at the camera, allowing me to capture her utter happiness.

Thankful.

Thankful for a joyful child. Thankful for her {overall} health and {developing} talents. Thankful to be her Mama.

And in complete disbelief that she just turned three years old on Saturday!

Swing!

A few weeks ago. Ok, several weeks ago. Like Veteran's Day several weeks ago.

We went to the park.

Yes, this was in fact that day that we were planning to go to the zoo; but a meltdown occurred and we had to take a detour.

Not a detour. Just cancel our trip to the zoo.

But that's ok! Because we got to go to the park instead!

It was the first time the little girls got to swing.

And they loved it.

But not as much as Addie loved pushing them!

Paul even got a little time with the baby girls while I got to play with Addie some.

But I'm pretty sure Audrey Kate's face sums everything up here.

Addie Weekend!

(warning...long post. more pictures than anything though! i know...it's about time!)

We decided to make the best of waiting for these little girls to arrive. So this weekend, we had another Addie weekend. You may remember the trip we took to Tennessee in January to the Aquarium and Discovery Museum before I had to stop traveling. This weekend was nothing like that, as I have to limit my walking and movement; but we decided to do some of Addie's favorite things this last weekend as a family of 3!

It started Friday morning with a trip to the park and then a visit to DiDi's house. I'm not sure which she enjoyed more!

She had so much fun balancing here. I was a little shocked that she could figure it out because I sure wasn't up for demonstrating!

...I love this smile!

After nap time, we went to visit Rie Rie and ride the horsey at her house. Then we went to dinner at Salsaritas's and got ice cream at Nancy's Italian Ice! Yummy!

On Saturday, we got up and made one of her favorite breakfasts: eggs and cinnamon rolls! (ok. ok. so right now it's one of my favorites too, but that's beside the point!)

My Dad and Pat were in town, so they stopped by to visit for a few (and brought us more diapers! whoohoo!). Addie was thrilled to see them and show off her painted fingernails and toenails! She also had to show off her owie on her toe and polka-dot dress! 

And what's an Addie weekend without the Egglestons? Cady, Mandy, and Chad met us at Chick-fil-a for lunch. Cady and Addie are such sweet friends, and both of them literally squealed with excitement when they saw each other! We all ate lunch and then let the girls play on the playground for a while. Loved these pictures we got of the 2 of them right before we left!

After falling asleep in the car before we could get home, Addie decided she needed to snuggle in order to go back to sleep. So this very pregnant mama wrapped my big girl's long, little body around my huge tummy and rocked her to sleep. Perfect timing and such a sweet few minutes, I might add!

When Addie woke up, we went to one of her sweet friend, Lily Kate's, 2nd birthday party! She was so excited to get to see Lily Kate and Raegan, two of her MMO best buddies! (they were actually all very happy but the sun was in their eyes, so everyone is squinting!)

Then it was off to dinner with Rie Rie at Chappy's, one of Addie's favorite places to eat (and one of our favorite places to take her because she eats for free AND we had coupons!) Of course, what's eating at Chappy's without getting a free mini ice cream cone! I'd left my camera at the birthday party, so I had to use my blackberry, which doesnt take great pictures; but i LOVED her expression!


I knew I'd never make it sitting through church, so Paul took Addie to Sunday School and church on Sunday. Then it was home for BBQ and nap time!

We'd missed getting to feed the ducks Saturday, so what better of a time to do that than Sunday!
After getting ready, we went to feed the ducks at the Museum of Fine Arts. Paul has been saving our bread scraps and ends just for this day! The wind was stronger than I've seen here in a long time (without there being a storm). It didn't stop us from having fun though! Check out her hair!

After feeding the ducks, we went to the little fountain up next to the museum (and were more shielded from the wind). Addie really loves fountains right now and always points them out when we are in the car!

I rarely get pictures with Addie, so I handed Paul the camera to see what we could get. There would be no posing, as our little 2 year old is apparently opposed to that; but I sure did love these that he got! She thought it was hilarious that she was getting me wet! I just love it when she laughs! And since I never post pictures of me with Addie, here are 5!

It has been an absolutely perfect weekend, not without it's fair share of tantrums and aches/pains; but it has been perfect for us. We got to spend some precious time with just Addie, something that we will continue to do but will be much more challenging to accomplish. 

If you ask her who's coming/going to be born this week, she yells BABIES, TWO BABIES! Our prayer is that she will remain this excited about the little girl's arrival.

I have received so many emails, fb wall posts/messages, and phone calls just to let us know people are praying for us. We are, once again, being bathed in prayer; and it's covering us with a peace that can only come from our amazing God. Thank you for your prayers and words of encouragement!

We'll get a post up as soon as we have time on Tuesday, even if it's just words!

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

Philippians 4:7

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Jeremiah 29:11

the Park

***Make sure to go here and give us your best guess for the girl's arrival date and combined birth weight if you haven't already. I'll be closing comments Tuesday morning after my OB appointment!***

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It has been gorgeous in Montgomery over the past few weeks. Gorgeous but miserably pollen filled!

I'm not venturing to the park by myself right now. But my mom came over one afternoon, and we headed to the shady park, and Paul met us there after his workout. It was beautiful!

She's usually willing to slide on her own, but this slide is much taller and much faster!

But swinging has to be her favorite thing to do at the park!

With some help from Munga (Paul's dad), we are working to get quotes to get our backyard fixed so we can get our very own playground, as Addie calls it! Rie Rie has started a playground fund that's rapidly growing! We won't have it ready for spring but by mid-summer/fall, we're hoping our backyard can be our new playground!

In our dreams we are able to fly...

...and that is a remembering of how we were meant to be." - Madeleine L'Engle

I love children's books, and Madeleine L'Engle is one of my favorite authors. I can't wait to read her books to Addie.

When I found this quote, I just couldn't pass it up.

But this post isn't about children's books.

And it certainly isn't about quotes.

It's about flying.

And freezing the moment in time to capture it perfectly.

Or not...

if you're focused, but on the wrong thing...

or the expression that you portray isn't really how you feel...

or you'd really just prefer to blend into the background.

And then there are other times...

where there's focus...

but you've had enough and want off this ride called life already...

But when your focus is upward, your attitude is not only positive but full of joy, and you hold on tight...

...you realize that you're right where you not only need to be but desire to be!

but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40: 31

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29: 11

Sliding

I figured I'd skip Wordless Wednesday this week. It's been an exhausting past 48 hours with a sick child (that ended up with the worst diaper rash she's ever had in her short life), a sick husband, and me trying to get well from being sick most of the weekend. I feel sorta like I'm sliding down a slippery slope and can't stop.

No flu. I'm thankful. Really bad colds though that make you feel like you've been hit by a mack truck, in my husband's words.

I'm cleaning out. I figure I may not be able to prevent sickness from creeping in my house; but I can prevent my house from being sick with clutter. I've been convicted: we have entirely too much junk stuff. I'm sick of it!

Too many clothes. Too many frames. Too many books. Too many things that should have been thrown out, given away, sold, whatever years ago! I'm ready to slide all of it down that slippery slope...instead of me!

I've always had a hard time throwing/giving things away. I come by it naturally. I'm not talking about old mail or old wrapping paper. It's old clothes that I haven't worn in 2 years but just might need next week. It's stuff we bought that we really didn't need...but might. It's the 103rd candle that I just can't give up...even though it's crooked and won't burn right anymore but might. It's all the stuff that I've given or thrown away over the past week that I can't even remember what it was now...but might.

I'm over it.

To date: I've cleaned out Paul's side of the closet (with his help), my side of the closet, most of the shelves in our closet, the hall closet, the coat/suitcase closet, the guest bedroom closet, the junk drawer in the kitchen, and my biggest project to date...

...our storage shed. After I dropped another 4 bags of give-away at Faith Rescue, I came home while the girls were at lunch bunch and spent the fastest hour and a half ever cleaning out. There is a ginormous pile of stuff on the street as I type. It's kinda strange to watch people slow down as they pass your house peering into your trash (it really is trash) wondering if there is anything there they might want. I can assure them; there is not. It's old power tools that the previous owners left that we never bothered to plug in to see if they worked. They don't. Two rabbit cages. No rabbit. Two old dog beds. Not being slept on except by the squirrels. A Christmas tree that paul cut up for firewood. Christmas trees don't make good fire wood. An old shelf, an old screen, too many baskets and plastic flower containers to count...and on and on.

It's liberating.

Sorta like sliding...but the good kind.

Do you remember sliding as a child? I remember how cool I thought the huge, spiral slides were. They looked so tall. I never understood why I didn't fall off. I slid down one with Addie a few weeks ago. Not so tall anymore. I guess it's all about perspective.

I always tended to slide the "correct" way. I mean. It was the rule. You go feet first. And you don't climb back up the slide. You just don't. I was too much of a rule follower.

Addie, on the other hand, not so much:

Get Ready...

Get Set...

Go!!!!

Check out that foot!

Pure joy (as I regain my composure!)

I think it's more fun to slide down head first...as long as you can see where you're going! But that's a whole other post.

Happy Wednesday!