Warm January Days

This has been the warmest January I ever remember. The kids have been playing outside in short-sleeves this week. February might bring lots of snow, but right now it feels like spring!

C driving the neighbor's Jeep. He loves it!

This is just some of the kids on our street. Rhett was off playing in the dirt with two of his buddies (see next photo), and Alexee had gone to gymnastics with Lane. The little girls in the navy shirts were sweet to bring Cheez-its and juice boxes out for everyone.You can barely see them, but Rhett and his friend are at the top of this dirt pile. I really hated to see all the trees pushed down on that lot near us, but the boys are having fun playing at the construction site. Rhett has tracked in a lot of mud lately!The spring-like weather even has our jonquil bulbs confused. They usually bloom in early March, but they seem to be ahead of schedule this year.On Monday Rhett's class celebrated the 100th day of school. Here are a few of the 100th day activities that he did: (They were supposed to dress up like a 100 year old person, but we forgot about that until five minutes before time to leave for school so we skipped that part. He didn't really want to dress up anyway, and said that only two kids in his class dressed up.)And just because I thought it was so cute--Crosby's Teddy Bear that he made t school. :)

Ladybug PARTY Day!

Today was Alexee's Birthday party, and it was a fun time! Alexee's idea for a ladybug theme at the pottery place worked out great. Rhett and eight of her little girlfriends joined her to celebrate. (Since the party was in a room full of breakable pottery pieces, Crosby played at home with a babysitter and we brought him a cupcake. He didn't seem to mind. We were trying to keep it quiet before we left, so I told him we had to go run an errand and we'd be back in just a little while. He said, "You going to Alexee's party??" So much for being sneaky! He didn't cry at all though--he just ran off to play with Chloe.)

She was excited to wear her ladybug tutu. She got dressed about 2 1/2 hours before the party started. :)

Birthday Girl...soon to be FIVE!

The chalkboard was decorated for her.

The food table:

pb&j sandwiches

fruit-ka-bobs

cheese sticks

goldfish

ladybug juice boxes

cupcakes

Juice boxes dressed up as ladybugs (red card stock paper & dots with sponge)

Cupcake toppers by Linsey @ Heart Grown Doodles (I loved how they turned out.)

Favors for friends (red pitchers filled with ladybug stickers, ladybug tattoos and candy) with thank you tags also made by Linsey.

The party hostess from Firefly was so nice and helpful. It was great to have her in charge!

Rhett painting

Firefly provided a birthday plate as a gift to Alexee. The hostess drew the cake and had all the guests add a fingerprint around the border--it turned out really cute (she later wrote Happy Birthday Alexee across the top/bottom).

Can't believe my sweet girl is turning 5!

Alexee chose to paint a heart-shaped dish

Daddy's girl!

After snacks and painting, it was time to open gifts. Her friends brought her such fun things--she loved it all! I'm so glad Alexee enjoyed her day!

Alexee, Rhett & Mattie Grace

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ALEXEE! WE LOVE YOU!

Valentine Decorations

Last year (or the year before?) I covered these letters with Valentine scrapbook paper. They sat on a shelf then, but I hot-glued tulle ribbon to them this year and hung them behind the breakfast table. I also hung a little piece of ribbon and used clothes pins to clip hearts to the line. Some hearts are made from construction paper, some from scraps of red burlap. Each family member got their name on a heart, and I wrote Bible verses on a few of them.

"God is LOVE." 1 John 4:8

"For God so LOVED the world that he gave his only son that whosoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

"LOVE one another." John 13:34

"These three remain: faith, hope and LOVE, but the greatest is these is LOVE." 1 Corinthians 13:13I got my red tulips out of the closet for the dining table and cut paper hearts to put in the glass jars. (I can't use candy because little hands will find it!)
I moved the burlap heart to the front door. It looks cute from the driveway, but I miss seeing it in the house. Maybe I'll make another one. I'm glad we have Valentine's Day to add a little color/decoration to the house between Christmas and spring. I saw the Easter stuff out at Hobby Lobby the other day, and it's MY FAVORITE!

Big Day--School Registration #2

It does not seem possible, but today I registered our second child for Kindergarten. I got a knot in my stomach just typing that sentence. When I registered Rhett, Alexee was about to have her second birthday, and Crosby was not born yet. Three very fast years later, Rhett is half way through his second grade year, Alexee is about to turn 5 and Crosby will soon turn 3. They might as well be filling out college applications and taking driver's tests! For some reason I'm having a harder time with it all this time around...and I can't even begin to let myself think about the day Crosby starts school. I'd like to go back in time 8 years and start it all again.

Alexee and I went to the school office to fill out the paperwork and provide copies of her birth certificate, social security card and proof of our address. She was excited to go and do this. She asked if she'd be starting school there tomorrow instead of going to MDO. :) I feel like she will do great in school--she's ready. She loves to practice letters and look at books and work in workbooks and color. But I'm going to MISS her during the day. She's so fun to be around.

She got bored while I was filling out paperwork and took some pictures of herself.

Standing in front of her future school!

We love you, Alexee, and we know you'll be such a wonderful student!

Great Time in TX

Last Thursday I flew to Houston to visit two of my sweet friends, Heather and Stacy. I'd been looking forward to this trip for a long time! It was my first time to fly anywhere alone since Rhett was about a year and half old. Lane kept all three kids and did great (THANK YOU, L! I really really appreciate you giving me the opportunity to get away for a few days.) Thursday after school he took them to the church playground and took them to eat pizza by himself! Friday after school they went to Hot Springs to visit Bobba and Grammy, and had a fun time there visiting the museum and eating at Purple Cow. While I was gone Lane also did laundry, dishes, packed the kids' suitcases (with maybe a few phone calls to ask what outfits Alexee should wear), cleaned up the playroom and gave Bogart a bath. Hmmm.....Let's see...where could I book a flight to next!? :) I'm kidding--I'm sure I'm home for a loooong time now, but it sure was a great little break. I was very ready to see my family when I got home Saturday night.

I flew out Thursday morning. Everything went fine. I had a brief wait in Dallas and got to Houston shortly after noon.

I made two more red burlap hearts to take to Heather and Stacy. I carried them through security so they didn't get smashed.

Heather picked me up at the airport, then we went to get her boys at MDO and Kindergarten. That night we stopped by Stacy's to say hello, then we went to dinner at Escalate's. We'd eaten there on a previous visit--it's so good!

Friends since our Freshman year, 1995...I can't believe it's been that long!

massive plate of yummy Mexican food (seafood enchiladas)

Heather's cute Westie, Jaxson. Like Bogart, he seems to sleep a lot.

Friday we cooked lunch and Stacy came over to eat and visit. It was so good to get to catch up with her, too! That afternoon we took the boys to DQ. It's good that we don't have DQ here because I'm a big fan of their Butterfinger Blizzard.

Jax climbed into my suitcase and fell asleep-ha! Dogs are so funny.

Friday night Heather, Stacy, Linsey (H's sister-in-law) and I went to see Joyful Noise, which was good!

With Stacy after the movie

Heather's baby boy, Bennett reading his books.

H took my picture with her cute boys before I left on Saturday. Hopefully they'll get to come visit us this summer. Brooks kept asking about Rhett, and I think Crosby and Bennett would have a lot of fun together (and of course Alexee is used to playing with boys). I wish I would have had a chance to see Stacy's kids too, but the timing just didn't work out since they were in school.
Saturday we went to eat at a great little place called Tiny Boxwoods. Heather had never been there either, but we both loved it!

Eating outside was not an issue since it was in the upper 60s and 70s while I was there. I should have taken cooler clothes--it was humid and sticky. It didn't seem like January! Loved the hydrangea on the table.

The restaurant was right next to the neatest little nursery that we walked to after lunch.

And there were shops within walking distance, too.

self-portrait :)

Next stop: Sugarbaby's Bakery.

After the fun afternoon, Heather dropped me off at the airport. My flight was delayed an hour, but thankfully it was a direct flight so the delay didn't matter as much.

I was home by about 10:00p. Home-sweet-home...always a good feeling. I truly had a wonderful time. Friendships are such a blessing!!!