The funny things they say

The girls had a Nectarine for snack a couple days ago.  Shelby comes and tells Bret and I "That was the best Avacado!"  Then Macey walks in and smiles that knowing smile at Shelby and says, "It's an Apricon."  Sometimes those girls can keep me laughing all day!  I can't even tell them it's a Nectarine because it is so cute hearing Avacado or Apricon.  :)

Abby's first pedicure

Abby and I got to spend a litte much needed alone time together (it's tough having two younger siblings)!  We did what all girls do when they need to get away, pedicures!  She was so excited about going and loved every minute of it.

Tim and Stephanie's Wedding

This past weekend, we packed up the car and headed to Abilene for a fun-filled weekend of visiting family and seeing old friends.  Bret's best friend from high school, Tim, finally got married, and Bret was a groomsman. Bret even got to get back to his roots and wear boots and wranglers (he actually ended up in boot cut jeans from the Gap!) again. Since my mom's side of the family and Bret's aunt and uncle all live in the area, we got to spend some time with a lot of our extended family.  The girls just love knowing that they have so much family, and I love watching them get to know everyone.  Oh how lucky our girls are to have so many people that love them!  My cousin and his wife kept the girls for us the night of the wedding so we even got to have a whole night to oursleves.  Bret and I had a great time at the wedding, and the girls had a blast with all their cousins.  Being out in "the country" with all that open space to just run around in is about the best thing these litte city girls can imagine.

Tim built this for Stephanie, and they got married underneath it. 

If you know Bret, then does this picture really surprise you?

Or this one???

Stephanie and Tim's son Adam...he is the cutest little thing.

Bret and Tim

Fancy Shelby

Shelby had such a great time Saturday, celebrating her birthday with all her little friends.  My dad bought this party for Shelby at her school fundraiser, and it included two teacher's hosting a party for 20 kids with the theme of Shelby's choice.  By the invitation, I think you can guess what she picked.  She is so into Fancy Nancy right now.  Dora has FINALLY been beat out by something else.  It's fun and a little sad all at the same time. The party was to take place on the school playground. Her school has the most amazing playground!  The teachers had balloons everywhere and banners that said things like "Happy Birthday Fancy Shelby" and "Posh Party." She had such a great time!  Fortunately, we had the party in the morning because by the time it was over, it was so hot.  I'm talking 110 degrees hot!

We had the party a week early because we were going out of town this  weekend for a wedding.  My cousins live in the same town as the wedding so the lucky little girl got to have another party on her actual birthday!  Bret said he wished he got a weak of parties too.

My first attempt at making a wheat, milk and egg free birthday cake.  It wasn't perfect, but the kids all seemed to like it.

Shelby can never tell Cara and Cailey apart so she just guesses.  They don't seem to mind.

Shawnie

Kisses from cousin Stormie.

All a boy has to do to get "fancy" is put on some cool sunglasses.

Singing Happy Birthday

My red faced big girls.

A Mother's Intuition

I am a firm believer in a mother's intuition, and I firmly believe it's one of the many gifts that God has blessed us mom's with.   I know I'm not the only one who has simply sensed what's wrong with their baby or known when they needed you.  My mom has commented several times that when the girls are sick, I always know without any reason when it's something serious and they need a doctor.  I can just look at them at know.  Obviously, I'm wrong sometimes, and I miss things.  No one's perfect, but there have been many times when I have no explanation for why I know something about my kiddos.  I just feel it.  How could I not think something like that was gift from God?   All this leads me to two stories I want to blog about,  mostly because it's something I want to remember. 

A few nights ago, I woke up at two in the morning with a strange feeling that something was wrong with Shelby.  As I am a cronic worrier (especially when it comes to my kids), this wasn't that odd, but I couldn't shake it so I got up and went into her room to check on her.  She was sleeping peacefully in her bed, but like I said before, I felt compelled to keep checking.  As I stood there and watched her, I realized that her mouth looked differently to me than it usually does when she sleeps.  It was puckered a little, and her mouth was just slightly open.  Shelby typically sleeps with her mouth wide open, snoring, or with her lips pinched tight.  How do I know this?  Because as a cronic worrier, I used to check on my babies multiple times a night when they were smaller.  Maybe, that was God making sure I would notice her mouth on this night, who knows?  Anyway, I put my finger inside her lips and at the back of her mouth was a small, round My Little Pony toy.  I almost had a heart attack!  Now maybe nothing would have happened that night, but maybe something would have.  I just praise God that He woke me up and urged me to go and check on her!!!!

My second story isn't about mother's intuition, but it is about God prompting me to do something that saved one of my babies lives.  The night with Shelby reminded me of it, and I don't want to forget again.  When Abby was only a few weeks old, we were saved from a major car wreck.  Bret's mom Paige was with me so she can cooberate.  I can't remeber where we were driving home from, but it was raining really hard.  We were on the freeway headed home, and the cars in front of us starting crashing.  It was like a nightmare.  Within seconds, cars everywhere were crashing, in front of us and behind us.  I had a small Honda Civic at the time, and all I could think was how hurt Abby might be if we got crunched in that little car.  I remember saying out loud "Jesus help me."  Immediately, I heard what I thought was an audible voice say "You need to switch lanes."  I even looked at Paige to see if she heard, but I knew who was speaking to me.  No surprise, that the lane to my right (I was in the center) opened up.  Scared as I was about getting re-ended, I jumped into the open spot.  Seconds later, the truck beside us lost control and the trailer crashed down into the spot where we had been.  I know that we would have been killed in that tiny car of ours!    We managed to get off the freeway and missed being involved in the pile up at all.  How blessed I am to have a God that listens to our cries for help, and I pray that I never again froget!

Coming Soon...

Shelby is having her first "friends" birthday party on Saturday.  She is so thrilled!

Splash Day

This week is Shelby's last week of preschool!  I can't believe the school year went by so fast!  This year took some adjusting for both of us, but I have had a blast getting to watch her become her own little person away from me.  I feel so fortunate to be able to have spent these years at home with her!!!  Even thinking about her going everyday next year, even if it is only half a day, makes me want to cry so I will spend the summer in denial.  In celebration of summer, Shelby had a couple splash days at school.  This basically meant she got to wear her swimsuit to school and run around in sprinklers all day.  She had a blast, and Abby and Macey were SO jealous!!!  The big girls and I did enjoy our alone time together though.  It's tough having a younger sibling sometimes, especially one that is as strong willed as Shelby!  Here are a couple pictures of Shelby before her splash day, and one of her in front of the cupcakes I made for her class.  She was so proud of them because they were wheat and dairy free which meant she could actullay eat them!