Greetings from Columbus, GA!!!

Greetings from C-town! Needless to say the move down here just about did me in and I haven't posted in quite some time. We've been here since the end of July and are adjusting well. We had to hit the ground running once we got here. These are two pics of the girls on their first day at their new school. This is in front of our house in Columbus. We have a red front door which I love, because my favorite color is red!

The girls are loving preschool. It is a sweet church preschool and is right down from our house. It only takes me a minute or two to get there, which is such a treat. Lucy and Annie have already had a few field trips. Lucy has been to the museum, the library, and the park. Annie has gone to the park to feed the ducks, but ate more bread herself.

We miss Marietta very much, especially all of our friends. But, Columbus has been great and we are hoping to soak up all the advantages of being here. We took a fun trip to a friend's farm close by and picked zinnias.

We are also really enjoying being so close to Auburn. It makes it so much easier to get to games. War Eagle!!

There are so many things that are different and yet so many still the same. We still gather around the bowl when making rice krispie treats!

Some days are sad, because we miss our friends so much. But, Columbus has been great and we have been welcomed by so many friends here. We are grateful for this opportunity and what God has in store for us here.

"Therefore continue to live your lives in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught and overflowing with thankfulness." Col 2:6-7

Annie's 3rd Birthday

We celebrated Annie's 3rd birthday at the end of May. It is such a hard time of year for a birthday, but we managed to have a party at Lewis Park with Annie's friends. She seemed to have a great time and her friends did, too. On her actual birthday we were at Mimi and Papa's house. Annie got a big "Happy Birthday" Song from all the Kelley's and McKnights.

Annie is true lover of life. She is fearless about almost anything - except for swimming. We've been in Columbus for swimming lessons and she has only swam through tears and screaming. Generally, she seeks out danger, but not around the pool. She is messy and looks great in everything she eats. Bonnie won't have many hand-me-downs from Annie that don't have stains on it.

Annie never fails to make us laugh. Her voice alone is hilarious. She says things like "lasterday" meaning yesterday. She is all about anything princess, and is certainly a princess to her parents. Wes and I pray her love for life stays strong. We can't believe she is 3!!!

Lucy's 4th Birthday

We celebrated Lucy's 4th birthday on the 17th. It was a marathon day of celebration. We started off the morning with chocolate chip pancakes and singing.

Bonnie even enjoyed them, too!

Then we took Lucy and a few of her friend to the nail place to have their nails painted. Then it was off to Gabriel's for lunch and a cupcake. She had quite a big girl day!

Annie did her very best to sit still. Aunt Shelley helped alot!

The celebrating ended at home with a meal chosen by Lucy. Meatloaf, twice baked potatoes, carrots and brownies. She had candles and singing 3 times on her birthday. Saturday, the day after, was a little bit of a let-down for her, but a good lesson!

It's not hard to see how 4 years has flown by when you look at the makeup of our family. The years may be fast, but full of joy. Lucy brings alot of that to our table. She has always been such a blessing that it's no wonder we had two more children so closely after. We wanted more like her!!! She is incredibly precocious and very tender at times. God has fostered an independence in her that makes very easy to parent and very hard to parent at the same time. I'm amazed at how brave and secure she is in her own skin. She will go into any situation or social scene, introduce herself and start making friends with the other children. I pray she always does that. Now, if I can just figure out how to get her to face the camera and look at the camera at the same time! see below . . . .

Easter!!

We had a great Easter and hope you did, too! Praise the Lord we got at least one picture with 3 smiles. I'll spare you the rest of the picture attempts.

Princess Toadstool to Incredible Hulk

I can hardly believe it is time for me to blog this post. Not because I've been such a bad blogger, but because a year has come and gone. Our little BonBon is one!! I've never been one to be sad about moving to the next phase. I've always gladly watched my girls grow up and enjoyed it. Things are different this time around. I'm teary - real teary. I think I'm postponing going to bed, because tomorrow we'll start a new year. A new year with an almost toddler, a tween toddler and girl, and a full-blown girl. I have made fun of moms who've "babied their baby," but I'm turning into one of them. Don't be shocked if Bonnie is taking a bottle 2 years from now!

Before I start sobbing let me show you how we got from Princess Toadstool to the Incredible Hulk.

Here is Wes, one year ago today, telling his older two girls they had a baby sister Bonnie. Some friends who were there said when they saw his huge smile, they were sure he was going to say it was boy. Nope, God knew better. (and yes, the story is true. Lucy did scream about wanting a baby brother. she's crazy about BonBon now, though).

And there she was, Princess Toadstool. We nicknamed her that because of the green hat she wore in the hospital. It did make her look like a toadstool was on top of her head. It was also undoubtedly too big for her head, but I really wanted her to wear it for St. Patrick's Day. Green was going to be her signature color.

And here is the Incredible Hulk , one year later, after enjoying her shamrock smash cake of green icing. Her face and hands are stained green after plowing into this. Green is her signature color. And here she is again, our "not-so-Irish" blessing walking on her first birthday, St. Patty's Day 09. St. Patrick's Day is so widely celebrated with the term "lucky." If only lucky could be defined as blessed,we'd take it. We are blessed. We would not have nor could not have orchestrated this family the way God did. I'm so grateful He is teaching me to get out of the driver's seat. I do not want to miss out on His blessings. Happy Birthday, Bonnie!!!

**If you like the birthday banner in the first picture, click on "The Penuell's" link to the right. Alli Penuell made this banner and it is a great birthday happy!

Funny Stuff

What's wrong in this picture????Do you think Annie has a future in fashion????

Looking Back

Happy New Year!! 2009 is already busy over here, but we're loving it. Bonnie is now almost 10 months old. We've nicknamed her "Cheese" now, b/c of the big cheesy grin she gives you (pics to come on that). Lucy and Annie are getting bigger and sassier. I'm about to go on a "reign of terror" over here.

Bonnie did two things today that made me think of picture I had taken of Lucy and Annie when they were her age.

Here's Lucy standing up at the back door looking at Belle in winter 2006. Here's Bonnie doing the same this morning. Winter 2009Annie giving herself a bottle in Winter 2007.

And Bonnie doing the same this morning in Winter 2009.

It was so fun to see some of these moments repeated. Hope you enjoyed it, too!

Christmas

Our family hopes you had a very Merry Christmas! We did. L and A were very good at answering my repeated question of, "Why do we celebrate Christmas?" They get the answer right almost every time and it sounds so good in their sweet voices, "It's Jesus' birthday!" I pray they know it in their hearts.





We went to my in laws the weekend before Christmas and had a great time in their new house. They gave L and A mini trampolines, which has been a big hit. It is so nice to tell them, "Go jump for 10 minutes," especially right before bed time! L was loved opening presents. Her response to everything she opened was, "It's just what I've always wanted!!" That was so much more gracious than the other quote, "What else did I get?"

A digs her new jumperoo!

We then headed home and my mom and her husband came. They gave L and A a Barbie jeep. At first is was a huge hit, but now they are both scared of driving it. I'm sure we'll only hope for that at age 16, but right now we wish they would loosen up.

We made cookies for Santa. This always hilarious trying to keep them from licking the dough. Only 6 of 24 got some licking this year. We'll call that a victory. Santa brought L and A a dollhouse, which they love. He even brought them a minivan, just like the one mommy drives! They did really well with another unigift from Santa.

B got a playwall that looks very familiar to one Lucy had when she was this age. hmmm. Santa is banking on the fact that B doesn't know she's been given a hand-me-down this year.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

December

Whew! December got here fast and kept going! During Thanksgiving I thought up all these grand plans for my December. I wanted to have friends over to play, enjoy fun things with my girls, etc, etc. God had a very different plan for me. When we got back from Thanksgiving, it was already December and there was already not enough time. This led to some stress. Then we've had 2 weeks of illnesses around here amongst our girls. So, no friends got to come over to play and there were fewer fun things going on over here. Knowing that God had an eternal lesson in this for me, I prayed I wouldn't miss it. I think I know what it was - slow down! This week has been so freeing, b/c we couldn't go anywhere due to being sick. I had to say "no" and "i can't do that." I know He's been tugging at my heart to let some things go. This December, He made me do it. I'm grateful.

That said, here are some of our fun moments from a very fast December. . . .

We had a fun family outing shopping for our tree. Lucy and Annie got even more into it this year. They were very excited to help me put the ornaments on the tree. I kept handing them all the unbreakable ones that they put them on the tree. I looked up from the box to find this. I laughed. These are the things I will miss.

Bonnie started crawling when we got home from Thanksgiving. I had put her in the middle of the floor in her room and she made it over to her box of toys. She looks pretty proud of herself!

One day Lucy and Annie sat in their chairs at lunch "putting their heads together." They giggled and giggled.

Both of them had their class Christmas parties. Lucy held hands with one boy while they discussed whose house they were going to play at. Then, at the end of the party she planted a big kiss on another boy! We could be in for it during the teenage years! Can she really start this early?

Annie's party was fun with 7 two year olds. Hilarious trying to get a group photo!

And Lucy had a party with her dance class, too. Everytime I watch her dance I'm convinced she's a ghetto ballerina. She really enjoys it and had a great time showing off.

Fun Moments

Santa, can I have an Ipod for Christmas?!?

Pajama Time!