2013

No excuses, many regrets.  First of all, children, I am so sorry for not documenting your lives with words.  I hope the millions of pictures I have taken over the years will kind of make up for my lack of words that I have used.

I love my family and my life.  I cannot imagine not having these four people in my daily happenings.  Last week was spring break and it was probably my least favorite spring break I have ever had.  I had to work and Matthew had to go to Searcy to work on his admin internship.  I had already made plans for the kids to go to Gram and Grandpa's house (before Matthew realized he had to go to Searcy) and all of a sudden, I was all alone at my house for a few days.  Honestly, when I realized that I was all "YEA!!!!", a few quiet days, but after a few minutes of the quiet, I was all "Um, what do I do?".  Being alone isn't all it's cracked up to be.  I am so very thankful for my crew!

Since I last wrote, Nora is 7, Elyn is 5.5 (don't forget that half!) and Rives is closer to two than I like.

Rives is the best boy in the entire world but yesterday got two spankings (swats on the leg).  He was arching his back and screaming no when I tried to put him in his car seat on the first one and the second one happened after a near disaster involving a squirmy toddler and a diaper change.  Sigh.  It's begun.  The exhausting stage of a kid.

It breaks my heart to spank his little leg but (thank you for this God) his older sisters show me all the time how spankings work.  When they were little, some days I felt all I used to do was give out spankings and time outs.  I would go to bed feeling like the worst mom on the planet.  I am thankful for my girls and how they came through those "dark days"-ha!  I know Rives will overcome too :).

How about some pictures!

 My Valentine Rock Stars

 I took Nora to the book fair at her school.  It was so nice!  I rarely get to spend time just with her...very needed, for both of us!

 Amazing sleeper!  Which is why he may never give up his paci or sleep in a regular bed.

 Silly sisters

 Oh, here is another time Nora and I got to hang out.  We went to a Tenth Avenue North concert with Amber and Gibson.

 My favorite boy!

 Eating lunch at her school to celebrate her last day as a 6 year old!

 SEVEN!

 Three angels

 When will she NOT want to go to Chuck E Cheese on her birthday?  Maybe next year?

 Playing Minute to Win It games at Nora's birthday party.

 Notice the stethoscope on the doctor and the bun on the ballerina?

 Haha!

 Dress up as your favorite character day at school.  Only because her mean old mama wouldn't let her dress up as Tangled.  It has to be AN ACTUAL BOOK.

 Guess who got registered for kindergarten?  Sniff!

 Cousins!  Adding one more to this bunch in September!

 Preschool pictures

 I love them.

 Playing HeadBands!  Fun game!

 Daddy's helper.

 Most nights involve Rives shoving a book into our hands and saying "Sit, Sit!"  He loves when his daddy reads, especially!