Here comes the sun...

Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter

Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun

and I say it's all right

 

Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces

Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here

Here comes the sun, here comes the sun

and I say it's all right 

 We couldn't get enough of the brillant, wonderful, yummy sun yesterday.

 We played and played until we heard a big noise and went running across the street...

 It never gets old to see the big truck with the big claw picking up trash.



Well maybe it gets a little old.  But then you just find new ways to entertain yourself.

Kiss Me - I'm Irish!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Beauty all around

On our trip down South, we got to go to a place we love.

A beautiful place that brings a smile to our face.

We got to go to Jean Jean's house!  We got to spend time with family and it was wonderful!

Lillianna loves all the treasures she can collect and share with her new (and improved!) Princess Jumper.

Ellenie, like the rest of us, enjoyed the beauty all around us.

Did I mention treasures?  Lillianna loved finding this in Papa James' garden.

Lillianna gets her love for puzzles straight from her Sue Sue!

What a beautiful time.

Hugs that tug at the heart strings

Hug O' War

by Shel Silverstein

I will not play at tug o' war.

I'd rather play at hug o' war.

Where everyone hugs

Instead of tugs,

Where everyone giggles,

And rolls on the rug,

Where everyone kisses, 

And everyone grins,

And everyone cuddles,

And everyone wins.

Recently, we went back to visit with friends in Mississippi.

It was much, much too short of a visit but it was so much fun.

We miss them and their hugs so very much!

Scenes from the park

To infinity and beyond!

Playing on the computer the other day, Lillianna designed portraits for each member of our family.

She was really proud of these.

She customized each outfit to include our favorite colors.

She made sure our eye color was right and even had a reason behind each emblem on our chest.

So, I felt bad asking her if she really thought

 I wore my hair in "puppy paws" (as she described them) in "real life"

sisters

Last week Ellenie decided that she absolutely would not go poop.

She would not and could not do it.

We coaxed, encouraged, pleaded, and bribed.

Nothing.

Then, one night during bathtime with LaLa, Ellenie knew she was in trouble.

Brad and I came running in and insisted she sit on the potty.

She insisted on her "piracy" and even demanded that we close the shower curtain so she couldn't see Lillianna, who is still sitting in the tub.

We walked out, closed the door, and listened...expecting for Ellenie to begin whining or crying.

Instead, we heard Lillianna start to whisper,

 "You can do it Ellenie.

I know you can.

Don't forget you'll get a prize if you do.

I'm so proud of you."

I felt a lump in my throat!  Over poop!

How precious, how kind, how sweet.

It worked!

Ellenie was successful and I dare say it had something to do with her dear sister's inspiration.

I heart these two sisters.

Being 3 is soooo cute.

The other night I was helping her put her shoes on.

"This is your right foot," I said as I touched her right shoe.

She pointed to her left foot and said, "And this is my wrong foot."

She calls sneezes "bless you's"  as in, "Mommy, I just had a bless you." or "I weally need to bless you."

She also needs lots of "piracy" when she goes to the bathroom.

That one always makes me smile.

Family fun

Recently, my whole family got together for a very special occasion...

                                               sweet Christopther turned 3!

It was so much fun to have all the cousins together to play, sing, eat, run, and laugh together.

It was even more fun to see if we could get them all together for 3.2 seconds for a picture...

These were the best ones.

It cracks me up to look at each expression.

Ellenie's face in the first one.

  Christopher's feet in the second.

 Vivien's "are you done yet?" look in the third.

6 girls.  4 boys.

I love the fun they have together.

  Love all the different relationships.

Love how excited they get to see eachother.

I love them all sooooooo much.

Happy Valentine's Day to my Loves.

Proof she still needs a nap. Yea!

On Snow Day #4, the girls really didn't seem tired at naptime so I let them rest and watch a show on the couch.  When I saw her, I couldn't resist a picture.