simple statement...

Sitting at the counter after school with Gracie on Tuesday, she was telling me all about her day (with way more detail than usual). Already that day I had just been so overwhelmed with Joy and just really recognizing (again more than usual) the blessings that the LORD has lavished upon my family and myself...

In my head only one statement could sum it up, but I really struggled with how I would explain that statement to Gracie and what questions she would have...would a simple statement be so complex that I wouldn't be able to do the explanation justice?!?!

"Erin, stop analyzing everything in your head so much and worrying that you need to be able to explain everything on your own and SAY THE WORDS!!!!!"

So I did..."Gracie, I LOVE Jesus so much..."
and she just looked up and me and smiled the sweetest smile, "Me too, Mom..."

My TV Debate...

So I know that with most things you need to have them in moderation but TV seems to be one of those things that people either watch none of or just cannot get enough of. I am trying to find the balance for Karys. The girl loves to watch TV! She would watch the same show even consecutively and not really care.

She gets up and dances when the pple on TV dance, she shouts back when characters ask a question, and she is really just learning a lot from it. I know this sounds like it could be any parent's rationale. But let me give you an example.....

On New Year's Day Karys was playing with Taylor (Meg's BF), and told him they were going to do an experiment...

K: "I have a hypothesis"
T: imagine his face at this moment..."Oh, really"
K: "Yup, we are going to see if this object is going to float or sink and we are going to try it in fresh water and in salt water."

(Interject: she is four....ok....)

T: "Really, we what does it mean to have a hypothesis?"
K: "It means we have a guess about what will happen...and my guess is that it will float in the salt water and not the fresh water."

By this point, all of us are listening in amazement...Rob and I are trying to figure out where she learned this...and she quickly informs us that is was a combination of the electric company and wildkratz on PBS kids. "I learn all that I know from IPTV, mom"

Oh man! This was brought back to my attention right now b/c I was asking Karys about a new ring she got at school today.

ME: "It is beautiful!"
K: "Thanks, it is an octagon did you know that?"
ME: "No I didn't..."
K: "Actually, it is a hexagon b/c it has 6 sides and not 8."
ME: with the same face as Taylor I am sure--"Really, how do you know that?"
K: "Abby's flying fairy school..."

Yeah, enough said. What do I do with this dilemma that really is broadening my little ladies knowledge base beyond her years? THOUGHTS?????

A Racing Heart...EEK!

Before today, whenever we had the 'boyfriend' conversation the girls would always say..."Dadddeeeey! Eww!" Well that was before today!!!

Tonight we were sitting in the girls room after getting their new bunk beds settled in and in place and Karys and Gracie were both up on the top bunk. Gracie whispered something in Karys' ear and then said..."Tell them!" Karys then proceeded to say (while both girls giggled endlessly), "Gracie has a boyfriend!" What?!?! Really this is not happening, she is only in Kindergarten and how would she even know what a boyfriend really is...this must just be a boy who is her friend right?

After this, Gracie leans over again and whispers to Karys another secret....Karys says, "Gracie has a boyfriend and his name is _____" Oh man! This leads to a great dialogue...

Me: Does he know that you like him, Gra?
Gracie: No, but I am going to tell him at free choice time on Monday.
Me: Do you really need to do that? Isn't he just a boy that is your friend?
Gracie: No, I am going to tell him because I am going to marry him...so he should know.
Daddy: What kind of tractors does he like?
Gracie: John Deere green, Dad
Daddy: Well if he had a combine, what color would it be?
Gracie: John Deere green, Dad. But it doesn't matter because we are not going to live on a farm!
Me: Well it doesn't matter b/c you aren't getting married til your 30 :)
Me: (to Rob) Great our daughter has already found the husband we have been praying for...
Gracie: You don't need to pray for him...I pray for him ALL the time in my head!
Gracie: Daddy how old are you?
Daddy: Almost 31...
Gracie: I will be married way before then!
Me: So are you just friends and he is a boy?
Gracie: Well yeah, and he makes my heart beat fast...
Daddy: Oh man, are you writing this down?!?!?!

And there you have it. She has found her true love in Kindergarten! and he is yet to know it ;) But in all seriousness, where is my baby going? We have just entered an entirely new stage that I don't think I am ready for. I know how to navigate this with high school girls and know what I would say to them...but this is so different! She has her first crush....I don't know how legit it is--I mean really I am pretty convinced that she still would define a boyfriend as being a boy, who is really nice and who she likes, who is also a friend. After all the word really does define it to be just that when you just look at it. We are the ones who make it more that what it seems to be. So in attempts not to do that! I am going to take it for what it is...Grace likes a boy, who is nice and she enjoys being around and playing with at school. period. but all that other stuff she said.....PRICELESS!!! and somewhat scary!

After this conversation, Karys just said..."I am not going to marry a boy. I don't like any boys...maybe I will just marry Lilly."

Girl's Night In

Rob was gone to the Trinity Staff Retreat from a Friday to a Saturday...I had just gotten home from clinical and he had to head out. I was so exhausted but knew that I had to do the evening on my own and I didn't want to be worthless to the girlies! So I tried to make it as fun as we could while all the while working on getting them ready for bed as early as possible! We went out for dinner at the Pizza Ranch--parents passing each other=no one made supper and it was now supper time! Then we stopped at a "yellow box" (that is what the RedBox machine is called in OC--the knockoff I guess) and grabbed some movies.After baths and some jammies we were all set! Add in some popcorn, with a few M&Ms of course, and we were all set for quite the Girls night in!We had so much fun just having our snack, watching the movies and cuddling with each other once we started to get tired--I of course was tired when we started, but am so grateful for PROVISION when I know the only way I can be enough is with God's supernatural strength!Yay! for REALLY GREAT time with the girlies!Addy was a little less tired than the rest of us :) and was definitely our in house entertainment for the evening. Her little game of peek-a-boo she played with us really made us laugh!
Peek-a-boo! I LOVE YOU!

Sledding with Daddy and evening at Home

Later that evening when Rob came home for work, the girls could not wait for him to take them sledding and to head back out in the snow. They had gone the night before and this time Addyson was not going to be left behind. It was perfect timing b/c I was able to finish putting supper together and just sit back and relax for a little bit before the evening rush. Too bad I am pregnant and don't like wine...it would have been one of those moments where I would have put my feet up with a glass of wine and just taken a deep breath after being stuck in the house for 2 days straight! Good two days...just two days... Daddy and his girls before they head out for their adventure!I LOVE THIS PICTURE!!! All three girls on the sled together :) So fun!Rob hooked up a bungee cord to the sled and was able to pull all of the girls on the sledInstead of going down the same hill they had the night before, Rob just pulled the girls in the street...he just took off running and then would let them go...right in the intersection!!! As a mom I was like, what to I do...stand here and video tape this or give him a lecture and kabosh the fun?!? So I just let it go, all three of his girlies on a sled...he has to be paying attention!

So then, the two big girls get cold and come in but Addyson just refuses. So Rob stayed outside and would run down the driveway and then let Addy go...right into the street, across the way to our neighbors driveway! Oh my word...I give up!Finally, Rob was able to get Addy to come in and to distract her the girls found her some dress up clothes...she has been LOVING dressing up lately. She calls EVERY princess "Rella" and is really showing some signs of being a true girly girl!Meantime, the girls were watching/helping me finish up a scrapbook page. I cannot wait for the girls to be into this hobby! This is something I would love to do with them for years to come!

Playing out in the snow...Round 2!!!

Yup, Round 2...the next day! January 11 was definitely sunnier than the 10th, but the air had a chill in it that was frigid! But there was no holding Addyson back today...all three girls venture back out into the snow after lunch for some more fun :)Gracie attempting to push Karys and Addyson down the sidewalk on the sledKarys ended up getting off b/c she didn't feel like it was going fast enough...Gracie tried hard to push Addyson back up to the house but it just wasn't as slick and was uphillSoon Karys was pushing Gracie from behind to help her get Addyson going! I love to watch them work TOGETHER like this and just really help each other out!My little snow queen!Bundled up tight...can hardly move or pick anything up...and LOVING every minute of it!I forgot to mention in the previous post that when the girls discovered their sledding hill, they named the hill "Jehovah". They would climb up to the top and then yell "Jehovah!!!" on the way down. Yeah, don't ask me where they came up with Jehovah...Karys named it :)They needed Daddy to come out and move the car so that they could sled down into the driveway. He was home for lunch so he was able to help Addyson onto the sled and give her a chance to experience Jehovah as well.Making sure Addy has a good experience down the hill her 1st time :)Gracie flying down the hill!That was AWESOME!!!My little bundle baby :)Gracie helps Karys slide down the hill..."Jehovah!!!""Weeeeee!!!!"That was so GREAT! Karys is all smiles :)I was asking Karys to take her picture, OF COURSE she had to strike a pose first!Gracie hardly wanted to take a break from sledding but did flash me a smile :)I managed to get the camera swung around to get a picture of Addy with her freezing cold, pink cheeks! They are just one of the cutest things to me about kids playing outside!She finally got the shovel picked up and made sure that it was not going to fall...
Addyson did not want to go inside...I had to resort to other techniques and bribe her with fruit snacks. Once inside she was able to warm up and not long after she was out cold. I think it is safe to say that this little lady LOVES playing outside!

Bundling up and heading out to freeze...I mean PLAY!

We have had quite the winter after Christmas! The snow days are nice b/c we get to spend time at home together, but that time all in the same house, all close together does get to be a little much! So I have LOVED that the girls have gotten older and to that point where they love to go outside and play together. This really is a new season for us--I feel like I have to watch them out the window quite a bit yet, but I don't have to go outside necessarily. I know, I know...I am not the best mom when it comes to this! But the cold has never really been my thing, I hate winter frankly :( But just so you all know and don't judge me too much, I am hoping to buy snow stuff for next year so that I do have the opportunity to go out and play with all three big girls! I had the girls go get socks on so they would be ready to head out...they thought they were so funny b/c the swapped socks and they each put on one of each! Loved watching them laugh at themselves about this!This was a cold day in January, the 10th to be exact, and the girls were busy getting their outdoor clothes on...Gracie had to ask Addy for her boot back b/c Addy was trying to put it on to go outside.All ready to go with their shovels. We had bought these at the end of last winter and never really got to use them so the girls were excited to test them out!Addy jumped right up and watched them out the window. I just wasn't convinced that it wasn't too cold for her out there...Gracie flashing a snow white smile!I love watching them work together and just come up with things to entertain themselves and just play togetherThey also got this sled this month...instead of sledding on it they decided to fill it all with snowAddy was enjoying watching them out the window, and they would stop to wave at her from time to time...But I could tell she REALLY wanted to go outside. The girls seemed to be lasting so I brought Addyson back and got her dressed...She was BEYOND thrilled to be heading out to play with sisters!All three girlies having fun in the snowAddyson wanted her turn at shoveling...she had a hard time picking up and holding the shovel though with her gloves on :)Right before they came in, the girls actually discovered how to use the sled for sledding :)
This is just the best result...you know they had a successful afternoon (Addy was asleep in her bed) when they come in and crash from just playing so hard out in the snow. Made for a GREAT snow day b/c mommy even got a little snooze too :)

Under where?

I was just thinking in my head this am that I have become that mom I never said I would be, the one who took less and less pictures by the time things came around to the 3rd baby...but like I said that is exactly what I have become. I have been working on scrapbooks to try and get things up to date and for 1--until last week I hadn't even printed a picture of Addy's first week of life and 2--I took a picture of EVERYTHING that Gracie did!


So, I am trying to work on that :) Addy has been a GREAT subject lately! She is just so entertaining and every time the camera is out she is eager to say "Cheese!"This is how I found her one morning..drinking her milk, reading Barney goes to the Dentist, and wearing.......a pair of the girls undies! Look at this face she made when I asked her if that is what she had on :) What a goof!She then proceeded to come into the kitchen for a little photo shoot"Look at my big girl undies!" Too bad she has NO concept what it means to wear these! She usually just sits on the potty and says, "Psssssssssss, all done!" She doesn't realize that anything more than that needs to happen....oh well, we have time :)Strutting her stuff....doesn't that just look like a runway walk!

So fun to watch my little lady just grow and change so much everyday. I actually can wait a little longer before she is walking around in just her undies...she is growing up SOOOO fast :)