It's a...

We are thrilled to announce our big news!! The newest member of the family is a boy!!! 

Claire is a bit lost only "understanding" there is a new baby in the family and he is in my tummy. Charli, on the other hand, for awhile thought it was a boy but had recently decided she wanted a girl. When we announced it to the family she cried in despair. We tried consoling but it wasn't doing the trick... Until I told her that when he gets big enough to play with them he could dress up like the prince. She was quickly persuaded that a brother was a great thing. 

First day of Preschool

Charli had her first day of school today. She was super excited; she even told me in the car that she had been "excited in her bed" the night before. It's the first time she's ever mentioned excitement affecting bedtime. 

Highlights (according to her) for her first day: new shirt, new owl lunch box, new school, nice teacher, and made a new friend, Maggie, who had something ballerina-ish about her outfit that Char liked.  She also enjoyed playing on the playground, coloring with markers, and painting. 

I think I've started a tradition with the sign. 

Putting her backpack in her cubby. 

With Miss Sheri, her teacher

The highlight of the day for me was asking her in the car if she would like her teacher to call her "Charli" or Charlotte. She thoughtfully decided on Charlotte with the reason that "it was her favorite best name".  I was proud of her decision. It was always our intent that she could decide between the two, especially in the school setting. She seemed to grow up a lot today!

Big Sisters

I realized this morning I hadn't blogged about our big news!

I love this picture that Brooks took for us and I love the shirts I made for Charli and Claire.  It's more than just an announcement of their little brother or sister; Claire at this age was saying "me too" after everything Charli said.  All 4 of us are excited about the new addition to our family.  We'll weigh in soon with our guesses about gender.  I'll find out mid August what we're having and this little one is due January 13, 2014.  

Going Private

I've decided to make my blog private.  It comes after some long thought out issues related to privacy and social media.  That is, privacy for me and my family, especially my children.   Facebook is the next to change for us as well.  I already have only "real" friends on there but I'm realizing that anyone who takes a picture of us or of my kids and then posts it, is inadvertently allowing people who are complete strangers to me & Brandon to "get to know" our kids.  Not really okay with me at all.  I've heard some first hand accounts of issues like this and I don't intend to be party to it in our family anymore.

This is step 2 (step 1-being restarting my facebook page and only allowing friends to see what I post).


All of this being said, I really want this blog to be for our friends and family to stay up to date on our lives.  If you would like to have access to the blog please comment with your email address and your name (so I can make sure I know you ;) and I'll add you to the list of followers.

Thanks for understanding :)

Quotable Charli

Charli is extremely articulate for a 3 year old.  She shocks us on a daily basis with her understanding of words and ability to use adult words. (not inappropriate words but above her age level)  Here are some recent things we've heard her say...

While playing in the tent in her room with Claire Charli announces in a high, authoritative voice, "Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, I present to you... Charli and Claire!"

She also drew this kitty all by herself- pretty good for 3.5 yrs old! 

After ringing the doorbell at my parents' house and no one coming to answer it right away Charli said, "Apparently no one's here," matter of factly.

Playing with her beanie baby bunny she exclaimed, "Bunny can do amazing things!" and tossed it in the air.

I told Charli that I cried when I sprained my ankle because it hurt really bad and because I was very disappointed that I was hurt.  She said, "huh!? People don't cry!" (and by people, she meant adults)

When she woke up one morning she noticed that we had taken out half of the stuffed animals that she had tried to sleep with (because they were crowding her bed and there was no room for her).   She said, "who could do such a thing?!" and proceeded to call us "sneaky" for doing it.

The Sprain

Today I would have run the race I had been planning, training, and looking forward to running: my first half marathon.  To me, it was the culmination of a lot of hard work, sweat, and strength gained.  I literally had been training for 4 months. 12 days ago, on a Monday evening run, out of the blue, I rolled my ankle and severely sprained it.  My plans were crushed.  As soon as I felt it happening I knew it was going to be bad.  I've had some painful moments in my life- two broken bones, excruciating recovery from lasik eye surgery, birthed two babies, kidney stones.  This is definitely among those most painful experiences.  The disappointment has far surpassed the physical pain.  It has been a spiritual lesson.  I am confident that God was in control of my circumstances, and this was a part of His good plan for me.  Someday I will also teach Charli and Claire that God's plans are different than our own, but His are always better.  I love this verse.  Though, I believe it is speaking in figurative terms, it literally has applied so well to me in these last two weeks. Proverbs 16:9 says, "The heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps."

  Here is my  photo montage to "the sprain".

driving to the ER for an X-ray

Brandon came to my rescue and saved the aquarium day! We had a blast, despite my need for the wheelchair. Claire liked riding in "mommy's stroller"!

I spent 3 days with it elevated and icing it every few hours.  It was painful, boring, humbling, and healing.

I decided to make lemonade from my lemons ;)
These motorized carts are fun!!

at my follow up I got fitted for a boot- my friend for 4 weeks

Today, it's extremely sore and still black and blue and a bit swollen.

Easter

This Easter was a bit anti-climactic for me and it all had to do with weather (no pun intended).  We had such a mild winter and signs of an early spring but then BAM- freezing, rainy yucky weather hit.  Not only is it annoying with my 1/2 marathon training, it's killer when you have two kids who want to play in the backyard since they got a little taste of it already.  Soggy grass and toddler and little girly girl do not mix.  I was hopeful that at least Easter would be nice. Wrong again.  It rained most of the day.

So... church was great.  We talked a lot about the meaning of Easter and opted out of the whole Easter bunny thing.  I think we're dropping Santa next year too.  In theory I had planned on doing these "fun" parts of the holiday, but what I've realized is it becomes all-consuming for the child.  Anyway, I digress.  We talked a lot about why Jesus came to the world, why He died, and we sang praises in thankfulness for His resurrection.  My favorite part was actually what Charli learned about Palm Sunday.

We asked her, "When Jesus came to Jerusalem what did all the people shout to Him?"
Charli, "Hosanna! Hosanna!"
Me, "What does that mean?"
Charli, "Save us now!"
Me, "What did the people think Jesus was coming to do?"
Charli, "Be the king..."
Me, "But He wasn't coming to be the king of their city, was He?"
Charli, "no- the king of their hearts!" as she points to her chest.

Hallelujah to the Risen King, the King of our hearts!

The 2nd half of our Easter Sunday was great.  After the girls got up from their naps we headed to my parents' house.  Brooks, Lee & Becky were already there.  Aunt Becky wanted to dye eggs and Charli was thrilled to get to help!  They bonded in a new special way through that.  Charli also warmed up to Uncle Lee in a new way and was cuddled up in his lap with Where's Waldo (which she also mis-called "where's Wallace" one time) by the end of the day.  It did my heart so good to see all that love blossom. And for the record, I'm dying to be AUNT BESS.  It just sounds right, doesn't it!?  Charli heard me say I wanted to be Aunt Bess and she said, "mommy, I don't want you to be my aunt, I want you to be my mommy forever!"  Sweet, sensitive, Charli.  I cleared it up that I wasn't changing for her and she was very relieved.

Even if we got rained out of an easter egg hunt, what really mattered Easter Sunday happened.

as good as it gets with 2 kids in the same picture...

claire loves to walk holding one hand

how most of the pictures together ended up

gave up on a sister shot and got individuals

i let claire hold a bunny and crawl around to get a smile