Psalm 127:3-5

Behold children are a gift of the LORD,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a mighty warrior, so are the children of one's youth.
How blessed are those whose quiver is full of them
."

Friday, January 29, 2010

Just to clarify

We don't close on our new house until February 24 and we most likely won't move in until mid to late March. Our current house just went on the market last week (we wanted to make sure we got our offer accepted on the new house before we listed). The new house is in Colleyville (where I grew up) but I will post more details on the house itself in another post.

Change is coming.... it's a good thing!

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Saying good-bye to 12556



After three and half years at 12556 we are saying good-bye. I knew this day would come and have looked forward to it but we will leave behind so many memories of some of the best times in our life yet. This was our first house. We moved in Sept 20, 2006 with more excitement than I ever thought three people could have. We quickly made this our home. I had every picture on the wall and everything in it's place within 10 days of moving in. I didn't want to waste time doing all that I wanted to do it and then start living our lives and enjoying our new home together as a family.

Here are my fondest memories of this home... in no particular order:

Our first day here, we were still essentially newlyweds and our hearts were high on love for each other and excitement for another phase of life to start...

Seeing Anna go from a baby to a big girl

Bringing home our 2nd and incredible daughter Serene

Bringing home our first little boy Ben

Jimmy bowling our frozen Thanksgiving turkey down our long tile foyer

Those days when it was just Anna and I spending the day playing in the playroom and napping on the couch

Sitting on the porch waiting for Daddy to come home

Having lots of dinner parties with friends and family

Long nights up with new babies nursing, rocking, singing and sometimes crying =)

Each and every dinner spent around our island talking and laughing as a family

Our special valentines dinner tradition started in this house with the very first one staring with Anna getting the chicken pox... discovered literally in the middle of dinner and my brother making a surprise visit from FL. =)

Long afternoons spent in the garage with Anna in the sandbox playing and me holding baby Serene

Discovering God's plan for our life concerning children... when we moved into this house we wanted only one child... we move out with 3 and another one coming in July.. oh the joy we would have missed had we stuck to our silly plan =)

Ok, enough memories for now! It is a bittersweet good-bye to this house. We aren't going far and we are gaining so many wonderful things in our new house but for now I am going to sit and ponder and cherish what we leave behind at 12556.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

A beautiful winter day





Today was gorgeous and so spent most of the afternoon playing outside! The girls dug in the dirt in their playhouse and Ben played in the swing and then napped in the swing! =)

Friday, January 8, 2010

On the move


It's official, Ben is on the move. I think I was in denial of how he kept ending up across the room when I would lay him down on the floor... maybe someone moved him, maybe one of the girls drug him over there =)

Today I witnessed it myself... YIKES! I am very happy he is progressing well but I am a little scared of this phase. He puts everything in his mouth so this means we have to watch out for every little thing on the floor.

Watch out world... here he comes.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

My tiny helper


Over the past few weeks Serene has started helping Anna and I put the dishes away. She is such a sweet helper and puts each plastic cup, plate and bowl away in the children's cabinet. She is so proud when she helps and gives me a huge hug after she gets it all done. All of this is at her own initiative. She sees Anna helping with a good attitude and wants to help the family as well. My philosophy with children helping has always been about not giving some big chore list but including them in your daily work when they are little (starting around 18 months), letting them help pull the clothes out of the dryer, "fold" wash cloths, watching me cook and getting to dump things in the pan and even stir a little, helping put away laundry and making a game out of taking things to each room as we clean...etc. etc. In all this they learn to enjoy the work and look forward to it as special time spent with mommy and the family, with lots of hugs and kisses as thank yous from mommy!!

BTW, this outfit is a summer dress of Anna's that Serene dug out and LOVES!! She wears it most days around the house despite the weather! =)..... like today.... 28 degrees! Brrrrrr

Dallas Symphony for Christmas


In the rush of the holidays and due to my pregnant brain being on overload right now, I forgot to post about our symphony outing with Anna. Jimmy and I go every year for Christmas and last year we decided that 2009 would be our year to start taking Anna with us since she would be 5 years old. It also was more significant for her this year since she has been taking violin lessons this fall. We had front row seats and she was able to see the violin players very well and was quite fascinated. We had such a nice time having her with us at our annual Christmas symphony outing. We look forward to each of the children being old enough to attend. There is not a picture with Jimmy just this one that he took of Anna and I in front of the big tree at the Meyerson.