Happy 6th Birthday WP~

Six years ago a beautiful Chinese boy was born in Fuzhou China with a severe heart condition.

Today we celebrated what an awesome son he is in our family~

He was surrounded by lots of family and we had tons of fun being Ninja Turtles!

If you ask WP what he is to his dad and I he says, "I'm a mighty man of God!" and he SO is!

We think he looks like a little Francis Chan~

Happy birthday sweet beautiful boy!

We are thankful for your amazing birth parents that chose life for you!!

You are the sweetest, most kind and caring, most helpful boy I know!!!

What a treasure you are to our family!

Super Saturday!

This first photo is from yesterday but just couldn't leave it out.

We came in from the pool and P&E went to put on their clothes...

Payne put WP's clothes on Evie~

A classic rehearsal dinner photo!

Tonight we were invited to Max's 5th birthday party~

The kids loved the homemade sidewalk paint and water balloons!

I think this photo pretty sums up the party~

Sweetest faces ever!!!!!

AND just to make the day a little sweeter...

I checked IG to see Josh and his friends won the CHOA golf tournament today~

 I'd say that pretty much makes for a Super Saturday!!!

Finally a Sunny Day~

It's amazing what a difference a sunny day makes.

Everyone worked extra hard during school hours and rested extra well so we could head to the pool this afternoon~

 The video gives a little evidence that we've been cooped up just a little too long~

We were excited to invite sweet Max and his family down today for a little swim time so we could celebrate his 5th birthday~

Happy birthday Max! We LOVE you!!!

 

Cousin Time~

We LOVED having Max and Addie over to play this morning~

 We started inside but within the hour, we headed out remained there the whole morning...

even through lunch~

 My kids all said~ WOW Mom, we sure are having lots of picnics... I can't think of anything better to do in the spring!

Better enjoy it now because come June-August... hot as blazes!

Cousins Playing~

We had a beautiful day today and got outside to play~

 but guess who made it even more fun??? Max and Addie!!!~

A VERY beautiful day~

Spring is finally here!

And THIS is what it was like once in and everyone bathed~

Just a big ole party!!!

Halloween {Trick-or-treating}~

Trick-or-treating was on our mind all day so the time came to get everyone ready to go~

  EK... box turtle, SJ... kitty, and WP... tiger~ My Darling Little Zoo. :)

Our first stop was Memommy and Pop's with Max & Addie~

   They all walked away with great treats!

Next was our annual tradition in Susan's neighborhood and boy was it cold/windy~

 Kids didn't seem to mind one single bit...

LOVED seeing them so excited and happy!!!

Pumpkin Patch Day~

All littles were fast asleep quickly last night so today would come quickly... Pumpkin Patch Day. We loaded the car and read a book on the way (planning to print our pics and make our own book)~

We met Jason, Amy, kids, and mama there. It was so surreal to think back to last year when we would be leaving in just days to get WP and here he was today~

 Everyone LOVED Hardy Berry Play Patch: animals, tennis ball shooting, animals, jumping, swinging, car racing, animals~

 After lots of playing, we boarded a hayride to the pumpkin patch to choose the perfect pumpkins~

 Loved that WP chose a green one~

 Next was a huge slide and back to the car~

 Thank you Memommy for a GREAT Pumpkin Patch Day!!! 

We LOVE you so much!!!

Fun Friday in the Woods~

Ask Mr. Bear had several settings but the woods was probably the most intriguing so we planned our Fun Friday to take a walk through the woods behind our house.

We packed backpacks with books, journals, and snacks.

We invited Max to join us and went over to pick him up on the golf cart. 

 We headed down through our backyard stopping at the swing for snack and to hear our story, Ask Mr. Bear.

We talked about what we might see along the way... hoping for a bear and a snake... me? Neither one please!

It was pretty much follow EK down the hill toward the lake.

Everyone had boots on just in case we veered off the beaten path

(and yes, WP needs his own rain boots:).

We finally made it down to our dried up cove on the lake~

and there was much exploring to do.

We made our way to the dock and spread a blanket for resting, reading, writing, and snacking (again).

Everyone thought of what they noticed along the way that God made and wrote about it in their journal.

The sweetest breeze was blowing and I could have stayed all morning just praying and being still.

Wasn't long before we started back UP the hill.

What to do other than take a dip after such a long trip?

We came back, shed our clothes, and swam for a while...

ate lunch on the breezeway...

rode bikes...

went to Max's backyard for a while...

back to swim just a smidge longer...

and I voted for MOVIE afternoon!!!

Think that is going to be the reward for a great week for students and a time for teacher Mom to get a few things done around the house. 

I think EK pretty much summed it up when she said,

"Mom this was the best Fun Friday ever!"

Have to agree~ SO fun but I am plum worn out!!! :)

Family Birthday Party~

Saturday afternoon the whole family came over to celebrate 3 birthdays...

Rosie, ShayleeJoy, and Max.

Both SJ and Max got new bikes so they had a ball riding together.

It was the sweetest thing to see SJ's face when she saw her new bike... a big surprise~

     We grilled and enjoyed a great meal, then gifts were opened~

 I think at one point I said it was THE greatest day to have everyone together~ my sister and her family were home, Sav and Josh were here, and Jessie was home from Winshape. SO good!!!

 LOVE LOVE LOVE all these people!!!

 Amelia worked hard all day putting together new toys... you would have thought it was Christmas around our house~

Happy 17th Rosie, 5th ShayleeJoy, and 4th Max!!!

 

Love 5~

Today I LOVE being a student again.

I have always loved school... never missed a day

the whole 12 years elem~high school.

I loved all my education classes @ UGA

preparing to TEACH school. :)

Now I home school my littles and love teaching them.

A few weeks ago,

I began Beyond the Layers class taught by Kim Klassen, 

from whom I have taken classes before.

LOVE Kim!!!

This week she shared creating storyboards

as a way of showcasing photos in a collage of sorts.

Amy, Max, and Adelyn came over to play on Friday

and I captured a few images.

I always want to remember Max and WP

becoming the best of friends.

It is SO sweet that we live so close

and our children can play~

My Storyboards~

 Also ran Florabella actions on them as well~

 I LOVE that it doesn't even matter

that we mostly have girl toys to play with...

they all just love being together.

Not to mention the 60 degree weather every afternoon.

Click button to visit Kim!

Max is 3! How Can It Be???

It seems like yesterday that Amy was scheduled for a Csec

to bring precious Max into our lives!!!

One of the best days ever!!!

Now he is 3~

Could he be any cuter???

We were SO excited to celebrate at their house last night~

It was another great time spent with family and friends~

Max got some great gifts that the girls LOVED~

AND just look at baby Adelyn~

Irresistible!!!

Happy birthday sweet Max!!!

We love you to the moon and back~

SO sad I didn't get pics of Amy (or my daddy)

... she was behind the camera too.

Beating the Heat~

Today was SO fun having Max over for the morning...

We gave Fisher a bath~

We ate Popsicles~

and swam~

Now we are off to Stone Mountain 

to see the Laser Show.

How are we going to beat the heat there???

Yikes!

Cousins

Scott is the youngest of his three siblings

and has many cousins.

Two of them were visiting this week

and we had them over for dinner last night.

We walked out to show them our backyard

and took a group photo of them.

Today EK and SJ's cousins Max and Adelyn

came over for swim.

Here they are playing beside the pool.

EK has been a little sickly all week

and I took her to the dr yesterday because she had ran a fever for 3 days.

She had a sinus infection~

today I walked into the family room

and found her curled into a ball sound asleep.

Believe me...

that definitely means she is sick.

She never sleeps during the day otherwise~

SO happy for the weekend!!!

Easter Afternoon

After the kitchen was cleaned and

everyone off to their house,

we changed into swimsuits and headed to the pool.

The water is shocking cold but the littles act like it's nothing!!!

A&R completely satisfied to just lay out. :)

When Scott finally made it back home,

we took a ride in the boat and...

some of our crazy children took a swim! :)

THEN!

Amy and Max came over for egg dying and decorating!

SO fun!!!

The dying went great~

and I think Jingy decorated one...

but you know what their favorite part of the whole thing was???

Eating them!!!

2 each and Jingy had 2 for breakfast!

A big hit!!!

Thanks Amy and Max~ can't wait to do it again next Easter!!!