the month of may

(if you follow me on instagram...sorry...repeats)

may 2 russ' birthday...he is SO low maintenance but the girls and i try and make him feel as special as possible.  morning celebrations started things off.

may and everyday= makeup and accessories

she sits up there everyday and hands me my makeup. squishy-est assistant ever.

may thursdays were filled with gymnastics at the Y.
    josie enjoyed just running around the gym with her new friends.  the trampoline was icing on top.

may 9 we were in orlando with my parents while russ was in guatemala.
   izzie loves these boots.  her "sasha fierce" alter ego comes out.  it is hilarious.

this is my favorite picture.

"mommy, i feel like dora

what exactly does dora feel like? 

carefree? adventurous? 

this is just part of the funny statements and conversations we have been having these days. i am loving our mature and developed yard. the azaleas are awesome along with the hydrangeas that are coming.  i also love that my "green thumb" husband doesn't have to work in the yard but just maintain.

izzie.  oh, she is the second. quite feisty and clingy.  she has only had two bottom teeth for SO long. i think she is finally getting the top two.  this picture is quite indicative of her personality. she says "hey" to everyone she sees and then blows kisses to say bye.  a social bug.

josie however has gotten a bit more reserved in her social-ness with adults.  but with other kiddos she will jump right in.  however, recently at a birthday party with a huge dinosaur jumpy house, face painting and kid food galore...I found her sitting on a bench chatting with the birthday boys ninety year old great grandmother.  tender-hearted precious girl. too bad it hurts my heart you look fifteen in this picture.

a year ago....

Izzie had an intense mullet.
Josie had an intense stutter.

(I was so nervous about it.  My prayer journal was full of request to the Lord to help Josie.  As with most things with kids, it was a short season.)

Josie was in LOVE with Kiki. aka Christi Wilson
She still is and ask me frequently why she lives with Ryan in Florida.

Izzie was kind of a blob.

No more.  She is a feisty little thing.  Adamant that her sister will not take the cake.  She makes me laugh on a regular basis.  Have I mentioned her nickname has evolved?  To "Chef".
Girl likes some food.  Her food.
We have a lot of sisterly love in this house.  So much so that Izzie shared her nice (code for the Big D) virus with sister this week.  In the middle of the night when Josie woke up with a fever she said "Mom, I just hugged Izzie too hard.  That's why I'm sick." Oh goodness. Laughter abounds much.

three year old conversations

hello friends...
i have been a slacker at updating the blog.
sorry.

to catch up quickly...
the girls and I have been filling our days with chores and lunch dates.
we frequently (3 times this week) get to take young adult girls out to lunch from Russ' ministry.
it is a highlight for everyone.

josie's favorite place these days is trader joe's. (we try to go on Mondays)
they have buggies for kids and she remembers each time to take a doll.
she gets close to nipping my heels. but loves the whole experience.

on the izzie front...she is talking more and playing with josie more.
wanting to color and draw like big sister.

speaking of which...my big girl just turned on the coloring then quickly transitioned to writing.
she has been writing her name and other names while asking us to "spell" things a lot.

josie's conversational skills have gotten so advanced...it cracks me up.
recently her friend Georgia was in the car with us.
Georgia had brought a pretend cell phone.
upon swiping the phone from her Josie asked "Hey you want some music on your phone?"
yes i have an iphone and yes she knows more about it than i do.
here they are with a banana snack.

i will leave you with a story.
recently at the gas station we were next to a "hoarder's" station wagon. you know these cars right?!
(mine is close except it is full of sippy cups and toys.)
anywho, josie says "MOM... they need to clean out their car. I think they don't have a daddy."
and there you have the truth about who likes things clean around here.
it was bossy-ness and compassion in the same thought.
sounds like a good representation of my thoughts too.

to: from:

Our Valentine's Videos

To:  Gran Gran

Love:  Russ, Kristy, Josie and Izzie

To: Mimi & Gramps

Love: Russ, Kristy, Josie and Izzie

To: Aunt Linda, Uncle Jack, Jack Jr, Ryder, Kate and Chase

Love: Russ, Kristy, Josie and Izzie

phone dump & favorite things

Josie is sitting next to me coloring.  She reminded me that "if we make a mistake it is ok because God loves us anyway."  Apparently, she started to color the apple blue.  "Silly me, apples are red." She said.

I love camera phone dumps on other blogs, so I figured I would do one of my own.  

I had a sweet friend ask me what my favorite things are right now.  A small list of those are at the bottom.

Josie got the "headbanz" game for Christmas.  It is super cute and we all get involved.

These girls are awe-some.

 I was wanting a new shelf to go in my "conversational area." Scott's Antique show was in town last weekend and Russ I could not pass this one up.  Trinkets to be moved around.

I mean seriously...is she the cutest thing or what?  

She has changed so much but her personality is quite complex.

Josie LOVES to dress up.  Her "ren-nastics" (aka gymnastics) outfit is too cute.

Long legs and arms like her daddy. (Thank you Lord.)

We were able to see my sweet Kiki over the holidays.  I miss her so!

Ok Favorite things right now...

1. Zumba

2. The crockpot

3.  All is Grace by Brennan Manning

4.  The Meaning of Marriage by Tim Keller

5. V-neck T-shirts

house: long time coming...

Here she is...our new house.  Well the main floor anyway.
We love it here.  It suits our family well.
I often feel as if I get my two favorite things in one; a house in the mountains/ridge in the middle of the city.

Our den/ main living area.

 Multi-purpose room.  Standing at the back door.

 Multi-purpose room. Standing at the front window.

Looking from the den into the kitchen.

 Galley kitchen.

Bookshelf wall in Josie's room.

Josie's bathroom.

So I seem to have forgotten Josie's room.  I will add that to the upstairs pictures and the newly renovated master closet.  We are missing some pictures on the wall, we keep debating on what goes where. 

And this is Thomas' playroom.  Because heaven forbid he actually sleep out there. 

This flat backyard will be receiving a swing set from Christmas!

Our kind family members pitched in for this fun present.

More to come....let's be honest...who knows when.