From: Ellie

Here's me in my new kicks. Thanks Nannah!

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Breakfast at The Flying Biscuit Cafe: where mom first tried...and became addicted to grits.


Mom's good friend Molly and my good friend Luke

Homemade pizza

Ah, this is the life.

And, our new puppy! Yeah, right. But Hannah and I did get a kick out of this friendly little guy.

Fimming Pooloh

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Just so I don't forget

A 2 yr old's vocabulary is a most amazing evolution. Hannah's been cracking me up lately. Here's a few examples:

Me: (Buckling H in her car seat). H, do you want to go see baby Peighton today?
H: Abso-LOOT-ly!
Me: (laughing/snorting) Absolutely huh?
H: Of COURSE!

H: (riding home in the van) Do you like that movie mommy?
Me: What movie?
H: Mary Poppins.
Me: Yeah, I love that movie. Do you like Mary Poppins?
H: Yes. I do. She is tricky and (whispered slowly) wonderful.

Nate: Good job eating your vegetables H, now here's your pizza.
H: Sanks...my darlin!

Nannah/ Easter/ Spring Break

Nannah Montana was able to visit us last week and BOY did we celebrate! She spoiled us all rotten and we had 2 sad little girls, actually make that 3, when they discovered she had gone home.


Sprinkler fun




Hannah got her potty-chart-item-of-the week (an umbrella) early. Too bad it has been 80-90 degrees all week...


Highlight: Nate and I made it to the Columbia, SC Temple.

The Easter Bunny brought Nate a little surprise over-nighter to Charlteson, SC. Whew! THANK YOU NANNAH.

Nate at Fort Sumter






Okay, enough with the play, on to the projects....oh wait, they were fun too.
Hannah's Mrs Potato Head Easter Bunny (Thanks Minnesota Easter Bunnies!) assemblage lesson.

Nate (also on spring break) painted our door and shutters black, much improved from the dusty rose they were previously.

Finally got these girls a fashion bathroom for their primping:) We also painted the downstairs 1/2 bath but no pics. What would a week with Nannah be sans at least three complete room facelifts?


Nate with his Easter Loot. (Again, thanks MN Easter Bunnies:)

Ellie and Hannah were more than thrilled at hunting all 8 of their candy-filled eggs hidden in the living room. Here, they discover some new bathroom accessories. That Easter Bunny just knows.

Only a mom who has potty trained their own child, understands the all-out obsession that must take place in order for the excitement/motivation/rewards to continue. Hey, she stays dry and treats are alot cheaper than diapers. She was even more excited to show Nannah her skills. Rewards included:
Glitter finger/toe nails.

Movies

And "scaring" Nannah every time she pee-peed.

Nannah had to try out our bike trailer that I rave about.





An absolute fun-filled week of laughs and loves. Thanks for every thing Mom! And to think next time we see her, little Ellie will be the "big sister."

I knew I was having a boy. I've felt totally different this pregnancy And we found out that, of course, I was




















WRONG!







Another precious little sister will be joining us in a few months!

I just really like this today:

"...a good test of our character is measured by how we treat people that are considered unimportant by our society."

Yes?

What we've been up to:

1. Flying kites. Spring has sprung in NC and Nate can't wait to get home from work and take out his princess kite and let 'er fly.


2.






You guessed it, potty training. After a first week of frazzled nerves (she, myself...and Ellie), Hannah June is well on her way to big girl-hood. Nice to cut that diaper bill in half.


Here's Hannah (unedited, sorry) with her rewards of self-applied cosmetics and fruit snacks.



3. Being married for 5 years!



4. Silliness, of course.





5. "Spring" Cleaning



Here's the deal. If there's one thing I've learned about myself as a mom of young children it's to avoid taking on too much. Sometimes that means not getting out of my pj's. I'm okay with it. Anyway, I've scheduled my one-room-a-week spring cleaning which began in Feb and will be complete in June. Still counts as spring right?









6. Counting down.


9 days until we find out whether we'll be having a little brother or sister in August! Yepper, el numero tres is on their way. We're completely overjoyed and blessed beyond words. So, my previous comment about cutting back on diapers...yeah, not so much.

Hallelujah for 9:00 a.m. church! Hallelujah for brand spankin' new church buildings! And hallelujah for ward conference! Our ward conference theme was "Making Christ the Center of Your Life." It really stood out to me when our bishop contrasted this theme with the common motto of "Center Your Life on Christ." Read them again slowly. In the first, Christ is the fixed immovable object and it is up to us to revolve our daily lives around his constant secure anchor. I am a pro at rationalizing some of my behaviors to make myself feel like I'm incorporating Jesus Christ in my life but the truth is, I could improve immensely.

Interestingly enough, just this week I was thinking that yes, in general, I would describe my life as happy. Extremely happy. But the day in-day out, hour by hour thing... not sure I would always use the term "happy" to describe my emotional state there. In my self cross-examination it quickly became evident that the small choices I make every day (probably hundreds) that no one else really sees, don't always put me on the fast path to bliss. Choices choices choices. What to do FIRST when I wake up, how to react to frustrating motherhood moments, who to call (or not)and check on or offer help, what to do during the girls' nap, etc. I'm ashamed to admit that many of these choices have very little to do with Christ and more to do with Ashley.
SO! Instead of going about my own business doing what I THINK will make me happy, I'll be putting forth maximum effort to conform my activities to The Savior's teachings. You're probably saying, "Uh, duh." I know I know, when will I learn? Help me out.