Saedi's 1st Haircut

Saedi's hair before April cut it:

She was a big girl in the seat. As long as she had my phone to play with she was a happy camper:

My adorable new bob:

"Look at me! I look more like Miss April than I do my own mother."

Ellie also got her hair trimmed and then put into two French braids, which she was very proud of and couldn't wait to show Daddy.

Happy 1st Birthday, Saedi Alexandra

Our 9lb 4 oz baby...crazy 'cause she's petite now

Look how young Ellie looks, too! El took to mothering right away. Poor Saedi.

Saed's always been a snuggler...I love it!

"Ring Around the Rosie" with Ms Kristen and friends

More birthday party fun

Swimming

We've been swimming several times a week at the local YMCA and today Kristen, Caleb and Joshua joined us. Even though I didn't get any good pics, we all had fun and the kids were wiped out for naptime...a good deal all the way around.

Monsters

Just in the past few weeks Saedi has started taking an interest in books. She says book, signs it, and is especially fond of Corduroy Goes to the Doctor. Likewise, one of Ellie's favorite books is the popular, Olivia. There's a page in the book where Olivia tries to scare aware her pesky little brother, Ian, by making a monster out of a brown paper bag. El was ecstatic to make an identical monster...not so she could scare away Saedi but because 1. she's fascinated with monsters right now and 2. she loves cutting with scissors. We had fun making our monsters and then showing Daddy via webcam. Even Saedi got into it...coloring and trying to get the bag on her head. I don't always do a good job playing with my girls so this is one memory worthy of being noted.

Audry & Ellie's Tea Party

Friendship

"Dont leave your friends or your parents' friends
and run home to your family when things get rough;
Better a nearby friend
than a distant family."-Proverbs 27:10 The Message Bible
This morning's message at Bethel Community Church was about the importance of friendships and the Bible verse above really hit home with me. Yes, my family is wonderful and they've come to my rescue countless times, and in no way am I saying that my family is not highly valued. What I do want to emphasize, though, is the blessing of frienship. Because I have no family nearby(and most of my friends here are in the same boat) I have had to rely on my friends for a lot of things- things that may inconvenience them- but they have always pulled through and been there for me. In fact, I cannot even think of a single instance where I needed help and help wasn't available. My local frienships through church, military, CrossFit, past eras, and random acts of meeting people, are a big part of who I am. So, thank you to each and every one of you for being straight with me, for building me up, and for helping me raise my children!
Continuing, this morning's message was also a plug for our new Growth Group cycle coming up at church. For this up-coming semester, I'm going to be hosting a small group at my house on Wed nights at 7 pm (starting in a few weeks) AND there is free childcare at the church, just 3 miles down the road. I'm not leading the group, just opening up my home...which I love to do! So, whether you go to Bethel Community Church, some other church, or no church at all, I want to invite you to join this small group of frienship and learning. This is a chance to deepen already existing friendships and make new friendships as well. My friend Terry is going to be leading and our topic is Developing a Healthy Heart. I know I spend a lot of time exercising and keeping my physical heart healthy, but I wonder who I would be if I spent that same amount of time developing a healthy spiritual heart. So, if you're interested give the group a try.
Proverbs 4:23-27 says,
"Keep vigilant watch over your heart;
that's where life starts.
Don't talk out of both sides of your mouth;
avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip.
Keep your eyes straight ahead;
ignore all sideshow distractions
Watch your step,
and the road will stretch out smooth before you.
Look neither right nor left;
leave evil in the dust."

Ellie Goes to the Dentist

Since Ellie's 3 it was time for her first teeth cleaning. We went to Dr Beauchamp, who was reccommended by several people, and I was impressed by everything about Clarksville Pediatric Dentistry. They had a game station and cinema station in the waiting room for the kids, and a beautiful display of Tazo teas for adults, and then a goodie bag full of a toothbrush & cover, sticker, balloons, sand timer, & flosser. El did great and her teeth are beautiful...now if we could get rid of the thumb sucking issue.

She was in her glory watching WalE...she didn't even know I snuck back there to take a picture.

Watching Peter Rabbit

Birthdays

Since Saedi was sick during her supposed-to-be-birthday party with good friend, Meadow (who turned one on Jan 2), we decided to have her celebrate her 1st birthday with her Daddy instead. Riley turned 30 on Jan 5 and Saedi will turn one on Jan 29, but we compromised ideal 1st birthday parties to celebrate while all of us were together. Here are some pics from their fun birthday bash last week...

Snowshoeing 101

Ohio & Michigan Recap Pics

A Spewing Family Update

I keep putting off downloading my Christmas pics, but I guess I can atleast give a written update of our family. Riley and I had a blessed time in Alaska together just the two of us. It had been so long since we had alone time like that. The girls did great with my parents, and my parents, though exhausted, cherished the alone time they had with El and Saed. After Alaska we hung out in Ohio through Christmas day and spent Christmas with my family. All the siblings and cousins made it in for a happy reunion and I'm so proud of El and Saed with how well they fit in. It was good to see my fam sitting around the kitchen table playing cards like always. That's one of my special visions I hold to when we're apart. Next, we headed off to Michigan to be with Riley's family. Again, all the siblings and cousins trickled in so that we were all able to be together for a few days. It was a merry time with Papa's crazy stocking stuffers and Mimi's yummy food. We got to meet baby Addi for the first time and what a doll she is! On the 31st we spent the day driving back home to TN to enjoy some quiet, initmate family time. While we were driving, my mom was back in Ohio undergoing a mastectomy for cancer found in 3 spots. She is recovering nicely and we're still waiting to hear the results of her lymph node tests. The Dr is "cautiously optimistic" that the cancer had not spread but I think we're all in suspense until we get the final word (could be up to 2 more weeks). So, back in TN we unpacked just to have Riley immediatley re-packing and Saedi vomitting again this morning, but we've been enjoying the warm weather, getting back into CrossFit, seeing Nat and Jesse and just being home. Until I get the pictures downloaded...tootles!