Highlights of the Week

Monday, we get Avery to school and then Reese comes in: "Mommy, turn on Fwozen music pwease?"  As soon as the music is on, Kate and Reese go change into "fancy" clothes and living room dance party commences.  "Mommy!  Dance with me!"  Yes, I will.

Tuesday, we find our first produce of the season: a small green tomato has started growing.  All day the girls talk about how it's going to grow and turn red.  By afternoon, Reese comes in
: "Mommy, it okay I eat this toe-may-toe?"  Sure enough, she's carrying the unripened, green tomato proudly.  When we told her it was not ready to eat and now it wouldn't be able to get ripe, Reese cried and had to process her grief.  She was so sad about her choices, so Daddy took her out to show her the flower buds that will turn into tomatoes.  They also covered how Reese is not allowed to pick any  more tomatoes unless Daddy is with her.  We'll see.

Wednesday, Kate and Reese host their church friends for a cookie party.  Usually, we meet at the church for Bible Study but this week is a bit different.  Instead, we're decorating cookies to give to people who don't get treats very often.  As Kate's friends pour in, her heart almost explodes when she realizes: "Mommy!  There's three babies in our house!"
After school, Avery decorates cookies too.  We decide to give the cookies to her lunchroom custodians.  Heart full.

Thursday, Kate wakes up with sister's pink eye.  She stays home and watches hours of Strawberry Shortcake in our bed, soaking up the quiet.  Luckily, drops on hand, she's ready to roll 24 hours later.

Friday, Nana and DD have invited the girls to spend the night.  All day, starting at breakfast, Reese asks, "It time yet?  It time yet?"

Saturday, Avery and Kate go to Beauty and the Beast symphony with Daddy and DD.  Avery tells me later, "There were drums, and a harp!  And a man used a typewriter like it was an instrument!  And there were ladies playing flutes, and the conductor dressed up."  Music connects with these souls.

Click here for pictures of the week

Easter Joy

Easter Joy came in all shapes and sizes this year...

...in giant hugs from Nonnie, Aunt Megan, Uncle Michael, Uncle S
ean and Aunt Jen
...in Easter treat bag from Nonnie
...in a small egg just for Oscar... his first ever! ...courtesy his doxie-cousin Macy

...in two services to worship and celebrate
...in a 20 pound accordion, borrowed from DD, played onstage with Current Worship

...in oval chocolate egg candies
...in 6" of Elsa hair
...in two giant water blasters
...in thousands of tiny confetti pieces scattered about the front yard
...in half of the sand and water table filled with water
...in 5 cousins together, playing Elsa and Anna, hunting eggs, and swimming

Click here for pictures of the week

This list generated by Kate about her favorite joyful moments from Easter

From Their Perspectives...

This weekend, the girls had several fun activities.  As it happened, each girl had an event that they enjoyed most of all.  Here are their accounts:

Zoobilee, Friday night:
On the way home from the Zoobilee, Reese said, "I tell my Nana and DD about zoo!  I tell them... me see zebras (actually, giraffes)!  And me see... um, monkeys.  Um... ell-phants, and lion, and tiger.  And bears!  And Avery go feed them through edge... she feed wettice (lettuce) to dwaaffes (giraffes)."

Texas Children's Hospital Fun Run, Saturday Morning:
Kate has told me many times that she wants to join Josh and I on our runs, so we signed the older girls up for a family fun run.  Avery ran alongside me and
held hands for the whole 1K, and Kate was planning to hold Daddy's hand.  But when the race started, he just wasn't fast enough for her.  Jordan was trying to keep pace with Avery and I, but Kate kept pulling his arm and trying to weave in and out of the crowd to go faster.  She was all smiles; shoulders back and head high.  Jordan told her that she could run ahead and he'd keep up with her, and she bolted.  She was confident, proud and fast!  It was so much fun to watch her come alive and own that race.

Astros Opening Game, Saturday Night:
Avery got a special invitation to go to the Astros game with Nana and DD, Aunt Melinda and Wayne, and Cousin Kathryn and Elvis.  She wrote an essay about it to share with her teacher the next week at school:
The Big Ball Game, by Avery
When I went to the Minute Maid Park with my Nana and DD, I got club level seats.  We even got our own room!  When it started I got a hot dog.  Also in the beginning the Astros were doing great!  In the third inning we got popcorn.  Then it was the middle of the game, and the Astros weren't doing as well.  In the sixth inning, we bought peanuts.  While we waited, I saw the Budweiser horses!  The score was 5 for the Angels and 1 for the Astros.  Then it was the 7th inning and we sand the Old Ball Game and Deep in the Heart of Texas.  Finally it was the 8th inning.  We got ice cream.  We got in Nana's car and watched Frozen on our way home.  I loved the ball game!

Click here for pictures of the week