Spring 2014

Springtime did bring warmer and a bit more stable weather.  We spent many days outside enjoying our backyard.  The girls found lots and lots of bugs and I enjoyed taking some old pieces of furniture and bringing some new life to them.  Stephen says I have a painting addiction now... I'm sure there are worse addictions to have, at least mine is fairly easy on our budget.

Dr. Suess Day at school

Caileigh's class bear, Tina spent a weekend with us.

A sweet friend came to play one day.

I stay busy keeping up with this guy!

We were able to go to the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia one Saturday.

 Connor and Emma were not too sure about the birds...

 One of the Koala Bears was awake!

Train ride

Our little pride

Spring also means people are out more, which means more traffic in more ways than one.  We have enjoyed getting to know and see more neighbors on our new street.  We often felt isolated and lonely on our previous street.  It is much more "people noisy," which is both good and bad. We have developed a friendship with our next door neighbor.  She is very needy.  It is challenging to love her well.  It is often inconvenient and her life is messy.  I am thankful for her.  Getting to know her has helped me to look outside my four walls that often demand so much of my time and energy and think through how I can really love my neighbors as Christ calls us too.

Stephen's birthday came and we managed to celebrate amidst the full week the Mission's Conference always brings.  I am so thankful for his life and that God chose him specifically to be my husband and the father to our three pretty great kids!

My Aunt, Uncle and cousins came to visit us during their Spring Break.  We enjoyed taking them to the zoo with us.  I loved watching my kids and cousins play! So thankful they chose to spend part of their Spring Break with us!

 Also in March, Caileigh and Emma were both flower girls in Stephen's cousin, Meghan's wedding.

With cousin John Carter

This year we were able to join Stephen's parents for our spring break at Disney World.  It was such a great week.  Very relaxing and so much fun to enjoy just being together as a family!

10 months old!

This girl drove the race car with Daddy

This girl stayed up late and rode Splash Mountain for the 1st time with Daddy and Mommy!

Spring Break in Augusta = Masters = Uncle John works long days at the Masters = Uncle John and Aunt Laura here in Augusta!!! We LOVED the little bit of time we were able to spend with Uncle John and Aunt Laura! We sure miss having them here in town with us!

We celebrated Easter by having friends over for Easter lunch.  I cooked my first ham, the consensus was it was good. The kids hid Easter eggs.  It was fairly quiet until a man decided to throw a package over our back fence, hop over, pick up said package and run across the backyard and hop the fence on the side and disappear behind a neighbors house... all while we sat on our back deck. Almost immediately police were at our front door and our back fence asking if we had seen a man come through here.... Two hours later, they found him, the package and lots of other 'goodies' stashed in shopping carts and other piles around our neighbors' house.  As my sister said, "There's Easter in the hood for you..."