Eden Marie

Oh my girl... She is funny and feisty and full of life and passion.  She is fearless.  She loves snuggles and sucking her thumb and "blankie" for comfort.  She just loves to sit at the table for dinner and ask questions and talk about our day.  She is the first to pray and has a sweet sensitivity and tenderness that melts your heart.  She is compassionate and empathetic and is incredibly relational like her brother.  

She is one tough cookie and can hang with her brother but she loves to be a girly girl too and play dress up and carry a purse.  She LOVES babies and taking care of them and at almost 3 years old, she is convinced that she can babysit.  She loves watching Frozen and reading Fancy Nancy books, Ladybug Girl books and Alice, The Fairy by David Shannon.  She is our daughter and I can not say enough about how incredible she is...

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Eden Marie, you absolutely take our breath away with how amazing you are...

Like your brother, I am so honored to watch the story that the Lord is writing for you and we are so excited to be apart of it.

We just couldn't love you more!

Ryder...

This little boy is funny and sensitive and strong and relational and has just the biggest heart and most tender nature. He is brave and independent and kind hearted. He is fearless and has a heart of courage and leadership that is truly a gift to watch grow and mature.  He is gentle with his sister and his top love languages are physical touch and quality time. 

He loves watching football or Meat Eater with his dad,  watching cooking shows like Chopped and eating chocolate with his mom, and playing kitchen, cars/planes, or tackling his sister in pretend football games.  He loves anything that involves hunting with a gun or archery and LOVEs to go to Bass Pro Shop with his Mia and Papa.  (He can consistently hit a bulls eye at 20 feet...)  He loves being outside and riding his bike and his FAVORITE person is his dad, hands down.  He loves to snuggle and read and can not pick a favorite book, "there are too many"...  His favorite meals are spaghetti, taco night, mac and cheese, and ANY meat that is BBQed. When he grows up he wants to be singing at a church and work with his daddy.  I can't say enough about my son.

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Ryder Rae, we are amazed by you and the little man that you are becoming!

I could not love you more and I am so honored to be your mama and I love watching the story that the Lord is writing for you!

legos...

These two could build things for HOURS!

Ryder's top love languages are quality time and physical touch.  The majority of the lego time was spent practically in Kit's lap♥.

"Everything is awesome!"

a new favorite for the kids...

When Kit travels, he always comes back with little treats for the kiddos.  At this last conference, he brought us this:

(Try to look past the buggy eyes on Jesus and the children...♥)

Ryder and Eden LOVE it and we have already made some really special memories snuggled up together reading it.♥

(Have I mentioned how great it is to have Kit back home with us?)

International Day at preschool

Last friday was International Day at school, and last wednesday I found out that the kids were encouraged to dress up.  I worked on Thursday.  Kit was out of town.  I did not feel like I was on my A-game.  After looking through the dress up stuff, the most "international" I could get was this:

 I had a beanie and eyeliner to work with.  We titled this:

French? Italian? Polish Dock worker? International bank robber?  Take your pick...

The best part was that he did not care.  He was just excited to be doing something different.

They had a party with fun food and made sombreros with plates and cups and talked about all different cultures... 

The day was such a win and it was a good reminder of what is really important:  Being in a school that he loves, with a teacher that he loves, in a class with one of his best buddies and lots of new friends, and healthy enough to enjoy it ALL!  Blessings all around!♥

Peter's Canyon

After being sick over the last few weeks, this last saturday we decided to go on a little day hike and get everyone outside.  We decided to go to Peter's Canyon Trail Loop.

 At the trail head, it warned us to be careful of mountain lions and snakes.  Ryder, equipped with his range finder, walkie talkie, water bottle, and map, was very much on the look out!

 It was so good to be outside!

 Good thing we picked him as our leader...

 Gosh I love when we get to spend mornings like this together!

creating: office organization

One of the things that Ryder's preschool experience has taught me as a parent is how much easier (and more fun) it is when you are organized and on top of what is coming up and going on. It sounds so simplistic and easy but it's TRUE! Dates on the calendars that are synced to both of our phones, setting things out the night before (clothes, back pack, show-and-tell items, snack bags...)  It has been so nice to learn some of these things this year before he hits a 5 day kindergarten program.  One of the things that has been a little hard for me is keeping paper work stuff organized.  Things like picture forms, scholastic book order forms, any type of signed paper work that the school needs from us...  If I'm not on my A-game, things can get lost in his back pack or in my purse or the front seat of my car.  So we devised a little station in our office using this little Home Goods find:

 It holds standard file folders PERFECTLY!

I added my favorite color of spray paint:

And after Kit had given me a new outlet, he and his team hung it for me:

I could not be happier how it turned out:

I have my eye on some file folders like these on Amazon:

The best part is that it's metal so I plan to use magnet clips for important stuff that need to go with him to school!  Kindergarten, we are ready for you.  (This does mean that I am limiting my excuses for things not being turned in or not being ready... Give and take, I guess.♥)
It it really possible that this little guy is going to be in kindergarten?!?

tiny projects that make a HUGE difference

Our office is the first thing that you see whe you walk into our house from the garage, which is the way that we come into our home.  It is the room that greets us and I always feel like we are tweaking it to make it work the best for our family.  

Kit recently did a project for me that helped make the room function so much better for us: He added another electrical outlet!

(This might not seem like a big deal, but It's been on our list since we moved in and I am so happy to check it off!)

Here is what we had:

One outlet by the door knob.  
(We think extension cords are super classy!)

On the other side of the tiny office Kit made space for an outlet using wiring from an outlet in the fireplace room:

So my handsome handy man made it happen:

 Lets not forget to mention the help from a very helpful crew!

Kit Rae, thank you for making things happen!  

I love and appreciate you!

getting ready to celebrate this girl...

In about a month we are going to be celebrating this little lady's third birthday.  I just can't believe that my baby girl is going to be three!!! Time really does time go fast...

Even though it will be a tiny party, I am having fun planning the little details so that she feels special and celebrated:

My sweet friend Angelina had thrown a baby shower when I was pregnant with Eden and lent me the bunting banners that she had used.  I made a felt garland to match and am working on a few more!

 She also gave me extra fabric to use for more craft projects!

Oh this little girl...  

We can't believe how amazing she is!

When party planning I know the reality: the truth is, just having her grandparents and cousins in town will make her feel like such a queen!

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Today Kit leaves for a 5 day conference in Tennessee and we are already missing him so much...
We love you Kit!
Thank you for working so hard for our family...
Hurry home to us...
We just can't wait to see you on saturday!

Irvine Regional Park Field Trip!

Oh my goodness, we had so much fun at the filed trip to Irvine Regional last friday.  It came after MANY days of staying home from school and being sick and after we had our antibiotics on board, we were ready to see our friends and have a school adventure!

 Our favorite little buddy Micah...

 Being in a preschool program with one of your closest friends is such a HUGE blessing!

(Oh yah, and the boys love each other too♥.)

 We did a train ride:

 Then headed to the zoo:

 These three little men make my heart so happy!

(Ryder, James, and Micah... I love that they got to go to school together this year!)

 We could not love our teacher Mrs. Stewart more!

She is the best ever!

 Last look at ducks before we headed home to spend an afternoon of family time:

 Oh this kid has my heart and I love getting to spend alone time with him!

Field trips are a favorite for us!