School Time After Lights Out

Kayla and Macy have shared a room for 2 years now, and we still struggle to get them to go to sleep some nights.  They LOVE to play together after we have turned the lights out.  We do allow for that some nights of the week, but not when we have to get up for school or church the next morning.  We also make it very clear on the nights that they have to go right to sleep that there is to be no playing.  If they do play it would be disobedience, and they know all about the consequences that come with disobedience.  Still, we often have to go back in their room and lay down the law, so to speak.  One night Marc heard them playing as we headed upstairs for the night.  He walked in to find this sight.  They were playing school and had lined up EVERY doll and stuffed animal in the room as the students.  They were working on a art project of designing shirts so the girls had pulled out a "few" examples for their students to see.  I love that they play so well together, but oh my, the mess those two can make.

Soccer

Soccer season has begun! Marc and our good friend Mark A. are coaching the girls again this year.  Kayla LOVES playing and LOVES that her daddy is the coach.  Marc LOVES coaching the little ones and LOVES that the uniforms this year are orange and white. ha!

 Got myself another people watcher in the family.

Last year Kayla was one of the smallest players on the team. Well, not just the team, but the entire 4/5 year old division.  While she is still pretty small for her age she has grown and isn't quite as intimidated as she was last year.  She will get in the middle of things and try to get that ball! (She is #5.)

Resting.

I am so proud of her and all that she is doing.  Macy enjoys our special time Thursday nights while Daddy and Kayla have soccer practice, and she did great at the game last week.  She hasn't shown any disappointment that her sister gets to play and she doesn't.  I'm sure she will be excited when it is her turn next year, but I'm not sure what Marc will do about coaching with two girls playing!

Just Some Pictures

We are starting to phase out Macy's naps.  It's not always easy in the afternoons and evenings, but most of the time it is easier to get her in bed at night.  She does still occasionally fall asleep in the car or while watching a movie.  I just LOVE watching my babies sleep.

Brooke thinks she is such a big girl sitting at the table just like her sisters do.  The chair is still a little too big for her to get in and out of by herself, but she absolutely loves sitting in it.  

Kayla and Macy spent some time coloring our patio with chalk.  They made this huge blue rectangle and Brooke thought it was great.  She was covered in blue chalk.

Kayla worked so hard on making a lemonade and apple cider stand.  She loves that she can read (and read quite well for a kindergartner I might add), spell, and write. 

Kite Flyin'

We spent a beautiful Saturday afternoon having a picnic at the park, flying kites, and kicking the soccer ball around.  I enjoyed snapping lots and lots of pictures of my family having fun.

Dr. Dutton

I am officially married to a doctor! I never thought I'd marry a doctor, but here I am.  Marc passed his dissertation defense with flying colors and he is DONE.  I assumed he wasn't officially a doctor until graduation, but his advisor sent him an email calling him Dr. Dutton, so that's enough for me.  He has worked on his PhD for 5 years.  Add to that the 3 years he worked on his masters and that means 8 out of the 10 years we have been married he has been in school.  No more I say! I know it will take a few days weeks for him to adjust to not thinking about all that electrical stuff, but that will be nothing in comparison to the time he has spent over the last 5 years (and especially last 9 months or so) working on it.  

Marc, I am so proud of you and all that you have accomplished academically. How you have managed to complete your dissertation with as little disruption to our lives as you did is beyond me.  I am thankful for you every day.  And please promise me - no more school. Okay? :)

Marriage Retreat

Last weekend Marc and I were blessed to join some of our friends from church at a marriage retreat in Rome, GA.  The retreat was located on the Berry College campus, and resembles the architecture of Normandy, France. It used to be a dairy farm, but it has been wonderfully remodeled.  I remembered the Berry campus being nice, but I had forgotten how beautiful it was - the architecture, the grounds, everything. We had a nice weekend with no television, no internet, and very little phone use.  Delicious meals were prepared for us AND cleaned up for us.  We had several sessions that taught us new things and we had lots of free time to enjoy being together.  We took a long walk and a long nap Saturday afternoon.  Haven't done that in a while, but the nasty weather was perfect for curling up with a good book and sleeping.  I am thankful that my mom kept all three girls for two nights so we could enjoy this get-away. It was the first time we left Brooke overnight and she did great.

Sunshine

We have had some crazy weather this winter.  Most of it has kept us indoors, but one day a couple of weeks ago it was beautiful outside so I took Macy and Brooke up to our neighborhood playground for a little while before Kayla came home from school.

I am ready for spring and more days like this one!

A New Perspective on Life

My baby is finally walking! She started taking her first steps a few weeks ago, and now it is her preferred mode of operation.  She can't get herself to standing without pulling up on something, but if there is something nearby then she will pull up and take off.  I think she really enjoys this new found freedom.  Kayla and Macy couldn't me more excited for their little sister either.

Stuff

I wish I had more to blog about.  I do, actually, but I am waiting on Marc to get a video on the computer so I can add that to a post.  He is only in the middle of doing reviews at work, investigating the land we are planning to purchase, working on his PhD defense presentation, writing a paper for hopeful journal publication, trying to get quotes from contractors so that when our house sells we can move forward with building our next home, helping me with the kids in the evenings, and helping keep the house in order for potential house hunters that are not coming to see our house.  Sheesh! Can't he get a silly video up on the computer? (Marc, don't even think about doing anything with the video this week.)

On Sunday morning Macy came downstairs before the rest of us and got everything set up for the girls to eat breakfast.  She even had a plate out for Brooke.  Such a sweet little girl!

So as of today we are officially "under contract" for this land.  It has been quite a journey, but we are trusting that God took away other land opportunities for a reason.  We are happy with this lot and the neighborhood.  Closing date is set for March 18.  Now if we could just sell our current house.  If you know of anyone interested in moving to the Canton area let us know!

(Please excuse the way the girls are dressed. Long shirts, capris, and tennis shoes are not the norm over here.  We had to leave the house quickly before it got too dark to walk the lot.)

Bubbles!

Brooke loves bubbles.  She is learning how to blow and it is so cute to see her try and blow the bubbles.