He is Risen!

Gibbs Gardens

We took our last trip to Gibbs for a while.  Our passes are expiring soon so we may not make it back.  We have enjoyed these beautiful gardens this past year.

Happy Birthday, Kayla!

Kayla is TWELVE!

Twelve years ago today we welcomed this sweet little girl into our family. You filled a hole in our hearts that we didn't even know we had. What a journey it has been to be your mother and to watch you grow!

You are a very independent and responsible young lady. You pick out your clothes for the next day every night before bed. You set your alarm EARLY and get up quickly. I can often find you with a book in your hand, and you are very focused during the school day to get your work done and to do it well. Your initiative during the school day is such a blessing to me as I work with your sisters.

Finding things is not your strong suit. If something is right in front of you then you often won't see it.  You also like to make up pronunciations to words.  You say them so confidently and have no desire to correct yourself.  I'm sure when one of your friends calls you out on it, things may change with that. :)

Some of your favorites are:

movie - Star Wars

TV show - Bringing Up Bates

foods - mashed potatoes, vegetables, noodles

candy - York and Reeses

things to do - clogging, reading, playing outside, talking

Kayla, 

You are such an amazing little lady with a kind, compassionate heart.  You love Jesus, reading your Bible, and singing worship songs and hymns. You love fiercely and are a loyal friend.  You are a deep thinker and like to analyze. Nothing is simple; you always have a complicated plan, but it gets the results you are after. Your sisters just adore you and they want to do whatever you are doing. No matter how early you wake up you always have a smile on your face. 

I'm excited to see what this year has in store for you as you prepare to move into your teenage years. I know it will be a year of growing (in many ways little munchkin), learning, emotions, fun, and learning to love God more. 

I love you my sweet Kayla. 

~ Mama

Strawberry Pickin'

Marc took off for Spring Break after a busy season at work.  We decided to take a day trip to the other side of town for some strawberry picking. We had never done this before, so it was a fun morning that we ended with lunch at the Blue Willow Inn.

It feels so good...

to have these people back with us. Everyone just picked up right where they left off.

A Little Bit of This and a Little Bit of That

As I was sitting down to catch up on some blogging I found some random pictures I set aside to include in a post. They are mostly random, but they are things I want to remember. A few were taken at the end of last year, but they are pretty recent. 

This girl loves her pink Build-a-Bear glasses. She also loves to wear them and look over the top of them with this face. She is too funny.

She loves this bear more than the glasses.  This was one of her last nights to sleep on the bear.  Once she got her new bed I told her it would raise her up too high over the bar so she couldn't have Strawberry in bed with her. 

My mom generously gave Kayla Nana's old bed.  It is one that raises up at the head and feet and it also vibrates. She wasn't sure if she would like having a new bed, but she is definitely enjoying the extra room now!

Playing hide and seek.

"Bat Girl to the rescue!"

We have a needy dog.  She can't be happy just to be out of the laundry room on home days.  She can't be happy to be in the same room with us. No, she has to be ON the girls' desk getting attention. 

 

One morning Kayla just gave up and moved to a different table to do her work.

 

Sometimes if you make her a soft bed next to you she will quit being so bothersome. Sometimes...

And finally, Kayla enjoyed being silly with a full moon.