April

April is my favorite month. We were married on April 3, 2004 so this year we celebrated our 6th anniversary. I meant to write a sweet, meaningful post on how much I love my husband and how wonderful he is, but that didn't happen. Even though I missed posting, he is a wonderful husband and I am still as in love with him today as I was 6 years ago. That day was one that will forever be burned in my memory (for good and bad reasons), but the most important thing was that, at the end of it, I married my best friend.It is unbelievable to me that it has been 6 years already. It has gone by so fast!
I also turned the big 3-0 on the 15th. I took it a lot harder than I expected. I don't think it was as much about getting "old" as it was sadness to be leaving my twenties. So many wonderful things happened in my twenties. College, graduation, moving to NH, engagement, marriage, babies. All of those things have been so life-changing and incredible, and I have enjoyed my twenties immensely. I just feel like the thirties are going to be the "hard" years since the kids will be going to school and hitting their teens all in the next 10 years! I guess I am enjoying them being little right now and am really intimidated about what the next 10 years hold for us. I did have a great birthday though. My friends took me out for a girl's night to see Date Night which was one of the funniest movies I have ever seen. we had so much fun and laughed louder than everyone else.

My awesome hubby took me out to dinner at my favorite restaurant and bought me a Nikon D 300 camera that I have been wanting forever, so hopefully I will be able to improve my photography skills after I finish reading the 200 page manual. Tech savvy I am not! I do feel like he gave me the gift of beauty since I will be able to capture what I see in a new way. I love him!

I am always a little sad on my birthday because it is one of those times when I feel the loss of my dad just a little bit sharper. He would always call me starting in March and tell me how many days till my birthday. He would try to find a special book for me (since that was a love that we shared) or a special present just from him. It didn't have to be expensive, just something that he picked out himself. I miss hearing his voice teasing me or telling me about the day I was born, how excited he was and how much I meant to him. I thought losing him would get easier with time, but the longer he is gone the more real it becomes.

Easter was also in April this year, and (thanks to my mom) the kids looked absolutely adorable! They were not thrilled about mom trying to take their pictures, and taking one of all three was almost impossible! I still tried to snap a few as they were opening their Easter baskets.




After church, we went over to Ron and Luanne's house for Easter dinner. She had gone all out with games, baskets, and an egg hunt for the kids. That woman is incredible! We had a fabulous time.



I love April for many reasons, but mostly for the promise of new life and sunshine. It has been a beautiful month weather wise, and we are soaking up the sun and playing outside as much as we possibly can!

Glorious summer!

It took awhile, but we finally have the summer weather we have been waiting for! I haven't posted much since we have been out enjoying it with the kids as much as possible.

In July, Isaac's parents came down to help us celebrate Judah's first birthday. We had it at Jen's house, and it poured the whole time. We still let the kids outside in their bathing suits, and they loved playing in the rain. Judah had a good time too!





We definitely didn't let the rain get us down, and the kid's had a great time. Judah loved his first taste of watermelon and cake. It was the perfect day to celebrate our special boy and his first year of life. When we got home, I bathed the kids and then we let Judah open his presents (actually, the twins opened them and kindly let Judah play with some of the wrapping paper). Notice the lovely long-sleeved jammies. in July. Yes, it was that cold. yikes!


The next day, we dropped Judah off at Jen's to spend the day playing with Ezra, picked up Abby, and headed to Storyland. It was so much fun! Having Grandpa and Grandma Davis with us was the icing on the cake. Evalyn and Abby loved the Princess castle while Gavin's favorite ride was (of course!) the train. We stopped at Flatbread on the way home and had organic pizza made right in front of us in an open air kitchen. That was really cool! We were all exhausted by the end of the day, but we had such a good time. Here are some pictures of our day....

We got VERY wet on this ride!


Daddy and Evalyn stopping for gas.



Since Isaac gets severe motion sickeness, guess who got to ride all the round and round rides?



The pirate on the ship was apparently very convincing.


My favorite picture of the day....


We just got back from vacation in Pennsylvania and I still need to get some pictures from our trip up, but I am so tired tonight so it will have to wait. We are going to the beach tomorrow with the kids for family day. I will try to remember our camera this time! Have I mentioned how much I love summer?

A whole year...

7/8/09
Baby Boy,
I remember this moment a year ago, when they laid you on my chest and I saw your sweet little face for the first time. My heart was so full of love for you! I remember going to the hospital thinking it would be cake this time around, since I was only having one baby. I couldn't have been more wrong! You just didn't want to come out, and I have to say I loved having you in there too, feeling your kicks and movements. After 16 hours of labor, three hours of pushing, I held you in my arms, and you were even more beautiful than I imagined. Your name means "praise," and we have been praising God for the joy you have brought into our lives from the second we found out about your existence.

I can't believe my baby is one. You are sweet and happy, but have a strong will and quite a temper when you don't get your way. You are the darling of your brother and sister, and can do no wrong in their eyes. They love to mother you, play with you, and share their most precious belongings with their "baby brother." You are crawling everywhere and you have recently mastered the stairs(which you are quite happy about).

Your favorite time of the day is bath time, and you always yell at me for getting you out. You wake us up in the morning by standing in your crib, talking loudly and banging as hard as you can for someone to pay attention to you. You are pure sunshine, and you have brought so much joy into our lives. Happy first birthday, sweet boy.
Love, Mama