Band Aids Are Back!

A few months back I posted on here about how Band Aids aren't a necessity. My sweet friend read that post and sent a care package over the weekend that included BAND AIDS!!! My girls are so happy!!! They have been missed. More than anything the package came at the most opportune time for me because I was having a particularly hard afternoon. I felt the love of the Lord when it arrived. Thank you Meredith for being so thoughtful and fun! It meant leaps and bounds to feel in that moment that I am not forgotten when days are hard. 

P.S. Bella immediately found a "boo boo" she wanted to put a Hello Kitty on! ;) 

These Small Hours

I love seeing these little handprints all over my tv. I'm amazed at how fast time flies by and soon these hands will be much bigger. 

I am LOVING this sweet boy. So do his big sisters. 

To Bruise; Or Be Bruised...

I have called this little man "Bruiser" for awhile now. He is a rough and tough baby. He throws himself into you when he's excited. He will hit the back of his head against things when he's happy. 

Over the weekend he took his first big spill and hit his noggin on the window sill. He looks out the front windows and he went to stand up against it and missed, hitting his head. He had a huge goose on it Saturday. These pics are 5 days later. 

He gets hurt all the time. And he's only 10 months. :( Here's hoping he can make it through without stitches, casts and staples like his big sisters Ken and Bella. 

He will continue I'm sure to be our little Bruiser! 

What's New?? Oh Not Much...

 Ken being Ken. Love the skirt with the DC shoes! (and the pose, of course!) :)

 This dead fly was pretty gross next to my desk. I can still see the guts. :(

 Bent was amused at Ken playing her flute today.

 He was dancing here! 

 Then, he wanted to grab it!

 Good attempt Bentley

 Then he just wanted her music.

 And settled for a kiss from big sis. 

Tornadoes

This is what a tornado looks like.
{Aiden}

and this: 

{Bentley}

Angie started calling Aiden "Tornaiden" and Bentley is following in his footsteps. They get into everything! Watch out world for these forces of nature. Tornaiden and Bentnado!

Bye Bye Binky?

Bentley has decided to be done with his binkies. :( This makes me so sad because it means he's getting older. He was my first baby to take a binky and he loved them. I loved getting the chance to buy the cutest ones I could find. 

 I suppose it's a blessing really because this way he won't be 2 and a half still wanting his binky. Today I tried giving it to him one more time just to see but this is exactly what he's been doing...

look at it

 Chew on the back

 Throw it down on the floor

 Chew on it some more

 Look at it

 Throw it

 And there we go. 

 Good bye binky :( Mommy will miss you the most.

A Good Look

Sometimes in life we are able to take a good long hard look at ourselves. As if in a mirror but one that can't be seen. Often we are able to see where we can improve and sometimes those things are much more obvious than others. I feel so humbled lately at all the areas that I need to improve in, especially my parenting. Sometimes what I see in my {mirror} is not so pretty... but perhaps that's when we can make some good changes. I often wish I didn't make so many mistakes and that I could just "know" how to do things first.


I was able to go to church up in Dallas over the weekend and the topic in Sacrament was strengthening families. I loved this quote from a wonderful speaker who quoted who I think she said was a child psychiatrist: 
"I've come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the [family]. It's my personal approach that creates the climate. It's my daily mood that makes the weather. As a [mother], I possess a tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or de-humanized." Haim Ginott


I know this is true. I want to be a happy, positive, uplifting source for my kids and more than not I seem to be absent-minded and stressed out with everything on my plate. I'm grateful for these feelings I am having so I can act on them and do better. 

RanDomS

I was riding Bella's bike home from a baby shower and my phone was in my pocket and locked. Somehow I dialed 911 and turned it on speaker while in my pocket and this pic was taken as I heard it ringing and the 911 operator answering. Oopsie! 

Big Girl on a little bike...

Kemah with Selina while she was visiting us from Colorado

Kensington & Arianna 

before going to the band lock in March 2011

Selina and I have been friends since 5th grade. I just love her!! I was so thankful for a visit a couple weeks ago... just not long enough :( 

Ken being Ken

Bentley is so mobile now. He is into everything. He pulls himself to stand all the time. He loves playing with his sisters and his new favorite thing is to listen to you make animal noises. 

Sweet boy. 10 months already. 

Kensington

Happy 13th Birthday Braelyn

Braelyn is a teenager now. Watch out world. She's a knockout. 

We had some friends over for cake and ice cream on her special day.

Some of her girls 

The next day Braelyn and I went shopping and that evening we went to the Kemah Boardwalk to ride the rides. It was WAY fun. I was most excited to finally ride the Boardwalk Bullet! It's a wooden coaster and I love them all! I love being shaken alive. So fun! Braelyn is by far my most conservative thrill seeker. She isn't crazy about coasters at all. We had to wait in a 40 minute line to ride and the poor girl was freaking out! When it came down to it she wanted to walk down. I finally gave in and said it was her choice. Once I did that she decided for herself that she would ride. I told her I was so proud of her. To have seen her you would know how scared she was. This pic was taken about 5 minutes before we got on and she was so unsure that she wouldn't even let me joke around with her. Amazing what our fears do to us. 

She actually liked the ride and I was so happy she chose to try it- whether in the end she liked it or not, at least she conquered a true fear. What a good feeling. 

Happy Birthday to my firstborn. You are making me feel really old now princess. Always humbled to be your mom. I adore you and am amazed at how you try so hard to always do what is right. 

I <3 You!