I Apologize...

I am a horrible blogger.  I know.  I've been told that a few times lately.  But here's the honest truth, I've been sitting here at the computer for maybe 6-7 minutes uploading these pictures and I've already been up to get my youngest a snack, again to wipe a sweet little rear end that didn't smell so sweet and been commissioned to weave freshly picked flowers into Rapunzel's hair (which I did an excellent job of if I may say so myself!).  I start a post and then am often quickly convinced that it just wasn't meant to be that day.  Granted,  it probably doesn't take a whole lot to convince me. ;)

So here is an apology post with some fun April pictures of what my girls have been up to.  I LOVE spring!  I also love summer, fall and winter, but since it's spring right now, that is what I really love.  For reasons like, it's a great time to bring out the flying mermaids to play in the rain.  Seriously, that drainage ditch is of untold worth in our family!

Egg dyeing is always a memorable event with a one-year old.  Can you tell she is super-concerned about the fact that she is turning blue?

I also love a little spring cleaning.  This is not staged.  A $12 dust buster may have been one of my single best purchases of the year.  My girls fight over who gets to vacuum up my dirt piles and the dried mud they track in.

I also LOVE, LOVE, LOVE our yearly spring trip to my parents' farm!  A little minnow catching going on...

Although they evaded the girls, never fear!  Mommy caught 11 in one fell swoop!  Mallory is torturing examining them in the water bottle here.

A little s'more cooking anyone?

Or maybe a little turkey carving is more your style?

Just for the record, this picture kind of captures the personality of my youngest

As does this one.

The wildflowers and butterflies were out everywhere!  Avery was our official butterfly catcher (and she is good, let me tell you), Landry is our flower picker (nothing's changed here) and Mal?  Well, Mallory is officially up for anything big girls do.  I'm beginning to get barraged by my kids so short captions for  the rest of the pictures.

Three butterflies in one net

LOVE this picture

Re-did Easter dress pictures since it was raining and nasty on the actual Easter Day.  Sweet smiles here...

Then Daddy made tooting noises and got the real smiles.

She looks tough... Can you look tough while trying to catch butterflies?  Seems antagonistic.

Not at the farm, but look what crawled up to our back porch... Surely on accident.  We were loving it though.

Checking in

In my usual slightly-later-than-I-meant-to fashion, here is Halloween and beyond.  :)

The girls were inspired by Little House on the Prairie for their costumes this year (with minimal prodding from their Laura Ingalls loving mom).  Avery was a cowgirl (not really in the books, but you can see how it connects), Landry was an indian with the all-important papoose, and Mallory was the pioneer girl.  They looked SOOOOO cute!

My three gals 

Mallory cruisin' in her covered wagon 

Quite possibly one of my favorite days of the fall was one day we just all went out and hung out at the land.  I think it is good for my soul... outdoors, a little time to wander and explore, a little smaller crowd than usual... I love watching my kids just putt around, notice things around them and enjoy nature.  I personally think it's becoming a lost art.

PawPaw showed the girls how the inside of mussel shells were iridescent.  They immediately went to cleaning them so they could see all the rainbows in the shells.

Off to dink around in the woods.  Our little neighbor came and hung out with us that day so it was extra special!

Seriously... these pictures make me so happy.

Making lovely art in the mud 

Roasting marshmallows while Daddy sneaks in a little evening hunt.

Had to sneak this picture in for my Daddy.  Mallory LOVES her boots!  She requests them by name most mornings.

Never content to have one hand full.  This applies to paintbrushes, snacks, Kleenexes, toys... pretty much everything. 

Helping mommy clean up the kitchen 

Christmas pajamas! 

Clay was making ridiculous faces behind me and cracking Mallory up. 

And speaking of cracking up, Landry waltzed into the kitchen in this the next morning.  Can anyone think of a better way to start your day?  I can't.

Every year I'm disappointed that no one in Paris (that I can find) sells tall Christmas trees.  We have 10 ft ceilings in our living room and I'm a bit Clark Griswold-ish and would like an 11.5 ft tree... Okay, so I would settle for a 9 ft tree.  So this year, we went out to the land to find our own Texas cedar Christmas tree.  Not quite as nostalgic as a pine, but free and big. :)  I know, I'm ridiculous.  I have to admit, it was difficult to decorate since cedars aren't as sturdy as pines, but it works.

Mallory preferred decorating from the ladder.  The kid has no idea what a little runt of a person she is. :) 

  

And last, but not least, a shout out to Miss Audrey for taking us backstage at the Christmas play!  The girls thought it was so cool and loved seeing so many friends on stage.  Thank you!!!

Five years ago today...

Five years ago today... It's hard to imagine.  I have prayed the same prayer for my firstborn for five years now.  That she grow in wisdom and in stature, in favor with both God and man, that she will bring glory to God all the days of her life.  It is a prayer that is offered daily and answered daily.  Today I am thankful for my children, especially Avery Maurine Spencer.  I am thankful for the selflessness that I have learned (and continue to learn).  I am thankful for the joy she gives me everyday.  I am thankful for the small insight to what God must feel about his children.  I pray that I am a good steward of this precious little gift God gave me.

October 24, 2006

2007 

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