Singing in the Rain...

I have been on a bit of a vacation over at Ancelet Photography
Today I was itching to get out with my camera so we went out in a little rain. It was fun! The girls were so willing to be little models.
I have some shoots coming up so I am trying to get geared up! I am excited for the SPRING!

Kids say the darndest things...

Addie says "I AM STARVING" (dramatic as always)
Aidan says "No you aren't starving because people who are starving haven't eaten in a VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY long time and they are about to die!"
Addie says "I AM ABOUT TO DIE!" (again... with the drama!)

I know this is so wrong but I asked Addie "Who do you love more me or Daddy?" She said "I love you both the same" (I was totally prepared for her to say Daddy). I said "GOOD answer!" then I asked her "Who do you think we love more... Avery, Aidan, you or Abel?" with out even BLINKING... she said "me!"

Last night we were watching American Idol and I decided to start singing. I was acting like I was on the show. Avery said "Mom... you would not get past Simon... infact, you wouldn't get past any of the judges... except for Paula". haha! Does she know that show OR WHAT?

Happy Birthday "Party" Addie!

Tonight we celebrated Addie's birthday. It was a fun night. I am worn out!!
Addie went back and forth between wanting to have a Walle birthday party or a Tinkerbell Birthday party... she went with Tinkerbell. I am glad because I am not sure what we would have done for Walle.
We decided to have the girls who came dress up like princesses. Addie didn't have a Tinkerbell costume so her sister Avery created one for her! Thank you AVERY! Here is the outfit as a whole... It's the only picture I got of the entire outfit!

She has on a skirt (dress up clothes), one of her shirts (that goes with leggins) and some wings. Put it all together and BAM you have Tinkerbell (Ted said she looks like a tree fairy). She's cute ... anyway you look at it.

Here are some more pictures of my princess!

We ordered the cake from Emile's Edibles! YUMMY! HOW CUTE!

Just a cute picture that pretty much sums up our days. I say "Who rolled out all of the toilet paper?" and they all point to Abel. I say "Who peed on the floor?" and they all point to Abel. I say "Who smells?" ... You get my "POINT"... ha.

Abel knows how to enjoy a party! He finds the candy... and sits in the middle of the action so he won't get caught!

What a treat! Mr. Cliff surprised us with "story time". It was quite a story. All I heard was something about lint in someone's belly button... The girls were cracking up! Too cute! Thanks Cliff!

Addie opening her gifts. She wasted no time tearing into each one of them!

Penguin pillow from Aunt Charli!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR ADDIE... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

Has anyone seen Abel? OH... There he is!

Addison... we are CRAZY about you. Your dad and I adore you so very much. Here are 5 things that we LOVE about you!

1. Your JOY! The giggle that comes out of you is contagious!

2. Your humor. You make us all laugh with the funny things you say.

3. Your obedient heart. We appreciate the way you always want to help us.

4. Your imagination. We enjoy seeing the way you set up Polly Pocket world in your room and play for hours.

5. Your relationship with your siblings. It blesses our heart to see you love them so well. (yes, you love hard and fight hard... but we love the way you love them!).

HAPPY 5TH BIRTHDAY!

IT IS ABEL DAY!

Happy Abel day to you... Happy Abel day to you... Happy Abel day dear ABEL... Happy Abel day to you!

A year ago today we walked through this gate...


and this is what we saw....




We were already in LOVE but we got to see and hold our SON FOR THE FIRST TIME!


It was a dream come true!

and ALL of our LIVES were forever changed... FOR THE BETTER!!!!

We adore you Abel...

You can read about that day .... http://anceletadoption.blogspot.com/2008/02/we-are-here.html

TO CELEBRATE ABEL DAY we went to Chic Fil A and let Abel have his very own ICE CREAM CONE! ARE WE NUTS???

Abel... you put your ice cream down?? WHY?

OH... You got a phone call... You crazy TODDLER YOU!

What is that Abel?... you want some of my coke?... SURE! It's Abel day... drink up. (Every day must be Abel day because I always give this kid a sip of my coke!)

So Abel... how do you feel about being in our lives for ONE YEAR TODAY?

That's how we feel too! We are SO GRATEFUL and we APPLAUD OUR GOD IN HEAVEN who blessed us with you! We love you SO MUCH!

Long Time... No Post (SEE POST BELOW ABOUT ADDIE'S BIRTHDAY)... I posted these in the wrong order

I have not posted in a while. Just been busy. I really do want to post more. I am going to try to.

I haven't been taking many pictures lately. Here are a few things that have been going on....

Abel loves to strip off his diaper. There are many days where I see cute little brown buns running across the living room. I love it! I just don't love it when I sit in pee. YEP... you heard me right. We didn't realize he was diaperless... Normally we can tell but this day he had on overalls that were not buttoned on the legs (that makes sense if you are a mom of a baby who wears overalls)... anywho... We didn't know he was bare bottomed. I sat down at the kitchen table (which is Abel's FAVORITE place to hang out... he is ALWAYS climbing on chairs) and I sat in "water". I was putting on my shoes to run out the door because we were late headed to a birthday party. I asked Ted if he could button Abel's overalls before we left. He said "He doesn't have on a diaper!!". THAT WAS NOT WATER I SAT IN.

Abel also feels very relaxed when he takes a bath... how do I know? He POOPS! YEP... we've had a few of those episodes lately.

One more cute Abel story. I realized the other day that he was trying to sing something. He was make two grunt noises and then he would sit down. I thought... I bet he is singing Ring Around the Rosie. So I started singing it. IT WAS! Someone must have taught him that. I am guessing he learned it at Thursday school (where I teach). It is so cute to see him do it. I have to get it on video. When I do I will post it.

Avery had a science fair this week. She did a project on levers. It was so cute to see her present her project. I am so proud of her! She is doing great in school and went to her first slumber party a week ago. Right now she is really into the books that her daddy reads to her (he is reading Ink Heart to them) and she loves to change her earrings. She bought her first pair of earrings today (with her own money).

Aidan is learning to read. I am so proud of him. We are making it through our phonics lessons and he is catching on so well. He really understands math and loves to make up his own problems. It's cute to listen to him. He is always skip counting. He is also coaching Addie on her math skills (she struggles in the math department). Aidan is all about Ted's old Game Boy. He plays old games on it. He wants a Nintendo DS but is so content to have his dad's older model.

Addie turned 5 TODAY. I'm gonna do another post tonight about our day. She would just giggle when you would mention her birthday was coming up. She is such a love. She is so obedient right now. She has been that child that has always kept us on our parenting toes. WELL... She is in a phase right now where she wants to please us. She is always offering help and loves to do chores. I am SO THANKFUL for this phase!
Here are a few fun pictures...

This is so typical. Abel loves to sit on top of the kitchen table. Ted is good about telling him not to. I just think it's so cute how proud he is of himself. Here he is eating a muffin. It was Aidan's muffin. Smile with your eyes... (cause you ALWAYS have that passie in your mouth). In fact, he walks around with a few in hand.

My black scarf. Just thought it was a cute picture.

This has become a bad habit. She loves to sleep in OUR BED! Just call me a BIG FAT ENABLER... because I love to snuggle with her. I am so thankful for Avery because Avery has started sleeping in bed with her so she won't come in our room at night! What a great big sister. YES... they both sleep in a twin bed.

another sleeping picture

This kid LOVES to eat. He grunts... and NOW HE IS SAYING "MAMA... MAMA"... until he is fed. He does not lack in persistence! AT ALL

SISTERS! although Abel loves to put things on his head. It is very normal for me to see him walk out with something on his head. Yesterday, it was TED'S UNDERWEAR... (they were clean!)

Birthday....Valentine's Day... HOW FUN!!!

In my book TODAY IS MY DAUGHTER'S BIRTHDAY but it is also shared with the rest of the world (or America) in that it is Valentine's Day.

Here is OUR VALENTINE....

We had a BLAST today!

Our day started with donuts. ALWAYS! Our tradition is Dunkin Donuts on birthdays. Addie got to go with her Daddy to pick up the donuts. He gives them the option of staying to eat them (just dad and daughter) or coming home with them. She wanted to come home!! I love donut days!

After donuts the kids got to watch Madagascar 2. They had not seen it yet.

(I headed to the gym where I almost died from a Cardio Fuel class. . . DONUTS are not good fuel for Cardio. I had to quit the class! I felt like I was gonna puke!)

We all got ready for the day and then HEADED TO THE MALL! This was Addie's birthday treat!

She got to pick where we ate lunch. She decided on McDonalds. We went through the drive through and then headed to the mall food court. Charlotte (aka Aunt Charli) and her boyfriend joined us for lunch. After lunch we took Addie to the Disney store to spend the money she got her for birthday from Ted's mom and dad. She picked out a Stitch plush doll, a cat plush doll and a Tinkerbell doll that you can fix her hair (a big one where it's just the head and shoulders of Tinkerbell).

The Christian radio station was having a fun day at the mall. Addie got her face painted and Abel cuddled up with the cow. It was his nap time and I think he thought... a soft place to chill... so he went up to the cow and raised his arms... how cute!)

Here is Abel just chillin' with cow! Do you think the girl in the background is smiling for the picture?Avery got her face painted too!

Charlotte asked me if I would host another dating game for some of her friends... OF COURSE I WILL. She set it all up and we hosted. It was SO MUCH FUN! I laughed a LOT tonight. I think my favorite was Caroline saying Paul wanted to be Soldier Boy (when asked if he could be any famous person, who would he choose). It was just a FUN time. I love to laugh!There were 6 couples in all. Above is Rachel and Winston (ENGAGE AS OF LAST NIGHT!) and Charlotte (my little sis) and her boyfriend (who is dear to my heart)Critter.

Below is Karli and Kevin, Janie and Kendal, Kelly and Andy (WINNERS) and Caroline and Paul (who are getting married in August... guess who their photographer is?

What a fun day! I am so thankful for MY BIRTHDAY GIRL and Valentine's Day!

Frost E. Snowman

It snowed BIGGY TIME today! School was cancelled (after it had already started). The girls went out and built this snow man! HOW FUN. Tomato eyes, carrot nose and blueberry mouth!

Here he is NAKED!
Here are the girls... they are so proud!

A clothed Frost E. Snowman!

Avery got two sticks off of the tree for his arms

Ok... so maybe I helped a little. I dressed the poor guy.. He looked so COLD. Ted took this picture and I didn't know he was taking it. HA!