Zoo Day!

Last month we took a trip to the zoo with some friends. Luke had been begging to go for weeks and there was finally a nice day for it. The kids both had a great time and have already asked when we can go back. Here are just a few pictures I took.

My pretty missy on her tiptoes checking out the animals.

One of Luke's rare "aimed at the camera" smiles.


The carousel (Lily's favorite part.)


I just love this shot of all the kids lined up looking at one of the animals!


It was a fabulous day and I'm so glad we have such a great group of friends!

Birthdays!

Way back in January, my sweet little girl turned two! You hear that...TWO! Two is full blown toddler - not even partially baby anymore. Good thing she's so darn cute or I'd be sad(der) about that. Here are a few shots of her birthday.

Eating cupcakes!


Modeling her princess shoes.


Guess what else happened in January? My precious Luke turned four. If you can't keep them little forever, I think four is a pretty fabulous runner up in the great age category. He is the sweetest, most thoughful, loving little boy I could ever have prayed for. Here he is on his big day!

Blowing out candles!


And here is a shot of the three of us in the matching aprons that my mom made us!


I love these perfectly amazing kiddos so much it hurts and I am thankful every single day that I get to be their mom. Good thing we have a whole year of four and two before I'm faced with being Mom to a five year old and a three year old.

Luke's Christmas Performance

I know I am super behind on my blogging, but I'm still going to try and catch up in the order that events occurred. So here we go...

At the beginning of December, Luke's school put on a Christmas concert for all the grandparents (and parents too, of course.) It was so much fun to see Luke up on stage just singing his little heart out. He was so excited about the music and his sweet face would light up every time he looked at us in the audience and saw that we were all there watching him.

This is him shaking his bell during the song "Bells are Ringing".


Mimi and Papaw came to watch.

Lily certainly loves her Papaw!

This picture is probably my absolute favorite picture of Luke and his Nina.

And here are the kiddos with Grandpa.

After the concert and the book fair, I went back to Luke's classroom and got to watch them do something they call "Follow the Star". The kids all dress up like sheperds and then one of the wise men comes by all the rooms holding up a star and the kids all follow him to Bethlehem. Bethlehem is a room that they have set up with a manger and a real Mary and Joseph that tell the story of Jesus' birth. Then the kids get to go up and see the baby and ask any questions they have about the story. I thought it was really neat and I love how involved I and other parents get to be with what goes on at school.

The whole experience was wonderful and it reminds me of how much Luke is growing up and how thankful I am that there are so many people in his everyday life that are teaching him about Jesus.

Poor Baby

I had to take Luke to the doctor this morning because he wasn't getting better from the cold he's had the last ten days or so and yesterday his eye started getting goopy. Turns out he has a sinus infection and it has turned into an eye infection. We got some antibiotic eye drops and he's had three doses today, but his eyes just keep getting worse. Here are a few photos I snapped tonight.
This is him trying to look pitiful. Matthew and I think he looks like he's been in a fight.


And here's one to prove that he's not really as miserable as that first picture makes him out to be.


But he does feel pretty rotten and I'm really hoping the antibiotics will kick in tonight and he'll feel better in the morning. He's already been out of his room four times asking me to wipe his eyes and he's only been in bed for an hour.

Cold Weather

Apparently my children are embracing the spirit of cold weather. I snapped these pictures around 9:30 this morning, before we had gone anywhere or even stepped outside.





I would like to add that it is 75 degrees in our house right now and these two ragamuffins picked out their own clothes. They are so totally my children.

Happy Halloween!

Luke and Lily had a fabulous time trick-or-treating tonight. Luke wasn't shy at all this year, and Lily was unconcerned about anything except "Mo canny!" Here are a few shots of my rough and tough Ninja Turtle and my sweet fairy.









Luke was sick with a stomach virus this weekend and we missed the fall festival at church on Friday. I was so worried that he wasn't going to be well in time for tonight or that Lily was going to get it next and she would miss out. We are so thankful that everyone was well enough to go trick-or-treating and that we avoided the meltdown that surely would have occurred had one or the other of them missed out!

(And on a side note...my mom made Lily's fairy costume - didn't she do a fabulous job?)

A Little Bit Alike

Yesterday we took this picture of Lily playing in the dryer.



This was her first foray into the fun that can be had inside a major appliance, and Matthew and I were remembering how Luke used to do the same thing all the time. So I went back through our pictures and found this one of Luke.



They are exactly the same age in these two pictures. They were both taken in July when they were each 18 months old. I always think that they are so different from each other, but occasionally I am reminded that they really are a little bit alike. And lately I keep looking at Lily and thinking what a big girl she is, but when I see this picture of Luke, I feel like he was still so little. Have I mentioned lately that I wish my kids would STOP GROWING!?!