Happy Birthday Allison

This was one of the first pictures Bill took of Allison. She entered this world on Saturday, May 19, at 6:45 p.m. by emergency c-section. She has blessed our lives from that moment on.

I can't believe we just celebrated her second birthday!!

Allison with my grandmother. My grandmother was so proud to hold Allison when she was just a few hours old! This is one of my favorite pictures.

One day old

The first time Allison met big sister Lauren

The sisters loved each other at first sight!

Daddy and Allison

Uncle Bill and Allison

Can't believe she had such dark hair!


This was her first birthday!

We celebrated Allison's birthday with family on Saturday, May 16. Allison wanted Elmo plates and napkins. I tried to make Elmo on her cake! You have to really stretch your imagination to see him in the top left corner. Oh well, my artistic abilities have never been all that great!

Allison's cake

She went right for the icing!

Lauren actually blew out the candles instead of Allison. Guess it was good, because I forgot to let Allison practice blowing!

Allison's party hat

She ate all the icing first

Then ate the ice cream

She gave up on using a spoon with the cake and ate it with her fingers

The umbrella was one of her favorite gifts

Big sister Lauren helps her open her presents

Allison got lots of beach related gifts since we leave for the beach on Sunday. We had a great time with our family celebrating our baby's second birthday. What a blessing it is to have two such wonderful little girls.

Lauren's First School Program

The three year old classes at Lauren's preschool had their end of the year program this past Tuesday. It is always fun to watch little children perform. You really don't know what will happen. The children walked in procession into the auditorium to the song "It's a Small World". That was a long walk for each child to walk in by his or herself.

After the Pledge of Allegiance, the children sang the following songs:

Jesus Loves the Little Ones Like Me

Barney Rainbow Song

Fuzzy Caterpillar

If All the Raindrops

My God is So Big

After singing, the children were presented with graduation diplomas for completing the three year old class of preschool.

We love Mrs. Jackie and Mrs. Christy and have been blessed to have them for Lauren's first teachers in preschool. Lauren has loved school from the first day. Seems like only yesterday when I posted her first day of school pictures.
She is already looking forward to going to the four year old class next year.


Lauren in the procession


Lauren standing on stage


Lauren's class


Singing


Singing "My God is So Big, So Strong and So Mighty"



Typical picture of Lauren with her head tilted

Cookies and drinks in the room after the program

A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words

We started a two week swim class yesterday. Can you tell which sister liked the first lesson and which one was a bit hesitant?


Lauren at her first swim lesson

Lauren testing the water

Allison having a ball

Both girls are excited to go back for their next lesson tomorrow. We had to miss our second class tonight because of Lauren's school program and graduation. Yes, my baby graduated from her 3 year old preschool class tonight! I can't believe how fast the year has flown. I'll post about her program and graduation another day.

Mother's Day Celebrations

I enjoyed my first Mother's Day celebration of the week on Thursday by going to a Tea at Lauren's school. What a wonderful morning we had together. I left Allison with Grandma so Lauren and I were able to spend some time alone! I was expecting cookies and tea in her classroom and was pleasantly surprised by a schoolwide wonderful brunch in their fellowship room. We got to sit with several of Lauren's good friends in her class, so that made it a wonderful time for all of us.

Lauren and I


Ariel, Darrah and Lauren

Ariel, Lauren and Esther

Our next celebration was on Saturday when we had a cookout at our house with Bill's family and mine. My parents and brother were there, as well as Bill's Mom, Tim, Dave, Jen, Parker, and Jared. It rained all morning, but fortunately when it was time to cook the rain stopped and Bill didn't get soaked cooking! We had such a relaxed and wonderful time being together with family. My sweet brother got Mom and I poster size collages filled with pictures of our trip to the mountains back in the fall.

Today we got to spend the day going to church and then just relaxing at home. There's nothing better than being home with the family! And there's nothing better than being a Mom to two beautiful angels that are gifts from God!

My two girls on Mother's Day


Mother's Day kisses!

Blue Skies and Sunshine

Today at lunch time Allison wanted to say the blessing before we ate. She bowed her sweet head and said, "Thank you God for blue skies and sunshine, and blue skies and Mommy and Daddy and Sissy, Amen" That sweet angel never ceases to amaze me. I can't believe she'll be 2 in less than a month.

We were very thankful for our beautiful day and enjoyed lots of outside time, even though it was a bit on the hot side at times. We had to break down and turn the air conditioner on around 4:00 because even with all the ceiling fans blowing and all the windows open it was 80 degrees in the house. Thank you God for air conditioning!:)

Lauren and Allison drawing with chalk

Lauren's new bicycle

The girls in their hats

This picture is looks a lot better full size

Allison looking at the Japanese maple

Helping Daddy water the plants

Easter

What a beautiful Easter Sunday we were blessed with! Easter is always a special time at my parents' house. The first time Bill ever went to my parents' house when we were dating was over Easter weekend. If my memory serves me correctly, we have been to Mom & Dad's every Easter since then. Each year we are there, I always remember that first Easter together with great fondness. My life has been so blessed being married to Bill.

Here are a few pictures to capture the fun we had over the weekend.

Allison enjoying Easter candy and a movie on the drive to Mom & Dad's

Lauren singing in the car.......she loves to sing

The Easter eggs we colored. We didn't get any good pictures of the girls coloring them because we had a spill that left the floor and one of Mom's dinning room chairs blue!

Easter morning

After church

The girls with their bunnies

Allison would not look at the camera....she was too interested in the lollipop!

Sweet little Lauren....Allison still trying to get the lollipop open

Lauren finding Easter eggs

Allison finding Easter eggs

Allison looking at her eggs