It All Happened in the City

Gracie and Piper were able to participate in an Easter Play this year!  It actually didn't happen until the end of April, so I'm not that far behind:)

Gracie had a big part.  I didn't even really realize it until I saw the whole play!  We practiced her lines and listened to the CD a million times, but I didn't clue in.  I was so proud of her!  And I was really proud of Piper too, for sticking with it and getting up on stage:)  She was part of the choir.

I introduce to you, It All Happened in the City.....

Pipes was a city slicker

Gracie was a country folk. She sat on this hay bale the whole night to do her lines, so all the pix are like this:) There are probably better ones, but blogger is being a booger and taking forever to download.

She and Nathan, two peas in a pod

Way to go girls! Stepping out of your comfort zones and going for it!

Birthday Girls

Piper celebrated her SIXTH birthday in March?!  That's just plain crazy.

She wanted an American Girl Party so La La and I had one for her and Bella over Easter Weekend.  I forgot to blog about it:)

   

Bella Boo turned 4.

 

We did crafts for our American Girl party because we still have lots of little guys we love to celebrate with too.

Everyone hard at work on their canvases

 Piper's Masterpiece

La La made the cake.  She's pretty awesome.

The Dolls needed a place setting too

Happy Birthday to our sweet Middles.

Piper, you are a joy. Since you've turned 6, I see you maturing more and more. And the Lord's work has become evident in your life.
This past weekend, we had Tristen's Birthday party and it was a sleepover.  There were about 10 little girls in the tent. Whew!  You woke up in the middle of the night and came out to tell La La that you were cold.  She told you to go get in your sleeping bag.  Your response, "I don't have one because I gave mine to that other little girl because she didn't have one."

And your sister, Gracie was away this past week with Nanny and Papaw. You missed her SO much.  You seemed lost without her.  One day you sent her a text.  It said, "Hi Gracie I mos you so much. Theis is Piper."

Oh man, these things make my mama heart melt!  To see you serving others and loving your sister like this have been my prayer for you for years.  Thank you Jesus!

School's Out!

Gracie and Piper finished school two weeks ago!  They had a great first year with Dr. Gray and we are thrilled with all they have learned.  Second Grade and Kindergarten are in the books. 

We finished off the year with a friendly kickball game. Oh yeah!

The Grays and The Pattersons vs. The Gibsons and The Townsends.

These are from my phone, so not super great.

That is Dr. Gray above. She's a mean kickball player:)

Philip and Dr. Gray's daughter Erica.

Ava Townsend.  Go girl! We tied.  Thankfully for our team the dads showed up, or they would have creamed us:)

The Gang.

Pipey showing off her work for the year

The girls start summer school this coming week:(  Mama is sad.  I love having them home.  But it's only 3 days a week and for just a few hours.  I think it will help with the summer boredom factor and keep those little minds a going.  And Reese and I will be eager to pick them up and have fun when they are home!

Way to go girls!

Reese Update and A Peek into our Marriage

Reese is getting better day by day.  She is still coughing and spitting up some, but it's much less.  We were supposed to leave for Charlotte this weekend but we didn't want to spread any germs.  So we missed Tristen and Bella's Dance recital:(  It's been a long month, but I think in a few more days she will be back to normal.  Well, normal is relative.  Here she is wearing Piper's Amercian Girl's Doll glasses while I was painting the playroom yesterday.

Now, this next story, I hope you think it's funny. It cracked me and my friend Christy up so much, I had to share it with you.
You all know I have a pretty awesome husband.  He rocks.  Plain and simple.  When we are asked about our marriage and what we need to work on, he always says communication. And if you're reading here, you know how he thinks. And you know me. Case in point: Yesterday Jeremy and I were working on projects around the house.  I have lots of painting to do and he was doing lots of odds and ends. We went room to room discussing what needed to be done in each space.  We had some extra cabinets left over from our last house that he wanted to use.  So we were going to put them over the toilets in the bathrooms.  He took measurements and showed me where they would go.  I said it was fine.  Several hours later, he tells me the one in our bathroom is done.  I walk in there, and this is what I see....

What tha What??!!  I mean, really.  I just stood there stunned.  He said, I showed you that's where it would be.  And I just stared at him, and said, "What makes you think that would look good?"  And he says," It's just for storage, not for looks. And you can still get to the towel bar."  Cause if we move the towel bar...more painting for me.
  Oh my word, now I am only 5 ft 2 inches.  I can't even reach the bottom shelf, let alone any other shelf in that thing.

  So I was recounting it to Christy when she asked me what we did yesterday.  Then we we got off the phone I texted her a picture.  She was dying.  And so was I.  I went to bed still chuckling.  Oh I don't get the logic.  I sure do love my man though!
   

Soccer!

 Gracie and Piper played soccer this spring!  We just wrapped up the season this past Saturday.  We had a fun time each Saturday out at the field!

Gracie's Team, The Bears

 Girlfriend hustles so hard.

She scored a few goals this season:)

The beginning of the season, was coooold.

Gracie loved it and says she wants to play again next year!

Next up, Piper, and her wonderful coach, Daddy:)

Sister scored a few goals too:)

We played Upward Soccer,and loved it.  For Piper's age it is more instructional and the rules aren't as strict.  Jeremy tried to teach them the skills needed for soccer.  Gracie's age was more competitive and really fun to watch.  Soccer is hard!  I have no clue about it, but I sure enjoyed watching my girls play:)

Helllooooooo

Yes, Jeremy and Aunt Gale are getting after me, so I better do some catching up on here!  I have so many pictures to go through, so this post won't have any.  Bummer.

We did move in to our new house at the beginning of April, and I am still trying to get us settled.  This time it seems like there's so much to do!  We are loving, loving, loving the location.  It is soooooo much closer to everything.  I have so much more time during the day at home.  The house, let's call it our cozy little cottage, ahem, is taking some getting used to.  It's a lot smaller.  I didn't think it would feel like it was that much smaller, but it does.  And I don't really like that.  Just keepin it real.  So it's cozy, and I'm still trying to figure out where to put this and that.  I've gotten rid of TWO vans full of stuff too.  We have an awesome back yard and Reese spends most of her time out there:)  Piper has a friend next door.  And that is a huge blessing!

  Have I told you lately how amazing our friends and families are?  Seriously ah-mazing.  My mom and sisters came up to help tie up the loose ends at the rental and we unpacked most of the kitchen while they were here. Tracie helped on BOTH ends.  She came up and packed for several days and then came back the week after we moved in to help me unpack.  I can't live without her.  Then, my inlaws, oh my inlaws.  What in the world would we do without them?!  There are no words.  They packed us, unpacked us and everything in between.  Papa has been up here several times a week for the past several weeks working on our yard, putting in new faucets, toilets, and sinks.  They are beyond incredible.  I am so thankful.  And to top it all off, our precious church family here moved us and helped us unpack.  And clean. And they brought food. And lastly, my friend Lisa came up to help me get started on decorating. THANK YOU ALL!!!  We are SO blessed!

  School is winding down for the girls.  Their last day is Friday!  They are totally excited and ready for a break.  We all are.  They will be doing some summer school in June and August.  Their teacher just wants to keep up a little because they lose so much during the summers off.  It will be short and sweet and just a few days a week.  I think it will help them not get as bored for the summer. They have done so, so well this year and are above grade level!  We are very proud of their diligence.

  Last but not least, Can you please pray for Reesee?  She has been sick for three weeks now.  We are fairly certain she has whooping cough but we are still waiting on the results to come back.  She is pitiful.  There's lots of coughing and throwing up at the end of the coughing.  And the gasping for air during the cough.  It's no fun.  Pertussis is going around the schools here and she has picked it up. ( And no, my girls are not vaccinated.  But most of the kids in the schools that have it were.  And yes, I still stand by my decision to not vaccinate them.  I knew this was a risk.  Maybe I'll write more about this later:))
  Yesterday she started the antibiotic that would be given if she does have pertussis.  She is still pretty sick, but it might be helping a little.  Please pray it does.  The nurse practitioner told me today that the next step will be the hospital.  She is very, very contagious if she does have pertussis.  So I am keeping her away from everybody until we know for sure.  We've all been sick with various things, but she is definitely having the hardest time.

  So there's an update of what's been going on the past two months!  I owe you lots of pictures.  From Gage to Piper's Birthday to soccer and lots in between!

Guess what???

We did it! We this house:)

We are excited and overwhelmed all at the same time.  This will be two moves in 11 months, and a serious downsize...and down grade from our current house:)

It is 4 minutes from school for the girls!! Did you hear me?! FOUR minutes!!

It's on 3/4 acres with a beautiful fenced in back yard. It's not in a neighborhood, but it's on a street that has many small neighborhoods off of it.  And there's a family from church that lives behind us.

Please pray for us.  We wanted to live more simply and save money.  But I want to be honest, it's going to be an adjustment.  It's 1,000 less sq feet than we have now, and it's the smallest house we've lived in since having kids.  Yes, it can totally be done, (don't judge me!) it's just going to take much more organizing than I'm used to.

Can you pray for something else?  We close on this house the day my sister is due!  I will NOT miss that birth! So I have to have the house packed before I leave for Gage's delivery. That's anywhere from 2-3 weeks from now.  Not only do we have to pack, we have to patch and paint as well.

We are excited about this new chapter.