Playing Catch up!

This past week has been filled with lots of stuff, we were busy every day so I didn't have time to post anything...now I'm playing catch up from the week!

We did lots of fun things though so here's a brief recap. I picked up some glow sticks at the Dollar Store last weekend, the boys thought it was awesome taking their bath in the dark and using the glow sticks, they even wanted to sleep with a couple of them, since it was the weekend we didn't fight their request! They were talking about this for several days.


Monday we went to the park with friends and had a big time...


Wednesday while Peyton was at school Lawson and I enjoyed some Mother/Son time sitting at the table painting, sorting buttons according to color and counting them too, he had a great time!


Thursday Adam and I took Peyton to Kindergarten Kick-Off, which seems crazy that we have a child going off to Kindergarten this Fall...he was quite hesitant to go in but once we got in there he had a great time visiting the Kindergarten classes while the parents had a meeting with the Principal and Asst. Principal. I was encouraged to find that several of his friends from his previous soccer team will be there as well as several of our neighbors which made it easier for him to see people he recognized!

Friday we did a Family Social with many of the families from our Sunday School class. Lawson was sick so Adam stayed home with him and Emerson. I am now helping to plan the socials for our class and this was my first one to do, it was definitely fun! We had over 60 people (adults and kids), with 19 boxes of pizza, tons of brownies and cookies, sodas and capris-suns all around...we had quite the feast! We reserved the CLC at church and the kids and Dad's went wild in the gym....here's a few pics from that.




Saturday was another big day, Peyton had a soccer game and Adam is the coach so they headed off for that while I stayed home with Lawson and Emerson, Peyton had another good game, he didn't score but he did block another kids shot, so that was good! After the game I headed out to a Southern Savers Couponing Event...can't say I'm gonna be a "crazy coupon lady" but I do get inspired by the savings. Here I am with Jenny (who started Southern Savers), she was super nice and easy to talk to.

You can check out Jenny's money saving thoughts and ideas at Southern Savers, it really was neat to hear, I'm inspired and hoping to save more money!

After that I used a Pedicure Gift Certificate that Adam had given me for Mother's Day last year, I decided I better use it before it expired! It was A-MAZ-ING, so incredibly relaxing, it was at an Aveda Salon and it was dimly lit and music was playing softly in the background, I almost couldn't walk out of there!

Sunday we went to church then came home and had lunch, then the little boys went down for a nap while Adam and Peyton went out to a field and took his training wheels off. He learned how to ride his bike like a big boy, didn't get pictures of it, but they are sure to come! He was super excited and quite proud of himself!

Little Scientist In Training

Today was really great, we did several science experiments and played together a bunch, it was really fun! I found these ideas here and here.

First we made mini volcanoes using baking soda, vinegar, food coloring, a pie pan and an eye dropper. The boys literally did this for about 35 or 40 minutes, they thought it was awesome!


All you do is fill a pan with piles of baking soda, fill little cups with vinegar plus 4 or 5 drops of food coloring, give the kids an eye dropper, fill it with the vinegar coloring and let them make little volcanoes.





After that we blew up balloons using 2 funnels, vinegar, baking soda and a water bottle. This was really cool. You fill your bottle 1/3 full of vinegar using a funnel, then fill the balloon half way (using another funnel) with baking soda. Attach the balloon to the top of the water bottle being careful not to spill out any of the baking soda, once its attached dump the baking soda into the vinegar and watch the balloon fill up with gas! The boys thought this was too cool!





After we blew up 2 balloons, we made "tennis rackets" out of paper plates and popsicle sticks (I had to use hot glue to get the sticks to adhere well). The boys had a big time tossing the balloon back and forth in the den.

Little Girl Clothes!

My Mom came to be with us this week as we found out the sex of Baby Head #4. When we found out that the baby was a girl, we couldn't help ourselves, while the boys were in school, we couldn't resist going to some shops and getting Ava Jane a few outfits to start out her wardrobe!

I always knew if I had a girl I'd really have to restrain myself from going over board with all the clothes and accessories...but now that its a reality, I can tell it's going to be a real test of self discipline for sure! Here's a few things she's got waiting on her...I can't wait to see her in these!



I can see her sweet little shoulders in this precious outfit...I loved the polka dots and sweet little lady bugs!


And this adorable smocked romper...melt my heart!


And every little girl needs a big pink bow/headband atop her head!

Drum Roll Please....

For all my coaching group friends from Little Rock, whom we've all had boys (except for Katie), I want to scream from the roof tops...we're having a GIRL!! May I present to you, Ava Jane Head (she'll go by a double name.) She currently weighs in at 7oz, everything looks great and she is still on track to arrive Sept 20th. (This picture is a side profile shot, her profile is along the bottom...unfortunately its not a great pic but she wasn't cooperating very well!)


We are totally over the moon about it! Honestly when I woke up this morning, I prayed again to God, "Lord would you please give me a girl?" I know you "can" but "would" You?

When we got to the appointment Adam said, "I'm more nervous to find out today then when we were finding out the first time with Peyton!" I said, "why" and he said, "well if its another boy, my, what a responsibility God's given us with four sons...but if its a girl, I'll be learning all new things with a girl!" Either way, moving on to four little peeps does seem a bit overwhelming and exciting all at the same time!

As I laid on the table with the Ultrasound Tech doing her thing, after about 25 minutes of prodding and having me roll from side to side, sitting up, laying back down, just trying to get that little peep to spread its legs or roll over, the Tech said to me and Adam, "you see that right there" (I was sure it was testicles) she said, "you see those little white lines...those are little girl parts!" (on the picture the white lines going up toward the top are her thigh bones). Anyway, I just about died, tears filled my eyes and Adam and I both were over joyed. I did have her check 3 more times...she said to me, that in 19 years of doing this she's only been wrong once...I'd say that's pretty good odds then!


I only have these few pictures of her profile and her girl parts because the CD they used messed up, so in 4 more weeks I get to go back and have another ultrasound and will post more cute pictures of her sucking her thumb and waving to us, which she did this morning!

We are over the top excited and the boys are thrilled! Peyton has been saying all along that the baby was going to be a girl...guess he just had an intuition!

Thank you Lord for answering our prayers, we can't wait to meet this sweet little blessing!

Weekend in Review

We had a great weekend, though it was pretty busy. All before 10 am Adam had already been down to check on the MS run that the hospital was supporting and he'd coached Peyton's second soccer game...when we got in the car at 10:30 be both breathed a sigh of relief and said, "man if feels like its 2:00"!

Peyton played so great, he blocked the other team from scoring a goal and he dribbled the ball all the way down the field to score a point for his team, it was exciting for sure! Look how cute he is running it down and scoring his goal, he was pretty proud!



Here's some pics from the cheering section...



"Go Penguins!"


This is Peyton's favorite part of the game...running through the tunnel, can't you see the pure joy on his face?


After that we headed home for an early lunch, we were all starving and it was literally 10:45AM! Oh well! And poor baby Emerson was so pooped out.


Then it was time for a little car maintenance, so Adam and the boys had a big time washing both of the cars.


And the bushes...




He worked up quite a thirst...


Adam washing the top of the car...


We decided to cook out that evening and made some very tastey Wild Mushroom and Blue Cheese stuffed burgers that I found here, and also made a South West Grilled Vegetable Salad that was quite yummy too. Here's my master griller doing what he loves to do on the weekends!


And playing with Emerson through the window while we waited for our delicious meal!


Poor Lawson started running fever this afternoon, its been 102 all evening...I'm hoping it goes down and that he feels better tomorrow. I'll be doing the every couple hours wake up to check on him and his breathing...we did 4 albuterol treatments in an hour...he's been quite wheezy.

The good thing is that Gigi's back, and we're so glad she is, cause tomorrow's the big day, the big reveal, we'll know what this sweet little peep #4 is...hard to believe I'm 18 weeks as of yesterday, yikes, where's the time gone?

Jesus Calling!

For Christmas my Mother-in-Law got me the devotional book, Jesus Calling by Sarah Young, its phenominal! Each day before I start my Bible study I've been reading through it and its amazing how each and every day holds a marvelous challenge, a pertinent truth that I need to hear! It's truly a great book, it's up there with Oswald Chambers' My Utmost for His Highest, if you haven't gotten a copy, go out and get one today, you won't be disappointed!

So today's exerpt was yet again another wonderful challenge for me. Here are a few lines: "Trusting Me is a moment-by-moment choice." Just as the Israelites complained continually in the desert even as I provided miracles for them..."Isn't it the same with you? You trust Me when things go well, when you see Me working on your behalf. This type of trust flows readily within you, requiring no exertion of your will. When things go wrong, your trust-flow slows down...You are forced to choose between trusting Me intentionally or rebelling: resenting My ways with you. This choice constitutes a fork in the road. Stay on the path of Life with Me, enjoying My Presence. Choose to trust Me in all circumstances."

I love that I can trust God completely! That I don't have to worry about things because He cares for me and there is abundant Life (true, fulfilling, significant life) in His Presence. So I can say with confidence, Psalm 118:24, "This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it!" Thank you Lord for walking with me daily and for having plans to prosper and not harm me, plans to give me a future and a hope!!

Easter Fun!

We did all our "non-religious" Easter celebrating on Saturday so on Sunday we could focus solely on what Jesus did! We had the kids Easter baskets sitting out for them that morning at breakfast so they could enjoy all their candy and Easter basket treats throughout the day. Then we played and did the Easter Egg hunt later in the afternoon. The guys did the hiding (since us girls had done all the stuffing!) They had them all over the place...hidden up in reachable tree branches, in the Fisher Price basketball net, hidden in the trailer hitch of the suberban, etc...it was quite the hunt and the kids had a blast. The eggs were filled with candy, little toys and a few had some quarters in them...they were super excited to see what they got!

Here's Emerson enjoying his first egg hunt...


And the hunt is on...





They had a great time!


G-Dad and Lawson watching the Master's golf tournament...


Playing Outside...


Cooking in the kitchen...


My tastey Pineapple-Coconut Cupcakes with Buttermilk-Cream Cheese Frosting from this month's Southern Living, were really good! I made them look like birds nests using edible grass and chocolate eggs, I thought they turned out pretty cute!


And here we are after church, what a celebration of Jesus' resurrection! I'm so grateful for this spring season of new birth that echos continually of God's promise of newness and a fresh start to each of us who will accept His free gift of salvation! Thank you Jesus for your gift and sacrifice we are amazed and humbled by your great love for us!

Recap of Time with Family: Part 2

Continuing the recap of our time with family...again, there's a TON of pics in this post!

The boys had a blast playing with Psalm and Pascha. When we couldn't find the two older ones (Psalm and Peyton) we realized they were down in the guest room jumping from the guest bed to the blow up mattress that we'd put down there. Here's some pictures of the action...




We were able to enjoy some grown up boy and girl times which was very fun to just be able to do whatever with out all our little people. The guys went golfing on Friday morning and had a beatiful day on the links!


Us girls went to some antique shops and children's consignment stores...we didn't get a picture of us all because we were to busy shopping cause we were on a mission! Whitney found a great window pane that she's going to re-purpose into a chalk board and put cute hooks on to hang coats, can't wait to see it! We also found some great clothes for all the kiddos which is always a score!

While the guys went golfing we took the kids to McWane Science Museum in downtown Birmingham, it was a lot of fun, though a bit crowded in sections. The kids had a ton of fun seeing and playing at the different exhibits!

The water table was a hit...



Peyton put on a puppet show...


Kiddos were crawling and climbing on everything...


There was a humongous keyboard on the floor that was really fun for them and Gigi even got in on the action with a little ditty of Chop Sticks!



There's a lifesize LightBright that Lawson thought was pretty cool...


They had a two and under area that had soft blocks and padded wedges for little tikes to crawl on and Emerson had a big time in there...



The big kids made a tower out of lifesize blocks and Psalm crawled up and sat right on top, how cool is that?!


Lawson loved the construction vehicle and crane...he enjoyed picking up the blocks and dumping them into the "construction site"...


We moved on to the Aquarium portion, and the kids enjoyed touching the hammer head shark and sting ray...



Here are some future scientists, checking out different size shark teeth under a microscope...


Then it was on to the Dinosaurs...






Me and my sweet little peeps...


They even got to touch a hedge hog and a chinchilla...Whitney was over the top to see the Chinchilla, she's always wanted one!



We had a lot of fun...and there's still more to share...