It's Two Thumbs Up for P-I-N-K!!!!

Drum roll, please.....................

It is with great excitement that we announce that we finally have our PINK!!!!!! We received our Embassy Appointment late this afternoon. Our Appointment Date is April 1st at 7:15am.

Yes, you heard that right. Happy April Fools Day... and WELCOME to our incredibly crazy family, Sweet Sara! :)

We should have our travel plans early tomorrow... once we figure out what we are going to do with the dogs, horses, rabbit.... YIKES! This is much more complicated this time around!

Everyone say a little prayer for Sara. I don't know if she has any idea what she is getting into... but the kids are beyond excited! They were ready to fly out today!!

The Birthday Boy

Today was Tim's birthday!

We decided to have a family day... which is our usual way to celebrate birthdays in this family! (Bummer for Tim... it was on a Sunday, so he doesn't get to "skip" a day of work this year. Bummer for me... I checked ahead to next month, and neither do I. OH WELL.)

So we started the day off with a trip to Georgetown to eat... and then we made a couple of pit-stops. You know, the usual: LOWE'S... Tractor Supply... all the places that the boys like to go! Finally, we decided that for FUN we would hit the MOVIES. WE went to see "Horton Hears A Who". It was really cute! The girls laughed a lot...and Rachel (our tenderhearted movie watcher) only started to scream/cry twice. So all-in-all it was a pretty good flick! We really enjoyed it... and the Hanks Gang gives it a hearty 5 thumbs up. (Although I have a feeling that even on DVD in our own home, our "Rachelometer" will still run and hide behind the couch for at least 2 scenes...)

Rachel thinks answering the telephone is her PRIMARY REASON FOR EXISITNG...so just giving you fair warning!

After the movie, we headed home. We had a cake to bake, and Tim wanted to have Chicken Alfredo Lasagna for dinner. (YUM! Another Pampered Chef favorite.) So after feeding all the animals, breaking up a dog fight, getting one of the dogs untangled from the wire fence, feeding the horses, putting out hay...dodging the horse fights...Tim finally got to come back inside and have a party with his family. ;)

Mamoo... did the hat give her all this attitude... or did you match the hat to her personality???

Daddy on the phone with DeeDee... while everyone waits patiently...for the mystery package!

When we got to the house, Tim had a surprise stashed in the door. I was really excited... since we had a crazy week last week, and the kids and I failed to find ONE day to sit and make Tim's cards/gift! We did not do "good" this year. We actually had hoped that we would be traveling SOUTH FOR SARA this week...so we stalled in getting a present...and when that didn't pan out we were already

behind the eight-ball!

The kids made it up to him, though. I would rather have their undivided love and attention for an entire day... and they sure did heap that on Tim today. It was really precious. They love their Daddy... and they enjoy spending time with him.

WHO IS IT FROM??? HURRY DADDY!!!! AHA!!! It's from Mr. Kelvin, Mrs. Donna and RJ!!!!
VERY COOL! Your very first airplane!!! Instant aviation: Just add water... I bet Mr. Kelvin picked this present out! :)

My favorite part of the day - is sitting back and watching the kids with Tim. Tim works very hard... and I know that everything that he does - is for our family. He makes a lot of sacrifices... and we don't tell him often enough how much we appreciate him! He is a good, kind, fair, hard-working and loyal person... and I hope that if there is anything that we can teach our children... it is to be a lot like their Daddy... and maybe just a smidge like their Momma. :) That would be a nice mix.

LET"S EAT!!!!! It's time for cake!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!

Bella Dancerella

It completely surprised me when I discovered this...Rachel wants to be a Ballerina. Not only does she want to be one... she is very intense about her Ballerina Practice. Last year, Uncle Chuck, Aunt Jamie and Briana got her the "Bella Dancerella"... and she LOVES it. It is so funny to watch... she is so IN TO IT. Why is this so funny to me?? This is the same little girl that likes to jump on the hay bales, drive the tractor, takes care of all the dogs... and when the weather is warm... she would rather be outside getting dirty. So yes, I find it amusing when she wants to dress up in her tutu... put her hair up in a bun (not in these photos...) and spin on her toes!!! She is quite the sight to behold. Side note: We are STILL hoping to have that special Ali post... we just need her to cooperate just a smidge. She is not wanting to let go of something... but it needs to COME OUT. I'll keep you posted.

FFF #3 - One Year Ago Today...

Ali (BELOW) driving the 4-wheeler... she is hilarious. You can actually walk faster than she drives. Rachel and McCaleb washed the little pickup truck in the amount of time it took for Ali to complete her two laps. She drives like her Aunt Jamie..... ;)

Keep in mind we are expecting 8 - 12 inches of snow overnight... and that currently outside it is Thunder Snowing and Thunder Sleeting. It kind of makes you look at these photos and go... awwwwww. WE WANT WARM WEATHER! :) But in all honesty, the kids are soooo excited to have some snow - I bet they won't sleep much tonight. So... one year ago day.... Aren't they cute? Look at how much Rachel and McCaleb have changed... Ali was on the 4-wheeler the entire time... so we only see her with the helmet on. But I can promise you she is still wearing these same clothes. That child hasn't gained a pound.. and she eats everything that isn't nailed down. Hopefully soon we will have some fun new photos of Ali... we are currently "working" on a very special project. And check out the sky at the end of that day. BEAUTIFUL...

My Little Man..."Tiny Tim"

Someone once told me that there is just a difference with little boys. "They smell different, they play different, they love you different...it's just different." That was her answer when I asked what she meant.

I have to say... little boys are different.

Let me tell you about my little guy...he is 100% total sweetness. He reminds me quite often that he is Mommy's Little Man. He loves to tell me that when Tim is around - with a very impish grin - but is quick to tell me (when Tim is not around) that he is Daddy's boy, too. Along with being sweet... he is tough as nails.

Monday was another beautiful day (we live in Kentucky...today was frigid and it is currently snowing). After being at the office for most of the day - we hurried home to fly a kite. It was the perfect day for kite flying. McCaleb was completely enthralled with trying to do a little bit of everything, drive the truck, dig in the dirt, fly the kite, play kick ball.... I tried to get him to leave the ball up on the deck. But there is just too much temptation when you have wide open spaces to rip and run. So after about 5 seconds... the ball went up under the deck. BOY! Was he sad!

He cried over the loss of that ball... and then he mustered up all his courage - and shimmied under there after it. He cracked his head on the decking... I could hear him crying... and still he brought that ball out - tears and all. It was then that he informed me he had to go back.

"Why?" I asked.

"They is more balls under there. I get Daddy to get them with me..."

So, once Tim got home... they "suited up" and back under the deck he went. (Much braver this time - because Daddy was with him.)

After it was all over and done, he was one happy camper. He took the balls inside, he wanted to sleep with them last night - he even tried to get them in bed again tonight. But he was out and back to kite flying in a matter of minutes - loving on his Daddy.

He is the sweetest boy.