Collier Turns FIVE!

We started counting down after Kenley's birthday in March to the much anticipated April 30th!  Wednesday finally arrived and I am officially Mom to a 5 year old.  All five fingers worth of 5 amazing years that we have been blessed with Collier's life.  One full hand representing one awesome little man!  I love my little Collier man...he is such a little man and wants to be big more than anything else.  He is a diligent worker and is still very task oriented.  He loves to help us do any kind of work that we will allow him to do - mow the grass, wash dishes, vacuum, and has even scrubbed baseboards for me.  He is a great helper.  He is loving his first ever season of tee-ball and is doing so good.  After his game, he will come straight home and ask for Justin or I to play/practice baseball with him in the back yard.  It is fun to watch him grow into a sport so well!  He is tough yet snuggly.  He is considerate (most of the time) and quick to love and kiss when needed.  If I ask Kenley for a kiss and she turns me down, Collier will run over to fulfill the request.  And he even gave Mrs. Deidre a hug when William wouldn't give her one day at drop off at school.  Most of all he is just getting big and so grown up!

 birthday donuts to kick off our his birthday!

Sister loved all of the birthday sweet treats most of all!

When I started asking him a few months ago what he wanted to do for his birthday party and the first thing he asked for was a Golf Party...sounded good to me but Justin said NO! He felt that a golf course is not appropriate for a bunch of excited and energetic little boys.  The golf course is a quiet place!  I tried to move on but every other options and suggestions that I came up with was either too expensive or I just couldn't make it work.  I was starting to run out of time and decided to just circle back around to the possibility of a golf party...after all, the worth thing they could say is No! I called and the golf pro was very quick and willing to do something for me!  He then put me in touch with the club house to rent a small private room and within an hour I had it all scheduled!  Thankfully Justin was receptive (even still tentatively) and we moved forward! And here is how it all turned out:

 The putting contest began with the birthday boy and they all took turns from different distances (laid out by the Pro with tee's) and Justin and the Pro kept score with number of putt's.  

 running and limbo occurred as well.  No one said it wouldn't be a well rounded party :)

It was so great and lots of fun for Collier.  He has sweet friends who came to make his day special.  As we drove out of the golf course, Justin was willing to admit 'That went much better than I thought it would'.   Oxmore Valley was so kind and accommodating to help us make this party a great success.  Everyone was amazing and helpful!  And the boys did great!!  Thanks to everyone to being there for Collier's Birthday fun!

Easter - He is Risen, I am greatful

I started this post on Monday and just now getting around to posting...

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We had a wonderful and fun and so busy Easter weekend. I woke up yesterday morning feeling overwhelmed with joy and the excitement of what the day represents.  Good Friday I was struck with the reality of the day of Jesus' death with the anticipation of what Sunday really is to me.  Because of His death and His resurrection...He Lives!  He is alive and all is well!  I am so thankful for this truth. On Friday evening Justin was listening to Pandora's Christmas station and we sang of Jesus' birth...only to get to celebrate what he also have in His death!  Amazing!  And then I was once again reminded that ‘There is nothing we can do to make God love us more and there is nothing we can do to make God love us less' - Philip Yancy.  Amen!

Our weekend was filled with baby chicks, and baby showers and easter bunny things, and egg dying and egg finding and cooking and celebrating and loving one another.

 trying to get Kenely to understand to be easy can be a challenge.  They kept telling her 'show me one finger and just touch easy with your finger'.  She wanted to grab that little chick so bad.

 We hunted eggs in our PJ's!  Such fun, I think I'll do that every year!  

 As soon as she discovered there was candy in the eggs...hunting was over.  Chocolate eating was the activity of choice!

Bed Bugs

This has been happening more lately.  I have walked in on several occasions to him already in the bed with her.  This time, he had gone to get ALL of his 'friends' (lovey's) and thrown them in before he climbed in himself.  And usually heavy and high jumping follows.  We are seriously testing the limits of this crib.  I will not be one bit surprised if the bottom falls out when they are jumping.  I tell them not to but don't really reinforce it because I love the fact that they are giggling together.  And unlike the bed they can not fall off....although it is very possible that they fall THROUGH.  Oh well.  I am thinking the crib life may be in short order but I am not quite ready to think about her being in a big girl and real bed just yet.  

On a slightly different note!  This sweet girl is doing awesome on the potty training.  I would say we are 95% done.  When she gets too busy playing she will start to wet before she realizes she has to go...or she will just wait to long to tell us to be able to make it to the potty.  The biggest part is that she has been in big girl panties at night most of this week and we have been totally dry!  So proud of her.

If you're in Instagram, you've seen this one :)

Spring Break

Just a quick post with a few photo's of our 'extra' time at the lake.  It was Collier Spring Break last week and since we had planned to have Kenley a birthday gathering I asked my work peeps if they would mind me working remote for a few days.  They were kind enough to say yes and therefore we got in a few extra days at the lake.  I really enjoyed it (although I worked more than I had planned) and the kids loved the extra time down there.  Mom stayed too and it was nice to have the extra time together.

The weather was still a bit cold but that never seems to slow either Collier or Brinkley down from getting into the water.