Ethan in June

As you can tell, I am obsessed with pictures. Usually pictures of Courtney as we spend, well, about 16 hours a day together. I am blessed to have such a beautiful daughter who doesn't mind me being obsessed with having pictures of her. Ethan on the other hand, equally as gorgeous...not as equally excited about me taking pictures of him so often. So, with our limited amount of time with Ethan, and him being a boy...there are many less pictures. Soooo, I tried to make up for it the other day. We set up a 'mini studio' in the living room and I shot tons of pictures of him, just him...well, and his yo-yo. The boy LOVES his yo-yo and if I must say, he is quite good at it too. Here are a few of the pictures we took....he is pretty darn handsome!

2nd Trimester Pictures

Yes, we have entered the 3rd trimester. This pregnancy has really gone by fast. Looking at the calendar and having only 10 weeks left is crazy...seems like just yesterday we were only 10 weeks along. So here are the 2nd trimester belly pics. There was a big change from last month to this month...and boy can I feel it!

March 24, 2011

April 24, 2011

May 24, 2011

Courtney's 4th bday party(s)

I have got to get better at blogging again! As I'm organizing pictures I noticed I didn't get around to putting Courtney's 4th bday pics up. What a failure! So, it's a month later and here they are. We had our first 'friend' party this year at our house and we will forever do it that way. She had a blast, her favorite little friends made it and it didn't cost a lot of money! What more could you ask for? Since her bday was during the week, her party was on the weekend but Kaylee, Nana, Bopa and Auntie Shannon all came up on the 10th to celebrate on the day. We started that day with pictures of Courtney and Kaylee which was so much fun...and I still need to edit/post those pics! Then we headed to the Boingo Bounce where the girls had a blast! 

Courtney is FOUR!

Our sweet baby is 4; which is absolutely crazy to think about. I have had the best time being her mommy, she truly brightens my day from the moment she comes in to tell me it's time to get up because it's morning. Even if that comes at 6 AM some times. One of my favorite things about her is how thoughtful she is. She will randomly tell me or Daddy that she likes our shirt, our that we look cute. She asks if we need help and is generally a good sweet kid. She has a heart for God and loves to learn more about Him as much as we will teach her. Here are some of her 4 year old pictures I took the other day which I must say are A D O R A B L E. Gotta love her! She LOVES barns, so we thought this was the perfect spot. Thanks, Bopa for the big 4! :-)

Easter 2011

I mean, seriously, could our children get any cuter? I am blessed to have children who don't give me "the look" when I tell them I want to take, yet another, picture of them. The just put on their smiles, stand where I tell them to, put their hands where I say and make yet another adorable picture. 

A few days ago as Easter was approaching we asked Courtney what Easter is about and she quickly replied "it's when the Easter Bunny brings me eggs". She's 3 mind you, but that was no excuse. So we explained to her it was the day Jesus came back to life and she says "oh, after he died on the cross to forgive our sins". Yes, she got it, we are not failure parents...I am so thankful to have 2 children who love the Lord, who aren't shy when it comes to their faith and who are anxious to learn more. I am more thankful for a God who sent His son to die on the cross and to raise again on our "Easter" day.  

Here are a few pictures from Courtney's egg hunt at school this year.

5 1/2 months pregnant...not fat faced. :-) 

Kids dying eggs...always fun. Cleaner this year too! 

First "look" at our baby....BOY!

Seriously, it's been 5 years since we had an ultrasound. 5 years. Not 25, 5. They have come so far! I am not medically "smart". Honestly, with Courtney, I took their word for it that she was a girl because I could not tell. At all. Looking at her ultrasound pictures now, I still can't! Her little foot and spine are about all I could make out for sure. Oh, it's changed. I think even Courtney could tell her little brother's parts the other day! :-) So, it's official, he is a boy. He was NOT shy and we are excited to know and stop calling him "it". Ethan is also excited, he finally gets a brother! Courtney, not so much. A few tid bits from the mind of a 3 year old who really wanted a sister....On the phone with my mom...all I hear is "NO, Nana...I really am NOT excited that its a boy. I really wanted a sister." Talking to me later ME: "Baby, I'm sorry you aren't excited that our baby is a boy." Courtney: "It's ok, I will still love him and sing to him and read to him and help you feed him BUT I really don't WANT him." Courtney talking to my belly "I still love you, even if you are a boy". Oh, how I love her. She will be great with him, I just know it. But for now, we let her process and be ok and laugh at how her little mind works.

Here he is......Austin Dale!

Gotta love God

Today was an emotional day in church. Before the sermon even starts I have tears running down my face. It still amazes me how God uses different things to speak to us. How He uses different ways to teach us. How He uses things of our every day life to change our way of thinking or even make us understand why we think a certain way. Today He used this song. "Our God". Honestly, I hear this song probably every day of my life and we have been singing it in church the last 3 Sundays. But today was different, He brought these words straight to my heart. Especially the bridge (in red). 

Water You turned into wine

Open the eyes of the blind

There’s no one like You

None like You

Into the darkness You shine

Out of the ashes we rise

There’s no one like You

None like You

Our God is greater, our God is stronger

God You are higher than any other

Our God is Healer, awesome in power

Our God, Our God… 

Into the darkness you shining

Out of the ashes we Rise

There’s no One like You

None like You.

Our God is greater, our God is stronger

God You are higher than any other

Our God is Healer, awesome in power

Our God, Our God… 

Our God is greater, our God is stronger

God You are higher than any other

Our God is Healer, awesome in power

Our God, Our God… 

And if Our God is for us, then who could ever stop us

And if our God is with us, then what can stand against? 

And if Our God is for us, then who could ever stop us

And if our God is with us, then what can stand against? 

What can stand against?

Our God is greater, our God is stronger

God You are higher than any other

Our God is Healer, awesome in power

Our God, Our God… 

Our God is greater, our God is stronger

God You are higher than any other

Our God is Healer, awesome in power

Our God, Our God… 

And if Our God is for us, then who could ever stop us

And if our God is with us, then what can stand against? 

And if Our God is for us, then who can ever stop us

And if our God is with us, then what can stand against? 

Then what can stand against?

Then what can stand against?

Our God is greater, our God is stronger

God You are higher than any other

Our God is Healer, awesome in power

Our God, Our God… 

Our God is greater, our God is stronger

God You are higher than any other

Our God is Healer, awesome in power

Our God, Our God… 

Think about it. If our God is for us. What could stop us? God is on our side. Nothing is stronger, nothing is more powerful, nothing could be a better "on your side" defense.