Music to my ears

Yesterday, the kids were at the kitchen table doing crafts (their favorite thing!). I was sitting on the couch nearby when I witnessed the following:

Ava: "Zachy, can I have the glue?"

Zach hands her the glue when he's done using it and Ava looks at him and says:

"Zachy, you're my best friend."

Random pictures because I have nothing to blog about on this rainy day

Ok, I have gotten lax on my posts because, honestly, I don't have anything specific to write about. I am just enjoying my healthy, sweet, loving kids every single day and just cherishing every moment with them.

There are a couple of blogs I have been following about two sick babies (I don't even know the families but their stories have touched me and I check in frequently to see how their baby boys are doing) and there are some other sad things going on with people I know that I can't help but just be thankful for my husband and three healthy kids.

However, on this 3rd rainy day in a row, I have decided to at least post some pictures from this month that I have taken of the kids. Enjoy!

Sweet brother sharing a toy with Nee Nee (doesn't he look so big??)

Nee Nee very upset about something

This is Fat Belly Bear. Zach was throwing his stuffed animals down from his loft bed to the floor and this one hit the dangling light switch and decided to show off his trapeze skills...we all had a very good laugh at this one!

This was how Nee Nee spent yesterday afternoon, dressed up like Snow White and being happy!

Ava and her Teddy in matching gowns!

Me and my Ava Mae (she always likes to look away when having her pic taken)

Our big girl!

I just love this girl!

Playing out in the rain yesterday...they got SO muddy!

Rid'em cowgirl!

Rock n Roll (they learned that from Uncle Jason)!

Good friends

Jeff and I have been friends with Eric and Rachel Garner since 1998. Jeff first met Eric when they were both hired at Hewitt Associates and became friends. We were all newlyweds with no kids so we (and several other people from Hewitt) would hang out and do dinner, game nights, etc. The Garners were the first to move up to Acworth and Jeff and I were right behind them. It was nice to go from apartment living to a house!

Fast forward to 2009. Our kids are now very close in age and we have a BLAST everytime we get together! Last week was no exception. We enjoyed homemade pizzas and good conversation and the kids loved running around like crazy. They had a lot of fun pretending they were bears in a cave (one of Eric's handmade cabinets he had yet to install) and Rachel snapped a few pictures.

Here's to good friends!

Zach, Anna, Ava and Cara

Pony rides!

Our cousin Kate turned 4 years old last weekend and had a very special treat at her birthday party...pony rides!! This was Zach and Ava's first time on a pony and they LOVED it! There were three little ponies, Peanut, Robin and Twinkie. Even though they were only there for an hour, the kids got to ride each one several times. They really had a blast! The weather was perfect for this outside event (considering the weekend before was freezing with snow!). Thanks Kate, we had lots of fun at your party, Happy 4th Birthday!!

The birthday girl

Ava and her huge bite of cake!

Zach and cousin Brayden

Our little cowgirl!

And our cowboy!

Cousin Ana on Twinkie

Cousins Ana and Nate on Twinkie and Robin

Cousin Jackson (yes, we have alot of cousins!)

Ava riding Peanut

Jackson and Zach had so much fun!

Ava riding Robin

The birthday girl!!

Zach on Peanut

Little Artists

Zach and especially Ava LOVE to paint! But they don't get to do it very often because they have a mommy who doesn't particularly like the clean up involved afterwards, so it is a rare treat. (I know, I am probably stifling their artistic creativity...but I have come a long way...although Play-Doh is still an outdoor activity).

However, after Ava enthusiastically asked for about the 10th time, I relented. Here are some pics of my budding artists. And, actually, now that they (Ava) are a bit older, the cleanup was not as bad as it used to be (think paint on hands, feet, mouth, Ava, chair, floor, anywhere but the paper!). See, I AM becoming a more relaxed Mommy...until we see what kind of mess Renee makes!

Ava is more of the contemporary artist right now.

Zach was painting a giraffe...that eventually had

a house on his head and smoke coming out the chimney :)

Zach's new bed

Our good friends Mike and Charlotte moved into a new home and all three of their girls got new beds, so they graciously offered us a loft bed for FREE! Jeff and I had talked awhile back about getting a bed like this for Zach but they are so pricey, we weren't sure when/if it would happen.

Well, thanks to the Glass family, it happened last weekend! Jeff disassembled it at their house and reassembled it in Zach's room this past Saturday. There was a mishap with the ladder so Jeff used his handyman skills and fashioned a new ladder which Zach requested to be painted green, since that is his favorite color. Thankfully, we were able to keep Zach's full size bed in his room along with the loft bed, to have for guests and also for Zach to sleep in when he wants to (he told us he still likes that bed sometimes).

Ava LOVES the loft bed and we have found her up there playing several times this week...I almost think she likes it more than he does. She is going to get a special treat Friday night when Zach spends the night over at cousin Jackson's house...she gets to sleep in his loft bed! She is very excited about this, and Zach said it was ok :)

Here are some pictures of his new bed!

The new bed has already opened up more creative opportunities for our little builder!

Thanks Glass family (particularly Sophie) for the new bed!