Monreau's Birthday Celebration...

I'm slowly catching up :)

We had a fun time celebrating Monreau turning four! She truly does seem more grown up!

Here's a glimpse of our time celebrating with her! It was simple, but she loved it!

On Monreau's actual birthday Matt and I took just her out for a birthday lunch! I honestly think it was our first ever meal with just her! We told her she could pick any restaurant. We gave her a long list of options... in the end she chose Wendys. Really? Yes!

So excited to be with her daddy!

Loving being 4!
Excited to check out her surprise birthday cake for her "party!"
Lauren! Monreau adores her!
I did a bad job of taking pictures! Thanks for coming Poppy, Nanny, Grandpa, Grandma, Aunt Jill and Uncle Darren! (to bad I didn't document their presence!)
Gifts... her list include "Tangled" toys and a pillow pet! She got both :)

Cousins!

The cake we surprised her with! She had always commented when we grocery shopped how amazing the barbie cakes were! She was SO excited!

We love you so much Monreau Jillian!

Off to the Golf course...

McLleyton might know all his princesses by name, but there is no doubt that the first love in his life is SPORTS! He can't get enough of them. He daily surpises me with a random piece of sports knowledge or vocabulary! Since it's been a few months now without football on (hopefully we don't miss a whole year of it- come on NFL work it out :)), his new favorites are basketball and golf! He LOVES golf! He loves to watch it, play it, talk about it! He knows all his clubs by name (driver, iron, putter), plus he can identify and likes to use either "Titleist or Nike" balls.

We are currently half way through remodeling our house. For the few weeks we moved back in we laid out a piece of scrap carpet in our new room. In the carpet is a round cut out (from an outlet). Within 2 minutes of being home McLleyton immediately identified it as his "golf hole" and asked for his clubs. He's made great progress in the past few weeks golfing inside daily! I think he's going to be pretty sad when our project is complete and his hole is gone!!

The other night Matt took him on a little date to the golf course! The just went to the putting green! McLleyton was SO excited about it and has been asking daily to go back. He also will ask me during the day if Matt's at work or golfing :). I think he just wants to make sure he's not missing out!

It was fun to watch these to leave and think about all the days and hours ahead the two of them will get to spend on the golf course! There is no doubt we are so blessed by McLleyton! He has the most joyful spirit, happy disposition ... and I have to admit both Matt and I love his enthusiasm for the sports :).

PS... Thanks to Uncle Trey who gave McLleyton his clubs as a baby gift :) Who knew just two years later they would be his favorite thing!!

Wacky Wednesday...

This was Wacky Wednesday at school! It was before spring break, but since it is Wednesday today I couldn't resist :)

This is why it's so special to get to go to school with your cousins! Chandler Woods has been an amazing blessing! A lot of prayer went into the decision of where to send these sweet girls to school and it's definitely felt like we made the right choice. I LOVE going there and seeing these three working on their friendship and being together! It's an amazing gift!

May...it's half way over...

Wow, where has this month gone? For us it's been spent in the middle of a remodeling project, playing outside, the normal routine and a few fun events! All of which made the past few weeks go by quickly!

About 6 weeks ago we started a remodeling project on our house! A pretty extensive one and it's going to be so exciting when it's done. (Which we hope will happen about a week before baby#4 is due to arrive!) If you've ever been in our house you know about the "hole" in the middle of it! Well, the glass wall and the hole are gone! We put a floor in and are putting in a new bedroom, bath and closet for the girls downstairs. We moved out for the first month. Then moved back in for these middle weeks and will shortly be moving back out for the last month of work. Overall, it's gone really smoothly and we are all excited about it! Nothing like making life crazy as we welcome a new baby!

I'm just getting around to uploading pictures from the past few weeks! I'll try to get them organized and up! :)

Happy 4th Birthday Monreau...

Dear Monreau, 

   Today, you are four years old! We are celebrating you today and the amazing gift you are to our family!

As we sat together on the floor yesterday afternoon talking, laughing,  being silly and snapping a few rare pictures of just you, I was amazed at how much you've grown up in the past year! I am so proud of the little girl you are growing up to be! You made some giant leaps from three to four! 

This was our year together! I debated for weeks last summer about sending you to preschool or keeping you home another year. I am so confident and content in my decision to keep you home! I have treasured our afternoons together! I love sitting at the counter having conversations with you. Reading books. Baking. You love to bake! Coloring. You have come so far in your artistic abilities! Imagining. You are so creative! Laughing. There is no one who adds more laughter to my day than you :). Attempting "school" work, your least favorite of our afternoon activities. Monreau you are SO smart, I'm shocked and amazed by all you understand! Your memory and understanding of concepts and ideas is far beyond your four years! So, we let the traditional stuff slide and I just enjoyed teaching you how you like to learn! Come next year we'll play catch up on the "school" stuff :). For now I will continue to cherish our time together!

Monreau you are, our question asker! You have a genuine interest in others. You are so incredibly thoughtful. You ask deep, profound questions that blow me away. You are perceptive and wise. I love the way you pepper daddy with questions about his day at dinner. How you'll randomly ask me how I'm feeling or will ask a question about something or someone you're thinking about.  I love the way you embrace Shaelyn after school and sincerely want to hear about the best part of her day. Or how you'll ask McLleyton if he understands something! Never loose this gift. It will bring you far in life and bless the people in your life immensely. You, my sweet girl, are very gifted at making others feel welcomed, cared for and important! I am so proud of you! 

There was a time when it was very safe to say you were our more "difficult child." Those days have passed. Yes, you still have your amazing zest and fun, free spirit, that at times leaves you marching to your very own beat, but you are growing into an amazingly sweet, thoughtful, sensitive little girl. Truthfully, on most days I would say you're my easiest :). It takes very little to meet your needs. You are low maintenance. Quick to smile. Patient. Amazingly creative. Self driven. Very content. And so much fun to be around! Your fits and times of frustration are slowly disappearing (or transferring to your brother :)) and it's so amazing to see so many gifts and talents developing in you! I cannot wait to see the way they will be used in the years ahead! 

     Monreau, I love the way you love your sister. Your friendship with Shaelyn is truly one of the greatest gifts in my life. It's something I pray about daily and always hope you'll continue to work on. She's your best friend and I love it that you know that and enjoy it! It makes me so happy to watch the two of you have so much fun. To dance, play house, set up barbies, giggle as you talk in bed ... some day you'll be too grown up for those things, but never lose or stop working on the friendship the Lord has given the two of you! Thank you for loving her so well! 

Being a middle child (soon of 4) is not the easiest place to be. I was you :). You fill your spot in our family to perfection! Without you our family would miss out on so much fun, laughter, heart and LIFE! You have a personality that draws others to you. Be confident in all that you are! Dream big. Be compassionate. Pray faithfully. Seek out who Jesus is. Choose your friends wisely. Be honest. Never let go of your passion. Know how very much you are loved! We love you so much. How amazing is it that it's just an ounce of the way your heavenly Father loves you? Keep seeking to know and feel His love! I enjoy each day being your mom, thank you for filling my life with joy! Happy 4th Birthday my sweet girl!

Love, Mom