Friday, April 29, 2011

outside... again!

My pictures are becoming redundant, I know. Well, with the exception of the outfits being different from day to day ;)

We headed out to Target yesterday when Kallie woke up from her nap. Kensley was due for her "surprise" because she slept in her bed 5 times. She ended up picking out Arial (Mermaid) I have no idea why? She's never watched that movie before. haha. Oh well. It was only $5. When we got home, we just stayed outside- it was beautiful. The storm had blown past us and it was warm, but a nice breeze. We even got to visit with some friends.





How about that face? :)




He's been getting to come out with us. <3


Disclaimer: She did not actually drink this.... and it's empty anyways! :)


<3 her!


This was right before she filled the car with chalk!


These came in while we were outside! I love how they turned out! (collage prints from my mini sessions)

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Belated Easter & cuties with hats

I bought these ears at Giant before Easter in hopes of taking a cute picture for Easter of the girls. Well, I just got around to taking the girls upstairs to do the pictures. So I'm just 3 days late. :)




And here are a couple of Kensley being a ham. She knew she was getting a treat for taking pictures!




I was *attempting* to get some pictures for UpNorthKnits.... this is an outtake ;) (and a different editing style... just wanted to play around with it)

Sunny days

Well, yesterday was nice and hot again so we headed outside after naps. I called a neighbor and she brought her girls over too. We had a nice time! :)





This was Kallie's first time to play with the water table. She loved it!


While it was a beautiful day here---- storms were quickly brewing down in Texas where our family is. My mom called about 9 and jokingly said she was calling to say I love you - just in case their electricity and stuff went out and what-not. My dad was outside looking at the weather- there were some crazy pictures posted on Facebook of the sky. It looked scary. Well, I put Kensley down and laid with her until she fell asleep. I woke up and looked at the clock. 10:30. AHH! I had fallen asleep for a while in her bed and now I had to get the house picked up and start editing pictures. I looked at my phone to see a few missed calls and texts from Kent and my mom. The voicemail from my mom said "we've called 911!". My heart dropped. Tears rushed in my eyes. I called her and she said the lake house (where my brother lives) had caved in. My brother had called her to tell her he was trapped. By the time 911 got out there, he was able to crawl out. It was dark out, so they couldn't really tell the full extent of damage until this morning. Luckily my brother's truck was still ok, so he drove into town to my parents' house. He was a mess. I can't even imagine what he was feeling. Everything he owned had been destroyed by, what we think could have been, a tornado. Devastating. He talked my dad and Uncle Jimmy into going back out there to recover some things. My dad said it was a mess. It was hard to describe what it all looked like.

I woke up this morning wanting to call my mom (but it was only 6 at her house, so I knew everyone was still asleep). When they all got up, they went back out to the house to assess the damage. She said it was unbelievable. Whether it was straight line wind or tornado--- it was crazy. The only place in the house that was still intact was the closet- where Kevin was. His pillows still in there. A huge tree branch on his bed. Half of the house looked like it was lifted up and moved over a few feet. There were certain areas in the house that were left untouched. Amazing. His dog that was outside- in her pen. Perfectly fine. The pen didn't move. The back porch completely ripped off the house- I'm not sure they even know where it is? And the most amazing part of all of this----- no one else at the lake (to our knowledge) had this extent of damage done. On the drive out there, the roads were fine; no debris. Nothing.

Amazing, huh? What is God trying to tell us? Kevin was spared his life. Again. God has a purpose for Kevin, I know. He could have easily been crushed in that house. But he wasn't. He had no injuries. What is God trying to show us? My mom and I talked and I told her maybe God was clearing off that lot so they could build out there? ;) The lot next door is for sale too. Hmmm........ who knows. All we can do is pray. For some sort of direction. For Kevin to develop child-like faith through all of this. To know that God is going to take care of him and his needs. And for my parents- my mom is one of the strongest people I know. She has gone through a lot... and her faith in God has never changed. Just one of the many things I love about her. I know they'll be ok. And I thank God that he kept my family safe through the storm. Material things can be obtained again-- I'm just thankful to have my family. I can't wait to get to Texas soon and see everyone.

So if you are reading this and are a praying person, please send prayers to my family. There is power in prayer.

<3





We'll have to try some family pictures when KENT is in town! I hated that he's not in these :(



Monday, April 25, 2011

Beautiful, hot day!

Today is the second day in a row that it has been hot outside- and we've taken advantage! :) Kensley hasn't been taking naps lately, so the days seem a little long ;) Today she actually took a nap! AND she did it in her own bed! Yay Kensley! We just switched her to a toddler bed and it's been.... tough. She loved her crib but all of a sudden would NOT go in there to sleep. She had to be in our bed to fall asleep and then I'd have to move her; only to be woke up in the middle of the night to her screaming. So we changed her to a toddler bed- figured we might as well. She'll be 3 in August. And today is the first day she's actually fallen to sleep in it. I laid with her in her room tonight until she fell asleep. Hopefully it'll get better!

Here are some pictures from our afternoon outside.



Kallie wanted to just sit on the road and eat her crackers.... luckily we're in a culd-a-sak!


Snack time!






Kensley trying to be sneaky with her snacks


It's chalk time!






Poor Kallie got a boo-boo!




And lastly- this is the chart I made for Kensley. I don't think she fully understands it, but we'll keep working on it. If she sleeps in her room 5 nights in a row, she gets to go to Target and get a surprise. She is too funny about this whole ordeal. She thinks she gets a surprise every time she gets a sticker. She is so pumped to go to Target!

Happy Easter!

We celebrated Easter for the 2nd year in a row at our house-- with no family. We did have my in-laws in town last year- but it's been 2 years since I've seen my family for Easter! :( Anyways, it wasn't as bad as I'm making it sound. We had a great day yesterday. We got up and went to the early morning service at our church and then headed home for lunch with some friends. We stopped at the entrance to our neighborhood to get a couple pictures before we headed home.

I absolutely love this location- it's beautiful! I'm hoping to get a good family shot (with ALL of us in it at once) next weekend. --I need to figure out our attire!

Anyways, here's what we got. :)





It got up to 80 degrees so we stayed outside all afternoon. (We had a good lunch of grilled chicken, shrimp & fish....and some yummy cupcakes!)





It's 80 degrees outside AT LEAST right now- if I can ever get these girls to go take a nap, we're heading back out to play!


Oh- I just realized I didn't blog the egg hunt pictures! The mom's group I'm in had its annual Egg Hunt on Saturday. It was a nasty, cold day- but we still got out there and hunted! Kensley had a lot of fun :) They both did great! Next year will be a lot of fun, I'm sure. Both of them will be running around like crazy!





Goodness I love these girls!

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Babies to Toddlers

Well, Kensley is a little over 2.5 years old and we are JUST now putting her in a big girl bed. :( I tell you what- these girls need to put a brick on their head and stop growing up! Kallie is on night TWO of no nursing.... so that means she is COMPLETELY weaned. *tear* And now Kensley in a big girl bed?! Geez.

I had mini sessions all day today. Boy I am whipped! But it was a lot of fun and a lot of practice. I got to take my new lens out *in love*. I'm still getting use to it--- but I LOOOOVE it!

This is what Kensley and I did after supper tonight. I didn't realize we had any blooming until we walked out on the balcony and looked down!





Here is proof that my first born is growing up ;)
**don't worry- that outlet will be covered up and hidden STAT!**




And proof that, I think, Kallie would probably enjoy the bed more than Kensley.