Claudia's Fifth Birthday

The kids playing outside.






The next big basketball star!! Probably not now but who knows a few years from now.

Inside for presents and cake.

Claudia didn't want to wear the hat but Papaw and Alaina were both more than willing.








The candles were supposed to be trick candles but only the one relit and they were half way back to the kitchen when it finally did relight. So they took it back for Claudia to blow out again.

Are they up to something?

Just because they get quiet doesn't mean that they are in to trouble.

Sometimes it just means that they are playing peacefully with each other.

It is such a joy and a privelege to watch the bond between these two grow stronger and stronger.

My Mother's Day Walk

For Mother's Day, first we went to church, after church we were headed to Granny and Grandpa's house for pizza. But first we stopped off at For-Mar Nature Preserve.

My beautiful niece Claudia rode with us from church to Granny and Grandpa's so she got to go on our little walk as well.

This is the picture that Claudia took with my camera.

Asa inspecting one of the flowering trees out at the preserve.

Dad gave Asa a dandelion to play with.

So of course he has to tease Eli with it. Eli loved it though.

Gotta Love Those Smiles

Life in the 'Hood

Oh wait, that's not a bandana.

Why it's pajama pants that Eli has on his head.

And is that a shirt Asa has on his head?

Asa's Reading

Well not quite. He is beginning to associate the pictures in the books to the story of the book, like in these pictures here. He is telling the story of "We're Going On A Bear Hunt" one of our favorites, although Asa only likes the part of the book until we find the bear, then he tells me over and over, "scared, I scared" but he still wants me to finish the story.

Peek-a-Bear

You mean you haven't heard of this new game. Asa came up with it the other day. He was sitting there saying "mama peek, mama peek." I look over and there he is with the bears in front of his face. So of course, I played along and I had to take pictures.

Good Oral Hygiene

First with start with dad or mom giving our teeth a good brushing.





Then we get to do it ourselves.

Asa Feeds Eli

It was so cute.

The other day, Chris was feeding Eli.

He set the food down to grab something.

And Asa willingly jumped in to help out.

Eli Colors

Eli doesn't get much alone time with mom or dad. The other day Eli woke from his nap about the time Asa fell asleep for a nap. It was Chris's day off so we got the markers down and let Eli color. Now that they are getting older, I know I really need to do this more. Anywho... Here are the pics of Eli coloring.




Eli had finished coloring and was up playing. Just thought the picture was cute and wanted to share.