Families are fun!!

Ahhh, here with family again! We're here in Louisiana spending quality time with my parents, sister, brother-in-law, niece and nephews, and Granny. Thursday we'll also have more family here with us! The kids have all had a great time together! They each love their cousins SO much!

A couple of funny things we've overheard from the kids this week:

• Last night, Ava and Cadee were playing with the dollhouse and dolls and we heard Cadee and Ava figuring out which dolls were which and Ava told Cadee, "You have to be really, really old to be a grandma!" Just as my mom (her grandma) entered the room!
• The kids invited Granny to eat at the kids' table with them for dinner tonight and she delightedly accepted! Then, I overheard Ava say, "Granny, you're old. How old are you?"
• Tonight, Cadee wanted to sleep in her mom and dad's room instead of in Granny's with Ava, which is very unusual. We kept asking and she just did not want to sleep in there. Her dad told her in his sternest voice, "Cadee, I will NOT tolerate you waking up in the middle of the night, because Jonathan is in our room and you don't need to wake him up! The first time you wake up, talk, whine, whatever, I'll spank your bottom". She turned right around and said in her sweetest voice, "Ava, I'm sleeping with you now". Smart girl!
• OK, Justin is usually the king of the funny quotes, but I'm asking everyone and we're all coming up dry! I'm sure I'll be posting one in the coming days!

Thank You SO much, Lord, for the blessing of family and for the lessons we learn from the kids you've blessed us with:)

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!

It's Clompicated

Yes, Ava has created a new word. As we were driving home from Bible study this morning, Ava was singing her own song in the backseat and sang something about "situations". I asked her if she knew what a situation was and she said no and asked me what it was. I was so stuck! I could only think of an explanation that involved the word "circumstances" and I didn't know how to describe either word without using the other!

After I took a short phone call, Ava still wanted a definition. I couldn't think of how to explain it to her. She reassured me... "I will believe you, mama. I will. I will trust you". Give you a hint that she doesn't always believe or trust me? Anyway, I tried to tell her that I knew she would believe me, but that I couldn't think of how to explain the word to her! After going back and forth on that and after more unanswered questions, I told her that it was "complicated". And the rest is history....

All I heard the rest of the way home was "You're clompicated, mama." Giggle, giggle, giggle.

On another note, we enjoyed a very fancy, 'Fancy Nancy' birthday party at Mercy's house on Saturday. The girls dressed up and wore their finest jewels, made bracelets and crowns, ate some fancy food and played the afternoon away. Here are Ava, Mercy, and Emma all beautified:)

I am so blessed! Today I had a wonderful friend invite me over to pray together and I am filled with joy for what God has done in me and what He is going to do!

Well, it took me FOREVER, but I finally figured out how to post a slideshow of some pictures of our fun last couple of weeks! Our recent days have been filled with pumpkin patch, Peinhardt Farm, Fall Festival, and a really special morning at Doss Farm with Mr. Morrow, who told me he got his "pay back from yesterday morning" the next day at church when Ava put her hand on his arm and said, "I love you, Mr. Morrow". Too sweet!

I'll also go back and add some soccer pics and birthday pics from September... Ava had a surprise family birthday party and a really fun time at Build-A-Bear with friends! Please look below and check it out! If you click on the slideshow, it will bring it up larger and you can also read the captions. Just click on the slideshow, then click on the word 'Slideshow' on the page that comes up.

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